Problems with Argos :-(

EmmieG

Hi, I just wanted to see if anyone can make any suggestions or can help in any way please?

My sons fiancee went to Argos to buy a TEFAL pan set yesterday. She brought it home with her after work but when the box was opened it was obvious it wasn't a TEFAL set. Just one lid was taken out of the box to see if there was perhaps any branding on the underside of the lid but there was nothing, so the lid was put back in its bubble wrap and the box was put back in its bag ready to take back to the store this morning to exchange for the item wanted (a TEFAL pan set).

This morning my sons fiancee took the pan set back only to be told by the Argos store that they would not exchange the set OR give her her money back as they believed the set had been used! She told them that they definitely had NOT been used at all and that they items weren't even taken out of the box apart from one lid and only then to see it the TEFAL branding was just hidden ought of sight!

Naomi phoned me from the store feeling really upset. I asked to speak to the Manager and confirmed that the pans had DEFINITELY not been used and that only one lid had even been looked at, but she was adamant she will not refund OR exchange.

We have spoken to the store, to Customer Services and to a man at head office but all to no avail. The latest to come back to us today from a very nice lady in customer services was to say that we could try to return it to another store but that if there was in fact any signs of use we would not be guaranteed to get an exchange or a refund there either!

So, all Naomi did was buy what she THOUGHT was a new pan set - and she paid for a new pan set. The set has DEFINITELY not been used in the 12 hours or so it was here, but if the set HAD been used before then she has NOT received the item she paid for - a brand new TEFAL pan set.

Either way they will not move on this. We cannot prove we have not used it - though I promise you we haven't - it was also with us just 12 hours or so overnight and we still have the receipt etc - so my son and hid fiancee are now stuck with a pan set that isn't even right for their hob AND is not the one they wanted AND apparently (according to the Argos store) has already been used by someone else!

Can anyone help please? They are absolutely adamant they will not refund and are now saying they won't do it because in leaving the store Naomi said 'no wonder this store is closing down if you treat your customers like this' which they said upset their staff! :-(

unholyangel

Is the pan set that was in the box the pan set on the box/that she ordered? Just unclear from your post whether she's ordered the wrong thing or they've supplied the wrong thing.

Either way, I'd recommend a LBA but if its the wrong pan set thats been provided, shes on much stronger footing.

On what basis are they saying they've been used?

EmmieG

Thank you so much for your response.
We are not sure whether Naomi wrote down the wrong number on the slip given in at Argos or whether they supplied the wrong item, but the box was put into a carrier bag before it was even given to her so she had just assumed it was the correct item. It was only when she got home at 10pm (she works late shifts) that she realised it wasn't what she was supposed to have ordered.
The store said that a single pan lid looked like it had marks on it and thats the basis of them saying they think it has been used, but how can you use a lid without a pan anyway?
I've just tried to attach a couple of photos of the lid they say is marked and is the reason for the refusal but it doesn't seem to let me do it?
Naomi arrived home a few minutes ago and we have all looked at the lid really carefully - all we can see are a couple of what look like fingerprints on the glass - thats it.
£35 isn't a large amount in the scheme of things I realise that, but to a young couple just setting up home, it is money they cannot afford to waste and the way they have been treated has been awful :-(

unholyangel

EmmieG wrote: »

Thank you so much for your response.
We are not sure whether Naomi wrote down the wrong number on the slip given in at Argos or whether they supplied the wrong item, but the box was put into a carrier bag before it was even to her so she had just assumed it was the correct item. It was only when she got home at 10pm (she works late shifts) that she realised it wasn't what she was supposed to have ordered.
The store said that a single pan lid looked like it had marks on it and thats the basis of them saying they think it has been used, but how can you use a lid without a pan anyway?
I've just tried to attach a couple of photos of the lid they say is marked and is the reason for the refusal but it doesn't seem to let me do it?
Naomi arrived home arrived home a few minutes ago and we have all looked at the lid really carefully - all we can see are a couple of what look like fingerprints on the glass - thats it.
£35 isn't a large amount in the scheme of things I realise that, but to a young couple just setting up home, it is money they cannot afford to waste and the way they have been treated has been awful :-(

Check the receipts - the one she was given and the one thats usually taped to the box with red tape if memory serves). Then look up the item number online and see if that was the item she was given or not.

EmmieG

I just asked (and also just checked the box myself).
Naomi said there was definitely no receipt stuck to the box.
The official shop receipt shows the item she received, not the one she thought she ordered.
Just so frustrated with them today - they all seemed to say it was wrong and unfair but no one was willing to overrule the individual store.
We definitely DID NOT use ANY of the pans OR ANY of the lids which is why it is so frustrating as they are insisting a lid has been used :-(

unholyangel

EmmieG wrote: »

I just asked (and also just checked the box myself).
Naomi said there was definitely no receipt stuck to the box.
The official shop receipt shows the item she received, not the one she thought she ordered.
Just so frustrated with them today - they all seemed to say it was wrong and unfair but no one was willing to overrule the individual store.
We definitely DID NOT use ANY of the pans OR ANY of the lids which is why it is so frustrating as they are insisting a lid has been used :-(

Damn. Was hoping the argument "goods not as described" could be used.

You could try them on social media - some companies are very pro-active & responsive there (especially if other people see the complaints). Alternatively, you could still try the LBA route - theres nothing saying you have to file proceedings if they dig their heels in so little to lose. However check their returns policy first - you may find it excludes items once they have been opened. Given the shop receipt is for the goods she received, she's basically reliant on their own policy rather than statutory rights.

EmmieG

I really appreciate your advice thank you.
I don't know if this helps but this is their returns policy at Argos -

Can I return it if there’s nothing wrong with it?

Absolutely! We offer a 30 day returns guarantee on most items. (We’re nice like that.)

So if you need to bring it back, just bring it back. Then we’ll either refund the cash onto the original payment method or offer you an exchange. Easy.

You just need these 2 things:

your proof of purchase
the item should be unused, in its original packaging and in a re-sellable condition
er... there is no 3
PS There are a few things we can’t do returns for, such as food and some jewellery (see FAQ below) unless of course they’re faulty. Naturally, none of this affects your consumer rights.

KeithP

Wipe the finger prints of the suspect lid and, as suggested by Argos Customer Services, return them to another store.

Fosterdog

There has to be a bit more to what happened when she was in Argos if she has the wrong set but a receipt that matches the set she has.

Did she use the self service terminals or did she go face to face with a cashier to order?

Every time I've ever shopped in Argos and gone to a cashier they read out the description of what you've ordered to get confirmation that it is the right item before they give you the total. Looking on the Argos website there is only one Tefal pan set at £34.99 and it is a clearance 7 piece set, the only other pan sets they have for the same price are different brands and 3 piece sets so it would be very strange for her to end up with the wrong set. It would require either her writing down the wrong number, or the cashier typing it wrong, them reading out the wrong description, or not reading it out at all, her not checking the contents of the bag/box and not noticing the box she was carrying was too small for a 7 piece set.

I can understand one of those mistakes happening or one step of the process being missed but for them all to go wrong? Something doesn't add up.

The only other thing I can think is if she used self service and with it being a clearance item she wanted that maybe it was out of stock and they automatically recommend a similar item for a similar price and she just clicked ahead without reading. I've no idea if their self service terminals even do that as I always either reserve online first or use the stock checker before ordering.

Also when she brought it home to open, didn't she notice that the box had a different brand on it and not a picture of a red 7 piece set but of a black or silver 3 piece (the only others at that price) before opening? I really can't believe that anyone could have all of those things happen and not notice until the box is open, does she not pay attention to anything?

Zandoni

Take it back to another store 15 mins before closing, things change when they need to go home.

EmmieG

She feels bad enough already about being in the position she is in Fosterdog and the store made her feel like a criminal.

This was her first time in Argos and she openly says (as stated previously) that she may have written the wrong number on the slip as she was rushing to get to work, but that isn't the issue here - the issue is that the policy allows you to return an item as long as it is unused and you still have the receipt but they are refusing to let her do that.

The box was put into a bag before it was given to her so she didn't see the box close up at the desk

And as to the weight - you and I might know the difference between the weight of different pan sets but I don't think a young adult setting up home for the first time and buying a pan set for the first time would recognise the weight difference?

When home she definitely realised there was no Tefal branding on the box, which is why she opened it to see if the kids had Tefal on them - she looked at one lid and one lid only and then closed the box.

I can't find a way to add the photos but I sent them to Argos Customer Services and they themselves say they can see nothing wrong with them (because there IS nothing wrong with them), and that they can't understand why the return has been refused.