Argos Issue

feygan2

Can someone confirm if I am correct on my view of this.

In January this year I pruchased an Epson printer, reserved online and collect & paid instore. I also paid for the extra 3 year Argos insurance cover.

This printer has recently developed a fault where two of the colours will not print. I have been through the usual methods suggested by Epson online to resolve the issue and nothing works.

Today I contacted the Argos care helpline and was informed I need to contact Epson directly myself as it is a technical fault not accidental damage for which the insurance covers me during this first 12 months. For whatever reason the phone system at Epson is not working correctly and I simply cannot get through any of the menus to talk to someone. After calling back Argos care they advised me I now must contact Argos, on doing this I am meant with no help. Argos inform me that I must get a fault number from Epson so they can arrange an exchange. Or I can pay for a second printer, then once I am able to get a fault number I can apply for a refund based on that.

My understanding of things is that I have a contract with Argos, it is their resonsibility to replace this product to me directly and then sort out any issues with Epson themselves. I asked why I could not just go and collect a new printer and exchange this faulty one. The response I get is that it is because they do not have any instore near me, one will have to be sent to the store, and this only happens if I order one online to collect (in other words buy a second one). I questioned why they cannot simply send one to the store for me to collect, and this seems to be an impossibility.

Have Argos broken their argreement with me as a customer in this case?

JJ_Egan

Is this a printer with single cartridges ?

feygan2

Accidental damage is fully covered with everything (including water), apart from "malicious damage" being covered. While I can appreciate the pandemic issue, I still feel that even if it were not the case, it should not be my responsibility as a customer to go chasing fault numbers. I bought a product, it has developed a fault through normal use. As such I should be able to just exchange it and the retailer can sort out the rest with the manufacturer, as my contract is with the retailer only?

This is a refil printer, you just use Epson ink bottles to fill a clear tank.

JJ_Egan

<I bought a product, it has developed a fault through normal use. As such I should be able to just exchange it and the retailer can sort out the rest >

See your Consumer Rights against the vendor and proceed that way .

feygan2

JJ_Egan said:

<I bought a product, it has developed a fault through normal use. As such I should be able to just exchange it and the retailer can sort out the rest >

See your Consumer Rights against the vendor and proceed that way .

I had one of the managers call me over this. He has told me over the phone that my options are as follows.

1. Wait until Epson decide to reopen and then call them to get a fault number to use as a reference for an exchange.

2. Buy a new printer and then wait until the standard Argos stores are open to go back and try to do a refund on this because of my old faulty one.

When I directly asked if Argos would simply just have a replacement sent to a store that is currently open (Sainbury's ones), so that I could return my faulty item and exchange it. I was told a flat no this would not be happening, and that is as far as they will go. I mentioned this was not fulfilling their consumer contract and I am left with only a legal action, to which again I was told Argos will do nothing more to resolve this issue.

So at this point what are my options, I know there are obvious solutions to this but they are technically fraud so I am avoiding them. If this was a normal day and the item was in stock in a store I imagine I could simply take the printer back and get a straight forward exchange. But I cannot understand why Argos refuse to have a replacement sent to the store unless I pay for it first and they try to claim a refund. Have I totally misread what my consumer rights are on this matter? If not what would be the suggested method of approach?

davidmcn

You have no better options than waiting for normal service to resume. Start a small claim? Fine, but the courts are effectively shut at the moment too.

Manxman_in_exile

Have you made things more complicated for both yourself and Argos by (1) referring to accidental damage insurance and (2) by buying that insurance in the first place?

The printer has not been accidentally damaged (has it?), it has simply developed a fault which may have been there all along.  Any "insurance" you bought is irrelevant.  It's a simple consumer rights issue - which at the moment will take longer than usual to resolve.

(There was a similar thread a couple of months ago where the OP had bought accidental damage cover and tried to use that when a bit of kit developed a fault because "it must be accidental because I haven't done anything to it" - or words to that sort of effect).

clarkey3262

Moneyineptitude said:

feygan2 said: For whatever reason the phone system at Epson is not working correctly and I simply cannot get through any of the menus to talk to someone. After calling back Argos care they advised me I now must contact Argos, on doing this I am met with no help. 

The Pandemic has hit every business and it looks like Epson is no different. You can either wait until the Epson Customer Care line is restored (after the Pandemic) or you could now go down the line of attempting to show that the item has an inherent fault present at purchase which would restore liability to Argos. 

Unfortunately, the only way to do this would be to arrange and pay for an independent technician's report. Only if the report found such an inherent fault would you be able to present this to Argos. 

However;

Have you fully checked the terms of the accidental damage cover you purchased?

As the item was purchased less than 6 months ago the item should be considered inherently faulty unless Argos can prove otherwise. It is not up to the buyer to prove it. 

[Deleted User]

clarkey3262 said:As the item was purchased less than 6 months ago the item should be considered inherently faulty unless Argos can prove otherwise. It is not up to the buyer to prove it. 

Yeah, for some reason I thought the item was purchased over 12 months ago. My bad. 

I've deleted that response as it was so inaccurate.