Some months ago I bought an iTrip (the iTrip SE to be precise : http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/images/B000YJ4R6U/ref=dp_image_text_0... )

Now , early on it started cutting out. I thought it was something to do with it having trouble with quiet stuff. However this started getting worse, regardless of whether it was the Word podcast or Physical Graffiti. I contacted Griffin's Technology's Technical Support, who seemed an amenable bunch and who agreed it might have a fault.

However then I received the following email (slightly abridged):

"This email has been sent to you by Griffin Technology to help facilitate testing and/or replacement of merchandise.

We assure you that this is our preferred method for handling your return. Since the issue you have has either already been fixed, or the product you're having trouble with is no longer in production, we don't need you to send the product to us for testing. This method will help save you money (shipping costs) and the hassle of having to send the product back to us. It also has the added benefit of helping us to ensure that your unit is truly non-functional.

First, destroy your defective product. Yes, really destroy it. If the defective device has wires, like a charger or headphones, you can just cut those wires so that the device is no longer functional. If the device has a dock connector, like an iTrip or a speaker dock, you can break off the 30-pin connector with a pair of pliers. Also, you may want to use eye protection and protect yourself from any flying debris that may result from this process. This is a great way to take out any aggression, or to be creative.

Second, document the destruction. We recommend taking a digital picture of the destroyed unit while it is laying on a printed copy of this email so that the RMA number and other information are visible. Also, take a digital picture (or scan a copy) of your receipt.

Third, send us the pictures. Just reply to this email and attach the digital pictures of the destroyed product on the printed email and the receipt along with any other pictures that we might enjoy, such as you holding the destroyed product or the town where you live. Of course including the extra pictures is optional but feel free to include them if you want to.

Once we receive the email and verify the photos we will send a replacement to the address that you have provided us below.

Thank you,

Griffin Technical Support
support@griffintechnology.com"

I was something taken aback by this, as you might expect. However
it seems to be on the level, as witnessed by way that their customers take imaginative steps to demonstrate its demise, like so:

http://www.engadget.com/2005/03/24/project-annihilation-death-of-an-itri...

Now I think this is kinda cool, but can any of the Massive vouch for this ?