Argos post-sales service & knowingly selling a product with an incorrect specification.

FlorayG

Just take it back to your nearest Argos store and let them see the damage and they will refund you. Why did you go the route you did instead of just doing that?

[Deleted User]

DE_612183 said:

You can also call Argos as well as write to them, and visit a store - none of those require a social media account - what were you hoping an email address?

Thank you for your reply. Argos advised do not take the order to a store as it was fulfilled via their suppliers directly. Tried chatting with Argos Helpers and they cut off communication upon the order number being provided. No not wanting an email address. Wanted to know what rights a consumer has where a retailer such as Argos promises to collect for a full refund to be given only for there to be no collection.

[Deleted User]

FlorayG said:

Just take it back to your nearest Argos store and let them see the damage and they will refund you

No they won't. Was told by the agent via Argos Executive Office do not take the item back in-store as the order was fulfilled directly via a supplier and cannot be returned through this channel.

Ergates

[Deleted User] said:

DE_612183 said:

You can also call Argos as well as write to them, and visit a store - none of those require a social media account - what were you hoping an email address?

Thank you for your reply. Argos advised do not take the order to a store as it was fulfilled via their suppliers directly. Tried chatting with Argos Helpers and they cut off communication upon the order number being provided. No not wanting an email address. Wanted to know what rights a consumer has where a retailer such as Argos promises to collect for a full refund to be given only for there to be no collection.

How many times did you try?

It is unlikely that the customer service agent deliberately cut off contact, and is more likely a technical issue at their or your end.

DE_612183

[Deleted User] said:

FlorayG said:

Just take it back to your nearest Argos store and let them see the damage and they will refund you

No they won't. Was told by the agent via Argos Executive Office do not take the item back in-store as the order was fulfilled directly via a supplier and cannot be returned through this channel.

Is that right - if I buy a can of gone off baked beans from Tesco - I don't take them back to Heinz?

Surely as the supplier the duty lies with Argos?

born_again

[Deleted User] said:

DullGreyGuy said:

[Deleted User] said:

Wanted to post on here as already reached out to an agent at Argos Executive Office who has been considered to be rude and seemingly does not want to know about post sales issues nor want to help with providing a satisfactory resolution.

Further to a very lengthy chat transcript via email with a huge amount of to'ing and fro'ing a promise was made by the agent from the Argos Executive Office to make arrangements for a damaged order to be collected for a full refund. A week later nothing has been heard with regards to the collection.

Emailed the CEO asking that another agent deals with the complaint submitted as the agent was considered to be rude and unprepared to resolve the issues. Despite this respectful request the agent that's been dealing with the complaint all along continues to reply (despite ignoring emails asking what's going on with the collection prior to asking for help via the Argos Helpers Messenger channel).

The agent via Messenger did not reply further to the order number being given along with mentioning an agent at Argos Executive Office promised a collection a week ago. They must've told the agent however as an email was subsequently received from them claiming that a third party sent an SMS trying to arrange a collection.

Argos are also knowingly selling a product on their website with an incorrect specification. My Son bought this item from Argos without knowing the specification was wrong. The agent at Argos Executive Office was made aware of this and I'd honestly thought that they would've said 'thank you for making us aware of this - we will get the product listing amended', instead the agent insisted take the item back for a refund.

Just over a week after originally reaching out to the Argos CEO office the item is still being sold by Argos unamended.

To conclude providing a great level of post sales service seemingly means nothing to Argos. And, where any post sales issues and product inaccuracies on their website are concerned they seemingly do not want to know. Furthermore they put up barriers upon being made aware of these. The only channels to reach out to Argos are Twitter DM and Messenger. Not everyone wants to sign up for a Social Media account to be able to ask for post sales help.

"Executive Complaints" are dealt very differently in different companies. In one extreme it just goes to the normal customer service team and at the other extreme it goes to a dedicated team maned by highly experienced people and the relevant exec member sees the response before it's sent. In the most extreme case those in the team were on 6 figure salaries and lawyers or actuaries etc. 

You have no right to insist on someone else dealing with your complaint, some companies will transfer it on request, some will review the case and if your request has merit will move it and others, such as the extreme version above, they simply won't move it because each person had their own expertise so if you were complaining about an annuity it had to go to the annuity person. 

So did you get the SMS or not? If not did you ask them to relay the information or confirm they had the right number etc?

You haven't said what the product was or what was wrong with the information? Argos predominately sells other people's goods and I'd expect their supplier provides the content to be listed on the item. As such if something is flagged as incorrect then they'll contact the buying team, the buying team will contact the supplier, the supplier may know the answer or may need to go to their supplier, it then needs to go back along the same chain to the buyer. Assuming the supplier accepts its an error the corrected description needs to go to who maintains the catalogue and the description updated, reviewed and published. This will not be a Cat 1 issue where everyone has to drop everything and get it sorted, each step is likely to take a few days and people may have time off for half term etc. 

Thank you for your reply. Fair comment about Argos not referring the complaint to anyone else. No other communication has been received and Argos have been asked to reply in writing and not share mobile details with a third party. The gaming laptop is no longer for sale on the Argos website. The gaming monitor is available to buy and the specification of the product has been confirmed by the manufacturers themselves. The product is sold by and fulfilled by Argos. The product page remains unchanged.

Given  it was fulfilled via their suppliers directly.

Then blocking Argos from providing them with your number to arrange pick up, leaves Argos stuck. As they did not deliver the item. It needs to go back to the supplier.
So you have shot yourself in the foot there, in getting this resolved.

As a non regulated industry Argos do not have to have a complaints team.

eskbanker

Ergates said:

[Deleted User] said:

DE_612183 said:

You can also call Argos as well as write to them, and visit a store - none of those require a social media account - what were you hoping an email address?

Thank you for your reply. Argos advised do not take the order to a store as it was fulfilled via their suppliers directly. Tried chatting with Argos Helpers and they cut off communication upon the order number being provided. No not wanting an email address. Wanted to know what rights a consumer has where a retailer such as Argos promises to collect for a full refund to be given only for there to be no collection.

How many times did you try?

It is unlikely that the customer service agent deliberately cut off contact, and is more likely a technical issue at their or your end.

Although OP insists that they're 'respectful' when escalating their complaint all around various departments at Argos, it doesn't seem to be beyond the bounds of possibility that Argos may have a different view of the dialogue!

What were the timescales involved, i.e. date of delivery, date return requested, date order number supplied, etc?

FlorayG

Reading back on your original post - did you begin by using the chat box on the Argos website as directed for returns? Because that's a very simple process, you give the order number and the reason you want to return and they send someone to collect.
Or did you go straight to the 'top' and talk to people whose job doesn't usually involve dealing with simple returns? I can't see how a simple thing like returning a faulty item can cause so much grief

sheramber

FlorayG said:

Reading back on your original post - did you begin by using the chat box on the Argos website as directed for returns? Because that's a very simple process, you give the order number and the reason you want to return and they send someone to collect.
Or did you go straight to the 'top' and talk to people whose job doesn't usually involve dealing with simple returns? I can't see how a simple thing like returning a faulty item can cause so much grief

Further to a very lengthy chat transcript 

[Deleted User]

born_again said:

[Deleted User] said:

DullGreyGuy said:

[Deleted User] said:

Wanted to post on here as already reached out to an agent at Argos Executive Office who has been considered to be rude and seemingly does not want to know about post sales issues nor want to help with providing a satisfactory resolution.

Further to a very lengthy chat transcript via email with a huge amount of to'ing and fro'ing a promise was made by the agent from the Argos Executive Office to make arrangements for a damaged order to be collected for a full refund. A week later nothing has been heard with regards to the collection.

Emailed the CEO asking that another agent deals with the complaint submitted as the agent was considered to be rude and unprepared to resolve the issues. Despite this respectful request the agent that's been dealing with the complaint all along continues to reply (despite ignoring emails asking what's going on with the collection prior to asking for help via the Argos Helpers Messenger channel).

The agent via Messenger did not reply further to the order number being given along with mentioning an agent at Argos Executive Office promised a collection a week ago. They must've told the agent however as an email was subsequently received from them claiming that a third party sent an SMS trying to arrange a collection.

Argos are also knowingly selling a product on their website with an incorrect specification. My Son bought this item from Argos without knowing the specification was wrong. The agent at Argos Executive Office was made aware of this and I'd honestly thought that they would've said 'thank you for making us aware of this - we will get the product listing amended', instead the agent insisted take the item back for a refund.

Just over a week after originally reaching out to the Argos CEO office the item is still being sold by Argos unamended.

To conclude providing a great level of post sales service seemingly means nothing to Argos. And, where any post sales issues and product inaccuracies on their website are concerned they seemingly do not want to know. Furthermore they put up barriers upon being made aware of these. The only channels to reach out to Argos are Twitter DM and Messenger. Not everyone wants to sign up for a Social Media account to be able to ask for post sales help.

"Executive Complaints" are dealt very differently in different companies. In one extreme it just goes to the normal customer service team and at the other extreme it goes to a dedicated team maned by highly experienced people and the relevant exec member sees the response before it's sent. In the most extreme case those in the team were on 6 figure salaries and lawyers or actuaries etc. 

You have no right to insist on someone else dealing with your complaint, some companies will transfer it on request, some will review the case and if your request has merit will move it and others, such as the extreme version above, they simply won't move it because each person had their own expertise so if you were complaining about an annuity it had to go to the annuity person. 

So did you get the SMS or not? If not did you ask them to relay the information or confirm they had the right number etc?

You haven't said what the product was or what was wrong with the information? Argos predominately sells other people's goods and I'd expect their supplier provides the content to be listed on the item. As such if something is flagged as incorrect then they'll contact the buying team, the buying team will contact the supplier, the supplier may know the answer or may need to go to their supplier, it then needs to go back along the same chain to the buyer. Assuming the supplier accepts its an error the corrected description needs to go to who maintains the catalogue and the description updated, reviewed and published. This will not be a Cat 1 issue where everyone has to drop everything and get it sorted, each step is likely to take a few days and people may have time off for half term etc. 

Thank you for your reply. Fair comment about Argos not referring the complaint to anyone else. No other communication has been received and Argos have been asked to reply in writing and not share mobile details with a third party. The gaming laptop is no longer for sale on the Argos website. The gaming monitor is available to buy and the specification of the product has been confirmed by the manufacturers themselves. The product is sold by and fulfilled by Argos. The product page remains unchanged.

Given  it was fulfilled via their suppliers directly.

Then blocking Argos from providing them with your number to arrange pick up, leaves Argos stuck. As they did not deliver the item. It needs to go back to the supplier.
So you have shot yourself in the foot there, in getting this resolved.

As a non regulated industry Argos do not have to have a complaints team.

Disagree. Gave permission for email to be shared with the distributor and respectfully asked mobile number is not shared with them although Argos claim they've already communicated via mobile. Nothing's been heard. Thank you everyone who's replied.