The latest chain to go...

ALIBOBSY

I feel so sorry for the staff, but agree with other posters on here the whole comet model hasn't moved on from the 80's/90's, and the staff are badly paid and badly treated so are disillusioned.

The world and retail has and is changing and sadly the retailers that don't move on end up like this. TBH even without the credit crunch and economic situation their days were numbered.

We did buy a laptop from currys recently. OH had decided which one to get by research online and currys had a good online price which had on top a reduction (think it was an extra 20%) which it stated in the terms and conditions could ALSO be claimed in store. So OH printed off the website details and decided to avoid delivery charges and get the laptop straight away we would have a ride up to our local currys/pc world.

It was empty (on a sat afternoon!), really dead. When we started looking at laptops some sale guy comes dashing across all mouth. Once he realised OH works in IT and knew exactly what he wanted he got very short with us. The laptop was at a higher price than the web (obviously) but OH worked out if they honoured the extra 20% and allowing for not having to pay delivery we would be around £30 ish down which was OK to get it there and then.

OH showed him the details and asked about the extra, the guy said the price is there and I can't give you the discount. He was quite bolishy even when presented with the terms. OH even tried to offer some leeway say throw in some other item/items for free with it, he offered Norton for free I think (rubbish anyway). TBH it felt like he couldn't be bothered.

So we left, Oh rang currys to complain. They said OH and the web were correct and the manager should have honoured the extra sale price and they apologised for the way he acted towards us. We got the laptop at the online price with the extra, plus another £20 off and free delivery so bargain and great customer service after the event.

Perhaps the poster who said about manufacturers doing displays, and then you buying online may become the future.

Or another option is to split up those big shed and diversify, like tesco do and sell lots of diverse things under one roof. TBH I think if you prioritised excellent service-see J lewis/lakeland for how to do this, people would be prepared to pay a bit more and you might stand a chance.

Ali x

Rochdale_Pioneers

I am slightly surprised at some of the posts. Had always considered CurrysPCWorld to be the worst example of shyster business practice with its shark like sales creatures and illegal faulty goods policy. Comet on the other hand never tried ripping me off and were always civil.

Generali

Rochdale_Pioneers wrote: »

I am slightly surprised at some of the posts. Had always considered CurrysPCWorld to be the worst example of shyster business practice with its shark like sales creatures and illegal faulty goods policy. Comet on the other hand never tried ripping me off and were always civil.

TBH I found them both dreadful. They're victims of the internet age. You can't survive on high prices and bad service any more.

grizzly1911

Rochdale_Pioneers wrote: »

I am slightly surprised at some of the posts. Had always considered CurrysPCWorld to be the worst example of shyster business practice with its shark like sales creatures and illegal faulty goods policy. Comet on the other hand never tried ripping me off and were always civil.

When I used to shop in Currys/Dixons I had to fight them so many times on their restrictive faulty goods policies. They were always wrong and always gave in it just makes me wonder how many people just accepted it.

18 month sago I was earwigging a potential sale of a laptop. The punter had opened up with a budget. It was amusing listening to the sales patter that talked down the laptop and introduced a finance package so that they could introduce a "support" bundle too within the budget. They were definitely more interested in flogging the bundle than the product.

grizzly1911

BobQ wrote: »

I cannot say that I use Comet much unless I want something in a real hurry or want to look at a product before I buy it from someone else on line. However, I do this in Curry's too.

I think its in bad taste to criticise Comet Service when so many of the staff are potentially about to lose their jobs before Christmas.

We didn't choose the timing of their demise that is their caring bosses.

It is sad and as always the foot soldier gets the blame.

sheffield_lad

As an Ex currys employee, I saw both sides of bad behavior by the company and customers. Company wise having to repair a product over an exchange was a gripe for many but.

We often had customers bringing back products they had no researched correctly (or asked the staff), either badly repackaged or not packaged at all wanting a refund! What you have to bear in mind with such products is they have to be resold, would you pay full price for a used item?

The other major area was customers bringing laptops/PC's back with software issues (games not working, not having word on), and wanting either a tutorial of how windows operated or expecting to get a refund again because it did not meet expectations.

Customers are better more PC savvy now but back 10-15yrs ago they were hopeless, main list of items included routers, scanners and printers. The all come with instructions but just like a car manual it does not show you how to drive it.

Loughton_Monkey

As expected, it's looking to be a clear case of asset stripping.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/9649664/Comet-another-OpCapita-kiss-of-death.html

molerat

Comet now in administration
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/9651556/Comet-offically-enters-administration-stores-re-open-for-expected-firesale.html

BobQ

howee wrote: »

As an Ex currys employee, I saw both sides of bad behavior by the company and customers. ......

I have never really trusted the Curreys/PCWorld store since I bought an inkjet printer at a reasonable price and was subjected to two attempts to get me take out a product insurance in which I was told that to refuse the offer made me stupid.

Having reached the checkout a third attempt was made, using a patter along the lines of.... you will really hate yourself for not taking the insurance. If anything goes wrong even a cosmetic thing.... anything we will replace it. All you have to do is keep it for 11 months, throw it down the stairs and we will give you a new onbe.... no questions asked..

Is that a serious store I asked myself.

sheffield_lad

BobQ wrote: »

I have never really trusted the Curreys/PCWorld store since I bought an inkjet printer at a reasonable price and was subjected to two attempts to get me take out a product insurance

Is that a serious store I asked myself.

Yep that was a bad part of the job, what they didn't grasp was its not the extra insurance but the margin they need.

An inkjet printers average margin was around 18-22%which is poor considering rents, staff cost etc. If they had instead tried selling you extra cartridges and paper (which you may have needed), these carry far higher margins (40%+), and they survive without the daft insurance.

They are better at understanding margins these days but in the past they only had the one eye firmly on the insurance.