Bought a Laptop Online ... advice required.

highguyuk

Hey,

I have got a bit of problem, and hope that you guys can help! I purchased a Laptop via a user at https://www.pug306.net. He has sold laptops before to members who have all posted to say they were happy so I didn't consider it a risk. Paid via Bankers Draft.

Item was due to be sent to arrive on the 23th June. I went away on the 25th June and when I returned on the 27th it had not arrived. After trying to get hold of him, he told me he had forgot and that he had been away himself and would post it immediately which he did and it arrived on the 3rd July.

However, when it arrived, it did not work and did not contain everything it should have. It does not switch on. The power pack works because the light is on, but when you plug it into the laptop it does nothing! lol. I traced the seller via pug306.net who were very helpful and found he works for http://www.bcsuk.co.uk/. I got his work email and contacted him and his collegue rang me up and asked me to explain the story and said he would get the person to contact me. Eventually, the seller contacted me via pug306.net and said he would ring on Fridaay Night. He didn't.

Just before I started this post, I emailed him and just said I am still waiting for you to contact me. At this moment, he has just replied saying he will contact me and given me a phone number for himself so I can phone him. He has also said if he can't fix the laptop, they will send out a replacement.

As another twist, he has told me the company may be breaking up.

What are my options? What can I do about it? Do I have a leg to stand on? Any advice much appreciated

soolin

Firsty is there any chance at all that the 'satisifed users' could be plants. Ie mates posting, or even the seller himself boosting up his credibility?

Unfortunately though I can't see that you have anything here at all that you can do except as a last resort try the small claims court.

Soo

MyUserNamesTaken

soolin wrote:

Firsty is there any chance at all that the 'satisifed users' could be plants. Ie mates posting, or even the seller himself boosting up his credibility?

Unfortunately though I can't see that you have anything here at all that you can do except as a last resort try the small claims court.

Soo

Soolin, the seller is running a business (pcs, laptops and recons). He's now hinted that the business is possibly folding, which would leave the buyer a bit stuck. Personally, I would ask for a refund on the machine, rather than taking another one. I would also contact Trading Standards for advice on the matter. The laptop is obviously not fit for the purpose for which it was sold.

soolin

MyUserNamesTaken I was concerned that even if the seller was running, or involved with a business he appears to have sold the laptop as a private seller through an open forum, not via a shop.

I just wondered if that made any sort of difference?

MyUserNamesTaken

soolin wrote:

MyUserNamesTaken I was concerned that even if the seller was running, or involved with a business he appears to have sold the laptop as a private seller through an open forum, not via a shop.

I just wondered if that made any sort of difference?

I think that would depend on whether he owns the business in question. If you look on the website, he is selling another laptop. Looks to me as if his main business is deleting data from HDDs. However, he also reconditions machines and sells them on. The other thing to note is that he's mentioned that the business might be folding. That would be irrelevant if he'd sold the laptop as a private seller. He's also sold laptops via that forum before. The offer of a replacement also suggests that the seller is operating a business.

HUKG - Was the banker's draft made out to a business?

highguyuk

Some interesting points ... lol.

Other satisfied users include long term members of the forum, some of whom have paid subscriptions with the forum. Whilst an idea, this seems unlikely to me.

Although the sale was originally done via the forum, I have made contact through the company and also spoken with his collegue. Therefore, I feel like I am dealing with the company now as opposed to the individual.

He doesn't own the business and he has spoken of being made redundant.

The bankers draft was made out to the individual.

And the "Special Offer" laptop on the website appears to be the one - or v.similar - to the one I purchased.

This was in the latest email, with the offer of the replacement.
"I will talk to you over the phone and see if we can solve it and if not then I will send you out a replacement laptop and you can send me that one back, of course if I cant fix over the phone the new laptop I send you out will of course me a better spec than the original.".

I think this suggests even more that it is through the business ...

highguyuk

Having spoken to him this afternoon, he is sending me a higher spec replacement to arrive on Thursday ...

We'll see how it goes ay? lol.