Returning Laptop to PC World when given without a box

barbiedoll

I was in my late 30's when I first set foot in PC World. I went with my husband, to buy a new desktop PC. We knew what sort of spec we wanted but we were quite ignorant with regards to online safety so we were upsold the standard rubbish, McAfee (at a "bargain" half-price offer.) It was only after we got home and installed it that my brother told us that we'd been [STRIKE]conned[/STRIKE] sold something that we didn't need.

Unless you go into such establishments with exactly the right amount of cash, (no cards) and with the name and model number of the item that you wish to buy, you are fair game for the pushy sales team. All it takes is a few comments along the lines of "You can't be too careful, what with all of these viruses/spam emails/hacked websites" and the next thing you know, you're off home with a full set of expensive anti-virus software and a home office package that you'll never use.

OP, if you're up for a fight and don't mind haranguing (loudly) for hours with some spotty adolescent "manager", then go along and complain. A good time is on a Saturday afternoon, when the place is full of customers. Did your dad actually get the model that you sent him to buy? I can't say what your chances are and as others have said,legally, you probably don't have a leg to stand on. But it may be worth a try?

shezza2

I can imagine Bantex sitting all on his/her own in a grotty flat, with scruffy trackie bottoms surounded by empty cans and empty pizza boxes, on the pc day and night trolling all the forums that are in existence arguing with people. ugh get a life.

cookie365

I thought MamaMoo's post really hit the nail on the head.

The OP's dad is of course an adult who can make own decisions, but one of those decisions could well be to decide to go back to the shop with his tech savvy daughter, and explain politely, assertively, loudly and most importantly, by the cash tills, how he feels like he's been ripped off.

He may not have a right to to a refund, but that doesn't mean he won't get one just to shut him up

SuperHan

barbiedoll wrote: »

Unless you go into such establishments with exactly the right amount of cash, (no cards) and with the name and model number of the item that you wish to buy, you are fair game for the pushy sales team. All it takes is a few comments along the lines of "You can't be too careful, what with all of these viruses/spam emails/hacked websites" and the next thing you know, you're off home with a full set of expensive anti-virus software and a home office package that you'll never use.

OP, if you're up for a fight and don't mind haranguing (loudly) for hours with some spotty adolescent "manager", then go along and complain. A good time is on a Saturday afternoon, when the place is full of customers. Did your dad actually get the model that you sent him to buy? I can't say what your chances are and as others have said,legally, you probably don't have a leg to stand on. But it may be worth a try?

Two issues with this -

1. Having worked in 3 PC World/Currys stores - and known people at significantly more - I have never worked with a manager much younger than 30, so "spotty adolescent" probably isn't very fair.

2. Also having worked there, and having seen a number of machines come back with problems where they are using AVG or Avast or other free anti virus software, mostly where the person isn't too computer savvy and has been told by a friend that this is what they need, but then don't really have the knowledge to avoid less than legitimate sites and click all sort of spurious links, I would still to this day (4 years after leaving the company) recommend Norton to any PC user, and I wouldn't use anything but for my own computers. Personally, to get away with using a free suite (and they're free for a reason!) you have to be savvy enough to avoid putting your computer directly in harms way, whereas a full internet security tends to get in the way, but does its job well. That said, I would never recommend somebody pay £60 for their antivirus, but I think when bought at £30 a year, it is most worthwhile.

I'm fully prepared to get shot down by the Avast die hards, but I've seen it myself. The benefit of working with the public and computers is you really get to see the lack of knowledge by a lot of PC users, and the 'damage' that can be done!

Bantex_2

shezza2 wrote: »

I can imagine Bantex sitting all on his/her own in a grotty flat, with scruffy trackie bottoms surounded by empty cans and empty pizza boxes, on the pc day and night trolling all the forums that are in existence arguing with people. ugh get a life.

Rather childish post.

tomtontom

cookie365 wrote: »

I thought MamaMoo's post really hit the nail on the head.

The OP's dad is of course an adult who can make own decisions, but one of those decisions could well be to decide to go back to the shop with his tech savvy daughter, and explain politely, assertively, loudly and most importantly, by the cash tills, how he feels like he's been ripped off.

He may not have a right to to a refund, but that doesn't mean he won't get one just to shut him up

I'm not the type of person that raises my voice, but in the case of PC World I'd make an exception. Basically OP needs to go back with their dad and make a pest of themselves - be polite, but give them a taste of their own overbearing, in your face medicine.

OP, I'm exactly the same with my dad - he's a brilliant engineer, but knows nothing of computers! Sadly the mistake you made was sending him to PC World, in future go to John Lewis where they'll treat him with a bit more respect

philatio

He must be a bit off his rocker as he went into PC World.

Unless the son told him to go there. If so, that's just cruelty to the elderly.

Chlorine7

philatio wrote: »

He must be a bit off his rocker as he went into PC World.

Unless the son told him to go there. If so, that's just cruelty to the elderly.

Not his son and I didn't.

Chlorine7

tomtontom wrote: »

I'm not the type of person that raises my voice, but in the case of PC World I'd make an exception. Basically OP needs to go back with their dad and make a pest of themselves - be polite, but give them a taste of their own overbearing, in your face medicine.

OP, I'm exactly the same with my dad - he's a brilliant engineer, but knows nothing of computers! Sadly the mistake you made was sending him to PC World, in future go to John Lewis where they'll treat him with a bit more respect

Well my actual plan was to buy it online but because I told him this was the specific brand and type, he didn't want to wait so went out and bought it. I would never have gone into PC World because they are crooks and I have had bad experiences with them in the past.

I am thinking about going in there and making a pest of myself or at least making a fuss loudly enough to hopefully stop some other sucker from buying accessories, programmes and laptop they don't need. On top of that they didn't even pack the mouse and mat that they charged him for!

Bantex_2

Never found a problem with PC world etc flogging extras. I just say "No Thanks".