Complaint Review: advanced lamps llc

I started last August with an order to these clowns and received a lamp from them for $186 that retailed for over $400 elsewhere. It worked fine for about 3 weeks but then began giving the "replace lamp" message that filled my Infocus 7205 screen. I called to complain when they offered me a replacement but not until I sent in my old bulb, which still worked but just was flashing this error message that made the viewing experience dis-pleasurable. Tech support offered me an alternative way to get an immediate replacement via their "advanced exchange" program (they charge your credit card for an additional lamp and send it directly without waiting for the defective bulb to arrive, promising to credit your card when it does arrive). This allows speeding the return process, or in my case allows me to still watch the projector with the irritating message while my replacement lamp was on the way.

After receiving the second bulb from them and returning the defective one to them, receiving credit, the new one seemed to work OK. Not for long, as after two weeks it also began displaying the "replace lamp" message. I phoned tech support again and they said this was a bulb problem and they would send me my third bulb. I went the "advanced exchange" route again this time as well because the only thing wrong with the bulb was the "replace lamp" light going on and off and it could be watched, just via the irritating message. This time when I sent the bulb back in, they did not follow the same printed instructions on the order for "advanced exchange" but instead had charged my card and MAILED ME A 4th LAMP.

They quit responding to emails then and would not answer phone calls. I opened a dispute with my credit card company and denied charges when Advanced Lamps would not reply to my phone messages or emails. I kept all the documentation to prove my story and the credit card company did a charge back. I thought all was settled but the following week after the dispute was closed, Advanced Lamps re-charged my credit card without approval. I called many times and finally spoke with someone and they said they would resolve the issue. They later phoned back and left a message on my recorder, saying that I was wrong and they were charging me. I finally gave up fighting with them deciding I would just keep the 4th lamp that I didn't order but they had sent me and charged me for, thinking I was sure I would use it in the future. However, turns out the 3rd lamp did not have the "replace lamp" message until 400 hours and then before it hit 500 hours it exploded. The 3rd lamp was now well out of their own 90 day warranty.

I just last week opened the 4th box they sent that contained the 4th lamp that I did not order (the one they charged my card without approval) and lamp #4 it lasted only 1 week, 30 hours before exploding during the middle of a family movie night.

They say you get what you pay for but not with this company - you get much less; paying half price gives you maybe 1/5 the bulb time of a full price bulb. I will never order anything else from this company.

FYI - If you doubt this post, please issue a Google search on "Advanced Lamps complaints".

BBB rates them an "F" with 79 open complaints.