Argos refusing return of Laptop purchased day before

mc6415

So basically here's my issue I purchased a laptop on Monday evening online it was delivered on Tuesday due to work I wasn't really able to check it out until that evening and when I did I realised it just wasn't fit for my purpose I'm a developer with a pretty specialised use case and it just wasn't able to handle it, locking up, freezing and just generally being very slow.

So the next day I called Argos and asked to return it which they declined saying that as it was opened it was now classed as used and they don't sell used items, I queried this as my understanding of the consumer contracts regulations means I can examine an item and return it within 14 days seeing as it was purchased online. They got a manager to call me back and after repeating the same stuff about it being used and them not selling used items (I must've dreamed up their eBay outlet....) After a back and forth suddenly the issue was now there could be data on there that if they sold on they'd breach GDPR (I thought they didn't sell used goods though.....) And flabbergasted me by basically saying if I'd lied about opening it factory reset it and sent it back there'd have been no problem.....

So is there anything I can do here or do I now have an expensive paperweight that I can try selling on to recoup some losses?

mc6415

I also queried how I was supposed to examine an item and decide if it was fit for purpose without opening it especially with their shops being closed and was told to read independent reviews which I pointed out wouldn't cover my use case in the slightest as they're written from the perspective of an average consumer but he just kept repeating this point of reading reviews which was frustrating to be told over and over again, all in all not the best experience which is a shame as they've been great with me in the past.

mattyprice4004

Genuine question - would you be happy paying full price for a laptop that’s been opened, set up and then returned? 

mc6415

mattyprice4004 said:

Genuine question - would you be happy paying full price for a laptop that’s been opened, set up and then returned? 

I see what you're saying and I wouldn't be happy paying full price certainly though isn't this the reason outlets exist? Selling refurbished and returned items alike was my understanding of how most outlet stores work such as Amazon Warehouse, Dell Outlet etc. Also considering the current climate how is one supposed to test if something is fit for purpose without opening it? It's not like I could've gone into a store to check it out in person, I'm just a bit surprised that Amazon have had no problems with this kind of thing with myself in the past for example but Argos are refusing the return point blank.

Is there also not provision in the customer contracts regulation for reducing the refund for precisely this scenario? I also would've appreciated a concrete answer from Argos the way they flip flopped on answers was more frustrating than the refusal in the first place in all honesty it made it feel like they were just changing up the reasons to suit as the call went on as opposed to following any strict policy. 

theonlywayisup

Your consumer rights do not allow you to go beyond the normal handling you would have in store.  By the sounds of it 'it just wasn't able to handle it, locking up, freezing and just generally being very slow' you had more handling than in a store.

Was the purchase for your work?

mc6415

theonlywayisup said:

Your consumer rights do not allow you to go beyond the normal handling you would have in store.  By the sounds of it 'it just wasn't able to handle it, locking up, freezing and just generally being very slow' you had more handling than in a store.

Was the purchase for your work?

That's what I was thinking, it's frustrating as in a store they'd have it set up with a demo account so you'd still be able to have a small use of it get a feel for it etc. Which you can't do at home as it comes packaged on the setup screen so there's no way to use it how you would in a store without going through that setup process and without being able to get to a store in the current climate there's no other way for me to try it out right now.

It was for work first and foremost yes. I'd likely end up doing some personal stuff on it possibly but first and foremost for my work.

photome

mc6415 said:

theonlywayisup said:

Your consumer rights do not allow you to go beyond the normal handling you would have in store.  By the sounds of it 'it just wasn't able to handle it, locking up, freezing and just generally being very slow' you had more handling than in a store.

Was the purchase for your work?

That's what I was thinking, it's frustrating as in a store they'd have it set up with a demo account so you'd still be able to have a small use of it get a feel for it etc. Which you can't do at home as it comes packaged on the setup screen so there's no way to use it how you would in a store without going through that setup process and without being able to get to a store in the current climate there's no other way for me to try it out right now.

It was for work first and foremost yes. I'd likely end up doing some personal stuff on it possibly but first and foremost for my work.

Dont think they would do that in Argos, a specialist laptop retailer probably would, even Currys would maybe have one on display. Being a developer and knowing you needed something more than your average laptop I think you should have done more research before purchase and I believe Argos are right in what they say.

the reason you were asked if its for business is that if its for business use you dont have any consumer rights

mc6415

photome said:

mc6415 said:

theonlywayisup said:

Your consumer rights do not allow you to go beyond the normal handling you would have in store.  By the sounds of it 'it just wasn't able to handle it, locking up, freezing and just generally being very slow' you had more handling than in a store.

Was the purchase for your work?

That's what I was thinking, it's frustrating as in a store they'd have it set up with a demo account so you'd still be able to have a small use of it get a feel for it etc. Which you can't do at home as it comes packaged on the setup screen so there's no way to use it how you would in a store without going through that setup process and without being able to get to a store in the current climate there's no other way for me to try it out right now.

It was for work first and foremost yes. I'd likely end up doing some personal stuff on it possibly but first and foremost for my work.

Dont think they would do that in Argos, a specialist laptop retailer probably would, even Currys would maybe have one on display. Being a developer and knowing you needed something more than your average laptop I think you should have done more research before purchase and I believe Argos are right in what they say.

the reason you were asked if its for business is that if its for business use you dont have any consumer rights

That's true perhaps not Argos but I've had no problem with returning stuff to Amazon after inspecting it and they're much the same. I did plenty of research other the course of a few weeks before making the purchase as it was a not inconsiderable sum of money but as I mentioned before pretty much all reviews are written for the average consumer and while I must say they were spot on about the screen being really nice for example none of them really went into the kind of detail I'd hoped for. 

As for the work question I see why I was asked, I guess it was purchased with the idea to do work on it but it wasn't purchased by a business or linked to a business and was a personal purchase by myself with the view to doing some work on the machine and giving myself a bit more freedom to move around the house now that I'm working from home. 

One of the major frustrations as I mentioned was Argos changing their reasoning for declining the return every few minutes on the call, it just made it feel like they didn't actually have a specific reason for declining the return but they'd just decided it wasn't happening so shifted the goal posts every few minutes to ensure it wasn't happening, if they just gave me a clear and concrete answer that would've been a lot easier to swallow rather than saying they don't sell used goods when they have an eBay outlet currently selling the exact same model but refurbished, then going on about GDPR instead and just bringing up something new every few minutes.

What was especially surprising was the Argos managers admission that if I'd lied and said I'd opened the box to inspect the item and then put it straight back away, reset the device to factory settings and sent it back they'd have accepted the return no questions asked, seems like my big mistake here was being honest with them... 

I see their stance it's frustrating and I still don't see how anyone can properly examine an item without opening it but I guess that's their business to decide that, I guess it just means I'll be sticking with Amazon for big purchases moving forwards seeing as though when I've had to return stuff they're perfectly fine with me opening the box and checking an item out to decide if it's fit for purpose or not first, different policies I guess but I'll stick with the one that doesn't expect me to decide on if something is fit for purpose or not by staring at a box and reading reviews online which tend to be unreliable at best both professional and consumer these days sadly and is why for the most part I've grown to ignore the vast majority of reviews I come across.

cymruchris

Don't rely on Amazon having an any more flexible policy, they will also likely refuse the return of a laptop in the circumstances you've outlined. Yes you do see things on their outlet and warehouse that are customer returns, but particularly with laptops and electronics within an outlet environment, they are batches of returns made up of laptops that had genuine faults that were rectified, repackaged and sold again by the manufacturer. If the manufacturer made 25,000 laptops - and there was a one percent return rate for genuine faults - that'd be 250 laptops that would go through a refurb program, and then sold through somewhere like amazon outlet.

Those faults might have included such things as disc damage in transit, screen damage in transit, case damage in transit etc, rather than it being a bit slow when you've installed all your software on it. If you want to ensure you make the right purchase because you have specific requirements, it's best to use a specialist supplier, ask relevant questions, and then if it doesn't perform as expected you'll have some comeback. If you'd written to a specialist beforehand saying 'I'm looking at the A121212121212 model, and although I'm not a business customer, I will be wanting to do some work on it, and need it to run smoothly with all of Microsoft 365 packages, whilst also having a web browser open, and operating the latest version of photoshop - would it be up to the task without regular freezing and delay?' And they replied 'Yes, it'll handle all of that and a lot more' - and then it didn't, you'd have somewhere to go with your return.

As it stands, you've done some rudimentary comparison of paper specs and made a decision based on what you thought might work, and it hasn't. That's not Argos's fault. They won't know what you're wanting to use it for, which software you want to install, how many programs you'll be using at the same time, and what demands you'll be putting on the processor.

As a developer with specialised needs, my research might have included friends and colleagues who run a similar setup to what you needed, to find out their experiences (good or bad) of obtaining a laptop to do exactly what you wanted to do. My research might also have been to come to a tech forum or specialised fb group, and say 'Hey everyone, I want to run a laptop with XYZ programs on it, and I'll be running X and Y and Z at the same time, I'm thinking of the A121212121 model - can you let me know what you think - and if not, what you use, and what else you would recommend I avoid?' - that'd get a bit of discussion going that would give you a flavour of whether you were looking in the right direction. 

Many laptop purchasers just want to run the internet, access email, and have word processor or spreadsheet open, which is why places like Argos exist for selling laptops - for the majority - what they sell does the job - and customers are happy. Where customers (like you) have more specific requirements, Argos, Currys etc. are probably not the place for you. 

If you had lied - and got it back - they'd have put it back into stock, and then the next unsuspecting person would buy your used computer. Imagine if you'd just bought a shiny new laptop that had been previously used by another household - how would you feel if you found out? You'd be straight on a forum shouting about 'How can Argos sell second hand laptops???' There are sometimes abuses of the returns process, but that doesn't help the retailer or the genuinely honest customer.

If this laptop isn't up to the mark in your opinion, you have a few choices, one is to sell it as nearly new through a popular auction site (being wary of potential scammers), local fb marketplace with face to face contact and cash payment, or even possibly negotiating a return with Argos at a price less than you paid for it, to take into account it's a used product. It is possible for retailers to offer part-refunds based on your circumstances, but don't expect a £950 refund for a £1000 purchase. Consumer law does allow the return of an item with an appropriate adjustment for the use it's received, but it's the retailer that decides what that appropriate adjustment is. Whichever way you go, you'll take a hit on the price you paid, but you'll certainly get a good proportion of your money back, and then do some more in-depth research, use a specialist, and then try again. 

Hopefully you'll get yourself a decent laptop in due-course, and you can get on with getting your work done without any fuss. I know the answers you've received are probably not the answers you wanted to hear, but good luck in deciding what your next steps are. 

pinkshoes

mc6415 said:

So basically here's my issue I purchased a laptop on Monday evening online it was delivered on Tuesday due to work I wasn't really able to check it out until that evening and when I did I realised it just wasn't fit for my purpose I'm a developer with a pretty specialised use case and it just wasn't able to handle it, locking up, freezing and just generally being very slow.

You needed a specialised use laptop yet bought from Argos???

You can still return it, but they can make a deduction for anything beyond handling it. Perhaps try returning it to a different store with a factory reset?

Then buy a PC from a PC store. The ones where you can have it built to your spec and budget. If you phone them up they will help you.

mc6415

cymruchris said:

Don't rely on Amazon having an any more flexible policy, they will also likely refuse the return of a laptop in the circumstances you've outlined. Yes you do see things on their outlet and warehouse that are customer returns, but particularly with laptops and electronics within an outlet environment, they are batches of returns made up of laptops that had genuine faults that were rectified, repackaged and sold again by the manufacturer. If the manufacturer made 25,000 laptops - and there was a one percent return rate for genuine faults - that'd be 250 laptops that would go through a refurb program, and then sold through somewhere like amazon outlet.

Those faults might have included such things as disc damage in transit, screen damage in transit, case damage in transit etc, rather than it being a bit slow when you've installed all your software on it. If you want to ensure you make the right purchase because you have specific requirements, it's best to use a specialist supplier, ask relevant questions, and then if it doesn't perform as expected you'll have some comeback. If you'd written to a specialist beforehand saying 'I'm looking at the A121212121212 model, and although I'm not a business customer, I will be wanting to do some work on it, and need it to run smoothly with all of Microsoft 365 packages, whilst also having a web browser open, and operating the latest version of photoshop - would it be up to the task without regular freezing and delay?' And they replied 'Yes, it'll handle all of that and a lot more' - and then it didn't, you'd have somewhere to go with your return.

As it stands, you've done some rudimentary comparison of paper specs and made a decision based on what you thought might work, and it hasn't. That's not Argos's fault. They won't know what you're wanting to use it for, which software you want to install, how many programs you'll be using at the same time, and what demands you'll be putting on the processor.

As a developer with specialised needs, my research might have included friends and colleagues who run a similar setup to what you needed, to find out their experiences (good or bad) of obtaining a laptop to do exactly what you wanted to do. My research might also have been to come to a tech forum or specialised fb group, and say 'Hey everyone, I want to run a laptop with XYZ programs on it, and I'll be running X and Y and Z at the same time, I'm thinking of the A121212121 model - can you let me know what you think - and if not, what you use, and what else you would recommend I avoid?' - that'd get a bit of discussion going that would give you a flavour of whether you were looking in the right direction. 

Many laptop purchasers just want to run the internet, access email, and have word processor or spreadsheet open, which is why places like Argos exist for selling laptops - for the majority - what they sell does the job - and customers are happy. Where customers (like you) have more specific requirements, Argos, Currys etc. are probably not the place for you. 

If you had lied - and got it back - they'd have put it back into stock, and then the next unsuspecting person would buy your used computer. Imagine if you'd just bought a shiny new laptop that had been previously used by another household - how would you feel if you found out? You'd be straight on a forum shouting about 'How can Argos sell second hand laptops???' There are sometimes abuses of the returns process, but that doesn't help the retailer or the genuinely honest customer.

If this laptop isn't up to the mark in your opinion, you have a few choices, one is to sell it as nearly new through a popular auction site (being wary of potential scammers), local fb marketplace with face to face contact and cash payment, or even possibly negotiating a return with Argos at a price less than you paid for it, to take into account it's a used product. It is possible for retailers to offer part-refunds based on your circumstances, but don't expect a £950 refund for a £1000 purchase. Consumer law does allow the return of an item with an appropriate adjustment for the use it's received, but it's the retailer that decides what that appropriate adjustment is. Whichever way you go, you'll take a hit on the price you paid, but you'll certainly get a good proportion of your money back, and then do some more in-depth research, use a specialist, and then try again. 

Hopefully you'll get yourself a decent laptop in due-course, and you can get on with getting your work done without any fuss. I know the answers you've received are probably not the answers you wanted to hear, but good luck in deciding what your next steps are. 

Thanks that's what I kind of expected just wanted to make sure, in the past a few years back now I had a laptop from Amazon that I returned and they just said make sure to reset it so there's no personal data on which is why I mentioned themselves, they seemed to go a bit above and beyond I guess.

As for the bit about lying about it that's exactly my thoughts on it and why I didn't as it would be totally unfair on the next person to get it I was just absolutely shocked a manager at Argos even mentioned that as a possibility for the future and makes me a bit wary of ever using them again for big purchases if that's something they seem to be condoning to some people even if just one or two managers mention the option that's one or two managers too many!