Currys TV

Sheddley

Hi,

We bought a TV/DVD from Currys Blackpool before Christmas for my son's Christmas present. He used it for a month, then about the 3rd time he tried to use the DVD player it didn't work. Tried various discs and it was obviously broken. Took it back to Currys who sent it off to be repaired and said come back in a week. A week later we drove back to Currys Blackpool and were handed the TV wrapped tightly in masses of thick bubblewrap and quickly asked to sign a form. Did so and took it home. Opened the bubblewrap, plugged it in and turned it on only to see massive back-screen damage (sorry, can't post an image or a link due to it being my first post).

Clearly some kind of impact damage and didn't take a TV expert to see that was a write-off. Took it back to Blackpool Currys, thinking they'll just replace it there and then but no. They insisted it had to go back to be repaired. I said we weren't happy that my son would be without his present another week. They told me to ring the customer service number mid-week and it could be signed off for a replacement by then. Customer service turns out to be an automated voice system and it gave us the return date exactly a week after we took it in.

So, exactly a week later we turned up to be told a letter had been sent out the day before (a Sunday?) saying it was a write off. It would have a voucher code in that we could then redeem for a new TV. Could they just give me the code there and then. No. So we drove back home again.

The letter arrived last week so we went to the store today, to find they didn't have any of the same set in any colour on the shelves or in the back. I spoke the manager and told him we'd already done over 20 miles backwards and forwards to his store trying to get this sorted out and we just wanted to exchange the voucher for a full refund at this point, to spend somewhere else. He told us that wasn't possible and gave us no option but for him to try get one from another store which we'd then have to drive up to Currys to collect.

What are our rights re demanding a refund? I'm not expecting anything back for the petrol or my wasted time, but refusing to even refund the item cost 3 weeks after we first brought it in seems wrong to me.

I have to say the staff in Blackpool Currys have been uniformly off and unapologetic with us every visit. No acknowledgement of any inconvenience for the customer. The only person we've had any apology from at Currys is their Facebook person who I assume has to deal with complaints for a living.

Leo2020

How old is it? You say before Xmas, but when exactly? And when did you report the fault?

I take it that you took out a service agreement? From the sounds of it they have written if off under the agreement and issued you vouchers.

The service agreements are dealt with by Coverplan which is seperate from Currys (it is part of DSG but they operate separately). This means for a full refund you would need to deal with Currys themselves or the customer service team. You can speak to someone at Currys customer service over the phone - I don't know the number or what option to press. You might have called the same number but due to the options you pressed you just got though to an automated response.

However the fact that the TV has already been written off under the service agreement means you are unlikely to get an easy ride trying to swap the vouchers for a refund. Currys will argue that now it has been written off and a voucher code issued that there is nothing they can do.

You should expect something back for the petrol - you shouldn't be out of pocket due to no fault of your own. Speak to the customer service team. When I used to work at PC World we would refund so much pence per mile (can't remember how much). I'd imagine they still do the same. I would often also issue a voucher as what we called a "goodwill gesture" as an apology for the inconvenience. If you don't get any luck over the phone, write or email.

Ectophile

You can ask for a refund, but you don't have a right to one.

The three possible options are repair, refund or replacement. You can ask for any one, but if the retailer considers that disproportionately expensive, they can refuse and offer you an alternative.

Zandoni

Ectophile wrote: »

You can ask for a refund, but you don't have a right to one.

The three possible options are repair, refund or replacement. You can ask for any one, but if the retailer considers that disproportionately expensive, they can refuse and offer you an alternative.

Well if they can't repair or replace they have only one option left

CoolHotCold

Unfortunately, you have visited a terribly staffed store.

1) As bad as it sounds, two weeks without a TV isn't a significant issue, so two repairs were correct.

2) The staff could have easily checked the system (it's on a system they can check) and even if their systems were down they could have phoned up and gotten the code there and then.

3) If it's a current TV (I.E not one ending in .97 or .98) then they can order one into the store for you to collect.


Write a letter and send a email (LetUsKnow@KnowHow.com) about your experience and what you want (refund of petrol,travel costs etc). You just got unlucky and visited a badly managed/staffed store.

foxtrotoscar_2

Zandoni wrote: »

Well if they can't repair or replace they have only one option left

A partial refund?

unholyangel

Ectophile wrote: »

You can ask for a refund, but you don't have a right to one.

The three possible options are repair, refund or replacement. You can ask for any one, but if the retailer considers that disproportionately expensive, they can refuse and offer you an alternative.

They do if they initially rejected the tv within a reasonable time.

The 2nd paragraph of your post (about retailer refusing if disproportionately costly) only kicks in if acceptance has occurred.

Zandoni

foxtrotoscar wrote: »

A partial refund?

Most High St stores don't go down the evil route of partial refunds especially after such a short time.


The only on line company that I've used that offers partial refunds is Ebuyer, for that reason I have stopped buying from them.

Money-Saving-King

Zandoni wrote: »

don't go down the evil route of partial refunds.

How is giving a proportional refund taking into account actual use suppose to be evil then?

Zandoni

Money-Saving-King wrote: »

How is giving a proportional refund taking into account actual use suppose to be evil then?

It's a new practice which I feel is unfair on the consumer.


Say someone on limited funds buys a product and they expect it to last a long time. This product goes wrong early and they are given a proportional refund (a figure that is often plucked from the air). They will then have to find more money to make up the balance and purchase the product again.


It's annoying enough when something breaks early, but this practice means it costs extra money as well.

deanos

i hope you got a full refund of the service plan if you took it out as you should be covered under the 12 months warranty to start with,