Answer the !@#$ phone! I sent a $1500 lens to them for repair, after filling out the online service request. They received it over a week ago, but the status of the request has not changed to say that they've even received it. UPS confirmed delivery the morning of February 14th. Their 866-907-9111 number disconnected me after 18 minutes, 50 seconds. Now on the second call, I'm getting no response--just dead air. I decided to call a third time. Their system is responding this time. After about 5 minutes, 40 seconds, it rang as if the call was being transferred. It appears to have been transferred to dead air. "Due to high call volume"--I'm guessing this means that the one person on the support line is busy at the moment. If the call is so important to them, they need to find a better way. I heard from the general photo support people after sending them a message. They said that the McAllen facility was going through a system upgrade. Has it been happening since August 2013? Judging from the other reviews, I may never have any luck with resolution or repair. I suppose calling the camera store in Manhattan may help to get their attention through the Panasonic representative. Funny, the photo professionals don't seem to answer tweets, when it's not in their favor. I called the phone number again, only to find that they closed. When I didn't respond to the message in time to leave a voice message, the phone system went into dear air again. You'd think the company could afford a phone system that worked well. That makes 6 calls today, 1 voice message, 1 Tweet, 1 post on Instagram, and a partridge in a pear tree. It's amazing. At the same time that I was attempting to talk to someone, they were putting my lens in a box and notifying FedEx to retrieve it. The status now shows completed. Is that coincidence or did they match my phone number to the product and get it moving with a replacement? I got the lens today--my lens, no replacement, and no change. In the box, they stuffed an e-mail from Jorge Castillo and Ruben Silva saying that the lens flare was normal and that there were finger prints and grease/dirt on the lens, even though I had cleaned it thoroughly before I sent it to them. It's not as though I treat a $1500 piece of equipment as though it was $15. So, in the end, I wasted my money sending it to them. read more

Panasonic Product Renewal Center - According to Ruben Silva, this nasty purple lens flare, using lens hood with the sun out of the frame, is normal for $1500 lens. - Electronics Near Me - McAllen, Texas

Perfect experience Our DMC-ZS40 had its lens stop retracting. I emailed the repair center in Texas, they promptly replied with info for sending the camera to them. We mailed the camera to them, they called within a week to acknowledge receipt. A week later they called with a very fair repair estimate. We authorized repair - A week late our camera arrived home - as good as new! read more

Let me just say I was TERRIFIED to send in my GH5 to this repair center when the shutter stopped clicking on a trip to NYC. I was expecting what most of these reviews said: the repair center trying to discredit my warranty, losing my package for months, and a snail's speed of a repair. Well let me say, the warranty center honored my 3 year even though I had none of the papers. I mailed in into the repair center and was emailed immediately after it arrived. Two days later it was repaired and shipped out. They even replaced some cosmetic parts where I wore out the rubber grip! I was unbelievably thrilled at how expedient this whole process was. Maybe I got lucky, but they were fantastic to work with. read more

Call about repairing a lens that needed a new focusing motor. Was told average repair costs for that lens was $102.50. When I called the next day, I was told average lens repair cost was $282.50. Sent it in. Waited two months. Told to pay $75 for diagnostic fee. I told them to go ahead and repair it. No response. Called back, and was told the cost would be $1295.95. More than the cost of a new lens. I would fix the damned thing myself if they sold parts. Piss on Panasonic. I won't be buying any more of their lenses, and will be transitioning to Olympus as time goes on. My impression is they don't have any staff, so they quote ridiculous prices because they can't perform simple repairs. Really, this is not difficult work. I've taken many lenses apart, and the only issue is locating parts. I am debating suing Panasonic. They have to either offer reasonable repairs costs, or access to part and repair manuals. Note they do not support any other non-Panasonic repair centers--same issue, they don't make parts available. read more

Panasonic should be embarrassed to put their name on this service center. I sent a camera in for repair. I heard nothing for a month. Finally I called and it was sitting on a shelf, in limbo. The representative on the phone apologized and quickly had a replacement camera sent to me. This replacement camera had the same issue as the original that I sent for repair. So I sent it back, along with a letter that thoroughly explained the situation and included the case number and a request that I be contacted when the camera was received. UPS informed me that the camera had been received by the service center. No one contacted me for several days. So I called and was told that they had up to 10 business days to evaluate my camera. No urgency, no sense that anyone would contact me after inspection. Really??? It takes 2 weeks to merely inspect a camera? Seriously? So basically I'm looking at another month to get this camera, which is still under warranty, repaired? What the hell are you doing? read more

I'd prefer to give this minus 5 stars. Mailed a faulty blood pressure monitor to the McAllen TX on 10/23/13. Per FedEx tracking It was delivered on 10/28/13. Their policy is to replace it within 10 business days. It's been 38 days and still no word from them and still no replacement received. The only phone numbers I can find (800-211-7262 and 800-338-0552) lead me to the same automated assistant. "She" doesn't understand my needs and keeps going around in the same continuous loop. I WANT TO TALK TO A REAL PERSON!!! Do any real people work at Panasonic's McAllen TX Factory Service Center? At last I found a way to get through to a real person. Push zero after every response to get to an "intake" person. Once you receive a case number, call 866-907-9111 which is the direct line for the service center. Maria was extremely helpful and found a solution to my problem. read more

Panasonic Blu-Ray player started locking up and not responding to commands. It's under warranty, but past 90 days. After 1 1/2 hours on the phone it turns out they want $130.00 to "repair" this machine - that's still under warranty! I explained that it seems like a software bug - not a hardware problem at all. Doesn't matter. I'd have to agree to pay $130.00 to fix a $120.00 machine. I told them I'd throw it away and by another brand. The Panasonic rep couldn't care less. read more

I purchased a Panasonic ZS200 and after about 14 months I noticed the image stabilization was not function correctly or not at all. I had the option to extend the warranty to 3 years for no cost at the time of purchase, which I did. I followed the instructions in the warranty .pdf file and within a total of 2 1/2 weeks my camera had been received by Panasonic in McAllen TX repaired which included 3 progress voicemails, and returned to me better than it was when new. Needless to say, I am extremely satisfied and wanted to let someone know of my experience. Thank you Panasonic in McAllen TX! read more

Contrary to the apparent norm, I had a great experience with my Panasonic warranty repair. I sent it in the McAllen center to clean the sensor on my digital camera (which was still under warranty) and had it back in my hands, fully cleaned, in two weeks. They even paid for return shipping! The day before I received the return package, I called the service number at (800) 211-7262 to check on the status. I got someone on the phone within a few minutes who pulled up the record and provided me with the report and the shipping tracking number. I've read a lot of reviews here and elsewhere with people who have had terrible experiences with Panasonic repairs so I was braced for the worst. I don't know. Maybe they started listening to their reviewers! Whatever happened, I'm happy to have my Lumix back home again. read more

Why won't they answer the phone??? I just want to talk to someone who can tell me how much a simple repair will cost before I send it to them. I think I'm done with Panasonic since this is the repair center they use. I guess Panasonic does not care about "Customer Satisfaction". Well, goodbye Panasonic! read more

Written as a professional photographer/videographer using Panasonic for nearly a decade, their horrific repair and customer service unit repped by Maria Alonzo is prompting me to sell over $10,000 worth of equipment and switch to Canon while actively directing any collegues as far away from this company as they can get. Long call hold times, dropped calls, unresponsive, and do not fulfill obligations on repair. Repair charges are made based on an invisible "average cost of repair" which makes no mathematical sense (as arbitrarily charging everyone the same "average" repair cost for a product creates rather than expresses said average like a numeric catch 22). Maria Alonzo is particularly bad at her job, most recently "forgetting" to to ship back a camera until I placed my request in writing through email which is only one of numerous duplicitous actions on her part. Roger (last name unknown) is equally unsympathetic, unreliable, and generally useless as a customer service representative. read more

Like some foreign based operations, their business model is designed around sales and low product responsibility. Panasonic's product warranty is designed to appear valid and give the buyer that we (Panasonic) are a first rate operation dedicated to providing the consumer a trustworthy product, that if need be, we will stand behind. However, on the other side of the side of the coin we are not that at all. Case in point: Purchased a Panasonic ES-LV95-S Arc5 Electric Razor, Men's 5-Blade Cordless with Shave Sensor Technology and "Wet/Dry Convenience, Premium Automatic Clean & Charge Station" Included Order placed on January 28, 2018. On 11-1--18, the charging station failed to recharge the razor. Although, the razor would recharge by connecting when directly connecting to the wall plug. Moreover, the charging points on the razor when held against the power sources on the station showed charging. After repeated self help actions on my part, which included cleaning up the contacts and testing the cleaning station contacts with a meter, I came to the conclusion the station was defective and needed to be repaired or replaced in accordance with their two year warranty. Contacted Panasonic customer service, the rep. agreed, advising me to send the cleaning station to the Texas repair facility. On Nov. 14, 2018, received call from a lady with a broken accent advising me they would not honor the warranty as the razor was NOT shipped "along with the station". The station would be sent back un- repaired. No repair station tests or examination was had been performed. The information relative cleaning and testing I performed had no effect. This is another example of the extent Panasonic will go to avoid honoring their written warranty. I personally will never buy another Panasonic product. Moreover, recommend future buyers review my and other persons comments before buying Panasonic products. read more

I sent my telephone headset for a broken internal cord wire to the Panasonic Product Renewal Center and they ended up replacing it with a slightly better brand new model. The whole turnaround time was approximately 10 days. Thanks! This is the second headset that had the fragile wires break in the cord. (Note to Manufacture): The cord is too long and consequently it tends to get sat on or caught on something when used possibly causing a kink/break in the wires. read more

Loved my Panasonic Lumix SZ50 camera, it took awesome pictures. The auto focus stopped functioning after about 20 months, just outside the 1 year warranty. I was told to send the camera in for an estimate to the Texas McAllen repair center. They attempted to contact me 4 times before I was able to reply. Kudos to them. Diagnostic fee would have been $75, plus labor and parts. I asked about an exchange because if the repair came in at $100 I'd be in the range of a new camera. They offered me the newer SZ60 refurbished model for $125 plus shipping. That to me was a good deal and limited the unpredictability of an expensive repair. They offered to fully check out the new camera before shipping. Refurbished means original box may be damaged or replaced by a brown box. Warranty is limited to 90 days...hope this one lasts. Customer service was very helpful. When you're out of warranty, your stuck with limited options. The resolution saved me roughly 50% over buying new. read more

Despite seeing bad reviews, I tried using the service. They got back to me promptly by e-mail and gave me good instructions for sending in the shaver. Then, two weeks after I mailed it in, they sent me a newer, fancier shaver. So, a great result! read more

My Panasonic Lumix, bought less than a year ago, began making a loud noise whenever turned on. I contacted Panasonic and was told where to send it for repair, which I did, packing it carefully. When I didn't hear anything after a month, I contacted Customer Service. I was told that the camera had indeed been received, but had been dropped and was dented, and that I would therefor have to pay for the repair. I replied that the camera's exterior was in perfect condition when I sent it, and that it had been sent ensconced in bubble wrap in a small, sturdy box so that it could hardly have been damaged en route. In answer, the person said she'd send the technician's report, I could contest it, and she would open a claim or dispute if I wanted her to, which of course I did. She forwarded me the report, which came with pictures showing a camera badly damaged on at least two corners, damage that (a) had not been there when I sent it and (b) could not really have resulted from being dropped--it looked more as if a hammer had been taken to it. In reply, I strongly affirmed that the camera I had sent did not look like the pictures and that it had, in fact, no marks or dents at all. After hearing nothing for a week, I sent an email inquiry. When that went unanswered, I sent another. When I still heard nothing, I called again--this time having great difficulty (it took me half an hour!)-- to get past the automated messages to a living person. This person told me that * the damage was mine, and it would cost me a total of $188 for the repair (which was $1 less than I'd paid for the camera on Amazon in the first place), * that no claim or dispute had been opened because no such process existed. and * that my only other recourse was to have the camera returned to me unrepaired. I chose the latter route. My camera was returned. There is not a dent or scratch on it, exactly as I had maintained from the beginning. It had not been dropped. It had not been damaged. This means that the pictures I was sent were not of my camera, that in answer to my appeal either nobody checked or they checked and lied. But since I was so insistent, either possibility reflects a dishonesty on Panasonic's part that is breathtaking in its arrogance. I am, of course, sending the Panasonic corporation a letter with photos of my camera. But I'm not counting on reparations. Don't you count, either, on having a Panasonic camera fixed by this reprehensible company. read more

Abysmally horrendous customer service. Absolutely the worst service experience I have ever had the misfortune to deal with. I sent in a Lumix GX1 camera for repair and was quoted a repair price exceeding the current street price of said camera by $100+. Registered online to track repair status. Case number status can not be found and website requires me to register again. But wait, this is not the worst part! I tried to call them to have them return the defective camera, then things got worse. Over 35 minutes on hold each time for 4 times and still could not reach anyone to speak to. Tried online chat with a "customer service" rep who referred me back to the Death Hold 800 number. Wrote an email with a transcript of my online chat requesting them to just send back my camera and that I would not endure calling again. This resulted in another reply to call customer service. Tried again for another 40 minutes today. Automated reply from 956 area code line tells me that all reps are busy and try back later. Tried 800 line again. Automated system will only tell you how to ship your camera to McAllen TX if you say "repair/camera". Where is the option to speak to someone so I can get my camera back? I've owned GF1 and a GX1 Lumix cameras. I've recommended them to friends and clients in the past. NO MORE! Good bye Panasonic! If I see any Panasonic product in the future, I will be sure to turn and walk away. If anyone asks me about my experience with Lumix G series cameras, I will tell them they are great little cameras BUT make sure you are prepared to throw them away if they break, in order to spare yourself the grief and aggravation of having to deal with Panasonic USA service!!! Today, I have sent another email with my address and phone number along with all pertinent information to return my camera. I will very surprised if I get any response. This has been ongoing for over 90 days already. Who are the idiots who designed your website and automated phone system? They deserve NEGATIVE 5 stars! P.S.- I'm glad the very nice 20mm F1.7 Panasonic MFT lens works well on my new Olympus OMD! read more

As other reviewers have stated, extremely long hold times then disconnected. Panasonic is the worst electronics company I've ever had the misfortune of dealing with. After a month of having my product they made the brilliant deduction that nothing was wrong with the unit. Now tell me, who in their right mind would send a product to a unresponsive company so they can hold your property for 30 days with no response or return and expend considerable time just to send back a non-defective product??? I will absolutely NEVER buy panasonic again. Note, you can sometimes (not always) get better service from Panasonic's support center in Virginia (757) 382-4400 read more

Same abysmal experience as the other two reviewers. Called the 866 number and was on hold for about 20 minutes and then the line dropped. Called back and the same thing happened. The third time I actually got through but the person didn't have the information I needed and assured me they would call back in 24-48 hours. Unfortunately she disconnected before getting my contact information. read more

I will never buy another Panasonic product as long as I live. Poor communication, required prodding every step of the way for an in warranty repair, and then sent the replacement camera (a month and a half later) to the wrong address -- by the slowest possible method, I would add -- and then simply denied it. Worthless. read more

This place has had my camera for well over a month now. When I called they said it had been sitting and not being worked on because I didn't 'submit a written complaint saying what was wrong with it.' Wouldn't they have just tried turning it on to see that it doesn't even then on? Don't they have diagnostic tests they run? Anyway, 2 weeks ago I told them 'it doesn't turn on' and they've still had it with no update. I should also mention this LUMIX G7 broke after a month of use! Super lame. read more

My camera shop agrees with the terrible service from them. Apparently the worst is the Texas facility. I'm screwed with them.

Can I give less than 1 star? My blu ray player was less than 1 year old and it stopped working. It would not connect to the WiFi- it said the adapter was "missing". I paid to ship it for repair. Then they told me there was a "repair" charge. It was only $22.50, so I agreed. But, trying to call them is impossible! Many times I was on hold for over an hour, then disconnected. It's been over a month....I still have not received it back. They told me they were just sending a replacement....hmmm....then why a repair charge? I wish I had just bought a new player from another company...I will NEVER buy Panasonic again!!! read more

I have upgraded to two stars because I eventually got my camcorder back repaired. The length of time it took and the hours of frustration in contacting them was still terrible and Panasonic will be on the bottom of my list of brands to buy. read more

Huh, I had a great experience with my service repair. I've had 4 Panasonic cameras (love them), however, this last one began having zoom errors. I emailed Panasonic support, and later that day they gave me the McAllen address for repair. I had seen all the terrible reviews, so was very nervous. Was happy when I got an email that they had received the camera, gave me a work order number, & phone number to call if I had any questions. After 4 days I called. They picked up on the second ring, very polite, said they had received the replacement part and a technician was working on it. Told me to feel free to call back in a couple days and check on its progress. I called back in 3 days (again 2nd ring pick up), and they said it was in route back to me. (under warranty so no charge/and they paid shipping) It was on my porch the next day!!! There service was amazing, with the whole process complete under 2 weeks. They get a big thumbs up from me, I couldn't be happier :) Apparently there has been a shakeup in their operation . . . for the better!!! read more

Like previous reviewers. I too have had abysmal customer service from Panasonic. For many years, I have purchased digital cameras. etc. but unfortunately, for my future purchases I will mostly exclude Panasonic from my research just because of their customer support. I purchased a ZS30 camera last Fall to take on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Africa. After getting back and starting to sort through my photos, I realized that a good quarter of the photos showed a strange round smudge on them. In fact probably more of the photos have the same problem but is not as noticeable due to the content of the image. I had a previous panasonic camera that I stopped using a year earlier because of a similar smudge thinking that something had gotten on the inside of the lens. And now, this brand new panasonic camera was having the same problem. After a very frustrating interaction with Panasonic Customer Service, I sent it to the Panasonic Repair center in McAllen Texas. As others have noted, the only verification that it was received was due to my paying extra to USPS to have signature confirmation of its arrival. Then, weeks later, it showed up back at my address. Unlike what customer service had told me would happen. I never received any contact from the McAllen service center saying that they had received it, fixed it or even that it was being shipped back. Now just one month later. I just got back from a short weekend trip taking new photos on my "fixed" camera. Half way through the trip, the view screen on the camera started displaying strange black and white vertical lines on more than half of the screen. I kept taking photos as well as I could with only partial display available in hopes that the lines wouldn't show up on the actual photos. Once I uploaded the photos to my computer, I was glad to see in fact that the lines were not there. HOWEVER, the same round smudge mark that I had paid to get fixed was on most of the photos. I just got off the phone having talked to four people including a supervisor who all seemed to care less that I was having a problem. Telling me I should fill out the service repair request online which they nor I could get to work. And now, I am told by a supervisor (Kevin) that he will email me a mailing label to once again send it in to the void known as the Panasonic Repairs Center, 4900 George McVay Drive, Suite B12, McAllen, Texas 78503. I have yet to be emailed the mailing label which at this point may or may not come to send off my camera for another 3-4+ weeks and then hopefully someday, I'll receive a camera back that may or may not be fixed or replaced. So so frustrating! Oh! And for some reason even though I am sending it back with the same case number as previously, I have to resubmit everything in the original box with a copy of my original order which was purchased directly from Panasonic since the camera for some reason never had the serial number engraved on the actual device. Well, I guess I'll try posting this on multiple review sites to hopefully help others steer clear if they think they'll ever have to deal with Panasonic's Repair *Non*Service. read more

I have had my Panasonic Lumix Z540 camera for a number of years. I dropped it on the concrete and it was repaired in no time. I was very pleased. I hate to admit it, but the camera is more intelligent than I! It tells me what to do in different situations! Now the latch to the battery compartment is broken. I want to send it in again, and I think that McAllen was where I sent it before, getting it back in time for Christmas 12/2014! Please let me know the cost and how long it will take to return it. Sincerely, Marie I. DeKnikker Cambridge, ID 83610 read more

Horrible Customer Service. Defective toaster oven, and no one to talk with, no one answering their phones, nor emails.

Customer service is a joke. I been trying over a month trying to get a hand set charger replace that's under warranty. Everytime I call them,they said that they order it but could not tell me when I will be getting it.This is the second phone that I had to exchange with in 6 weeks. I believe that they have a problem with this model,but they try to blame it on something else.Stay away from Panasonic products other wise you be given the run around with there so call customer service center read more

How do you get the panasonic folks to answer the phone after they have your home theatre system for over 5 weeks? I can't seem to get to a human? Panasonic where are you in McAllen Texas....no numbers posted on the web? I am going to get an attorney involved...please provide your phone number you have my system? read more

I looked up the panasonic center on gooogle. Found the Mcallen one does service my out of warranty panasonic lumix lx 7. It needed cleaning on the sensor( dust). The service desk kept their word with followup and I am paying the original estimate ( much lower than what shows up by default on the service order.) Very happy. Looking forward to receiving my camera far sooner than anticipated. read more

I had a great experience. I sent in my home telephone system since they stopped working. I wrapped them up properly and placed a note detailing what each handset had wrong with them. Included a copy of my receipt and a chat transcript I had with Panasonic live chat online. Within two weeks, I got a package in the mail. It contained 3 new handsets with base, batteries, and clip. It was as if I purchased new items. They were sealed boxes. Well packaged and sent via USPS. It was a non-eventful process and I was pleasantly surprised. I was afraid of the process after reading reviews. But i can say, mine was easy peasy! My warranty is set to end in 2 months, so I had no troubles as I was in Warrranty Period. Hope this helps. read more

Astoundingly, my under-warranty camera was repaired in exactly the time frame they said (although finding out that information took DAYS of effort). But for some reason, sending it back is a challenge Panasonic can't seem to overcome. It is not scheduled for shipping, they don't know why, and they don't have any idea when it will even leave the facility. I like my Panasonic GH4 much more than I like my Olympus, but getting warranty repair from Olympus was a piece of heaven compared to this. read more

Hard to believe the slew of negative reviews. Perhaps they really revamped their customer service department. I sent a phone instrument that was part of a multi-phone panasonic model kx tga 670b for repair via USPS. A week after they received I called to check on the status. Someone answered the phone almost immediately and tracked the status. He let me know that I had not sent in a repair order form and that they had sent back the phone with the form and estimate to fix it along with a return label. I intend doing so as a new instrument is over $200. Overall excellent customer service read more

7/18/14 posted...I bought a sound bar, after 6 months it quit working. I sent it in for repair & haven't heard back. It was delivered to McAlen Texas on 6/17/14. I have called 5 different phone numbers with no luck. Today I finally got a real person who gave me a number that she promised would resolve this! Guess what, yep, it is no longer in service! So, Panasonic you can keep your poorly made product, and I will never even think about purchasing any Panasonic product again. I will do my best to post on every site, blog, social media etc, letting everyone know not to NOT BUY ANY PANASONIC product because they have the WORST customer service that I have EVER experienced! read more

After a month in their hands, I called to check on things. The flash had BURNED (was physically black and no light could go through the soot) and they said it works just fine, do I want it back? What? How about replacing the flash or the whole camera? Jeez. Don't buy Panasonic. read more

Absolutely horrible experience,,,,,,,,,,sent in a two month old cam corder, after two weeks I was contacted and told there was "corrosion" in the unit and not covered under warranty !!!!!! They offered me the unit back (inoperable) or a refurbished camera for $305 dollars !! NEVER AGAIN will I buy a Panasonic Product. Did I mention the reps are rude as well? read more

these 5 star reviews are lies; IF you are able to trick the system into giving you a live person they quickly dump you back into the automated system. The product I purchased online was not remotely the product they sent me - The charge base has no electric cord to plug it in & the satellite phone for a corded base station I paid for, & was supposed to receive, has been replaced by a corded receiver without the cord. read more

Called panasonic concerning a microwave that we had for a year. We got the run around for 2 hours before we spoke with a supervisor who was rude and no help. We live in NC and they wanted us to dive to Texas to get a 165.00 microwave fixed. It is clear that they do not stand by their products and it was the worst customer service I have ever received. I suggest that no one buy Panasonic. I am going to file a consumer complaint with the AG. I think that they are committing fraud by the way they clearly do not want to help the consumer. This is the worst company. I work with the public and will tell everyone about my horrible experience with this terrible company. I will also continue to write negative reviews everywhere I can. People need to know what a disgraceful company Panasonic is. Kimberly B read more

I called the service center before sending in my camera stating that I was out of warranty. They told me to package it and send to them. 10 days later, I called because I had not seen a status update - was just informed they sent it back on the 15th, not repaired and that I should send it back to them when I receive the camera after I fill out a billing form. Ummm they couldn't do this by email? Guess I will be using a different service to fix a simple problem of the on off switch not working. Nice equipment but crappy service. read more