I recently, (well almost a month ago now), purchased a laptop (Acer Aspire) on Currys online site, cost £179.99.

The item was collected from store on the 29th March.

Due to the colour not being as advertised I returned the item unused and repackaged with cellophane still attached.

..so still brand new.

The date now is 26th April and I still have not received my refund.

As follows here is my timeline of events/calls to Currys;

30.3.16—Returned the laptop to store, a lady called Elaine said the item would be picked up tomorrow via DPD (ref. no. given) and then I would be refunded within 3-5 days.

9. 4 16—Rang Currys customer service line.

Spoke to Stuart, he said that the lady in store should not have said the money would be refunded so quick

but the item would be collected from store.

Once the item has been confirmed that they had received it I would receive an email and then refunded in 3-5 days.

Stuart said none of this had been done ie. No confirmation of item received.

He said he would email transit/hub team.

11.4.16—Spoke to a Sami. When I explained the situation Sami said that they had received a few of these items

(due to the incorrect advertised colour).

I was on hold as Sami spoke to ‘whoever’ and now confirmed that she was organising a BACS refund

and would generate a complaint on my behalf.

An email confirming this would be sent to me once she had completed this...the refund would be today.

None of this happened.

15.4.16—Spoke to Chris.

After reading the case notes he placed me on hold and spoke to (?) to find out more details.

Chris said the transit team were unable to locate the item but he would send an email to them requesting a response.

Chris recommended that I call Tuesday (19th April) if I still had no email from depot/transit team or a refund.

No email, no refund.

19.4.16—Spoke to Ross.

Item now classed as an item ‘Lost in Transit’.

Apparently a man called Paulo who works for the Online Team is investigating the case.

The case was put forward on the 12th April and I would receive an email in 24 hrs regarding progress/outcome.

Ross stated that the item had been returned to the depot but there was ‘physical damage’ and an investigation was taking place.

It could take a week to investigate.

I stressed that Currys has had the item since 30th March and was received with no damage hence this was not my problem.

Ross suggested that I would receive an email in 24 hours.

I asked to speak to Paulo, after time on hold Ross had spoken to Dean in Online Team services

and said Paulo was not available but he had emailed the ‘Lost in Transit’ team

and once he had received a response I would receive an email.

No email, no refund.

21.4.16—Spoke to Macauley.

Case notes said that the depot was emailed on the 15th April by Paulo requesting lost item.

Unsure why I was told item received but damaged as this was not the case.

Macauley then spoke to ‘the team manager’ .

Macauley was now emailing Paulo as case logged on the 12th April

and they have confirmed it was collected in store on the 30th March

but apparently wasn’t so was resent for.

Arrived with them on 1st April.

Outlined the ‘receiving goods on a pallet’ process and it has to be manually looked for.

Macauley repeated that he had spoken to a Paulo and would have to wait up to 14 days,

however, he would personally make sure that it get resolved for me.

..Paulo not available at this point.

Said to call Tuesday as then 14 days had expired and would refund the money.

This would then take 3-5 days based on my Bank.

Macauley would be in touch with me...he then changed his mind

and said the 14 days would be up on Saturday.

Macauley said I could call back and ask for him personally as it wasn’t fair speaking to different people.

No email, no refund.

25.4.16. Unable to put me through to Macauley, spoke to Steven.

Notes on system last logged as Christopher.

No details of a call last Friday (21st April).

Steven to contact Lost in Transit (LIT) team to find out what is happening, they would then call me.

I explained 14 day time had expired so refund is required regardless of investigation.

Steven attempted to end the call and said LIT team would contact me in 24 hours..

.Steven now said the LIT team would take up to 21 days to investigate.

Would not transfer me to the LIT team.

I asked Steven to confirm that there was no records of a conversation I had last Friday,

he confirmed that no records showed this took place.

Steven would email Macauley and LIT team to contact me or him which they would normally do in 24 hours

. I gave him my mobile number. No one contacted me.

26.4.16— Notes on the system at 2.37pm still no response from the LIT Team,

he has spoken to his Manager John and Back-up Support team therefore refund will be processed.

Could take 3-5 working days.

Customer Service said he would still need to establish where the item is,

either still in store (he to contact the store), or lost in transit as their team had not produced the information,

but this would not effect the refund...today.

Call Tuesday 3rd May as 5 days up, (would have been Monday but for the Bank Holiday) if no refund.

I finished by asking if there was an evidence of an email been sent to me throughout this process

, “no not at all” was the reply with no notifications of emails sent.

Question now is what do I do next if there is no refund next Tuesday?

Did you take it back to the store? If so, a refund would be immediate. You shouldn't be forced to wait. They can refund there and then, and contact head office for their version of a credit note for stock transfers.

Curry's and pcworld have abysmal customer service though

I think the problem is the item was originally bought online and not available in store. Therefore, the store has to send it back to the Online team and refund processed via them...that is what they told me.

Thanks for the quick response.

how did you pay for it?

nope, if the store does the refund, it becomes their stock.

if its faulty, its sent back to their returns dept, if its not, it becomes stock of that store.

they simply didnt want to do a refund.

this is against their policy which is outlined on their 'compass' internal site.

their is items than cant be processed this way such as software cards bought online as the till system required an eptra number which is not generated by the online reciept system.

this item shouldve been refunded as unwanted, opened.

If you paid via debit/credit card (hopefully visa) just do a chargeback.