Refund on Faulty Nine Month Old Laptop

asbokid

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Thanks Elsien my father had already shown me the Guardian article, and I intend to use it if necessary. I can't believe I am having to explain myself to everyone. I may be in the wrong or I may not: Staples may or may not agree to a refund. My question is still valid: how do I work out what is a fair partial settlement? Is there a rule of thumb?

I find Tesco's intransigence astonishing. I guess the customer's mistake was to refuse to leave the store when asked... Importantly, it was noted that he tried to return faulty goods and was ejected by the supermarket... I would have though that the next port of call.. Small Claims Court...

Sorry to hear about your laptop, OP... The FS seem very weak - not even a metal base from what I can see. 100% plastic things... I think they are re-badged Uniwells.. functional but cheap and cheerful.. Good luck with Staples.. They are not doing so great financially which is never a good backdrop when asking a retailer for a refund, or replacement..

Brooker_Dave

Fire_Fox wrote: »

The laptop was purchased for £380 nine months ago, what price is reasonable to expect for a refund?

You won't get a refund, they'll send it away for repair.

HTH.

Brooker_Dave

Fire_Fox wrote: »

A repair is no good: I have paid for a laptop that I need to use on a daily basis and can't be without it for the two weeks quoted by FS. To me this is not 'fit for purpose', as the manager at Staples was told I am a student.

Tough luck.

Fire_Fox wrote: »

As it is it's going to cost me whatever option I am offered, as I need to buy an external hard drive to put all my college work onto. I am worried that they will say they can't find the fault in the time available as it's intermittent.

There's one way to find out.

Or you could march into Staples ranting and raving about the SOGA, and still just end up sending it away for repairs.

Brooker_Dave

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Thanks Elsien my father had already shown me the Guardian article, and I intend to use it if necessary.

For what reason??

They've offered to repair the laptop.

Brooker_Dave

asbokid wrote: »

I find Tesco's intransigence astonishing.

"The couple have since been given a replacement set worth £280, although Peter is still not entirely happy. "Tesco has also agreed to pay £111 to have our aerial upgraded "

But even after getting a new telly, and having Tesco foot the bill for an aerial he's still not happy!

markybaby

asbokid wrote: »

Good luck with Staples.. They are not doing so great financially which is never a good backdrop when asking a retailer for a refund, or replacement..

What makes you say that? Staples are a massive multinational company with nearly $30 billion turnover. I cannot see what that has to do with OP's original post, who by the way should accept that he has the same rights as everyone else and will get a repair. The benefit of buying from the store is Staples will arrange the repair so no waiting in for collections and returns. All the best OP, don't get stressed out by bad luck, everyone buys something that goes wrong sometimes

Fire_Fox

uktyler wrote: »

So you have had the laptop nine months, broken the USB port, and now want a replacement or your money back?

You have not backed up your data in nine months? What it the hard drive failed or the laptop was stolen?

Make a video of the laptop when the screen plays up, and email this to the manufacturer, it may help them in the repair, which is all you are entitled to.

The video is a great idea, thank you.

I have broken one USB port, and am completely willing to admit that to Staples/ FS. Another broke this morning and I had not knocked it at all. Also four keys have worn away and, no, I don't have long nails. I haven't suggested a FULL refund I wish to ask for a PARTIAL refund as the latop is nine months old.

I have not backed up my data recently - I was sold one year online backup with the machine but it is not compatible with my net connection. We backed up some info onto my father's external hard drive, but really I now need my own. The laptop hard drive might have failed, that's why I got the online backup!

The machine is very unlikely to get stolen as my flat is pretty thief-proof (no reported burglaries in my area at all this year) and I have only taken my laptop out of the house maybe six times as I was frightened of damaging it.

markybaby

Fire Fox, just an idea as you seem to be desparate to be rid of this machine. I really do not think you have any rights even to a partial refund. Stores do not stay in business by handing cash back to people who don't want products any more no matter what the reason. Why not get the machine fixed for free and then sell it on with the remainder of the guarantee? You could then use the money to buy a laptop you would be happy with. In fact you could get a new laptop today by using a buy now pay later deal that is available in many high street stores and use the money from the sale of the laptop to partially pay it off....

daily_2

There isn't a rule of thumb on the value, because this situation never arises. As everyone has told you, you are misunderstanding your rights when you purchase something. If you want a number of what they would reasonably offer you, it is 0% of purchase value.

asbokid

markybaby wrote: »

What makes you say that? Staples are a massive multinational company with nearly $30 billion turnover. I cannot see what that has to do with OP's original post

Hunch...

A company doing badly will seek to limit its losses by any means. Intuition tells us that..

This has less to do with "consumer rights" than it does simple economics.. It's called "tightening the purse strings".

In leaner times, a cash-strapped retailer will quibble over a refund that it would have issued unequivocally in more prosperous times.

And Staples may indeed have a global "turnover of nearly $30bn" but an arbitrary figure for turnover counts for nothing if is reporting huge losses, (particularly in its British stores).

My point is that you are more likely to win a refund from a retailer that is doing well than from one that is doing badly.