Sainsburys - don't want business

paddedjohn

ive been asked to fill these forms loads of times over the years and have never had a problem doing so, where it says name I write, Yogi Bear and the address is Jellystone Park. The staff dont even glance at it

cybergibbons

After buying several TVs and PVRs as gifts and for work, and then being inundated with threatening letters (maybe 5 on one day), I just started fabricating the details as we have a license and are doing nothing wrong. I do feel sorry for whoever lives at 1 Quality Street in Merstham.

I think my finest hour was when I realised that the Argos self-service checkouts had a free text field of what seemed like infinite length. Needless to say, I never received a threatening letter to "MR I ALREADY HAVE A TV LICENSE CAN YOU PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE"

Anyway, I don't think the law has changed in this regard - I think the retailers were just given a nudge. Though the number of people who can't separate out company guidelines/regulations and law is quite surprising sometimes.

Becles

My Dad had to fill a form in when he bought me a TV as a gift.

My TV licence was in my old name, as despite me telling the TV Licence people that I'd changed my name several times, they were unable to update their system.

Dad gave my current surname when he bought the TV as he didn't know about the name problem.

Then I got countless threatening letters for Miss H as she didn't have a TV licence, even though Mrs W at the same address did. It took me ages to convince them that Mrs W and Miss H were the same person. What a shambles!

ERICS_MUM

Bronnie wrote: »

Hear hear! Educate and train your staff properly and stop the scenario where sales assistants just wing it and make it up as they go along.

Exactly right. There is no excuse for poor training in a major company such as Sainsbury's. It's frustrating for the customer and also not at all fair on the members of staff themselves.

George_Michael

The 'customer service' person then said that if I refused to fill in the form she would refund my money and remove the TV from me. She would not let me leave the shop with the TV, which I had already paid for

I wonder what would have happened if you had simply picked up the TV and tried to leave.
After all, the TV was your property as you had paid and the money had been accepted by the cashier, so if anyone took the TV from you without your permission they would be stealing.

Wouldn't it be much easier to have a sign on the shelf near the TV display stating the legal requirements, and to have the purchased flagged up on the till before payment is made?

Helix

George_Michael wrote: »

I wonder what would have happened if you had simply picked up the TV and tried to leave.
After all, the TV was your property as you had paid and the money had been accepted by the cashier, so if anyone took the TV from you without your permission they would be stealing.

Wouldn't it be much easier to have a sign on the shelf near the TV display stating the legal requirements, and to have the purchased flagged up on the till before payment is made?

Sainsburys tills do flag it up before payment. When the item is scanned it will say that a form needs to be completed by the customer.

George_Michael

Sainsburys tills do flag it up before payment.

In which case, surely they should ensure that the form is filled out, or at least inform the customer of this requirement before payment is offered and accepted.
As I stated above, once payment has been accepted, the TV then belongs to the customer and no one at Sainsbury has the legal right to take it from them or to stop them leaving the store with their property.

Tupperware_Queen

I had to give the details when I bought a set top box from currys, its really not a problem is it? If you don't want to give your address out in public, then just fill in the form yourself.

Given the number of people who claim not to need a licence, I can understand why it is done this way. For example if you get a car from a big dealer they usually do free insurance for 7 days to make sure you are legal when you drive off their forecourt.

pimento

When asked in stores, my address is usually 1 The Mall, London SW1

marleyboy

Its routine to give such details when buying a television\set top box. although I would agree in this case was a tad OTT.

I would have been blatant on the form "J Bloggs - 10 Park Drive" etc. I would not care what the assistant thouhgt about the form, if she had questioned that, I would have took my refund saying "Its ok, will get one from Argos instead" and left.