Vent with ipod/Woolworths

black-saturn

Today I went out and bought an ipod Nano which my daughter has been saving up for for ages from Woolworths. Got it home and after 3 hours of tearing my hair out trying to get it to work I realised it was a dud one. So I took it back to Woolworths and asked for a refund only to find out that if I want a refund I have to phone a premium rate number first and get a code. So I walked all the way home again and phoned the number. I was on hold for ages and when I finally got through to someone they kept asking me daft questions like "Is your computer switched on?" and "have you plugged it into the USB port?". After ages they finally gave me a code. Then I had to walk back to Woolworths where I was treated like a leper and told to wait while they contact their head office. I was waiting 30 minutes for them to get back to me and then they asked the same pointless questions. Then they wouldnt give me the cash back. They said I had to have either a replacement (I had gone off the idea of an iPod by then) or vouchers. I know I'm entitled to cash as the item was faulty but it was almost time to pick the children up from school, any longer and I would have been late, so I settled for vouchers.

I'm venting because of having to ring a premium rate number to get a refund and for being treated like scum because I dared to say something of theirs didn't work.

hjb123

I assume you had paid by cash then to get the cash as refund? That should have been no problem. You even took it back on the day that you bought it and I assume with the receipt etc so they should have given you the cash - I would be tempted to fire an email off to their customer services - thought not sure that it would come to any good - which I guess is one of the reasons you are venting on here!!

deanos

You didnt have to accept vouchers and you didnt have to ring a premium number its up to Woolworths to do this not yourself,.

kuohu

Seems like a foolish arrangement for returns.

hjb123

I just dont see why they couldnt just refund properly when you had bought it on the day, the item was faulty - you shouldnt have to accept vouchers or ring a premium phone number - you could try ringing Consumer Direct or Trading Standards to see what they should have done but I have a feeling they have treated you totally wrong!

RightRevBod

Go back to the store and argue LOUDLY. It is best to do this when thy are really busy. Saturday is a good day.

If you distrurb the other customers enough, they will do whatever they need to get rid of you.

I tip is to tell then that your ear infection is making you rather deaf and they need to speak up for you to hear them. With any luck, you should get to the position where you and the Cashier are standing next to each other, both talking at the top of your voices.

CM86_2

You did wrong by settling for the vouchers, you accepted that you were the one with the problem! Did you get a new one sorted in the end?

black-saturn

She's trying to decide what else to spend her money on now.

There was a woman buying a mobile phone in there when I was waiting for my refund and they told her that if the item turns out to be faulty she would have to ring a number to get a code before they will give a refund. So it must be something they are doing with all their electrical/electronic sales. Seems like a shoddy way to go about things.

taxiphil

A good idea might be to say you don't have a phone and therefore can you use their phone to make the call. I'd like to see them try and say no to that one.

hjb123

It sounds like a bit of a cop out to me, they are just doing less work - getting the customer to do their work for them. You shouldnt have to ring up for a returns number when the item is faulty so soon - on the same day even!

C_Ronaldo

thats an awkard way for customers to a return to woolworths, id just say sorry i refuse to pay for premium rate numbers