Currys selling 2nd hand as new

zappster1966

Self explanatory really, I'm simply here to vent.

Bought a new Panasonic tv from the local Currys shop tonight, £599.99. Box looked intact, tv looks fine.

Suspicions aroused by the batteries already being in the remote control. Odd.

Plugged the TV in and it went straight to BBC1 ... no tuning required of any kind. Very Odd.

Was going through the menu & thought I should enter my name, postcode for security purposes etc as per the instruction book. But the TV wasn't asking me to enter a new pin number ... it was asking for the existing pin number. Very very odd.

Quick read through the booklet & a press of the F function key for 6 seconds ... and that reveals the name, house number & postcode of the previous owner.

On examining the box carefully I can see it's been very craftily re-sealed, there's a faint outline of the first layer of sticky tape under the second. Quite why Mr X decided to return it to Currys I don't know ... maybe it's a lemon, maybe it's an unwanted gift, perhaps it doesn't suit his living room.

Either way, I bought the tv as new and that's what I should bloody well have. I'm so angry. Now faced with a 30 mile drive to take it back.

Some poor sod at Currys customer services is so going to get cremated first thing later this morning. Grrr. :mad:

GonzoAston

zappster1966 wrote: »

Some poor sod at Currys customer services is so going to get cremated first thing later this morning. Grrr. :mad:

lol, I know you're mad, but take it out on the manager instead of the CS assistant. They get paid alot more to take this kind of stuff

Id be angry too btw, as you said, who knows why it was sent back to them.

zappster1966

Ach, you know that way, I'm mad as hell but when I make the call I'll be like a church mouse as per usual haha.

It's just so annoying. I had to rely on a mate driving me to Currys today & all the way back cos I've got mobility problems just now / bad back. He even set it up for me, kind soul he is.

But he's away on holiday now for 2 weeks & I don't think I've even got the strength to put the tv back in the box let alone drive that distance.

I wonder if Currys could send out a new one and collect this one ? Would that be unreasonable to ask of them in the circumstances ?

GonzoAston

No, I think you have every right to demand it off them.

Dont take any messing from them (dont think you would anyway ) and tell them you're going to watchdog or something if they do not come and pick this one up (explain your mobility problems, but dont tell them its temporary) and replace it with a BRAND NEW ONE.

Not unreasonable at all IMO.

isplumm

Hi,

Funnily enough .... this happened to me with Comet & a DVD recorder ... when I got it home, it was obvious it had been opened before - also give away - tea stained instruction manual!! :mad:

I took it back - got a new one & managed to get a free scart lead out of them .... worth about £10 .... covered my petrol & time .... mind you never used them since ... I prefer JL.

Mark

zappster1966

Well that was painless ...

Spoke to customer services. I explained the circumstances, he apologised and put me straight through to the store "to see what we can do for you".

And the lady there couldn't have been more apologetic, she couldn't understand what on earth had happened ... before I'd even got on my high horse she'd checked stock availability & advised that they've got two left in their central warehouse & I will have a brand new one delivered to my home next Friday.

Which is exactly what I wanted ! Sorted.

I'd like to say "nice one Currys" but just can't seem to get the words out !

sarah_elton

zappster1966 wrote: »

And the lady there couldn't have been more apologetic, she couldn't understand what on earth had happened ...

Isn't it just that somebody bought the TV, took it home, set it up, decided they didn't like it for whatever reason and returned it? I doubt it's anything more sinister than that.

Though for an expensive purchase I'd have done the same and insisted on a replacement. For all you know, the other person found a fault with it.

Enfieldian

I think you should have been offered a little something for the inconvenience.

Do you need any leads? It's worth asking.....

zappster1966

sarah_elton wrote: »

Isn't it just that somebody bought the TV, took it home, set it up, decided they didn't like it for whatever reason and returned it? I doubt it's anything more sinister than that.

Though for an expensive purchase I'd have done the same and insisted on a replacement. For all you know, the other person found a fault with it.

Of course ! Maybe Mr X just didn't like it. Fair enough. But it should have been priced accordingly if it were a return ... and had they been upfront about it I'd have weighed up any money off ... and then still probably have bought new.

The television actually works fine, to be fair. Great picture quality & it lives up to its "recommended" status as per the Trusted Reviews website.

Main issue for me is that because I don't know the pin number used by Mr X, I'm unable to set the child lock for my own Son, who's only a baby just now ... but I'm thinking of a few years down the line.

Na, Enfieldian, don't need any leads unfortunately but thanks for your suggestion. The salesman tried selling me a £19.99 HDMI cable yesterday & I told him the ones I bought when Woolsworths was closing down, for £0.69 each, would do me fine !!

markelock

not if currys didn't know? i.e. if the box had been resealed well, (or perhaps not well sealed enough in the first place)?

good deal on the HDMI cables!!!

max2009

A lot of these places do this especially with the sat navs.It is illegal for them to sell returned goods as new.