Comet wouldn't replace faulty item 36 days after purchase

Bordering

Esqui -- do Currys honour the Sale of Goods Act when required to do so? If so, you might be able to tempt me to buy stuff from time to time. This is how the relevant bit is outlined on the Consumer Direct website. It's probably different from the 'legalese' version, but I'd assume the meaning is the same. The concept is simple. It's hard to believe the folks at Comet don't comprehend it...

(if there's a fault) the trader must sort out your problem, not the manufacturer.

Remember, if you are entitled to a refund, replacement, repair or compensation, it is the trader who must sort out your problem. The trader cannot tell you to go back to the manufacturer.

The issue I have with Comet is that they seem not to understand the bit which says the trader cannot tell you to go back to the manufacturer. This is neither cryptic, nor ambiguous as far as I can see. Maybe they need some specs? Maybe they played truant when the rest of us were enduring English lessons? Hard to know...

Esqui

Bordering wrote: »

Esqui -- do Currys honour the Sale of Goods Act when required to do so? If so, you might be able to tempt me to buy stuff from time to time. This is how the relevant bit is outlined on the Consumer Direct website. It's probably different from the 'legalese' version, but I'd assume the meaning is the same. The concept is simple. It's hard to believe the folks at Comet don't comprehend it...

I certainly do (and I'm not here to try and win your custom, don't get the wrong idea), and the customer services department that deals with out of warranty claims is normally very good. In my opinion, if someone has gone to the trouble of disconnecting and packing up their item, putting it in the car, driving to the store, hauling it out onto the desk, they probably do want us to take care of the repair

The trouble is, there are staff who aren't so up on consumer law as I - most customer services staff deal with it day in, day out and know enough to get by. If someone who isn't so used to it has to deal with it, they may not be so knowledgeable. What doesn't help is that we have a guide on what to do with faulty items, which isn't entirely clear. Some, for example, it will just say "Screen item and exchange if faulty", whereas others might say "Customer to call xxx on xxxxx" - the former is easy, the latter is where the problems are caused.

In another guide (the general store processes guide) it does say "As a retailer, we are responsible for sorting out faulty items. It is usually quicker and more convenient for the customer to call and arrange a repair, but we must do this for them if they ask". Equally, somewhere in the same guide, it says "The returns guide is just that - it should not be rigid." Trouble is, if we do, for example, exchange something that should be repaired instead, we either have to repair it and resell it as second hand, or the store gets charged for the item. Both end up costing the store money.

Sorry for that long rambling introduction into DSG store processes. In short: as long as someone knows enough about what they're doing, they won't just read off a computer and tell you to call the manufacturer.

mum2one

do what I did get the local paper involved, doubt Comet would want to be in the paper again.

Contact Trading Standards aswell.

Comet_company_representative

Bordering wrote: »

Hi, Comet Company Representative.

Sorry, I haven't been glued to this forum. I have a life elsewhere, and have already expended the time and effort I thought would be necessary to resolve this issue, with no luck. My son enjoyed his Christmas present briefly, and would like to use it some more. A replacement is all I originally wanted. I don't mind if it's only the controller -- that's the only part with a problem. The software is just fine.

My experience with Comet is what has left me amazed, and persuaded me that this info should be more widely available. I'd hate to think of more folks than necessary being fobbed off by 'Dave', the store manager who doesn't know about the Sale of Goods Act.

I'm not after anything free, or anything I'm not legally entitled to. I just want the product I purchased.

Having had my time wasted by 'Dave', it might be courteous of Comet to inform me (and other readers here) when he has been re-trained on the finer points of the SOGA. Surely this is a pre-requisite for such an employee?

And threatening to call the police as I was not prepared to be fobbed off absolutely takes the biscuit. A written apology will do on that score. From Dave himself, not the PR department.

I have the 'Guitar Hero' waiting for collection. If you'd like to arrange the carrier to collect it, and return the repaired product or a replacement, that and the due apologies would resolve this.

I would like to address some of the questions that have appeared in this thread.

We handle the repairs for white goods in-house - large kitchen appliances like fridges, freezers and ovens and also what are known as brown goods - TVs and audio visual equipment. Games consoles, computers and other multimedia items are treated differently due to the technical specification of the products and the fact that the market is constantly changing. Therefore, we rely on third parties to make these repairs as they have the specialist knowledge and stock of parts to undertake repairs and exchanges as quickly as possible.

In terms of the Sale of Goods Act, we would never shirk any responsibility towards our customers, and of course we agree that Bordering’s contract is with us. However, we do not contravene any part of the Sale of Goods Act by relying on a third party repair agent to complete a repair or exchange on our behalf.

The store should have given clearer advice regarding the exchange process, for which we apologise, and please rest assured that we are dealing with this. However, information regarding any action taken would remain private.

Bordering, thank you for replying to my post. I am happy to book the controller in for an exchange with the manufacturer for you, however I will require some further information to enable me to do this. The information I require is your purchase details, the actual fault with the guitar and its serial number. If you would like to e-mail me this information via the link below, I will make the necessary arrangements to have the controller collected from you. I will also ensure that the other points you have raised are addressed and resolved for you.

https://comet.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/comet.cfg/php/enduser/ask.php

You will need to register a few details with us to be able to send your e-mail in.

Thanks
Phil