Beware of Currys Online !!

Rhino666

I hope this is an isolated incident but I suspect not........

My washing machine finally gave up the ghost, so taking advice from the good people on this forum I decided to buy a Bosch and Currys/Dixons seemed to have the best deal.

I ordered from Currys online on 20th August but on 21st got a message that there was a problem with my order. When I rang back I was told that the machine was out of stock but 180 machines would arrive on 28th August and mine would be delivered on 1st September. Because my order delivery was going to be delayed by a week I made it very clear that I would accept the delay as long as the delivery would definitely go ahead. My current washing machine is unusable and there is a limit to my pants and socks supply :-) My credit card was debited on 21st August and I emails confirming delivery for the 1st September arrived. On 30th Aug I rang to check if delivery could be arranged for the morning only to be told that there was no stock of my machine and none for the foreseable future. I said this was unacceptable and insisted on an equivalent or better Bosch machine to be delivered as arranged. Turns out that Currys have no stock of any of the Bosch machines below £500.

After a bit of thought I compromised on a slightly more expensive Whirlpool machine. Currys wanted a contribution from me to half the modest difference in price but I refused. Yesterday afternoon they accepted the order, subject to head office arranging a delivery date - needless to say I have heard nothing from Currys today so this may well go pear shaped too.

Anyway my advice to people is to make 100% sure that the items you are buying are in stock before ordering but preferably get a price match from a local place where you can go and pick your goods up.

I have been lucky on the washing front though as my girlfriend kindly did it all for me - not everyone I deal with is useless.

Tallymanjohn

Unfortunately Currys aren't the only companies that sell goods which they haven't got in stock. It's taken me 5 months to get a refund of £50 from O2 for a phone which they immediately charged me for (like, within 30 minutes of ordering) before sending me an email to tell me there would be a 3 week minimum delay. Got sorted with T-mobile same day but getting the O2 refund required real threats of court action etc. Now, if ever I order something on-line I phone the sales number to check stock beforehand - they'll often place the order at the on-line price anyway but at least you are talking to a human being (of sorts...).

Rhino666

I thought it was illegal to debit a customers credit card account if the goods being paid for are not in stock ?

penrhyn

I dont think many people on the site would recommend Currys/Dixons!
In case you want to reorder elsewhere,we have bought Bosch washing machines from Hughes Direct and find them a good supplier.
http://www.which.hughesdirect.co.uk/home.php?SID=3da6b053fe5d4d1bb18e90570751e855

The Which version of their site saves a few pennies on their usual prices.

Alan_M_2

Rhino666 wrote:

I thought it was illegal to debit a customers credit card account if the goods being paid for are not in stock ?

Where did you get that idea?

Rhino666

Alan_M wrote:

Where did you get that idea?

I think I read it/heard it somewhere Alan but was unsure hence the post - do you have something constructive to add ??

Alan_M_2

Indeed,

I run a business that imports to order, in many cases our products are running on time from the producer, put in a container, then the ship breaks down, the ports go on strike, the French are upset about how their breads rising on a certain day and blockade all the trucks....You get the idea.

With the best will in the world we're pretty much out of control on how our products arrive with our customers and all we can do is keep them informed.

There's no restriction on any charges being processed unless company policy states different.

I generally don't charge a customers card (with anything other than the agreed deposit) until the product is in stock and ready to deliver, however, that's good manners, not a legal requirement.