getting it reprogrammed then shipping back to the customer will take 5-7 days but shipping a new replacement in advance of returning the failed lock takes over three weeks
Not really - in the first case, they don't have to replace the unit, just reprogramme it. In the second case, they have to manufacture a new unit (because I very much doubt that they have enough in stock to replace all the borked units) and then ship it out.
And (in general) making new stuff takes longer than reprogramming old stuff.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
