Warning Argos Reserve and Collect Scam

dave500

I reserved a mobile phone online on Friday evening at a price of £59, being the only one left in the south east I travelled a round trip of 9 miles to collect on the Saturday. Upon returning home I realised I had been charged £75 although it says 'Clearance Item' £59 on the box. Assuming an error I called customer services 0845 number which they never seem to pick up (although it is machine answered so on a mobile costs a fortune). Gave up on this and emailed customer service. The reply astounded me. Apparently 'reserve and collect' does not mean you get the price you reserved at. The deal ran out on the day I ordered and allegedly I was told when I reserved. Well, if I was told (which I doubt) it was in very small print. As the store would have been closed when I made the order this is clearly a case of misleading advertising of a deal that does not exist. So far Argos are refusing to do anything about the matter. I'm furious as a regular Argos customer and will never shop with them again. The attitude of their customer services department stinks.

So beware, check carefully when using collect and reserve at Argos. The price may not be the same when you collect and it may not be at all obvious.

soolin

Yes it is clear when you reserve an item that you pay the amount in store when you collect. However when you were charged more in store you had the right to refuse to accept and pay for the item and walk away from the deal.

speedy_gonzalez

I've seen this warning when I've done reserve and collect but I've had a couple of instances where prices have gone up on the same day.

Takoda

It isn't a scam in my opinion. They do make it very clear that the price you pay will be the one in store on collection day.

The lesson I've picked up from dealings with Argos is that if I see an item I want at a great price I go and get it that same day or ask someone else to collect it for me. Their prices go up and down like a lady of the night's undergarments!!!

lucylucky

As you agreed to pay £75 it is not a scam.

Did you not query the amount at the time of purchase?

Edinburghlass_2

and if you speak nicely to the SA they can get the manager to over-ride the price to the one applied the day before when you ordered it

However had I ordered something at £59 and then had to pay £75 I think I would have noticed it.

Pollycat

Of course it's not a scam.
Whenever I've reserved items for store pickup (on-line), I've seen a message saying that the price charged will be that applicable at the time of collection, not reservation.
How did you reserve this item?
I think it's more likely that you missed the message.

What is worrying though, dave500, is that you expected to pay £59 but were charged £75 - so you must have authorised Argos to take the higher amount when you went in to collect your reserved item.

Maybe you should check the amount you're being charged carefully next time - regardless of where you're shopping.

moonrakerz

Takoda wrote: »

It isn't a scam in my opinion.

lucylucky wrote: »

As you agreed to pay £75 it is not a scam.

Pollycat wrote: »

Of course it's not a scam.

Of course it's a scam ! Anything where the buyer cannot be bothered to read the Ts & Cs and comes "unstuck" is now a "scam" - If it wasn't, they wouldn't be able to put it in this thread and "rant" about it .............

A thread headed "I didn't read the Ts & C's and made a fool of myself" wouldn't get many posts would it ? :D;)

BargainGalore

As others said it isnt a scam but I dont like it either but they do state quite clearly when you order

gunman786

They have got an issue with their 'reserve and collect' service that needs to be addressed. I once reserved and item for collection and when i went to the till the woman mentioned what the item was but said that it wasn't available there. So i thought i would check the stock of the item if they were available generally, and there was them in stock. Strange how they could not reserve the item for me beforehand. This can cause people inconvenience e.g as the OP pointed out in terms of travelling, costs etc

BargainGalore

B&Q have problem with there reserve they can leave the item in shop floor until the whim of the store decides to pick it up and reserve it