How good is Small Rig’s Warranty service?

We all know Small Rig.

The private company in Shenzhen, China, invigorated the camera accessory market in 2014 by introducing miniaturized versions of popular cinema camera accessories marketed to videographers and small-budget creatives.

In the present day, they've expanded their product lines to encompass thousands of products, from phone accessories to lights and batteries.

But how good is their customer service?

Their website claims a seven-day DOA policy. They also state a 45-day free reason return policy and a two-year warranty for metal parts.

So let's put it to the test.

The Situation

In September 2022, I purchased the Small Rig Nato Top Handle with Record Stop Start Remote Trigger on Amazon for around 130 Canadian dollars.

It is worth mentioning that Small Rig products are widely available from many camera retailers throughout North America, which explains their prevalence in the market.

The broken Product

I'm not here to review the product but to offer a summary. The handle met my expectations for Small Rig's mid-level quality. The metal felt sturdy, the Nato Rail support was firm when secured, and all the machined parts were properly designed, allowing the cold shoes to fit and function as intended. The product came with cables that enabled me to control all the cameras listed on the product page using the responsive red button on the top of the handle, which felt a little cheap to the touch.

The only thing that caught my attention was this generic top handle branding along the side, which I've never seen on any other product from Small Rig.

The unit made a slight rattling noise when used it. For this product, Small Rig used a small retainer pin system to lock the cold show on the top of the handle. The slanted mental piece in the front allowed cold shoe devices to go in but not out unless the button on the side of the handle was pressed, lowering the retaining piece and letting you remove the device.

Upon receiving the product, I was skeptical about its ability to withstand the demands of professional use. Unfortunately, my doubts were confirmed when the retaining pin assembly snapped a few months later, causing the metal bar to become loose and uncontrollable.

As time passed, I noticed that the Small Rig Store on Amazon stopped selling the product I owned. This action made me concerned about finding a replacement.

Contacting Support

I contacted the support email for Small Rig and submitted a photo of my broken product along with a straightforward request. I told them I was seeking a replacement or refund under warranty.

Small Rig got back to me in 2 business days with a nicely worded email apologising for my experience and asking for the order number.

Twice.

I responded a few days later with the order number. Small Rig followed up, saying they would send me a replacement product as compensation, and asked for my full shipping address.

They also told me that because the product was coming from Shenzhen, it would take 'a few time, about a month'.

Dealing with support from overseas companies can sometimes take time due to language barriers.

Small Rig asked me if this would be an acceptable resolution to my issue, to which I agreed. I emailed my shipping information and was informed on April 11th that my product was coming.

And it was only a short time before I got my replacement in the mail.

The Resolution

Small Rig had sent me an entirely new unit, complete and in a box. They also let me keep my old unit which still functioned as a push-button handle.

I had my issue entirely resolved, and all I had to do was send Small Rig a picture, an order number, and my address, and I had my new part.

Oh, I didn't tell you how long it took.

Well, Small Rig quoted me one month for the new part to arrive, but it actually arrived in 9 days.

I got my final email on the 11th. According to the package, the product left the distribution centre on the 13th, hit customs by the 18th, and was in my hand by the 20th, which is unbelievably fast. I didn't pay additional duties or import fees upon receiving the product.

It really makes me wonder what the margins are on these Small Rig products because it was very easy to get a replacement.

Final Thoughts

So to conclude, in my instance, Small Rig customer service did a phenomenal job in getting me a great solution to my relatively minor problem.

I'd like to hear from you. Have you used Small Rig customer service in the past? How did it go? Leave a comment below.

Josh Diaz is a filmmaker and video editor based in Winnipeg, Manitoba.