Argos Direct

Becles

I've shopped with Argos Direct before and had no problems. Goods arrived as expected and I was a happy bunny. My recent experience has put me off ever using them again :mad:

I've been wanting new desk and small filing cabinet for a while. In the last week of July, Argos had a £10 voucher if you spent over £100, so I took advantage and placed an order then. However, the desk was home delivery only and the filing cabinet was store collection only. I checked the small print and found if I ordered both items on the same order form, I'd qualify for the £10 voucher. I did this, collected the item from store later that day, and arranged delivery of the desk on Aug 1st. Argos won't give a delivery time other than "between 8am-6pm" so I had to take the day off work to wait in for it.

Aug 1st: The desk arrived in two boxes. I opened box 1 and discovered the side panel was badly broken. As it's the main support of the desk, I was unable to build and use it, so I called customer services. A disinterested young man answered, gave no apology and said he would arrange collection and redelivery of a new desk on Wed 3rd. I said this wasn’t suitable unless he could give me a rough idea of the delivery time as I had morning appointments. He said he couldn’t do that so he’d arrange it for Thursday the 4th instead. I said that wasn’t suitable either, and he got very stroppy with me and rudely said “well when do you want it then?” I said it would have to be Friday 5th August as I would need to arrange to cancel work.

Aug 2nd: A £5 voucher arrived instead of the £10 one I was expecting.

Aug 3rd: I was surprised when a courier turned up late afternoon to collect the broken desk. However, he only had one set of paperwork and said he couldn't take both boxes with one sticker. He took "box 1 of 2" and left "box 2" here.

I called customer services who said the desk should have been delivered today and box 2 from the old one removed. I was told delivery would now be the 4th Aug. I said this was inconvenient due to it being my 30th birthday, but was told delivery was Aug 4th or nothing.

Wrote a letter of complaint detailing events so far and complained about the lower value voucher being sent.

Aug 4th: Spent my birthday sitting at home and no desk arrived.

Aug 5th: Called customer services again. I was advised that I couldn't speak to anyone in the delivery department. The lady I spoke to had no idea where the desk was or when it would be delivered. I was told someone would call me back and arrange delivery of the new desk and collection of box 2.

Aug 7th: Nobody had called me back so I called customer services. I was advised that I could not speak to anyone and again was promised that someone would call me back ASAP.

Aug 9th: Still no call back. Phoned again and got cross with customer services. Was faithfully promised that someone would ring me back before 2pm on the 10th.

Aug 10th: Still no call back. Phoned again and was told that nobody was available to answer my call and I should not have been given a timescale for a call back. The man explained all they can do is keep e-mailing the delivery department and ask them to call me as soon as they can. The man said he hopes they will call me tomorrow.

I have had no reply to my letter sent last week, so I've written and posted a second letter detailing this weeks events.

I'm really cheesed off with it now, as it's been nothing but hassle. I'm more annoyed because nobody has bothered to make an apology and nobody is willing to sort it out. :mad:

Will keep this updated as events unfold...........

Mark7799

Have to say that I'm not surprised about any of this post. I had a couple of bad experiences 3/4 years ago with Argos Direct and won't use them any more. We cancelled one order because they kept messing about with delivery times and had great 'fun' with a TV system that was faulty - took over three months to get a new model. Like you I experienced disinterested staff on the helplines and a lack of anyone showing willingness to help.

Even a written complaint brought a standard reply which gave me the impression that no-one had read my original letter. As we were also in the middle of moving house I didn't have the energy to pursue it further, merely resolving never to use them again. :beer:

pavlovs_dog

becles

sorry i cant offer much help, the only thing i can recommend is that if it isnt too inconvenient, take your receipts etc into your local argos store, go to customers services, explain the situation and get them to do the ringing around for you (it is an 0870 number after all). i've had to do this for customers in the past, and you may find they respond more to a store employee than they will to you.

good luck