Argos problem returning a 2week old camera? What are my rights for refunds?

Midnight_Tboy

Hey there,

Ok so I'm a bit annoyed at what was probably a 20minute or so rant with the CS Manager for Argos over in Darlington.

Here's the story.

I bought a waterproof digital camera 2 1/2 weeks ago on the saturday, costing £120, the very next day I went to Mexico for a 2 week holiday.

The first day the camera seemed to be ok....but then it switched itself off the next day. At first I thought its battery was dead, and thought nothing of it but a rubbish battery life. The problem then reoccured not too long after charging it.

I thought it seemed odd, so played about, and at random times the camera would just switch off, but when turning it back on the battery would still be showing as full or nearly full etc depending of course on the charge remaining. So to me it seems that either the battery is at fault, or the camera.....and its an intermittent fault. The switching off could happen at random times, after a couple of dozen photos, or even not at all. Also as a result however, I was recording video, and the camera cut off as it was writing to the memory card which resulted in it corrupting my images...all of them!! This happened 2 times too losing my photos in the process so I wasn't best pleased!!

So of course, I was just 3 days into my holiday, and needed a waterproof camera for snorkelling, so bought a new better one while out there (better price too!)

I got back from holiday on Monday, and today I just took a trip to the Argos near a site I was working at for the day in Darlington.

I explained that I suspected it may be the battery, and that I've bought a new one as needed it to be working for my holiday, and that I would ideally like my money back.

The guy went off to show the CS Manager the phone, and they took about 4 photos with it, and then came back and said the usual spiel about exempt from their 30day guarantee "as its over £100 because they can't see a fault with it, it would have to be sent off to be checked to prove there is a fault before they could issue a refund"

So I reiterated again that it was obv of no use now as I did not need it anymore having bought a new one, and that surely I should be entitled to a refund as it was not fit for the purpose intended and that the item is less than 3 weeks old

She then looked on the computer and read the cameras reviews and said they haven't had any of theses back in the past with faults and then looked at the argos website with the camera "theres no reports of any problems on there and people like the camera" to which I laughed at .

In a nutshell the battling to try to get my money back went on for quite some time, but she would not budge. I tried bringing up sales of goods act (but not knowing it verbatim or anything) and she just said it didnt affect my statutory rights but needed to prove it was not working. I then argued that sending it to a "repair centre" (well at first she said manufacturer but later she said they deal with a company who check into repairs on all items) would simply switch it on and take half a dozen pics like herself then send it back saying all was fine, but she said no they have advanced diagnostic tools there (which I think is somewhat of an exageration),

Sooooo....in a nutshell...

I have a less than 3 week old camera that only works sometimes (ok granted the "majority of the time"....and risks corrupting the memory card!!). The exact fault I cannot be sure, battery, camera, humidity/heat in Mexico, or combination

If I want a refund she insists they send it off to a company.....which takes 15 working days to get back (on top of xmas period)....who will then say if can have a refund or not........of which if they send it back saying its fine....I know damn well that it isn't. On top of that it would HAVE to go back to the Store I sent it back from, and in my job I'm working between a dozen different towns so its not all that easy to go to a specific town!! So then I'd in effect be stuck with either a "refurbed" item they've sent back...or the exact same camera...or who knows (but call me optimistic) I may get lucky and they see the tempermental fault with it.

I even tried asking for a credit note instead of refund but no joy on that either....and when I suggested that even getting a direct replacement like for like...she said no and was "oh so why are you changing your story saying you're not happy and don't want the camera to now wanting to swap it"....as if implying I've done something dodgy with it...to which I said that I bought a new item and expect a new item in return and even if I am unable to return the item, then I would much rather be swapped with a WORKING one and not sent back a refurbed camera or one thats been sat in a repair/faults centre for 4 weeks!!

Can anyone please tell me where I stand with this?

Surely I can't be unreasonable to have expected a refunded on this. I need to find something solid written down that states they are not able to do this and should issue me with a refund......or are they well within their rights to want me to have to wait 4weeks+ to get a refund? I could understand why they may be cynical thinking everyone is out to con them, especially buying a camera and taking it back immediately after a holiday but the bloody thing kept crashing on me and I already lost about 50 photos from it!!

Hope you guys can help,

cheers,
Tuck

alyssa_liss

as i bleive it you dont need a refund ..... they either fix/replace/refund at there descretion

i need to take mine back but i have had it a few months , would like a refund really but i know most likely that it will get it sent off to be fixed

wornoutmumoftwo

I bought an expensive camera from Argos and it was in for repair at 8 and 10 months of age. It's working at the moment (touch wood) but when it breaks again I'll go back to using cheaper cameras as I've had more luck with them.

Just out of interest, What batteries are you using? I was using duracell but they weren't powerful enough and the company told me that only rechargables were compatiple.

mikey72

Try a different store.

KathysBoy

Not sure your're going to get anywhere without letting them send it off. Unfortunately digital cameras are excluded from the 30 day money back, unless its faulty, in which case you have statutory rights. Unfortunately, because the fault is intermittent, and doesn't reoccur in the shop you can't prove its faulty. If it showed up as faulty in the shop, then you would be entitled to an immediate refund. The only way to prove it is to have it tested.

Having said that I don't think you got treated properly.

Midnight_Tboy

cheers for the replies.

soooo then...because I can't guarantee the error will happen when in store it will have to be sent in

The trouble is even then...theres no guarantee that the error will even crop up when its in the site to be checked/repaired.....and it makes me very bitter to have to accept what may be a 'repaired' camera sent back in 4 weeks time on a 2 week old camera.

Even a simple direct replacement......though not what I want seeing as I bought a replacement while in mexico...would be better than that as at least then I know I'm not getting a repaired item back, and could do what want with it like sell it and cut losses or whatever, so can't believe she even refused to let me do that after I first said I wanted a refund.

The battery itself is one of its own standard rechargeable batteries....it doesnt take AAs or the likes only its specific battery.

Found it funny when she said also after calling up to see if any known faults and that there was none and I said "yes thats because you won't even accept the item returned as a fault so no wonder its not logged!!" and to go by the "argos reviews" as a general concensus that the camera is fine is a joke!

At the end of the conversation, when I said that if I'm to have to get it returned to another store, where I can pick it up more conveniently to and from work, she said she'll call them up to let them know I'll be there any day. Definately must have thought I was trying to pull a fast one...she did have a major look of annoyance on her face mind Could understand it if I went in with trackies on and job centre card in hand (not to stereotype(!)), but was suited up and with nhs badges around neck too.....and dont think I look THAT ropey lol

Times like these that make you just want to drop the damn thing on the floor then take it in and say "there.....see told you it's not working!!!"

Maldives_lover

I had a similiar problem with an underwater camera from Argos, took it back when I came back from holiday and got a full refund, but then my camera wouldn't even switch on. I would take it back to another store but don't tell them you've purchased another one because they won't believe that the original is faulty, they'll just think you got a better deal.

neilmcl

Midnight_Tboy wrote: »

soooo then...because I can't guarantee the error will happen when in store it will have to be sent in

Well if you can't show it's faulty what would you expect them to do, why should they just take your word for it.

OlliesDad

They are well within their rights to send it off to confirm there is a fault. If you imagine how many people they must get claiming faults, when it is not, just to get a refund.

I would say the same if you started asking for a replacement, it makes your story seem more unbelievable as you say you have a new one, but then you are willing to accept a new one.

I personally think that they are being very reasonable.

pinkshoes

Let them send it back to prove a fault. If it comes back as being fine, then send a recorded delivery letter to headquarters saying how annoyed you are with their poor customer service, and the annoyance of having lost several days of photos from your holiday, and having to spend half a day shopping for a new camera whilst on holiday...

djb215

Maldives_lover wrote: »

I would take it back to another store but don't tell them you've purchased another one because they won't believe that the original is faulty, they'll just think you got a better deal.

If the OP gave the impression to the CSM that she had just changed her mind rather than it was faulty but kicked up a bit of a fuss then the store may inform all the stores in the area - we have an internal messaging facility on our intranet system, so often when customers believe they can get away with taking it to another store, the other store knows already, about 30-50 stores receive the message...

TBH this is not something personally I've ever had to do in my job but I would just let them send it off for inspection - they won't send you back a different camera to the one you send in (refurb).

Sadly many customers take the p!55 with "faulty returns" on cameras simply because they are exempt from the 30 day moneyback guarantee and claiming fault where there isn't one makes the advisors more suspicious - it's especially difficult during the Christmas trading period with gifts etc.

OP not having a dig at you of course Let us know how you get on...