It may be different in the States, but in the UK the first port of call is always with the retailer. You gave them your money in exchange for goods. So in legal terms you have entered in to a contract. The seller is obliged by Law with certain responsibilities. Two of those responsibilities in this case are to provide goods of merchantable quality (i.e. not shoddy) and provide goods that are fit for purpose (i.e. they keep working for a reasonable length of time).
The seller has a similar contract with their supplier, be it the manufacturer direct or a wholesaler.
So, check out with the local Better Business Bureau or whichever organisation it is that provides advice on consumer Law in your country. Then take the goods back to the mall. Speak to the retailer. If the US is like the UK then the retailer is obliged to offer a repair or replacement. The choice is theirs. If they can offer neither then you may be entitled to a refund.
Your warranty card from the manufacturer is in addition to (not instead of) the retailer fulfilling their obligations to you in exchange for them making a profit on the sale. It provides you with the security of knowing if the retailer went out of business then your product warranty would still be honoured by the manufacturer. It's not there as some sort of "get out" clause for the retailer avoiding their responsibilities to you.
Emotions can run high when dealing with warranty issues. You're disappointed that goods you bought no longer work. You'll also be worried that the retailer will leave you high and dry with some broken product. Poor retailers see fault returns as a problem; it's a hassle and an expense yadda yadda yadda. Good retailers see it as an opportunity to keep a customer happy and make them more likely to return. After all, they didn't break the headphones. Nor did they make them. They simply sold them. So it's not their fault they broke, but equally in setting up a store then they accepted certain obligations, and dealing with faulty goods is one of them.
Be polite, be firm, and let the retailer know that you're aware of your rights. Find the most senior member of staff. Explain what happened and tell them if you've been happy with the product but how it's disappointing that this fault occurred. Don't let the retailer push you around and do stay calm. In the end you're dealing with people.
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