We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

Can I return an opened laptop? (Currys)

nickc95
nickc95 Posts: 4 Newbie
First Post
edited 9 June 2020 at 10:37PM in Consumer rights
I bought a pretty expensive laptop yesterday from Currys online and well, it doesn't meet my expectations. The screen is far too dim for my liking and starts to hurt my eyes even after just hours of use today due to the contrast. I simply couldn't imagine using this long term. Do I have any rights here at all using the Consumer Contracts Regulations for a refund?
«13

Comments

  • cymruchris
    cymruchris Posts: 5,512 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Have you installed any software? Registered it in any way? Or is it absolutely the same as when you removed it from the packaging? If you’ve used it - and the way you describe it - you have - then curry’s wouldn’t have to accept a return at full value, however my understanding is that they could process a return with a suitable adjustment to the price based on the fact that it’s now a used laptop. There are others more knowledgeable than me that I’m sure can explain in a little more detail but I think that’s the gist of it. 
  • Have you installed any software? Registered it in any way? Or is it absolutely the same as when you removed it from the packaging? If you’ve used it - and the way you describe it - you have - then curry’s wouldn’t have to accept a return at full value, however my understanding is that they could process a return with a suitable adjustment to the price based on the fact that it’s now a used laptop. There are others more knowledgeable than me that I’m sure can explain in a little more detail but I think that’s the gist of it. 
    I have. You see this is where I just get perplexed by their "returns" policy. In order for me to realise something is wrong with it, I would obviously need to USE it. I can't just stare at a box and say "Yep screen is too dim, sending it back."

    How about the Consumer Rights Act 2015?



  • cymruchris
    cymruchris Posts: 5,512 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    nickc95 said:
    Have you installed any software? Registered it in any way? Or is it absolutely the same as when you removed it from the packaging? If you’ve used it - and the way you describe it - you have - then curry’s wouldn’t have to accept a return at full value, however my understanding is that they could process a return with a suitable adjustment to the price based on the fact that it’s now a used laptop. There are others more knowledgeable than me that I’m sure can explain in a little more detail but I think that’s the gist of it. 
    I have. You see this is where I just get perplexed by their "returns" policy. In order for me to realise something is wrong with it, I would obviously need to USE it. I can't just stare at a box and say "Yep screen is too dim, sending it back."

    How about the Consumer Rights Act 2015?



    Wouldn’t you know the screen was too dark just by turning it on and seeing it? And then turning it off again, putting it back in the box and taking it back.  

    Returns are for items that can be sold again ‘as new’ - the next customer can’t know that it was previously sold. Otherwise if curry’s started accepting used returns from everyone they’d soon go bankrupt.

    If a bright screen was important to you prior to purchase, a little more research should have been carried out in selecting the right product prior to ordering. There are a number of laptops that boast bright screens I’m sure, and although this one is not as bright as you would like personally, it’s not faulty. So on that basis my opinion (and it’s just my opinion) is that you’re not going to be able to return it for a full value refund. 


  • nickc95 said:
    Have you installed any software? Registered it in any way? Or is it absolutely the same as when you removed it from the packaging? If you’ve used it - and the way you describe it - you have - then curry’s wouldn’t have to accept a return at full value, however my understanding is that they could process a return with a suitable adjustment to the price based on the fact that it’s now a used laptop. There are others more knowledgeable than me that I’m sure can explain in a little more detail but I think that’s the gist of it. 
    I have. You see this is where I just get perplexed by their "returns" policy. In order for me to realise something is wrong with it, I would obviously need to USE it. I can't just stare at a box and say "Yep screen is too dim, sending it back."

    How about the Consumer Rights Act 2015?



    Wouldn’t you know the screen was too dark just by turning it on and seeing it? And then turning it off again, putting it back in the box and taking it back.  

    Returns are for items that can be sold again ‘as new’ - the next customer can’t know that it was previously sold. Otherwise if curry’s started accepting used returns from everyone they’d soon go bankrupt.

    If a bright screen was important to you prior to purchase, a little more research should have been carried out in selecting the right product prior to ordering. There are a number of laptops that boast bright screens I’m sure, and although this one is not as bright as you would like personally, it’s not faulty. So on that basis my opinion (and it’s just my opinion) is that you’re not going to be able to return it for a full value refund. 


    As a graphic designer, absolutely not. Various programs are needed to test if RGB levels are fit for intended use.
    The screen brightness is a subjective matter. Nowhere does it state the nit (brightness) levels on the product page on their website.
    Faulty or not, that's not the issue at hand. I have the right to change my mind as a customer, like anything else.

    When you buy goods online you have additional rights to return them.

    This is because your decision may be based on a brief description or a photograph – so what you receive isn't always quite what you’d expected.

    Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations you are allowed to return an item if you simply change your mind.

    The question is; why is opening electrical goods such a grey area since they NEED to be opened to be tested and form an opinion? What is the actual law here?

  • Keep_pedalling
    Keep_pedalling Posts: 18,202 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 9 June 2020 at 11:03PM
    Have you actually tried to change the screen settings? I find it hard to believe that any lap top has a screen as you describe unless it is faulty. The default settings may be too dark for you but you should easily be able to turn the brightness up.
  • cymruchris
    cymruchris Posts: 5,512 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I’m no expert in computer matters - but a quick google search with ‘laptop with bright screen’ brought me this - did any of these make it onto your shortlist research? 
  • nickc95
    nickc95 Posts: 4 Newbie
    First Post
    edited 9 June 2020 at 11:11PM
    Have you actually tried to change the screen settings? I find it hard to believe that any lap top has a screen as you describe unless it is faulty. The default settings may be too dark for you but you should easily be able to turn the brightness up.
    Yes I've checked everything. Once again, it is a subjective matter when discussing screen brightness (nits level). Since I do graphic design work, it's important that it's bright enough so RGB levels are accurate. This is not the case with my new laptop.
    I accept I could've done more research but there is only so much you can determine when buying online since we can't physically see items now due to COVID-19.
  • cymruchris
    cymruchris Posts: 5,512 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Everything electrical can be a subjective matter though. That new vacuum cleaner - yes it picks up the dirt - but does it pick it up quick enough? That new speaker system - yes it plays music - but is the bass strong enough? Anything can be argued as being ‘not what I expected’ yet isn’t inherently faulty. You can of course attempt a refund and hope for the best - but I do think It likely you won’t get one based on the amount of use you’ve given the laptop. I know that’s not really what you wanted to hear, but even in my rudimentary google search - and without asking - it listed the nits that were important to you. If I were a graphic designer spending hours on a computer I would research to the nth degree to make sure what I was buying was suitable for the use I wanted to give it. I would probably speak to my graphic designer friends and ask them what they were using recently - and any recommendations they might have - I might even have come onto a forum to ask for some opinions first, but that’s all an aside. You’ve got a laptop, it’s not bright enough in your opinion, you don’t feel comfortable working on it, but it’s been used. Can you get a full refund ? I think unlikely. The best you can do would be to negotiate a return price to credit to a new laptop that you’ve researched a little further. 
  • Socajam
    Socajam Posts: 1,238 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    Also one would have thought that the OP would have researched Curry's return policy for computers.
  • unforeseen
    unforeseen Posts: 7,348 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    You say you are a graphics designer so have specific needs for the performance of the laptop and did very little research? 

    I can see where the problem is here, and it's not the laptop
Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 346.6K Banking & Borrowing
  • 251.4K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 451.4K Spending & Discounts
  • 238.8K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 614.3K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 174.8K Life & Family
  • 252K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.