THE GREAT SODASTREAM DEBACLE - Penguin/Centenary/Evolution etc no longer supported.

lilibeth

cpb121 wrote: »

Thanks for this thread, I knew nothing about this. Have just emailed them as only bought my machine 3 years ago and not impressed about this!

No probs.
Oh and guess what I've just looked at the German Soda Stream site.
They are selling the NEW models (same as the New models sold on the British site) EXCEPT they still take and come with the alco²jets. (oh yeah and they get more colour options)
They are also selling brand new penguins on their dedicated penguin site these also still come with alco²jets.

So it is too expensive to use alco²jets in the British market but not in the German Market.
Yet our cylinders are all refilled and manufactured in Germany and have been since they closed down the British operation with the loss of thirty jobs in 2003.
http://www.ukbusinesspark.co.uk/other/som02628.htm

http://www.sodaclub.de/

http://store.sodaclub.de/deretail/category.asp?catalog%5Fname=SodaClub&category%5Fname=Kohlensaure&Page=1

lilibeth

RadoJo wrote: »

Well, not sure if they're here reading, but after refreshing my e-mail I have an answer! They have offered me a new White Jet machine for £15 - not too bad really, although it's £15 more than I wanted to spend on a new one when my old one worked perfectly well!

They are ripping you off big time the new machines cost less than that to the general public on the German website.
14.99€ to be precise! Which is
[SIZE=+1]11.9473928 British pounds![/SIZE]

http://store.sodaclub.de/deretail/category.asp?catalog%5Fname=SodaClub&category%5Fname=Tauschgerat&Page=1

RadoJo

Thanks for the heads up - I had decided not to bother anyway, as there's no guarantee that they won't do the same again down the line, but now I know this, I think it's worth pursuing just from principle! Will e-mail them back and keep you posted - watch this space...

chickendance

Hi, have joined specifically because of what Soda Stream are doing. I have emailed and told them I think that there special offer is not on and that they should be giving us all a free drinks maker if it is really necessary. However I also pointed out to them the possibility that threads can be adapted, and are adapted all the time in engineering. Apparently my email has been passed onto a supervisor. Will let you know if I hear anything back.
I really don't think this can be allowed, especially as they are still selling the old models. We shouldn't let them get away with it.

RadoJo

Well, I rang up and asked about the price in Germany only to be told that it was the replacement price for customers affected by the changeover there. I asked why I was still being expected to pay more, and she tried to fob me off by saying that I would still be able to use the bottles I have etc in the new machine. I explained that that wasn't really a bonus as the bottles I have work perfectly fine in the machine I have now so I wouldn't have been expecting to pay more for them anyway.

The girl I spoke to kept repeating that the canisters were discontinued etc, and I ended up telling her that I thought it was a cheek expecting people to pay £15, just to be able to then spend more money with Soda Stream and was told that was the best price they could offer. I told her that she had been singularly unhelpful and left it at that, but have sent an e-mail explaining my disappointment and saying that unless they intended to offer me a free soda stream, I wouldn't consider purchasing anything from them again.

No great loss to them I suppose - I don't get busy with the fizzy as much as some, but hopefully they will take on board that they are making themselves unpopular with customers who had previously no complaints.

lilibeth

RadoJo wrote: »

Well, I rang up and asked about the price in Germany only to be told that it was the replacement price for customers affected by the changeover there. I asked why I was still being expected to pay more, and she tried to fob me off by saying that I would still be able to use the bottles I have etc in the new machine. I explained that that wasn't really a bonus as the bottles I have work perfectly fine in the machine I have now so I wouldn't have been expecting to pay more for them anyway.

The girl I spoke to kept repeating that the canisters were discontinued etc, and I ended up telling her that I thought it was a cheek expecting people to pay £15, just to be able to then spend more money with Soda Stream and was told that was the best price they could offer. I told her that she had been singularly unhelpful and left it at that, but have sent an e-mail explaining my disappointment and saying that unless they intended to offer me a free soda stream, I wouldn't consider purchasing anything from them again.

No great loss to them I suppose - I don't get busy with the fizzy as much as some, but hopefully they will take on board that they are making themselves unpopular with customers who had previously no complaints.

That isn't what it says on the German website! Soda Stream in Britain are lying.
There is no mention of changing from Alco²Jet on the German website. All the info just says these new machines will work with the Alco²Jet cylinders. Which is why customers in Germany who already have a machine but just want a pretty new machine can buy them for 14.99€ and use their old Alco²Jet cylinders and old bottles in them.

For someone who hasn't got a sodastream machine they can buy them with 1xAlco²Jet and 1xbottle for 43.90€
Here (3rd item down) in white
http://store.sodaclub.de/deretail/category.asp?catalog%5Fname=SodaClub&category%5Fname=D%2DDesign&Page=1

Or if you want pretty colours
Then here for 49.90€ again with 1xAlco²Jet and 1xbottle.
http://store.sodaclub.de/deretail/category.asp?catalog%5Fname=SodaClub&category%5Fname=Promotion&Page=1

It is pity the head honcho Martin :money::wave:;) isn't into sodastream. I think he could really put the wind up them even if he just mentioned this in the mailing. Because most people that have Sodastreams are not going to be aware of this straight off. It is only when you go to the website to exchange cylinders that you realise. If everyone was alerted now we could have some sway number wise.

chickendance

Hi again, I have made a complaint about soda stream to the government consumer rights agency, called Consumer Direct. If everyone does the same, we might get a result:

http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/contact?action=complain

You can fill in an email form online to submit your complaint. There is also the Office of Fair trading to investigate. I will let you know when I get a response.

lilibeth

chickendance wrote: »

Hi again, I have made a complaint about soda stream to the government consumer rights agency, called Consumer Direct. If everyone does the same, we might get a result:

http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/contact?action=complain

You can fill in an email form online to submit your complaint. There is also the Office of Fair trading to investigate. I will let you know when I get a response.

I can't do that until I hear back from Soda Stream. I'm starting to really hate them.
I wish there was an alternative equivalent company in Britain.

lilibeth

Anyone got any updates? I'm still waiting to hear from them. And their phones are constantly engaged when I try to ring them.

RadoJo

No - I e-mailed a response to them as well telling them that I was unhappy at being asked to pay £15 for another soda stream unit just so that I can carry on being tied into buying from them. I pointed out that if they wanted to keep their customers they should replace all machines for free. Surprisingly, I haven't heard back from them since then - I am really peeved about this as it's not like I can switch to an alternative company.

Maybe the time is right for an MSE run soda stream competitor...?