Currys / PC World ‘Know-How’'ransom' like?

eekey

I find that the ‘repairs’ policy of the Currys / PC World ‘Know-How’ team tantamount to ransom. Let me explain with an actual circumstance:
Broken LCD screen on a 3 months old laptop (originally purchased from PCWorld)
Know-How team in-store want £50 for labour to send the laptop away to ‘the workshop’ where they will then quote directly for the cost of the parts. The in-store team are unable to give any idea, whatsoever of the cost - despite it being a well-known laptop that they sell and it was simply a case of looking up a part.
However, if I then choose not to let them complete the repair (e.g. the parts are too expensive) they will still retain the £50.
So, they can’t give me any idea on the total cost but they’re going to, in effect, charge me £50 just to give me a quote.
I was actually prepared to pay a reasonable amount to save myself the bother of repairing the laptop myself but, I was not prepared to be subjected to an unknown cost that will be at least £50 which could be for doing nothing. They lost the sale to me on this basis. Note: In my case a quick YouTube search for a ‘How To’ video of a 10 minute job and a £40 purchase of a new screen through Amazon and the laptop was repaired….
But, doesn’t this sales methodology by Know-How seem like a thinly veiled scheme to set an unsuspecting customer up for a ransom demand to get their laptop back?

enfield_freddy

could you not have sent it back as a warranty claim , and when failed they would give quote yes/no on repair , no cost to you?

Big_Graeme

enfield_freddy wrote: »

could you not have sent it back as a warranty claim , and when failed they would give quote yes/no on repair , no cost to you?

A broken screen is vary rarely accepted as a warranty issue with any major manufacturer or retailer.

enfield_freddy

true , but they needed to send it to there "repair centre" (with a broken) screen @£50 , why not say warranty and await the refusal ,

abibee

They rely on people that are 'scared' of computers, and don't know any better (i.e. how to look a problem up on the net for solutions). Kind of like the ads on tv selling pc tune-up software etc..

Strider590

Half the kids that work there haven't got a clue, they're basically given a few technical words to remember and then thrown into the job, experience costs money and PCW won't pay.

Big_Graeme

enfield_freddy wrote: »

true , but they needed to send it to there "repair centre" (with a broken) screen @£50 , why not say warranty and await the refusal ,

Because even the minimum wage staff in PCW will reject any mention of warranty on a broken screen. They will do this at the desk before you get any further. I've never seen a screen break without it being customer damage or accident.

Fightsback

According to the PCW PC repair T&Cs

http://pcw.cdn.dixons.com/grafx/gb/uk/promotions/pdf/tv-computing-one-off-repair.pdf

You should have paid an upfront charge, did this happen ?

Edit:

Just noticed you did pay the £50, thus you entered into a contract to have your laptop repaired. I'm afraid you'll have to take the hit and let it be a hard lesson engaging primates to do a job. I wonder what outrageous price they will charge the screen at.

eekey

Actually, no I didn't pay them anything - indeed the laptop didn't even make it out of the bag once I realised that they would charge me £50 just to look at it and an unkown amount of money to actually fix it..... it's this methodology that disturbs me - most customers of pc world would have just gone with it.
What I am annoyed about is that this sharp sales practice is, in my opinion, a modern method of ransom. Praying on the general public's lack of knowledge and fear. It's just like the sharp intake of breath by an old fashioned car mechanic as they are charging you a non refunable £50 just to take a look at an obviously flat tyre but won't even quote you on the cost of a replacemen until they have your £50.

Fightsback

eekey wrote: »

Actually, no I didn't pay them anything - indeed the laptop didn't even make it out of the bag once I realised that they would charge me £50 just to look at it and an unkown amount of money to actually fix it..... it's this methodology that disturbs me - most customers of pc world would have just gone with it.
What I am annoyed about is that this sharp sales practice is, in my opinion, a modern method of ransom. Praying on the general public's lack of knowledge and fear. It's just like the sharp intake of breath by an old fashioned car mechanic as they are charging you a non refunable £50 just to take a look at an obviously flat tyre but won't even quote you on the cost of a replacemen until they have your £50.

So you want free diagnostics that cost other people time and money ?

thescouselander

It's a straight forward repair. Its quite reasonable to at least expect an estimate before entering a contract for the repair especially since, in this case, there appears to be no need for any diagnostic work.