Simply Electronics - WARNING 10 January 2010 at 7:20PM edited 30 November -1 at 1:00AM in Praise, Vent & Warnings 422 replies 341.4K views

johanka

Simply Electronics Warning!!!! Ordered camera with Simply Electronics on 12/07/12. Following a phone call with them later the same day requesting an upgrade to express delivery, which they said they were unable to fulfil, I cancelled the order.They requested that I cancelled by sending an e-mail to them, which I did and had return e-mail from them accepting my cancellation. However as I learnt payment had been taken immediately, I 'smelt a rat' and looked at the online reviews... my heart sank, as, to the nearest round figure they had taken £600 from my account!! I kept an eye on the status of my order with them over the following 2 days and was horrified to see that this cancelled order had changed from 'new' to 'packing'. I e-mailed them again straight away saying that I had cancelled this order and I did not want this camera sent. Heard nothing from them until morning of 16/07/12, I had e-mail from them to say they were delighted to inform me my parcel was on its way!!! I e-mailed once more protesting that the order was cancelled almost 4 days earlier but they said the order had been dispatched before they received my cancellation e-mail. Quite hard to believe since the order was cancelled evening of 12th july, within hours of being placed!? The camera arrived on Tue 17th july, 5 days after I both placed and cancelled the order. Unfortunately I was not at home when the couriers arrived and they delivered to our business premises next to our house, where it was signed for by a family member who was unaware of the situation. By this stage I thought if I return the camera I could lose both money and camera, so thought I'd have the camera manufacturer check it out and if see if it was worth keeping. It turned out that Simply Electronics had sent me a grey market import, which had no manufacturers warranty and was not intended for sale in the UK as it had no CE marking. I have taken photographic and video evidence, have kept records of all correspondence with this 'Hong Kong outfit' and returned the camera for refund. This nightmare has gone on for 4 weeks now and all I can do is hope for refund and wait.....
Like many others, wish I'd read online reviews first, had no idea they were HONG KONG based, otherwise wouldn't have touched them with a bargepole!
Sad thing is there seems to be so little any UK authorities can/will do to help. This company really needs to be highlighted and given the recognition they so much deserve! As someone else already posted, there are bound to be so many victims of this awful company willing to contribute.They have been allowed to continue trading for a few years now, all the while giving the innocent consumer a lot of heartache in not knowing if they'll ever see their hard earned cash again.
It really is time that consumers were listened to and some action taken by the appropriate authorities to stop 'Simply Electronics' trading in the UK.

hellavaguy

I must add yet another warning about this company. DO NOT BUY FROM THEM IF YOU VALUE YOUR PEACE OF MIND.
I spent over £1,000 for camera equipment. I bought it through Quidco (a cashback site) so I felt that indicated they were a reputable company. The advertised delivery time came and went. Several emails later I realised I was just getting fobbed off ... it was always *next week*. After numerous phone calls, I eventually spoke to someone, but they sounded like some sort of mechanised robot, who was not the least bit interested in my call and simply fobbed me off again.
The money was taken from my credit card immediately (and incidentally, the Quidco cashback was not tracked)
After about 3 months I contacted my credit card company to raise a dispute. They were wonderful, they adjusted my amount owing by the amount of the transaction, so effectively it was in limbo (even though Simply Electronics had been paid) and they started a dispute procedure against the company. Miraculously, the goods arrived a week later. I raised a cashback claim with Quidco and again that has been paid (about 7 months after the purchase)
So I am happy, but I would NEVER EVER use them again as it caused me so much stress.
I don't think the goods are shipped around the world. I think they have a distribution centre in Reading. But of course they wouldn't let me go there when I offered to drive there and pick the stuff up myself.
Conclusion - NO NO NO NO NO

alireza

no one has any idea how many warning against this company added to the Google's weekly.
if you (whoever) ripped by this third world company like myself, would like and support me by send me short message then we can legally and officially block SIMPLY ELECTRONIC from Google server completely I am trying to organize and canalizes as much complaint as I possibly can manage .

Will update regularly...

Si.

I too have had problems. I ordered a canon lens through simply electronics for £520 via my credit card. Supposed to be 4 days delivery, but after countless emails and being told that they where putting it in for expedited delivery, still no sign of it. I have cancelled my order just now, and my credit card company have been notified, so they( simply electronics) are in trouble. Avoid at all costs.... A joke of a company, glad I will get my money back plus costs.

Si.

I have just lodged a complaint through the hong kong consumer council, with relevant documation, transaction, order number, date of transaction and credit card statement, addresses, phone numbers and email correspondence between simply electronics and myself.

I've got a few people and Hk and Chinese government bodies on their backs now, all have documents pointing to non showing of goods.

Ta-ra simply electronics.

Si.

I have instructed my CC company to issue a charge back from Simply Electronics unless they refund me now. Simply Electronics took my money straight away, i expect a refund straight away, not in 10 days time. Chargebacks cost the receiving business money, in my case, £400 will be taken from Simply electronics, as well as the cost of the goods.

If everyone does a chargeback through their card companies (which i strongly suggest), Simply Electronics will be losing money hand over fist in charges from customers banks and cc cards, and soon disappear like the two bit company they are.

Some information on chargebacks, as i said it`s in our best interest to get the cc company to issue one, as it's very detrimental for businesses:

As you know, customers or cardholders obtain credit cards from banks, which are referred to as the "issuing bank." A chargeback (also known as a reversal) is a form of customer protection provided by the issuing banks, which allows cardholders to file a complaint regarding fraudulent transactions on their statement. Once the cardholder files a dispute, the issuing bank makes an investigation into the complaint.
Once the transaction is proven to be indeed fraudulent, the bank will refund the original value to the cardholder. From the merchant's point of view, if you do not prove the transaction to be legitimate, the bank will take back the entire value of the transaction from your account, along with an additional fee. This chargeback fee will range from $0 to $100, depending on the merchant bank sponsoring your
account. If the cardholder complaint is proven untrue, no refund is requested from the merchant, though additional processing fees may be charged. For obvious reasons, it is best for your business not to get involved with chargebacks. With situations like these, the merchant stands the risk of losing products or services that have already been sold, the payment, the fees incurred for payment processing, money for chargeback penalty, or even possible commissions for currency conversions. It is thus best to avoid chargebacks at all times. Also, note that merchant accounts receiving too many chargebacks can be labeled by credit card companies as fraudulent, and this can be potentially damaging to the image and the existence of your business. Know also that credit card issuing banks take chargebacks seriously, because they are at the most advantage. They don't only levy fees, but they can also hold merchant remittance up to three months to cover the fraud, or increase their commissions if they choose to label your account "risky."
By law the cardholder has two years to file a dispute. Your sales can be reversible for two years... That means saving documentation for two years... Most banks will have a policy against handling disputes that are more than six months old but if the cardholder pushes it they have two years to file a dispute.

dtsufc

Yet another unhappy customer with Simply Electronics. Acer Transformer Infinity tab ordered 3rd September yet still not despatched 11 days later despite several e-mails and their web site suggesting the item is in stock and getting fobbed of with 'we have upgraded your order' replies fobbing me off.

Holiday booked in 2 weeks for which the tablet was ordered. Now in the position of wondering weather to cancel the order and risk not getting a refund as posted by many other victims...sorry customers or going straight to my card company.

How this company has not been shut down I do not know. My lifes aim is now to tell anyone who will listen just how dodgey this company is.

Honeybun1951

I too have had problems with Simply Electronics and am at a loss how to resolve it. Ordered a Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus from them, received it 10 days later and when I turned it on it was all in Chinese! I have been trying to get their return address and they are ignoring my e-mails. Tried several times to call customer services and after 35 minutes on the phone gave up due to cost. Can anybody help with advice or a return address? Stressed and Fuming at myself for not doing proper research on this company first.:mad:

Si.

Update. I got my refund from simply electronics. I got intouch with the honk kong consumers law site, my bank and also the hk police, and told simply electronics that I had. 2 days later, they refunded my money. however, because I instructed my bank to recover the funds, I still had to fill in forms for the claim, although simply electronics had refunded my money. The bank said this is because simply electronics can reverse the refund, so the claim is still going to go through against them anyway, and the bank will recover costs... So, simply electronics are going to get charged by the bank even though I got my refund.... And that's fine by me.
Don't give up anyone, alert the card company straight away and hk consumer council and police in hk, and tell simply electronics you have alerted these people. They will lose out in the end, and you will get our money back if ou paid by credit or debit card, don't worry.

Si.

A pm from Vanessa at simply:::



Dear Simon,

Refund has been completed, and should reflect in your account shortly. To avoid possible complications, we suggest to let your bank know this has been processed.

Regards,

Vanessa

Quote:
Originally Posted by Si.
Hi, i've been intouch with my cc company, and they are issuing a chargeback unless the refund is done NOW, not tomorrow or next week. Your company took my money straight away, i expect a refund straight away. Do you realise a chargeback costs yourselves £400 on top of the refund costs???


Do not , under any circumstances let you bank know that the refund has been issued until the money appears back on your card! A process of refund is NO GUARANTEE of money actually being refunded. It's just a gesticulation of money that MAY be refunded. Do not trust anything that isn't in your hands guys....

I let my bank know that the money was refunded as soon as I saw it actually in my account. But, the bank still want to proceed with the claim. That's what you get for being a two bit company who have conned many others out of their hard earned. Adios simply electronics.