Erm....
For me, it is quite easy.
Actually, customer ( buyer ) bought the item from seller, while seller got the item from distributor right?

If buyer received the item and something is wrong with the product, normally within 1 week or 1 year, we just need to go back to the one who sold the item, ask for RMA service or exchange service, right?
Because normally, seller / retailer is the one who going to deal with distributor, not end user themselves, and most of distributors do not deal with end user directly even with purchase receipt.

So, I'm not sure whether I'm right or wrong but usually this is how we work in Penang la....
Buyers deal with sellers, while sellers deal with distributors.
Unless there is some special case, where distributors demand to deal directly with the buyer ( macam the retailer already end of story, the retailer suddenly no deal with that distributor, bla bla bla )

Korek me if i'm wrong.

If I was the one that bought the earphone, I would prefer to go through the distributor instead of seller.

Tough luck for getting a damaged unit. Not everything is 100% functional on arrival. That's the risk of purchasing stuff online, you don't get to test on the spot before purchase.

Still I do not see the reason of making a big hoo-haa out of this.

I would just email/call the distro and proceed with the RMA once I obtain more information required and also explain the situation to them. Normally, once this is done, there will be some RMA# given and to be attached on the faulty unit.

Just like how you RMA a Seagate HDD. You want to wait 3 months by going through shop/reseller and bear more postage cost of sending/return the unit, or you want to wait less than a month with complimentary postage back to you?

Ultimately, it is up to how buyer want to push this issue though.

I just dont see whats wrong with dealing with distributor directly.

Why deal with distributor directly is a +1 :-

1. Faster service. Instead of the shop or dealer drag your stuff and put the blame here and there.

eg. You go back ask dealer why so long? he reply, distributor is handling it, postman not here yet, delay in delivery, no news from the company.

2. Distributor can direct exchange for you the item immediately. Some dealer didnt promise an exchange can be done in 14 days or so.

My shop dont honour the 14 days exchange policy unless stated, due to my location is way too far from distributor. I have my own reasons.

3. Distributor and keep you updated as the whole warranty process, you can ask how the procedure work and so on. Not all dealer can explain how the warranty claim work is done by the distributor and furthermore the time frame of RMA depends on the Distributor and the Manufacturer.