Argos returns

Gadgets

Just a friendly warning about returning (or buying in the first place) electronic equipment from Argos which is mostly exempt from their returns policy unless faulty.

As background, I spent a long time reading a lot of posts about this on this site and in particular this post from someone claiming to be a Manager at Argos: [excerpt]: "SomeGuy'The Argos 16 Day money back Guarantee.'[Big long rant ahead].Therefore, like many retailers Argos offer a money back guarantee as a goodwill, customer service gesture." and goes on to advise being polite and explaining the circumstances if you have a good reason for wanting to return something, and that the manager has discretion and might choose to allow the return if you're nice.

My Sister bought an iPod from Apple Store at Christmas, but last week drove over it whilst coming down with the flu. I asked the Apple Store if they might replace it and to their great credit they said they would. But in the meantime my Sister had hauled off and ordered one online at Argos (again; avoid) and gone and bought it. So I explained all this today to the manager at Argos, super nicely, and she said they didn't return them and even the manager didn't have discretionary power to allow it in special circumstances.

Therefore, either "Someguy" above lied in the post I quoted from about how nice Argos were if you were nice and respectful, or what their managers can do, or the manager at my Argos lied to me. Either way thats an Argos manager lying to me. So my Sister lost about £150, and anyone reading this in the future looking for advice, all I can say is: "Yes, they're not obliged to offer a refund, but ignore the rest of the forum saying be nice, because from my personal experience I'd have had more luck going when it was really busy, and SHOUTING at them and/or refusing to drop the request, until they refunded me if only to make me go away." As much as I hate that strategy, their lack of even compromising (partial refund etc) when I was being REALLY nice, makes me feel the need to warn you about the ineffectiveness of being nice when dealing with Argos.

If you're in a similar situation, good luck! If you're not, then go to the Apple Store instead.

And remember: You're SO MoneySavingExpert!

shaun_from_Africa

Gadgets wrote: »

Therefore, either "Someguy" above lied in the post I quoted from about how nice Argos were if you were nice and respectful, or what their managers can do, or the manager at my Argos lied to me. Argos.

Or maybe the returns situation at Argos has changed in the 9 years since the post from SomeGuy (An MSE member who hasn't been active on the forum since Aug 2006).
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/member.php?u=62798

foxtrotoscar_2

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

Or maybe the returns situation at Argos has changed in the 9 years since the post from SomeGuy (An MSE member who hasn't been active on the forum since Aug 2006).
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/member.php?u=62798

Indeed it has. It's now 30 days and not 16 days.

tomtontom

Argos has followed their advertised policy. Surely the advice should be to do your research/ communicate with relatives before buying? The problem here is not with Argos.

JJG

So your sister drove over her iPod and you expect a partial refund or full refund?

DCFC79

JJG wrote: »

So your sister drove over her iPod and you expect a partial refund or full refund?

I'm interested to know how the flu had a hand in damaging the iPad.

George_Michael

Your original post was far too long. All you needed to state was the following

Gadgets wrote: »

and anyone reading this in the future looking for advice, all I can say is: make sure that the advice you get is up to date and not close to a decade old.

JJG wrote: »

So your sister drove over her iPod and you expect a partial refund or full refund?

They didn't want or expect a full or partial refund from Argos for the damaged iPod as that one was exchanged by Apple themselves.
What they wanted from Argos was to be able to return the undamaged one that was no longer needed.

bluenoseam

Or alternatively I suggest you read the part in every Argos catalogue explaining that a product is exempt from their returns policy - it's not hidden, it's not new & it's not complex. For the record it's also posted in most of their stores as well physically & again on your receipt for any goods covered by that clause.

Azari

I'm sure Argos must get a good few items returned faulty where people fall foul of the return policy and gummy up the item in question.

London50

I have always found at my local store the person serving me at the till tells me what my item is and informs me before they complete the transaction if the item is a non refundable one unless faulty. That way I can make an informed choice as to if I buy or not. The only time I had it otherwise was a few years back and after buying and then returning a faulty tablet when the replacement stopped working after 21 days I was then offered {and excepted} a full refund based on {from me} the fact I had no faith in the make.

deanos

Gadgets wrote: »

But in the meantime my Sister had hauled off and ordered one online at Argos (again; avoid) and gone and bought it.

if this was delivered to her house then it could be returned under distance selling regulations, or was it just reserved online ?