John Lewis - Customer Service / Guarantee

MikeBart

Hi All,

I bought a Toshiba laptop computer from John Lewis in Manchester 3 months ago. Yesterday evening I opened it to find the screen has a crack in the top right-hand corner and now most of the screen is not visible.The laptop has always been well looked after and has not been dropped etc.

As far as I am concerned it is not fit for purpose, not durable enough so I should get a free repair / replacement.

1) Has anyone else had the same problem with a Toshiba laptop screen cracking?
2) Does anyone know what John Lewis are like with customer service issues / cracked screen issues on laptops?
3) Any advice for me getting it repaired under sale of goods act etc. i.e. not at my cost.

I look forward to anyone's advice / experiences on the above.

Thanks,

Mike

makapo

Contact JL. Their phone number should be on your receipt.

Purpledaisy_2

Have you spoken to them yet?

They'll obviously want to inspect it, if this "crack" is a manufacturing fault then you shouldn't have any problems in getting in repaired foc.

neilmcl

A cracked screen points to more to accidental damage than any kind of manufacturing fault. I think you'll have a tough time convincing JL that it wasn't caused by user error. You don't have to have dropped it either, you could have simply closed the lid whilst something small, possibly a paperclip was on the keypad area, you may not have even noticed it until the damage was done.

moonrakerz

MikeBart wrote: »

As far as I am concerned it is not fit for purpose, not durable enough so I should get a free repair / replacement.

You may be lucky, especially with John Lewis, but I fear most retailers would be inclined to say NO, especially on something which is specifically designed to be portable and therefore suffers a much higher risk of accidental damage.

If you want a laptop that will withstand dropping etc, the military use them - but they are VERY expensive !

http://www.gd-itronix.com/index.cfm?page=Products:GD8000

xocbc

I worked for a few years as a PC Technician and I must say that I don't think I ever came across a screen that cracked without some sort of outside interference.

One possibility is a flimsy lid which puts stress on the screen if it is closed by pushing a corner. Another is accidental damage (which maye be as simple as a small bump/bang that went unnoticed. Some laptop screens are quite fragile.

I'd say that you will be very lucky indeed if anywhere takes this back as a manufacturing fault, unless you can prove a similar problem with other laptops in the range. Good luck and I hope that John Lewis are sympathetic when you go and see them.

MikeBart

The laptop has not left the house so is not exactly going to need military strength. I was quoting the Sale of Goods act when I said about durability. I meant durability in terms of being opened and closed - normal use.

I will be taking it back to them tonight but was interested to know other people's experiences in similar circimstances with John Lewis and other retailers.

Hintza

OP I think you might struggle. Stay very calm and factual with JL especially on your first encounter with them, that might help (with luck). If you get get worked up they will be less likely to help.

makapo

Hintza wrote: »

OP I think you might struggle. Stay very calm and factual with JL especially on your first encounter with them, that might help (with luck). If you get get worked up they will be less likely to help.

The replies in this thread have surprised me. Since the laptop was bought only 3 months ago, isn't it up to JL to prove that it isn't a manufacturing fault?

I reckon JL will offer repair or replacement with no problems.

neilmcl

makapo wrote: »

The replies in this thread have surprised me. Since the laptop was bought only 3 months ago, isn't it up to JL to prove that it isn't a manufacturing fault?

It is but I'd imagine it would be fairly easy for them to prove that it isn't a manufacturing fault.

Hintza

makapo wrote: »

The replies in this thread have surprised me. Since the laptop was bought only 3 months ago, isn't it up to JL to prove that it isn't a manufacturing fault?

I reckon JL will offer repair or replacement with no problems.

Why do you think that makapo? Because it is JL and they have a reputation for good CS?

It would strike me as a lay person that the most likely cause is an accident; which obviously the OP is convinced is not the case. You then get into that old argument:-

JL You dropped (or whatever)
OP No I didn't
JL Yes you did
OP No I didn't

etc etc