Galaxus refuses warranty due to signs of wear

Hey, I bought a new Google Pixel 8 in January. About 1.5 weeks ago, the famous pink line appeared on the right half of the screen, which Google has now acknowledged as a production defect, see: (https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/15009955).

Of course, I took my device to a Digitec branch shortly after the defect occurred, where the salesperson assured me that this happens often and that I would have my phone back repaired in a few weeks.

A week later I received an email with a cost estimate of 290 CHF for a repair. The reason: the damage was not covered by the warranty because scratches were visible on the side and on the screen, see pictures. Of course I made it clear that the signs of wear and tear could not be related to the pink line. I also pointed out that this error occurs repeatedly online without any outside influence and is recognized by Google.

The only answer I received was that Galaxus works with an authorized service center and in my case, apart from paying for the repair, they can’t do anything. As a student, I can hardly afford such an expensive repair so soon after purchase, especially since the damage was not caused by any outside influence. The device was always in the case and never dropped.

After mentioning Google’s statement and clarifying that I only wanted the defect in the screen fixed and did not want a new frame, Galaxus replied that unfortunately they would not carry out partial repairs. However, they would give a 60 CHF discount as a gesture of goodwill.

I then contacted a lawyer in my circle of friends, who took a quick look at the case and quickly came to the conclusion that Galaxus cannot refuse to provide warranty services due to slight signs of wear. In particular, the burden of proof is on them, as they must prove that the scratches are responsible for the defect on the other side of the screen.

How should I proceed now? I’m pretty confused right now and would appreciate any help.

I wish you all a nice Monday and a pleasant week!