Currys shocker - please advice

Myra03

Hi, I'm new to this forum. Just googled 'Currys complaints' and this was one of the things that popped up....

I went into a local Currys store today to buy a Microsoft office for Mac software. I was doing an errand for hubby so didn't really know the product well. Anyway, they sold me windows for Mac which was the wrong thing. Not a problem, not their fault. So I went back in the evening to exchange for the right product (this time I was shown picture of what it looked like so knew what to buy!). When I got there, the manager of the store, who I explained the issue to, asked the chap who served me earlier to fetch the correct product for me. While the chap was gone, the manager gave me a leaflet about mobile and broadband. Or atleast I thought it was a leaflet, didn't read it. At the till, I was asked to handover the leaflet and my card. I thought the card was just for a straightforward exchange. When I got home, hubby asked me why I had bought mobile and broadband? To say I was shocked is an understatement. Looking at the receipt, he explained what had happened and why. The Microsoft windows for Mac that I originally bought was £109.99. The office for Mac which I wanted was £89. They had sold me a Knowhow PYM Sim 3G for exactly 29.99 which meant they didn't have to refund me any money. And not once did I say I want this product nor did they ask me.

I called their helpline to complain. The customer service advisor was most unhelpful and said I should go back to store. But thing is the manager of the store is the one who put the Knowhow card in my hand so I'm not sure how far that will get me.

What do you guys think I should do?

Thanks a lot.

warehouse

Go back in and explain the situation calmly. Don't budge until you get what you want, IE a full refund of the £29.99. Really, don't budge.

Myra03

Thanks. Is it just me or isn't what they've done very wrong? Surely just a refund isn't enough? I'm not after any compensation or anything so don't get me wrong but how can I report them for this? Thanks

Fosterdog

Just a couple of things.

There is no such thing as windows for Mac, you can install windows on a Mac but it's not something specific called windows for Mac. If you've just asked for Microsoft for Mac then that could be either windows or office (they should have clarified which you needed but depending on the wording they have sold what you asked for first time round)

Currys sell windows for £109 and they also sell Office for Mac for £109. Neither are on their website for £89 on their own but Office is reduced to £89 when sold as an attachment to certain items. My guess is that instead of just the full price of £109 for the office they have added on another item that allows them to sell the Office for £89 and give you something as a freebie. If you return the item that qualifies you for the reduction on the Office you also have to either return the Office or pay the difference up to the full price.

Personally I'd say you are better of keeping it as it is, maybe sell on the extra they gave you

bod1467

And after not reading and getting the wrong thing first time, why did you then not read what you were given before paying?

Myra03

Thanks. So maybe that's what they were doing but should've still explained it to me. First time round, I did think I was buying the right thing. I'm not a tech expert and so take no shame in getting that wrong. But I completely agree that second time I should've read the receipt before I left but to my defense it was 6:45 and my 2 year old boy was due his regular daily medications at 7(he refuses to take them from anyone else). We live and learn don't we? Thanks all, I'll still go to the store tomorrow to see what they say.

paddyrg

I've had it where they can't discount Office but are able to bundle other stuff at the same package price (anyone want a year's license for some antivirus product?). Sounds like what may have happened here, basically a freebie. Instead of all guns blazing, ask the manager if he can explain because you are confused - could be he'd actually done you a nicety.

CoolHotCold

Bingo someones nailed it on the head.

You purchased Office For Windows (I Assume the Microsoft Office Home and Student) for £109.

You took it back and exchanged for Office for Mac.

Office for Mac is £109 as a standalone price, but on the system there exists Customer Offers / When Brought With, that will reduce the price down (A lot of items have this, Office, Internet Security, etc etc).

Both versions of Office sell for the same price £109 (Mac and Windows), what the manager has done is essentially reduced the Office by the Customer Offer button to a WBW deal, and tossed in the PAYG SIM.

Bit sneaky, but the end price is the same. It isn't a tactic, just a manager trying to artificially enhance store performance.

If they had explained it correctly, something along the lines of "The standalone price of Office for Mac is £109, the same as the Windows version you're returning, however what I'll do is bundle a free PAYG SIM that you can use in any 3G/4G tablet that gives you 1GB data per month free for a year. No contract, just pop in and go. That sound ok?" Most people would probably be quite happy, They're getting 12GB of data for a year spread over 12 months, no contract and if they don't want to use it, they can just bin it, and the price is the same.

Inner_Zone

Myra03 wrote: »

The Microsoft windows for Mac that I originally bought was £109.99. The office for Mac which I wanted was £89. They had sold me a Knowhow PYM Sim 3G for exactly 29.99 which meant they didn't have to refund me any money. And not once did I say I want this product nor did they ask me.

£109.99 - £89 = £20.99 not £29.99.

And as above Office for Mac Home and Student is £109.99 so you also got a freebie with it.

Where does the £89.99 come from?

CoolHotCold

Inner_Zone wrote: »

£109.99 - £89 = £20.99 not £29.99.

And as above Office for Mac Home and Student is £109.99 so you also got a freebie with it.

Where does the £89.99 come from?

Because the receipt says £89.99 (probably)

The RRP is £109.99, and thats all that's advertised online or in store, except when you buy it with something else, it'll be discounted down to £89.99 but without any discount shown.

This is where the issue arrises, OP mistakenly believes that Office was £89 instead of £109, because that's what the receipt states, and they believe Currys has pulled a fast one by bundling something else on so they wouldn't have to refund her.

In reality, it's just poor communication by a manager, trying to boost figures, OP isn't entitled to Office at £89 and should have been charged £109, but as communication was poor, it's escalated into this.

It's shoddy because they may have been a business user (though you should really buy Office Business) and need to claim VAT back, and this can create problems.

DCFC79

Don't understand why you didn't look at what was thrusted into your hand.

I don't agree with how it was done though.