Currys - Brother Printer

KorkyKat

I bought a Brother Laser Jet Printer from Currys. It states it is suitable for Wi-Fi and USB. I wanted it for use with a USB cable.

When it arrived I unboxed it to find there was no USB cable. It isn't a standard USB 2.0-2.0 cable but one with a square plug at one end and a standard USB cable.

I contacted Brother and they said they had stopped supplying them with the apparatus. Likewise I contacted Currys who made a pathetic excuse on behalf of Brother stating that they are trying to make savings. They also said that they tell customers that the cable is an optional extra. Oh no they don't! Nowhere was it mentioned on their web page.

And so the bean counters have been at it and don't give a screw about the people that keep them in business. I further told Currys that their so called 'help line' is appalling. Not only does it cost the consumer in waiting for a human but also going through a myriad of options. I would like to see government legislation compelling all retailers to have a free phone number for post customer purchase queries.

Next port of call. The CEO at Brother. Is it really worth Brother getting a bad customer service reputation for the price of a measly cable? Why not save even more money by not including the mains cable!

nomoneytoday

AFAIK USB cables haven't been included with budget printers for years.

Ebay do them for 99p delivered, or maybe a local £1 shop

NBLondon

Ah - those old ones... I think I've got a couple lying around from printers I've worn out and scrapped. Did you actually go to Curry's and tell an assistant you wanted one with a USB cable included? Or did you order it online and presume that "suitable for USB" meant "includes USB cable" rather then "has a USB socket"?

Fosterdog

As above it's been the best part of ten years if not longer since printers came with the cable as standard and it is not a special cable but a standard USB A to USB B connection which has been the standard connection for printers for almost twenty years since serial ports stopped being standard.

Personally I would waste time nor effort trying to complain to CEOs for something perfectly normal.

custardy

KorkyKat wrote: »

I bought a Brother Laser Jet Printer from Currys. It states it is suitable for Wi-Fi and USB. I wanted it for use with a USB cable.

When it arrived I unboxed it to find there was no USB cable. It isn't a standard USB 2.0-2.0 cable but one with a square plug at one end and a standard USB cable.

I contacted Brother and they said they had stopped supplying them with the apparatus. Likewise I contacted Currys who made a pathetic excuse on behalf of Brother stating that they are trying to make savings. They also said that they tell customers that the cable is an optional extra. Oh no they don't! Nowhere was it mentioned on their web page.

And so the bean counters have been at it and don't give a screw about the people that keep them in business. I further told Currys that their so called 'help line' is appalling. Not only does it cost the consumer in waiting for a human but also going through a myriad of options. I would like to see government legislation compelling all retailers to have a free phone number for post customer purchase queries.

Next port of call. The CEO at Brother. Is it really worth Brother getting a bad customer service reputation for the price of a measly cable? Why not save even more money by not including the mains cable!

you have internet access

So you can check whats included.

Accessories included - Power cable
- Driver software for Windows
- Quick setup guide

Printers havent included printer cables in years IME.
you better start emailing all the printer manufacturers.

DoaM

I'm pretty sure my HP all-in-one came with a USB A-B cable when I bought it about 3 years ago. I don't recall reusing the cable from my old Epson printer.

photome

DoaM wrote: »

I'm pretty sure my HP all-in-one came with a USB A-B cable when I bought it about 3 years ago. I don't recall reusing the cable from my old Epson printer.

I think my Brother one did about 3 years ago as well, wouldnt have bothered me if it hadnt though I have so many usb cables laying around

Inner_Zone

KorkyKat wrote: »

I bought a Brother Laser Jet Printer from Currys. It states it is suitable for Wi-Fi and USB. I wanted it for use with a USB cable.

When it arrived I unboxed it to find there was no USB cable. It isn't a standard USB 2.0-2.0 cable but one with a square plug at one end and a standard USB cable.

I contacted Brother and they said they had stopped supplying them with the apparatus. Likewise I contacted Currys who made a pathetic excuse on behalf of Brother stating that they are trying to make savings. They also said that they tell customers that the cable is an optional extra. Oh no they don't! Nowhere was it mentioned on their web page.

And so the bean counters have been at it and don't give a screw about the people that keep them in business. I further told Currys that their so called 'help line' is appalling. Not only does it cost the consumer in waiting for a human but also going through a myriad of options. I would like to see government legislation compelling all retailers to have a free phone number for post customer purchase queries.

Next port of call. The CEO at Brother. Is it really worth Brother getting a bad customer service reputation for the price of a measly cable? Why not save even more money by not including the mains cable!

Actually that is a standard USB cable as used on printers, hubs and a variety of other USB equipped equipment. The only printer I have purchased in the last five years that came with a cable was HP, a Ricoh and a Cannon did not.

Example:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/AmazonBasics-Male-B-Male-Cable-Feet/dp/B00NH13DV2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1503071058&sr=8-3&keywords=a+to+b+usb+cable

firefox1956

Ha........if the printer manufacturers wanted to save some more money stop putting power cords in with every printer etc !!
I have about 20 power cords in a box.
I keep giving them away on Freegle.

pmduk

I've long learned to check exactly what's "in the box" these days, there are huge financial incentives to keep packaging as light and lean as possible so much is being left out that we used to consider standard.

clangnuts

Could be environmental reasons behind not including USB cables. Anyone who's owned a printer before probably doesn't need a new cable.