CeX Laptop - Explicitly Stated Purpose (Win 11), Misleading Advice, Agreed Refund Retracted - Urgent

manstead

I'm hoping for some urgent advice on a consumer rights issue I'm having with CeX, specifically regarding a second-hand laptop purchase from their Burton on Trent store. It's been quite a challenging experience, and I've tried to detail it concisely and chronologically.

The Situation:

 * Saturday, July 5, 2025 (Purchase):

   * I visited CeX Burton on Trent, interested in a laptop running Windows 10.

   * I explicitly told the sales assistant my primary reason for buying a replacement laptop was because my old one couldn't install Windows 11, and that I intended to update this new one to Windows 11.

   * The assistant's only response was "that's up to you." Crucially, no disclaimers or warnings about Windows 11 compatibility were given. I interpreted this as implying the upgrade was possible.

 * Soon After (Attempted Upgrade):

   * At home, I immediately tried to install Windows 11, only to discover the laptop's CPU is not supported by Microsoft for Windows 11. It simply won't install.

 * Thursday, July 10, 2025 - Morning (First Return Attempt):

   * I returned to the store, explaining it was "not fit for purpose" given my stated intent to upgrade to Windows 11.

   * The assistant insisted it was an "unwanted item" and only offered store vouchers, which I refused.

 * Thursday, July 10, 2025 - Morning (Conversation with Manager):

   * I spoke to the store manager. He insisted I had "mis-bought" it and that it was my responsibility to ensure compatibility before purchase. He claimed I'd "changed my mind" after believing it would work.

   * During this discussion, I admit I became briefly animated and pointed, but when the manager asked me to stop, I immediately ceased and apologised.

   * Crucially, after much discussion, the manager agreed to go against policy and issue a full refund "in the interests of keeping a customer." He handed the receipt to an assistant to process it.

   * At that point, I stated, "to be honest, I don't think I will be shopping here again."

   * Upon hearing this, the manager immediately told his assistant "don't process the refund," and gave me back the laptop.

   * When challenged, he denied agreeing to the refund, then claimed he wouldn't be "drawn into an argument," which I pointed out he created by retracting the agreed refund.

   * He accused me of aggression (due to my animated gestures), which I denied, stating I was firm, not aggressive, and never shouted or swore. I also noted he never asked me to leave the store.

 * Email Correspondence with CeX Customer Services:

   * I sent a detailed email explaining everything.

   * Their first reply: Acknowledged my points but framed it as an "unwanted item" (outside their 2-day return policy for vouchers). They did acknowledge the manager's initial agreement for a "goodwill gesture" refund. Said they'd liaise with the store.

   * My reply: Firmly rebutted their "unwanted" claim, reiterated the mis-sale, and fully detailed the manager's refund agreement and his immediate retraction. I also vigorously defended against the accusation of aggression, explaining that I was firm, not aggressive, and at no point shouted, swore, or used abusive language. I noted that the manager never asked me to leave the store, nor did he call shopping centre security or the police to have me ejected, which would be expected if I had truly been aggressive.

   * Their second reply (most recent): Stated that management has now agreed to issue a refund. However, in the very next sentence, it said the laptop would be "subject to a 'warranty test', and then proceed accordingly." They also still referenced "unpleasant behaviour." This is confusing, as why would an already agreed refund be subject to a test?

   * My latest reply: Challenged their continued misrepresentation of the manager's actions and the "unwanted item" framing. Agreed to visit for the test, but explicitly warned that if a refund isn't given afterwards, I will report the incident to Trading Standards.

My Core Argument:

This is not an "unwanted item" or a "faulty" item in the traditional sense. It's a clear case of a product being not fit for the purpose I explicitly communicated at the point of sale, coupled with misleading information (or lack thereof) from the sales assistant. The manager's agreement to a refund, followed by its retraction based purely on my comment about future shopping, seems highly unethical and potentially breaches consumer rights.

My Current Plan & Questions:

I am going to the library tomorrow (Saturday, July 12th) to print off the email chain, especially the one where Customer Services says management has agreed to a refund. I will then visit the store as requested for the "warranty test."

 * What's the best way to approach this "warranty test" when I go to the store? My concern is they'll find "no fault" (since the laptop runs Win10 fine) and then try to deny the refund again, despite it being "not fit for purpose," even though a refund was supposedly agreed by management.

 * What are my rights if they try to use the "no fault" finding from this test to deny the refund?

 * Any other advice on handling the in-store interaction, especially given the manager's previous behaviour and the conflicting accounts?

Thanks in advance for any insights!

On-the-coast

I’d hate to hear the long version of this story. 

But on the essential point - windows 11 compatibility, I don’t think CEX have done wrong.  

If you’d have said “is this PC windows 11 upgradable” then I think contract law would be on your side.  But you didn’t ask directly…
and you probably could have researched the processor & memory compatibility before purchase too. 

TELLIT01

From the OPs comments the person in the shop didn't say the laptop was Windows 11 compatible.  A throw away comment of "It's up to you" is hardly the same thing.  I very much doubt the shop assistant would know whether or not it was compatible.

caprikid1

" The assistant's only response was "that's up to you." Crucially, no disclaimers or warnings about Windows 11 compatibility were given. I interpreted this as implying the upgrade was possible."

They never said it would upgrade to Windows 11. I suspect with the model number and processor you could have checked it was Windows 11 compatible.

I can understand the frustration that the shop suffered dealing with you, they were perfectly within their rights I suspect to withdraw their goodwill gesture.

CeX (UK) : Contact CeX Returns policy gives you 2 days.

The item item is not faulty, not missold, you had the chance of a refund outside of policy and you blew it.

I would suggest you go back in and apologise profusely and see if they will still honour the refund.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Regs are very clear on this:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/section/10

(1)Subsection (3) applies to a contract to supply goods if before the contract is made the consumer makes known to the trader (expressly or by implication) any particular purpose for which the consumer is contracting for the goods.

(3)The contract is to be treated as including a term that the goods are reasonably fit for that purpose, whether or not that is a purpose for which goods of that kind are usually supplied.

(4)Subsection (3) does not apply if the circumstances show that the consumer does not rely, or it is unreasonable for the consumer to rely, on the skill or judgment of the trader or credit-broker.

Main issue is proving you mentioned Windows 11. 

Paragraph 4 is subjective, never been in CEX but I would assume the answer is a Google away and any sensible trader would wish to avoid the complications of Section 10, the issue here the person in the shop is not the trader but instead an employee who possibly isn't trained to know of the existence of Section 10 and/or may simply not care.  

manstead

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

Regs are very clear on this

(1)Subsection (3) applies to a contract to supply goods if before the contract is made the consumer makes known to the trader (expressly or by implication) any particular purpose for which the consumer is contracting for the goods.

(3)The contract is to be treated as including a term that the goods are reasonably fit for that purpose, whether or not that is a purpose for which goods of that kind are usually supplied.

(4)Subsection (3) does not apply if the circumstances show that the consumer does not rely, or it is unreasonable for the consumer to rely, on the skill or judgment of the trader or credit-broker.

Main issue is proving you mentioned Windows 11. 

Paragraph 4 is subjective, never been in CEX but I would assume the answer is a Google away and any sensible trader would wish to avoid the complications of Section 10, the issue here the person in the shop is not the trader but instead an employee who possibly isn't trained to know of the existence of Section 10 and/or may simply not care.  

Thank you so much for the only nuanced and legally based answer given. It is very helpful to know that fitness for purpose does not not have to explicitly communicated. An implication is enough. 

PHK

manstead said:

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

Regs are very clear on this

(1)Subsection (3) applies to a contract to supply goods if before the contract is made the consumer makes known to the trader (expressly or by implication) any particular purpose for which the consumer is contracting for the goods.

(3)The contract is to be treated as including a term that the goods are reasonably fit for that purpose, whether or not that is a purpose for which goods of that kind are usually supplied.

(4)Subsection (3) does not apply if the circumstances show that the consumer does not rely, or it is unreasonable for the consumer to rely, on the skill or judgment of the trader or credit-broker.

Main issue is proving you mentioned Windows 11. 

Paragraph 4 is subjective, never been in CEX but I would assume the answer is a Google away and any sensible trader would wish to avoid the complications of Section 10, the issue here the person in the shop is not the trader but instead an employee who possibly isn't trained to know of the existence of Section 10 and/or may simply not care.  

Thank you so much for the only nuanced and legally based answer given. It is very helpful to know that fitness for purpose does not not have to explicitly communicated. An implication is enough. 

Do be careful, posters give advice quoting law but interpretation is crucial and  can sometimes be naïve. 

As there is a disagreement between you and the retailer then your recourse is via courts. Your difficulty will be proving, to the satisfaction of a judge,  that your rather indirect question to the assistant could only be understood to mean you were asking whether the laptop was compatible with Windows 11. I make no comment about this. 

Although some previous posters have been a little judgemental regarding your attitude, in my experiences judges do attach weight to the way someone presents themselves and the way in which they have tried to resolve matters (which both parties have a duty to do).

dumpster_fire2025

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

Regs are very clear on this:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/section/10

(1)Subsection (3) applies to a contract to supply goods if before the contract is made the consumer makes known to the trader (expressly or by implication) any particular purpose for which the consumer is contracting for the goods.

(3)The contract is to be treated as including a term that the goods are reasonably fit for that purpose, whether or not that is a purpose for which goods of that kind are usually supplied.

(4)Subsection (3) does not apply if the circumstances show that the consumer does not rely, or it is unreasonable for the consumer to rely, on the skill or judgment of the trader or credit-broker.

Main issue is proving you mentioned Windows 11. 

Paragraph 4 is subjective, never been in CEX but I would assume the answer is a Google away and any sensible trader would wish to avoid the complications of Section 10, the issue here the person in the shop is not the trader but instead an employee who possibly isn't trained to know of the existence of Section 10 and/or may simply not care.  

The big problem with this is that you absolutely can upgrade to Windows 11 on devices that have unsupported CPUs so this device is not "not fit for purpose" in that regard. It's not quite as simple as plug in USB stick, click a few options, done, but it is certainly possible.

I'm also baffled by the OP, who was unable to upgrade their old laptop due to compatibility issues, then did not seemingly bother to check the specs of the new laptop before purchasing it. Particularly as it was running Windows 10 and apparently not advertised as Windows 11 compatible.

born_again

manstead said:

I'm hoping for some urgent advice on a consumer rights issue I'm having with CeX, specifically regarding a second-hand laptop purchase from their Burton on Trent store. It's been quite a challenging experience, and I've tried to detail it concisely and chronologically.

The Situation:

 * Saturday, July 5, 2025 (Purchase):

   * I visited CeX Burton on Trent, interested in a laptop running Windows 10.

   * I explicitly told the sales assistant my primary reason for buying a replacement laptop was because my old one couldn't install Windows 11, and that I intended to update this new one to Windows 11.

   * The assistant's only response was "that's up to you." Crucially, no disclaimers or warnings about Windows 11 compatibility were given. I interpreted this as implying the upgrade was possible.

 * Soon After (Attempted Upgrade):

   * At home, I immediately tried to install Windows 11, only to discover the laptop's CPU is not supported by Microsoft for Windows 11. It simply won't install.

 * Thursday, July 10, 2025 - Morning (First Return Attempt):

   * I returned to the store, explaining it was "not fit for purpose" given my stated intent to upgrade to Windows 11.

   * The assistant insisted it was an "unwanted item" and only offered store vouchers, which I refused.

 * Thursday, July 10, 2025 - Morning (Conversation with Manager):

   * I spoke to the store manager. He insisted I had "mis-bought" it and that it was my responsibility to ensure compatibility before purchase. He claimed I'd "changed my mind" after believing it would work.

   * During this discussion, I admit I became briefly animated and pointed, but when the manager asked me to stop, I immediately ceased and apologised.

   * Crucially, after much discussion, the manager agreed to go against policy and issue a full refund "in the interests of keeping a customer." He handed the receipt to an assistant to process it.

   * At that point, I stated, "to be honest, I don't think I will be shopping here again."

   * Upon hearing this, the manager immediately told his assistant "don't process the refund," and gave me back the laptop.

   * When challenged, he denied agreeing to the refund, then claimed he wouldn't be "drawn into an argument," which I pointed out he created by retracting the agreed refund.

   * He accused me of aggression (due to my animated gestures), which I denied, stating I was firm, not aggressive, and never shouted or swore. I also noted he never asked me to leave the store.

 * Email Correspondence with CeX Customer Services:

   * I sent a detailed email explaining everything.

   * Their first reply: Acknowledged my points but framed it as an "unwanted item" (outside their 2-day return policy for vouchers). They did acknowledge the manager's initial agreement for a "goodwill gesture" refund. Said they'd liaise with the store.

   * My reply: Firmly rebutted their "unwanted" claim, reiterated the mis-sale, and fully detailed the manager's refund agreement and his immediate retraction. I also vigorously defended against the accusation of aggression, explaining that I was firm, not aggressive, and at no point shouted, swore, or used abusive language. I noted that the manager never asked me to leave the store, nor did he call shopping centre security or the police to have me ejected, which would be expected if I had truly been aggressive.

   * Their second reply (most recent): Stated that management has now agreed to issue a refund. However, in the very next sentence, it said the laptop would be "subject to a 'warranty test', and then proceed accordingly." They also still referenced "unpleasant behaviour." This is confusing, as why would an already agreed refund be subject to a test?

   * My latest reply: Challenged their continued misrepresentation of the manager's actions and the "unwanted item" framing. Agreed to visit for the test, but explicitly warned that if a refund isn't given afterwards, I will report the incident to Trading Standards.

My Core Argument:

This is not an "unwanted item" or a "faulty" item in the traditional sense. It's a clear case of a product being not fit for the purpose I explicitly communicated at the point of sale, coupled with misleading information (or lack thereof) from the sales assistant. The manager's agreement to a refund, followed by its retraction based purely on my comment about future shopping, seems highly unethical and potentially breaches consumer rights.

My Current Plan & Questions:

I am going to the library tomorrow (Saturday, July 12th) to print off the email chain, especially the one where Customer Services says management has agreed to a refund. I will then visit the store as requested for the "warranty test."

 * What's the best way to approach this "warranty test" when I go to the store? My concern is they'll find "no fault" (since the laptop runs Win10 fine) and then try to deny the refund again, despite it being "not fit for purpose," even though a refund was supposedly agreed by management.

 * What are my rights if they try to use the "no fault" finding from this test to deny the refund?

 * Any other advice on handling the in-store interaction, especially given the manager's previous behaviour and the conflicting accounts?

Thanks in advance for any insights!

Never assume anything. The staff are not computer experts. You should have checked yourself before buying.

They did not state it could be, so agree this is miss buying.
As a instore purchase, there is no change of mind option. So only way to get a change of laptop, is to be sugar sweet & avoid getting animated. But I think that boat has long sailed.

Lack of information is not misleading. As you made the assumption, not clarified what was said, or pushed for a proper answer. 

In all honesty, you should have been looking to buy a windows 11 computer, not a 10 with the hope of upgrade. You can get a win 11 laptop for just over £100. (Amazon)
How much did you pay for the 2nd hand one🤷‍♀️

BlueonBlue

They are stone walling you ..making you jump through hoops till you give up .
Two sides to this but your going to have to continue being a great big PIA which will  be alot of frustration.
In the future...
It is obvious that you check/google which laptop year/processor etc can be upgraded though because you cant trust anyone let alone a high st shop.

It may be worth while checking if a work around installing win 11 on the this model laptop is possible asking on the tech forum might help with that as Ive read about it but dont know it myself.

Not that doing so was for myself as you can get a new vivobook 15 or 16 (even oled) around 250-300 if you know where to look.

littleboo

It's not clear how you ended up leaving the shop with the particular laptop that you did. Did the assistant recommend it based on your requirement?