Warning - Currys price promise

twhitehousescat

isabellac wrote: »

I hadn't heard about this but it does strike me as being something of a misunderstanding... Historically computers used to come with a CD with the operating system on it, allowing you to re-install it should you need to completely re-format your machine for some reason. Nowadays the vast majority of modern computers don't even have a CD drive, and the OS has to be backed up onto a memory stick to create a recovery media in case it gets lost (re-buying a copy of Windows is in excess of £100 I believe). I imagine that Currys offers creating this backup as a service for customers who otherwise wouldn't have the time/knowledge to do this sort of thing.

no need to pay "in excess" of £100 for windows follow this link , and download the full win 10 to a pendrive or CD rom , PS : ITS FREE https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10

isabellac

twhitehousescat wrote: »

no need to pay "in excess" of £100 for windows follow this link , and download the full win 10 to a pendrive or CD rom , PS : ITS FREE

I'm not allowed to post links, but if you look on the Microsoft website you can see that the purchase price for Windows 10 Home is £119.99. I may just be being dense but the page you've linked to specifies that you first require a license to install Windows 10 before you can go ahead with any of those options? From Microsoft's support page:

Will the media creation tool still be available for customers to download Windows 10 installation media?

Yes, the media creation tool and Windows 10 installation media (ISO files) are available for customers to install Windows 10. If you’re installing Windows 10 for the first time, you’ll need to enter a valid Windows 10 product key or buy a full version of Windows 10 during setup for this tool to work. If you’ve previously installed Windows 10 on your device, you should have a digital license and Windows 10 will automatically activate without entering a product key.

Newtothis92

Having worked for Currys in the past can confirm isabellac is exactly right in his suggestion. Currys offer to set the laptop up (install any programmes Microsoft office etc) and create a "recovery disk/usb" which is a copy of the operating system.

This is me in no way saying they're right/wrong for doing this.. I'm just saying that's what they do

takman

isabellac wrote: »

I'm not allowed to post links, but if you look on the Microsoft website you can see that the purchase price for Windows 10 Home is £119.99. I may just be being dense but the page you've linked to specifies that you first require a license to install Windows 10 before you can go ahead with any of those options? From Microsoft's support page:

Will the media creation tool still be available for customers to download Windows 10 installation media?

Yes, the media creation tool and Windows 10 installation media (ISO files) are available for customers to install Windows 10. If you’re installing Windows 10 for the first time, you’ll need to enter a valid Windows 10 product key or buy a full version of Windows 10 during setup for this tool to work. If you’ve previously installed Windows 10 on your device, you should have a digital license and Windows 10 will automatically activate without entering a product key.

The bit you have quoted explains it exactly. If you buy a computer with windows already installed you simply need to download a copy of windows and put it on a USB Drive to allow you to re-install it and it will automatically reactivate.

So you don't need to pay to have backup media created when you first buy the computer.

twhitehousescat

isabellac wrote: »

I'm not allowed to post links, but if you look on the Microsoft website you can see that the purchase price for Windows 10 Home is £119.99. I may just be being dense but the page you've linked to specifies that you first require a license to install Windows 10 before you can go ahead with any of those options? From Microsoft's support page:

Will the media creation tool still be available for customers to download Windows 10 installation media?

Yes, the media creation tool and Windows 10 installation media (ISO files) are available for customers to install Windows 10. If you’re installing Windows 10 for the first time, you’ll need to enter a valid Windows 10 product key or buy a full version of Windows 10 during setup for this tool to work. If you’ve previously installed Windows 10 on your device, you should have a digital license and Windows 10 will automatically activate without entering a product key.

so , why pay currys to make a back up

dacouch

I wouldn't buy anything from Currys on principle.

I'm not sure if they still do it but they used to get manufacturers to change the model numbers by a couple of digits on their stock. This meant they did not have to honour their price match in many cases as the exact same tv you could buy cheaper else where had a slightly different model number

Raxiel

twhitehousescat wrote: »

so , why pay currys to make a back up

Why buy any of the overpriced 'extras' from them? Because their salespeople specialise in convincing customers it's a good deal.

mattyprice4004 wrote: »

The 7% reward was from another poster years ago - how do you know they!!!8217;re on the same deal?

I was referring the original post in this thread?

I subsequently bought £600 of Currys gift card though my company to receive the 7% affiliation reward benefit we have access to.

grcd84

Well, I can share an equivalent negative experience I had.

I used to hold Currys in very high esteem for a long while. I purchased every major piece of technology from them, from my PS4 Pro to my Nintendo Switch, a TV, etc.

Recently I was eyeing the Philips P-Line Brilliance 349P7FUBEB 34" Monitor. They had it for £499 which was a relatively expensive price as it could be found easily for well below that elsewhere.

I go ahead and give them proof of Novatech (a UK store) selling it for £435. They price matched it fine, and I was impressed. If that was the end of this story, it would all have been good. The moment I used the code, everything seemed to be fine. It was a Friday night, just before live chat service closing time, but the person on the other end was happy to wait until I completed the transaction.

When I went to check the payment method and pressed 'Continue', I got an error message saying: "Sorry, this product is no longer in stock but we're expecting more soonIf you would like to continue with your order we will contact you to arrange delivery of the item(s) below when available.Alternatively, you may wish to return to your basket to remove this item and select an alternative".

Perplexed, I tried again and the same error was shown. The item was showing 'in stock' at the time. I ask the live support person for help and after a small delay speaking with management he comes back and tells me that sadly the item is indeed out of stock. I explained that I am happy to order and wait, but he told me I would have to wait until it is back in stock and re-ask for a price match. Also, if the price at Novatech had changed, they wouldn't be able to give it again. Before I closed the chat system I used the option to e-mail me the transcript. No transcript was ever received. (In fact, no transcript was ever received for any of my chats with Curry, despite always using the option and adding my e-mail -- whilst being logged in with my account).

I left utterly disappointed, but still feeling that the Curry's support team had done their best. I mean, these things are rare but they happen. I was just unlucky that the item was out of stock.

Right?

Well, things get more complex from here on.

The very next Monday, in the morning, I get informed that the item is back in stock again by the live reminder system. Happy, I go back. I easily find the same Novatech offer, which was still ongoing. This time, however, the support service steadfastly refused to price match. They claimed that Novatech only ships the product directly from the manufacturer and thus that this does not qualify as being in stock.

This was an odd claim for two main reasons:

1. Currys also was doing the same thing. It was a like for like situation. They did not have this item in stock, and it was clear (when placing an order) that the item was shipping from the manufacturer. It was, in other words, only an 'online only' order and you could not pick up from a store.

2. Novatech had more or less the same lead-in time -- which I checked by actually phoning them and asking (they seem very friendly and professional, by the way; I absolutely recommend them!).

I felt that this was an arbitrary 'new' policy tacked on -- especially as I had got the price match the previous time just fine, for the exact same product from the exact same place. The support asked me to try calling for help, and I placed a call to Currys to see if they could do anything about it. The phone support person told me that they were not inclined to consider this a 'price-match' qualifying website so they would have to talk with a manager. I complained and explained that I had in fact got this price-match before but the person on the phone was having none of it. She asked me to wait half an hour and they would call back once the manager had weighed in.

Indeed, 30 minutes later they call back to duly tell me that it is a firm 'no'. Disappointed and annoyed, I tell them that I will order this from that website then. They said that is OK, do as you wish. I felt that I was not being valued whatsoever, and that their description was very inadequate.

Nevertheless, I hadn't yet learned my lesson. I decided to wait a day and try one final time -- primarily because I felt that working with Currys and a larger vendor such as them will be an 'easier' experience overall.

I had no idea...

The next day I do the same thing. Suddenly, however, I discover another website selling the same produce for an even better price -- this time aprox. £415! I was so excited because this time they could come up with no excuse: The website had the item in stock, it was located in the UK, and they were claiming a 2 days shipping time. Surely this falls entirely under the price-match guarantee, I thought!

I talked with another live chat support person who indeed was able to offer the price-match after a short delay. I was given a code and I went to use it. Like the first time, the code was accepted. I go to place the order, and to choose a payment method.

To my horror, I get a familiar message, again:

"Sorry, this product is no longer in stock but we're expecting more soonIf you would like to continue with your order we will contact you to arrange delivery of the item(s) below when available.Alternatively, you may wish to return to your basket to remove this item and select an alternative".

I check to see with the person on the live support page -- which I transcribed personally for my safety. The transcripts were never being sent automatically, so I had wised up to the fact and was doing it myself. Our chat went exactly like this.

You: The code works fine but I Get the same error every time.
*****: OK, I would advise you to wait an hour and repeat the process to allow the system to update
*****: I’m sorry to hear you’re having issues today. Most issues like this occur on outdated browser versions. The best thing I can recommend is checking you have the latest browser installed and to also clear your cookies and cache.
You: But I have already used the code. I am using the latest version of Chrome
*****: OK, I would advise you to try again
You: Ok I am trying to clear cache of the browser. If need be can you provide another code? I will try after resetting the computer so I will lose the current session and the code you gave me won't work
*****: OK, in that case I would advise you to call our sales team on 0344 561 1234 before 8pm. They will be happy to process your order for you
You: Okay can you kindly stay on the line while I do this?
You: I will call now
*****: Sure
You: thank you

At this point I keep the live support service person waiting while I physically call. After briefly explaining the situation I am quickly escalated to talk with a manager. I found that odd, as in my last attempts they would steadfastly refuse to give me the opportunity to talk with a manager. But I felt that perhaps I would finally get somewhere. The live support person is waiting while I do this.

The manager explains to me that the item is indeed out of stock. I find it weird that a manager was necessary to tell me this. I ask if there is anything he can do to help. He tells me that he cannot. At the same time, the item actually appears to be 'in stock' on the website.
So, while still talking with the manager, I type this to the live chat support system who was trying to disconnect because they were waiting for a while:

*****: It's my pleasure, was their anything else that I could assist you with?
You: can you plz check that it is in stock
You: again?
You:
*****: Yes, I can comfirm it is still in stock
You: because im told it is not on the phone
You: this is so confusing
*****: I would advise you to try again in an hour
You: can you kindly provide a second code? i will restart this pc so i would kindly like to have it again
You: i have already used the one you gave me
*****: This code will still be available as the order has not been processed
*****: May I offer any additional assistance for you today?

At this point, the manager on the phone tells me again that there is absolutely nothing he can do. I had to wait until the item was in stock. I refresh my browser...

And... suddenly... the item is out of stock. Again.

The live chat person then types this:

*****: Since I have not heard back from you, I’ll need to close our chat to assist with other customers.

And disconnects.

This is the end of my experience. The item remained out of stock for the rest of the day. I do not believe in coincidences, especially the likelihood that twice the item I price-matched with a very competitive price offer would suddenly go 'out of stock' the very moment I am about to add payment methods. I believe that Curry's is scamming customers into trusting that they offer a price-match, but that they absolutely control the situation on their end, preventing people from actually getting what they promise.

They will find every excuse in the book, because they do not actually want to honour their price match 'guarantee'. It is truly a scam with the full meaning of the word SCAM.

They say on their website that:
"You won’t get it cheaper. Full stop.
We'll price match any product against any other retailer, online or in store. We’ll also match discount codes".

I have found out that 'full stop' actually means lots and lots of asterisks. And even when you manage to play entirely by their rules, they will still find a way to not honour their own promise.

I personally from here on will avoid Currys. I have had enough of this, and I do no longer trust them with my custom.

As for the monitor I was trying to purchase? I happily ordered it from the website I found it for, for the price that Currys couldn't actually match. I couldn't be happier.

My warning to Currys customers is this: Be careful, be prepared. And do not be disappointed if they fail to live up to your expectations. It is not you. It's them.

Moglex

Currys

Just say NO

* Also applies to non-prescription drugs.

Gravedigger

Curry's same as PC World have always been underhand in dealings with customers. At least !!!! Turpin wore a mask.