Read this if you are thinking of trading in your old tv for shiny Sony with Curry's, they lost mine !!!!

[txjockey]

5th June 2010

Mr John Browett

Chief Executive

DSG International PLC

Maylands Avenue

Hemel Hempstead

Herfordshire

HP2 7TG

Dear Mr Browett

I am writing to you today to make a formal complaint about the service I have received from your store at Leeds Road in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire (No 2264).

Before I go into the complaint let me outline the chronology of events. About 2 weeks ago I visited your store in the Trafford Centre, Manchester. We were browsing for a new HD TV and were kindly served by Mark (a fellow Welshman). He spent a good time with us answering various questions and suggesting options on TV’s. In the end we opted for a Sony 40” Bravia KDL40EX403U (with Bravia Internet Video). We wanted to take it away that day as we had the car but Mark advised they didn’t hold stock at the store and that it had to be delivered from the local LDC. On this basis I made the purchase (along with 2 x HDMI leads, a Sky HD installation and your extended warranty) and arranged delivery for the 30th May. In between then and the 30th I had also spoken to Sky and arranged for them to attend the day after on the 31st May. Part of the deal that I arranged with Mark was that he was going to accept my Phillips 37” CRT in part exchange and would give £100 off the value of the Sony.

Fast forward then to Sunday 30th May and my partner accepted a delivery from you delivery staff at the above address. This is where the problems started! Firstly Im told that the driver wasn’t prepared to take my old TV away (despite the despatch note stating a WEEE collection was to take place). However in the end he did take it. Secondly and perhaps more importantly he delivered what I thought was the wrong model, in this case a Sony 40” Bravia KDL40EX401U (without Bravia Internet Video). I didn’t realise this until I unpacked the TV and on discovering it I immediately called your customer care number. I explained the situation and was put through to Mark in Manchester to discuss it. In fairness to Mark he was again very helpful and apologised that the model I had been sent didn’t have the internet capability although he had been trained to believe it had. I thought this was refreshing honest and was quite happy to accept this.

However when all was said and done this wasn’t the TV I wanted, and given that Sky was due the next day I had to get a TV sorted out. While waiting to speak to Mark I was browsing your website and thought I might like to change what had been delivered to a Samsung UE40C5100 which I am now the proud owner. Rather than getting the wrong set picked up etc and re ordering through Manchester I asked Mark if I could simply return it to Leeds Road in Huddersfield and then choose another set. He called Leeds Road and checked and this was ok. Mark called me back to advise me to go to the store and ask for a member of management. I visited the store and spoke to Dave. I briefly explained the situation and was then placed in the care of Rob, one of his salespeople. We discussed having another Sony but again the LDC issue came into play again so this out of the question. After some discussion I opted for the Samsung. It was in stock and I could take it away there and then. Now as you know Mr Browett Samsung do not offer a part exchange scheme unlike Sony. Initially it was thought that my old TV couldn’t be returned because it would have been shipped away from the LDC quite quickly but bearing in mind the delivery had happened only hours earlier Rob called the LCD (in Leeds I think) who advised him the driver has not returned to depot. This happened around 15:00. He was further told the driver would be asked to return my old set to the store. Rob said he would arrange for onward delivery to me. On this basis I agreed to go ahead with the purchase and finalized the purchase.

Fast forward to Thursday 4th June and I received a message on my mobile from one of your staff stating my TV was now in store. My partner visited the store on Friday 5th June to arrange onward delivery. Now Im not party to the conversation as I was sadly in work and couldn’t be there. However it turns out that the TV they have in store is a Sony Rear Projection set. Apart from the fact it’s not my old set it is also very expensive to run and very big. Given the size of my property this would be totally the wrong set for me I was dumfounded that your staff were trying to palm it off on me and my partner! There were numerous calls between me and my partner about this and in the end I spoke to Jackie at the Leeds Road store by phone. We discussed the situation and she denied there was an error on the stores part and refused to offer me any sort of compensation for the loss of my TV which I was led to believe would be returned to me. Given the amount of time that had passed she also told me I would never get my old set back now. On this basis I advised her that I believed I should be compensated by at least the trade in value agreed with Mark, that is £100, after all the store did lose my set! She refused this. I even asked for a credit note, but again this was refused even though I re asserted it was her position to sort it out.

On speaking to my partner later on that day there was even an assertion made that she had lied to Curry’s staff re the make of the TV I traded in! I can prove the make and model of the TV as I brought it in that very same store some 4 years earlier! Rob was also overheard saying he wished wed gone back to Manchester to sort this problem out, as a customer of large retail chain such as yours I believe I can use whichever store is best for me, not for you! During the sale process in store reference were also made to store profit and loss when I asked for a discount bearing in mind my old TV may never be returned (this was before a call was made to Leeds LDC to confirm it was going to be returned) As a customer why should I care about your profit and loss between stores?

So following the chat with Jackie I phoned Customer Care in Sheffield and spoke initially to Chez. She seemed to be quite helpful but in the end made the same comments as Jackie did earlier. I then asked for you name and address as I wanted to escalate this further. Chez then invited me to speak to a Supervisor, his name was Ryan. Again he seemed quite helpful and on hearing my story said he’d need to refer it further. This was agreed at about 16:00 yesterday. He promised me a call back on my mobile within 24 hours. It is now 16:00 on the 5th June and I have not heard from your staff again!

Mr Browett, my point is simple - I purchased a TV from you, the model supplied was not the model I ordered. As part of this deal I traded in my old set. However since the model was wrong I exercised my consumer right to amend or cancel the order. I amended the order on the basis I would get my old set back. This hasn’t happened and as time goes on I feel will never happen. I feel your company has two choices –

• Return the TV I traded in and not some other customers set which is not suitable
  

Or

• Pay £100 compensation (as per the original deal)
  

I believe that you have an obligation to look after customer’s property in case this type of event happens, such as order errors or a clear change of mind. In my case you haven’t done this and I feel badly let down. I am a regular customer of Dixons Store Group but given the experience I have had recently and I don’t feel comfortable using you again, especially for home delivery items and trade in’s!

Please contact me as soon as possible to discuss what you are going to do to put this mess right, in the meantime I have copied this letter to West Yorkshire Trading Standards and BBC Watchdog who Im sure will be happy to take this up on my behalf. I will also consult my union solicitor on the legality of the whole course of events.

It will be interesting to see what response I get to this letter. If there are any Currys staff here please feel free to help if you can......Ken

[loopinlouie]

Goodness, stress none of us need. Thank goodness I chose John lewis over them in the end xx

 

Hope you get your compensation or telly back xx