The recent large-scale recall of the Galaxy Note 7 smartphone over faulty batteries has not significantly impacted foreign consumers’ brand loyalty to Samsung Electronics, according to some online polls by internet news websites on Monday.

According to an online survey of 11,759 internet users by US technology news website Android Police, around 39 percent said that the recall “hasn’t affected my trust or perception of Samsung’s brand (whether positive or negative).”

Some 36 percent of the respondents said that “I’m actually more trusting because of Samsung’s speed and effectiveness in addressing the issue,” according to the ongoing poll. 


Meanwhile, just 13 percent of the respondents said “I feel somewhat less trusting of Samsung’s smartphones because of the Note 7 recall” while 11 percent said “My trust in/perception of Samsung has been greatly diminished by the Note 7 recall.”

Last Thursday, the US Federal Aviation Administration as well as Europe’s air safety regulator warned passengers not to use or charge their Galaxy Note 7s on airplanes and not to stow them in checked baggage due to possible battery explosions.

The FAA’s announcement had prompted fears that consumers would further lose trust in the Samsung brand and its smartphones.

The following day, Samsung Electronics’ US unit released a statement saying that it has been collaborating with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission to implement a voluntary corrective action plan to expedite a US recall of the Galaxy Note 7.

“Samsung continues to ensure that consumer safety remains our top priority. We are asking users to power down their Galaxy Note 7s and exchange them now.” Tim Baxter, President of Samsung Electronics America said.

“New Note 7 replacement devices will be issued to exchange program participants upon completion of the CPSC process. In the interim, consumers can return their Note 7 for another device,” he said.

In addition to the Andorid Police-led poll, another online poll conducted last week by internet news website GSMArena.com showed that foreign consumers remained largely unaffected by the recent Samsung Galaxy Note 7 recall.

Some 63 percent of 7,465 people who participated in GSMArena’s poll said they would replace their Note 7 devices with new ones, while 37 percent said they would buy alternative brands’ devices such as the iPhone 7 Plus.

An independent poll conducted by SamMobile, a website created by fans of Samsung Electronics gadgets, found similar responses to the Galaxy Note 7 recall.

To the question “Did you lost trust in Samsung after the Note 7 debacle,” some 45 percent of 3,041 poll participants said “Not concerned. Recalls happen in all industries. I wouldn’t hold this against Samsung.”

Another 39 percent responded “Not really. I appreciate how Samsung has handled it” while another 16 percent said “Yes absolutely. Will not buy a Samsung product again.”

By Sohn Ji-young (jys@heraldcorp.com)