PC World Won't Repair/Refund After 28 Days

[Shoestring]

i work for a major retailer and we also give the customers a 28 day grace period to return items and after this time it has to be referred to the repair team that is ours to assess the claim...

 

I like the way SOGA law has been largely curtailed and also partly redressed as a "28 day grace period" by major retailers. That, if nothing else, perfectly illustrates the arrogance of nationwide retail chains (and most other business sectors btw) who believe they are above the law and who hold fast to the elitist view that if the "common folk" ever get it in their head to complain/return an item they bought because it doesn't work properly, then huff-n-puff-and-phew-and-grudingly, a generous benediction of 28 days "grace" is given to appease the stupid swine.

 

Shoestring

[jampot]

I've only had 1 or 2 minor issues with PC World, and many moons ago, I used to work for them. 10 years ago, I should add...

 

PCW can refer their repairs to whoever they like. They cannot, however, refer YOU to contact the repairer yourself, or even contact the manufacturer - and that is what one of the key posters on this thread has been trying to suggest.

 

If there is a problem with any gooods, whether within 28 days or not, I URGE people to make initial contact with the STORE, as their contract is with the retailer.

 

You still haven't explained what happens if Techguys swap a laptop out, and 11 months later THAT one develops a fault?

 

The "6 months" argument is the amount of time during which any fault which develops is ASSUMED to have been a manufacturing fault (unless proven otherwise). Outside of 6 months, it is assumed that it ISN'T until proven otherwise. Within 6 months, the retailer can't (unless they have a evidence of damage, missuse etc) refuse to repair, replace or rescind.

 

But here's my biggest problem with going back to the manufacturer:

 

1) purchase a laptop / games console / TV in Jan 2006

2) purchase becomes faulty in May/June 2006 (5/6 months in)

3) retailer says "go to manufacturer"

4) manufacturer swaps your laptop / games console / TV in June 2006

5) replacement becomes faulty in Jan 2007.

6) retailer refuses to deal, as it isn't the product they sold you

7) manufacturer refuses to deal, as "guarantee" on a replacement item is such a grey area.

 

Microsoft, for instance, give a 3 month warranty on a replacement Xbox 360, so you only end up with 9 months "warranty" on a brand new Xbox 360 which goes wrong after 6 months, if you get it repaired or replaced directly with the manufacturer. If you stick to your guns and make the STORE sort it out, they are liable to KEEP sorting your later problems out as well.

[rosiecotton]

Ive looked online for the law but there is nowhere where it states there is tied contract for 6 months as previous "lawyers" have mentioned on this thread.

 

I don't know what you mean by "tied contract" but you may be referring to Gyzmo's post quoted below, which to me is quite clear:

 

The point of the fact is, and something that retailpointofview amongst others has (yet again, but unsurprisingly) missed is, as Pat and others have pointed out several times in this thread and others...

 

IT IS LAW that, within the first six months, the fault is deemed to have existed at the time of sale, and it is for the seller to prove otherwise.

 

 

To see this in legal terms I quote directly from the Sale of Goods Act:

 

48A.

(1) This section applies if—

(a) the buyer deals as consumer or, in Scotland, there is a consumer contract in which the buyer is a consumer, and

(b) the goods do not conform to the contract of sale at the time of delivery.

(2) If this section applies, the buyer has the right—

(a) under and in accordance with section 48B below, to require the seller to repair or replace the goods, or

(b) under and in accordance with section 48C below—

(i) to require the seller to reduce the purchase price of the goods to the buyer by an appropriate amount, or

(ii) to rescind the contract with regard to the goods in question.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (1)(b) above goods which do not conform to the contract of sale at any time within the period of six months starting with the date on which the goods were delivered to the buyer must be taken not to have so conformed at that date.

 

linky here: Sale of Goods Act 1979

 

I don't wish to become further embroiled in this mess of a thread, but I did feel the need to at least point that out, since your use of the word "lawyers" was slightly patronising. Incidentally, neither myself or Gyzmo have claimed to be lawyers.

[maximus0983]

duly noted thank you. i now fully understand what you mean rosie..thank you. and as for the lawyers remark - wasnt directed to you but i apologise for any offence caused.

[Shoestring]

 

But here's my biggest problem with going back to the manufacturer:

 

1) purchase a laptop / games console / TV in Jan 2006

2) purchase becomes faulty in May/June 2006 (5/6 months in)

3) retailer says "go to manufacturer"

4) manufacturer swaps your laptop / games console / TV in June 2006

5) replacement becomes faulty in Jan 2007.

6) retailer refuses to deal, as it isn't the product they sold you

7) manufacturer refuses to deal, as "guarantee" on a replacement item is such a grey area.

 

It does seem like a grey area doesn't it. When we bought a cheapo video recorder from Argos that went wrong six months into the warranty, we took it back and got an instant replacement. We (that is to say my wife) also insisted on having a "new" twelve months warranty because it was a "new" product. We got one which is just as well, as a couple of months later that one became faulty also. We exchanged that for a new one, plus a new twelve month warranty, and that also went wrong six months or so later. Couldn't be bothered to replace that one and still use it. When it gets hot it malfunctions, but I discovered a quick fix was to turn it off and back on and then it worked until it got hot again.

 

Made in China, what else should I expect...

 

Shoestring

[Bookworm]

It just seems to convenient to me that everyone is having so many problems with PC World.

 

Could it be because you're in the PC World forum?

[gyzmo]

BTW, does anyone remember what this thread was about to begin with?

[Parva]

Another new account for ROPV to continually spout his tripe then eh Maximus? If my PCWorld bought laptop breaks within the 12 months warranty I will return it to the store that I bought it from. I do not care whether they have technicians in-store that can fix it or not, that is not my problem! They will arrange for it to be fixed by whatever means they desire, again, not my problem!

 

My contract is with the store, not some oik at the end of the phone at head office and I will exercise my right to have the store arrange the repair regardless of whether they have the facilities to do so or not! How much simpler can it be! And don't start the diatribe about the store no longer being where it was or whatnot, I'm pretty sure anyone with a modicum of sense could work out the next step to take.

[sequenci]

Could it be because you're in the PC World forum?

 

that is golden!

 

i laughed my head off.

[maximus0983]

Another new account for ROPV to continually spout his tripe then eh Maximus? If my PCWorld bought laptop breaks within the 12 months warranty I will return it to the store that I bought it from. I do not care whether they have technicians in-store that can fix it or not, that is not my problem! They will arrange for it to be fixed by whatever means they desire, again, not my problem!

 

My contract is with the store, not some oik at the end of the phone at head office and I will exercise my right to have the store arrange the repair regardless of whether they have the facilities to do so or not! How much simpler can it be! And don't start the diatribe about the store no longer being where it was or whatnot, I'm pretty sure anyone with a modicum of sense could work out the next step to take.

 

1) lets get things straight i have nothing to do with this ROPV charachter

2) you wanna take it back go for it...just dont rant and rave that you want it done asap

3) you contract is with the retailer ie: PCW - NOT the store but the retailer

4) "diatribe about the store no being there"??? excuse me ???

 

i never said that you cant take ure laptop back..what hacks me off is that people take their laptop back knowing very well that its not the store that can repair it but its the techguys - simple as that. why cause aggravation when you can prevent it?? theres no need

[Guest retailerspointofview]

the contract is with the company.

 

your comments about you not caring that the store moves or the staff quit etc are valid. because your contract does not end.. because its with the company. the owner of the products. not the sales people.

 

the company are the contact point to remedy the fault. the store are just a point of contact for advice and assistance with small issues. software problems.

 

but head office are the point of contact with faults.

 

another trip to my friends at my loca store revealed that along with manufacturers guarantee not afecting legal rights the reason they tell you to go to the manufacturer is this.

 

years ago many customers were told to ring the head office. they then did. the head office then set about contacting the manufacturer on the customers behalf. the manufacturer 48 hours later called the customer to arrange a courior/repair timeslot. the customers complained about the hop- skip- jump they had to go through to get it repaired. and so the store now just tells the customers the jump.

 

another reason the stores cant deal with issues is also to do with logs and communications.

 

manufacturers keep the head office upto date with information like repairs and exchanges of products. (one of the reasons manufacturers ask for proof of purchase as they contact the head office to verify.)

 

going into store just a advice point in 80% of cases and just turning up instore with a canon ip2000 printer in your hand and a receipt with a canon ip1200 printer is instantly going to look bad on your part.

 

what you should also bring is the paperwork the manufacturer sends or ask them to contact their head office to verify the swap happened and you are just not trying to geta non pcworld purchased product repaired using a pcworld receipt.

 

once the swap is verified if the store can deal with it. meaning that head office has authorised them to. then great. if not they will refer you to head office as they have the authorisation as they were the original owners of the product. not the local sales guys.

 

in many stores pcworld and others. even mine on a busy saturday. i have seen that they stores have held onto the product for a day or so for when they are free to even inspect it. before arranging repair etc.

 

everyone knows store staffing levels are low so going into store will be inconveniencing yourself.

 

if it is over £100 simply call the telephone number on the receipt as they log the fault diagnose it and authorise repair or replacement. if this can be done instore they will give you a reference number which saves you time when going into store. or they will arrange the repair team/manufacturer to come to your house.

 

things under £100 with not many moving/repairable parts such as CD's and paper, and inks can be dealt with instore. but if it is cheaper to repair it then refund it. then head office need to know.

[patdavies]

. because its with the company. the owner of the products. not the sales people.

 

 

The seller. Once you have bought it the ownership passes

[gyzmo]

Oh lord, this is giving me nightmares now. Just had an exam in all of this and am trying to forget it!

[spikeachu]

I'm going to try and put this in simple terms and try and express ROPVs opinion in a way which reads ok. He might then chose to quit his jibber-jabber and go get some nuts or something.

 

The contract of a purchase from PC World is with PC World. If a product goes faulty, you are legally entitled to return it to the store and request that they resolve the problem.

 

Some items cannot be repaired at store level. Where this is the case, the store will 'usually' request that you contact their support line directly. As a customer, you can accept this request, or legally request that the store sort it out.

 

I should point out that 'usually' contacting the support line directly is the quickest method of resolving the problem and the store will usually advise you that this is the case. If you request that the store resolve the issue, they will provide you with an approximate timescale which will vary depending on the workload that they have at the time.

 

Remember, that all along, you can acquire next working day service by contacting the repair route direct.

 

Also note that not all customers live local to a PC World store. PC World trade online and have relatively few stores in Scotland, leading to a larger capture area in these parts. It is not always convenient for these customer to travel 60+ miles to take a product back. To these people, the next day inhome service could be considered something of a god send. Not all traders offer this service.

 

To sum up. You can go into store and demand your rights. The problem will be sorted, but not necessarily as quickly as making a phone call.

 

Any calls to the support line are logged and are fully accessible by PC World. Furthermore, if you choose to contact the manufacturer direct, PC World have no way of knowing. The only way you would have a problem is if the manufacturer exchanged the item for a different model to that listed on the receipt although in all honesty, his never happens. If the product couldn't be replaced like-for-like you'd be issued with an RMA number instead.

 

In some instances, the manufacturer prefers to deal direct with the customer, ie HP for pretty much anything and just about all manufacturers of printer. PC World is fully aware that products are exchanged/repaired by these companies and does not restrict your rights under the SoGA because of any such exchange or repair.

[Guest retailerspointofview]

ok spikeachu i am glad someone is seeing the light of day.

 

but to avoid the wasted trip you should have added something along the lines of.

 

anything over £100 or contains parts which are cheaper to repair then replace/refund the head office need to authorise it. so if you go to store they will either ask you to phone their head office or pass you the phone.

 

yes the store is a point of contact and a part of the company. but the sales guys are not the legal minds to make the decisions. in the cases above head office need to validate the issue.

 

either way it a wasted journey going instore. especially having to return again days later to pick it up again. where dealing with it at home is faster.

 

manufacturers services or warrenties whether its like-for-like, repair or replacement for newer model never break consumers rights. as part of the manufacturing regulations is to put in place a method of communicating with the company which sold the product to authorise and honour the repair/replacement.

 

even if the canon ip1500 is now a canon ip4200. the manufacturer has told the company and this now amments the contact to include the new ip4200.

 

what DOES breach the contract is repairs done by independant parties that do not repair to manufacturing standards. so no getting a unverified engineer to fix it. it will hurt your case.

[spikeachu]

anything over £100 or contains parts which are cheaper to repair then replace/refund the head office need to authorise it. so if you go to store they will either ask you to phone their head office or pass you the phone.

 

No no no. Every item that PC World sell has a repair route that the store is quite capable of dealing with. No need for Head Office intervention.

 

The store in many cases would prefer the customer to deal with it directly as it frees up their staff's time and in many cases is more convenient and quicker for the customer.

 

Head Office are there to purchase products, market products, deal with administration and HR ... pretty much everything except deal with customers on the front line.

 

Every store has access to the Branch Action Team, a sub-section of the group's customer service staff. The manager may call these if he is unsure of policy or would like clarification on points of retail law. Remember, a manager is there mainly to manage the staff and the budgets of the store, not to be a retail law guru.

 

There is no reason to ask the customer to contact Head Office and doing so does not negate the store from its legal obligations. As stated above, stores have access to repair routes for all products and can carry these out on a customer's behalf. Although this practise is unlikely to provide the quickest resolution.

[Guest retailerspointofview]

No no no. Every item that PC World sell has a repair route that the store is quite capable of dealing with. No need for Head Office intervention.

 

The store in many cases would prefer the customer to deal with it directly as it frees up their staff's time and in many cases is more convenient and quicker for the customer.

 

Head Office are there to purchase products, market products, deal with administration and HR ... pretty much everything except deal with customers on the front line.

 

Every store has access to the Branch Action Team, a sub-section of the group's customer service staff. The manager may call these if he is unsure of policy or would like clarification on points of retail law. Remember, a manager is there mainly to manage the staff and the budgets of the store, not to be a retail law guru.

 

There is no reason to ask the customer to contact Head Office and doing so does not negate the store from its legal obligations. As stated above, stores have access to repair routes for all products and can carry these out on a customer's behalf. Although this practise is unlikely to provide the quickest resolution.

 

i know a little bit about store policies from talking to staff members and reading their aftercare leaflets. it DOES state in the leaflet. yep thats in writing!!! that anything that is over £100 and after 28 days from purchase to call 0870 242 0444 for advice.

 

the receipt also has the telephone number too.

 

i believe that you are a DSGI employee and you are trying to fob all problems to the store who do not have the technical expertise to repair a PC.

 

the repair route for a PC is to call head office who arrange a engineer to customer or instore repair.

yes a instore repair can take place but i have seen the external technicians take 5 days to arrive at the store but they arrive next business day at the customers address.

 

add on the time for the store staff to book the pc in. and after dealing with complaints, refunds of ink paper and CD's finally getting to deal with their backlog of healthcheck MOT things etc then look at the pc call the head office who then ask the store staff to restore the system which between serving instore customers and finishing off more healthchecks in between involves several phone calls. YES instore staff also need to call head office to tell them about the problem and if the restore was successful.. unles its on the head office logs the engineers will jsut ask the store to do it again and call when complete to verify it was done.

 

 

you also say that the store can contact the BAT who are a subsection of the customer services staff hang on.. customer services staff.. but you just said Head Office are there to purchase products, market products, deal with administration and HR ... pretty much everything except deal with customers on the front line.

so head office of a multi billion pound company dont have a customer services department all they have is marketing PR departments.. or do they actually have a customer services department????

 

store staff do not have the time to sit at a phone for 20 minutes to an hour diagnosing faults. thats why they company put the policy that if its passed 28 days (no longer a simple refund/replace) and over £100 (cheaper to repair then replace) then the customer should call the help line. as the company need to decide the cheapest and most efficient course of action.

 

i guess you seem to know too much of the internal network of the company to be an outsider but passing the customer to the store who are understaffed and untrained/unauthorised to deal with issues direct maybe your lacking of understanding of a retail environment.

 

you are right also.. the local managers are there to manage the staff not be experts in law.. WHY.. because theyare not legal accountable. if they were legally accountable the company would as part of the training process for managers ensure they knew the law.

 

let me guess you work in the call centre?

[Darren]

i guess you seem to know too much of the internal network of the company to be an outsider but passing the customer to the store who are understaffed and untrained/unauthorised to deal with issues direct maybe your lacking of understanding of a retail environment

 

1 minute your sticking up for this company and now your insulting their staff.

 

Do you think all staff in all stores are undertrained and lack an understanding of a retail environment or is it just PC World (the store you love)

[Guest retailerspointofview]

1 minute your sticking up for this company and now your insulting their staff.

 

Do you think all staff in all stores are undertrained and lack an understanding of a retail environment or is it just PC World (the store you love)

 

generally in any retail business most of the staff are untrained because of retirement, promotion , quiting and even dying the rate of staff changes is high. and so new 16yo chaps and chapesses fresh from school get employed.

unless you are legally binded to something - meaning you can personally get sued for doing something wrong there is no need for you to know 100% of the law. only the pieces that affect your livelyhood. store staff are not breaking the law by saying "contact head office as we cannot deal with it here"

 

its not a lie either. there is no stock pile of parts or masses or GNVQ, degree level computer repairers who are microsoft certified etc instore.

 

plus they have a diary system that is always fully booked with upgrades and MOT's etc so they dont have free time between these bookings and customers instore to sit at a phone for 40 minutes.

 

i will defend anyone who shows me reason to believe them.

 

but when i see on paper that the customer should contact 0870 242 0444 for advice and assistance after 28 days especially if over £100 then that is the company dealing with the issue.

 

when i see on the consumer direct website it stating in clear english that using the manufacturers services and/or warrenties does not affect consumers rights. i tend to believe this over some peoples posts on here.

 

SOGA's classification of a seller is not the advertiser, sales person, till operator. but the original owner of the product.

 

the contract begins when money is exchanged and the ownership is exchanged. this means the companies head office is binded by it.

 

like in my shop because i own it. i am binded by my customers. not my leaflet delivery boy. or the guy that sticks the posters up on the wall.. or even the part time member of staff on saturday that sits at the till counting the money.

 

I AM accountable.

 

if the delivery boy tried fixing the machine direct i would want to know about it. as its my head on the block if anything happens later.

 

in the pcworld store i go to if the customer spouts out "I KNOW MY RIGHTS" they DO NOT word it "fork off we dont care go to the manufacturer" as this is bad customer service and well many other bad things.

 

but they word it as "actually sir your rights are with the company, we can as employees inspect the machine but we do not have the expertise or parts to go beyond this. as a fast free service if you call the manufacturer they will deal with it at your home within a few days, as our diary system has us booked up until a weeks time just to inspect it"

 

this was recorded using my pda as they said this to a customer infront of me. and the customer responded positively to this.

 

the problem with retail chains is this:

untrained staff.. not to do with the law, but how to word it that they are benefiting the customer by them calling the head office.

 

under staff.. if they had 2 members of staff dedicated to inspecing and calling the repair centres.. 5 on the complaints desk and 12 doing repairs. along with 72 sales people who had a ticketting machine on there arm to ticket the sshelves as they go it would be worth shopping there. especially of they all qualified engineers and experts in all areas of computing.

 

life is not perfect but at the store i visit the staff are helpful and seem to know more then some.

[spikeachu]

i know a little bit about store policies from talking to staff members and reading their aftercare leaflets. it DOES state in the leaflet. yep thats in writing!!! that anything that is over £100 and after 28 days from purchase to call 0870 242 0444 for advice.

 

the receipt also has the telephone number too.

 

i believe that you are a DSGI employee and you are trying to fob all problems to the store who do not have the technical expertise to repair a PC.

 

the repair route for a PC is to call head office who arrange a engineer to customer or instore repair.

yes a instore repair can take place but i have seen the external technicians take 5 days to arrive at the store but they arrive next business day at the customers address.

 

add on the time for the store staff to book the pc in. and after dealing with complaints, refunds of ink paper and CD's finally getting to deal with their backlog of healthcheck MOT things etc then look at the pc call the head office who then ask the store staff to restore the system which between serving instore customers and finishing off more healthchecks in between involves several phone calls. YES instore staff also need to call head office to tell them about the problem and if the restore was successful.. unles its on the head office logs the engineers will jsut ask the store to do it again and call when complete to verify it was done.

 

 

you also say that the store can contact the BAT who are a subsection of the customer services staff hang on.. customer services staff.. but you just said Head Office are there to purchase products, market products, deal with administration and HR ... pretty much everything except deal with customers on the front line.

so head office of a multi billion pound company dont have a customer services department all they have is marketing PR departments.. or do they actually have a customer services department????

 

store staff do not have the time to sit at a phone for 20 minutes to an hour diagnosing faults. thats why they company put the policy that if its passed 28 days (no longer a simple refund/replace) and over £100 (cheaper to repair then replace) then the customer should call the help line. as the company need to decide the cheapest and most efficient course of action.

 

i guess you seem to know too much of the internal network of the company to be an outsider but passing the customer to the store who are understaffed and untrained/unauthorised to deal with issues direct maybe your lacking of understanding of a retail environment.

 

you are right also.. the local managers are there to manage the staff not be experts in law.. WHY.. because theyare not legal accountable. if they were legally accountable the company would as part of the training process for managers ensure they knew the law.

 

let me guess you work in the call centre?

 

Ok, to answer your queries -

 

0870 242 0444 is the number for Customer Services, not head office. Head office need not get involved.

 

I have already confirmed that I am an employee of DSGi in other threads. This is not something I deny. No longer with PC World though, might I add.

 

The repair route for PCs (policy) is to ask the customer to contact The Tech Guys, who act as PC World's repair agent. Note that this is policy and not law. If a customer insists, the store must contact The Tech Guys on the customer's behalf.

 

Customers' PC repairs have exactly the same priority from The Tech Guys regardless of whether they are repaired in store or in home. It is the contact by the store to The Tech Guys that causes a delay as the store can have other jobs booked in ahead which take priority. PC world stores use a first booked first served repair service.

 

Learn how to differentiate between Head Office and Customer Services. You'll find that DSGi outsource their Customer Services and Customer Services are totally independent of Head Office.

 

I know the DSGi retail environment inside out, having worked in many DSGi departments. But running a big operation does not negate any company from it's legal obligations. I have already agreed with you that returning items to store is not always the quickest method, but it is a customer's right to request that the store deal with it.

 

As for fobbing all items to the store ... eh??? ... what difference does it make to me where consumers take their products?

[Guest retailerspointofview]

Ok, to answer your queries -

 

0870 242 0444 is the number for Customer Services, not head office. Head office need not get involved.

i excuse myself. i did not mean for all customers to contact the managing director of the company(s). by head office i mean generally their call centres such as customer service, techguys etc. and if un resolved they could if they wish to escalate their grievence to the managing director.

I have already confirmed that I am an employee of DSGi in other threads. if you still work for DSGI may be in a different department then pcworld may i suggest feeding back the lack of understanding that the staff could word the policies, which are legal... better. like email to all staff of all departments a template of what best to say.

 

the companies policies are within the law and using them is not breaking the law. so thinking outside the box they are the law. as they do not break it

The repair route for PCs (policy) is to ask the customer to contact The Tech Guys, who act as PC World's repair agent. Note that this is policy and not law.

are you admitting that your own companies policy is breaking the law??? you better feed that back to your boss too

 

If a customer insists, the store must contact The Tech Guys on the customer's behalf.

ok show me where it says the agents of the seller must legally act on matters concerning faults under SOGA. trust me i dont want my deliveryboy even attempting to inspect a PC while i tell him on the phone what to do. think about it, would you?? honestly let a 16yo lose on a machine that if he drops all he has to say is "oh well"

Customers' PC repairs have exactly the same priority from The Tech Guys regardless of whether they are repaired in store or in home. It is the contact by the store to The Tech Guys that causes a delay as the store can have other jobs booked in ahead which take priority.

actually i have seen this for myself. i have seen paperwork of a repair to an old system of my friends that said 'called mastercare 12/XX/XX ' 'engineer arrived and replaced motherboard 16/XX/XX' and yet pcworld prides itself on its inhome next businessday service. but never mentions a next day instore service. need more proof?

 

PC world stores use a first booked first served repair service.

yep and head office know this especially around the time they wrote the aftersales leaflets which clearly state to call 0870 2420444 and also implementing the diary repair system and the automated rotaing system. hense why its best the customer calls 0870 242 0444 before leaving their home.

 

like i have been saying all along!!!!

 

 

for someone who use to work for the pcworld devision does not seem to know much about store level goings on and processes. and im just a customer and yet i seem to know more.. if your on about £100,000 a year wanna do a straight swap?? my shop for you role. id love to be working in head office, customer service whever you are.. the things id change starting with training

 

Learn how to differentiate between Head Office and Customer Services. You'll find that DSGi outsource their Customer Services and Customer Services are totally independent of Head Office.

ok ill admit that i did not know that the call centres were not at hemel hempstead. but at asia or sheffiend or where ever it is.. but the customer services department and the techguys are authorised by the company to deal with issues that have a higher financial value/cost then the store level is authorised to deal with.

I know the DSGi retail environment inside out, having worked in many DSGi departments. But running a big operation does not negate any company from it's legal obligations.

but advising customers to ignore the techguys, customer services department and return straight to pcworld stating its their right that the store deals with it..

sounds like you (an employee of the company) are advising customers of the least convenient method of finding a remedy.

you still sure you know it inside out.

 

I have already agreed with you that returning items to store is not always the quickest method, but it is a customer's right to request that the store deal with it.

show me where it says the agents or representatives of the company are legaly liable to remedy the situation. if i remember many communications with consumers direct and trading standards etc. the company(hemel hepsted) can use "whomever they like"(techguys, manufacturers, local stores/franchises) but its the seller that is accountable not the "whomever they like"(techguys, manufacturers, local stores/franchises)

hemel hempsted are the registered address of the original ownership of the products. also all law suits get addressed to this registered address not the store. if the techguys fail to repair the laptop or whatever went wrong the buyer sues hemel hempstead not techguys/local store.

i would feed back to your boss you should allow stores more lee-way to authorise refunds/exchanges or simply get the customer to contact a department that the original owner of the product has given authority to remedy.

 

As for fobbing all items to the store ... eh??? ... what difference does it make to me where consumers take their products?

well if you worked in many different area's of the company and you have a attitude of "what difference does it make to me" then you certainly dont care about the customer and obviously dont want them in your life, so let me guess you pass the buck...

 

in my store it makes major difference. saving the ozone layer, customer time and ensuring it is fixed fast, gains customer loyalty. i beleive in the fastest cheapest solution. not the solution that cuts down on customer service calls.

 

id suggest you start caring. without customers your company would not make a penny.. where do you think your wages come from, fairy land?? seriously where do you think they come from??

i want a answer from this single question..

 

ensuring customer satisfaction and loyalty indirectly keeps you in a job. so start caring

 

 

read through SOGA and read the relationships about the transfer of OWNERSHIP.

 

the bits about a remedy which is least costly to the seller. (store staff dont have access to costs of repairs, parts, and the purchase prices of the products they sell. so store staff cannot deal with it.)

AGAIN

 

as the fastest port of call if its over £100 and passed 28days

call 0870 242 0444 FIRST.

AGAIN

 

as the fastest port of call if its over £100 and passed 28days

call 0870 242 0444 FIRST.

 

the stores diary system + lack of staff + lack of qualiications + lack of parts = wasting petrol + wasting time which you can do that day at home + stress

[Parva]

Where do you get this imaginery £100 figure? I've taken stuff back in the past and had it repaired / replaced well over this value without any calls to Head Office. And to suggest that the customer themselves would be put on the phone to Head Office whilst in the shop is just ridiculous.

 

I won't even bother wasting my time re-itterating that your contract is with the store and all that entails. I give in, I really do.

[Parva]

as the fastest port of call if its over £100 and passed 28days

call 0870 242 0444 FIRST.

AGAIN

 

as the fastest port of call if its over £100 and passed 28days

call 0870 242 0444 FIRST.

 

Just to add further, who ascertains that the value is over £100? The customer? The store? Head Office?

 

Simple fact, buy laptop from store, laptop breaks, return to store! Store can't fix it as they don't have an in-store repair team, that is NOT my problem.

 

If my laptop breaks within its 12 months guarentee I will return it to the PCWorld store from where I bought it, it's as simple as that. I won't phone Head Office and waste mine and their time by being told to take it back to the store. Furthermore, even if they arranged collection I then have to take time off work to await collection! Petrol for a 5 mile trip is far cheaper than my hourly rate.

 

The consumer has every right to return the product to the store in the 12 month period and all of this 'phone Head Office' stuff is utter bull along with this imaginery £100 limit that you are now spouting. Regardless of any limit, not my problem as a consumer, I can return it to the store and they HAVE to deal with the problem whether they have in-house facilites or not.

[patdavies]

I have already agreed with you that returning items to store is not always the quickest method, but it is a customer's right to request that the store deal with it.

show me where it says the agents or representatives of the company are legaly liable to remedy the situation. if i remember many communications with consumers direct and trading standards etc. the company(hemel hepsted) can use "whomever they like"(techguys, manufacturers, local stores/franchises) but its the seller that is accountable not the "whomever they like"(techguys, manufacturers, local stores/franchises)

 

hemel hempsted are the registered address of the original ownership of the products. also all law suits get addressed to this registered address not the store. if the techguys fail to repair the laptop or whatever went wrong the buyer sues hemel hempstead not techguys/local store.

 

i would feed back to your boss you should allow stores more lee-way to authorise refunds/exchanges or simply get the customer to contact a department that the original owner of the product has given authority to remedy.

 

And

 

read through SOGA and read the relationships about the transfer of OWNERSHIP.

 

the bits about a remedy which is least costly to the seller. (store staff dont have access to costs of repairs, parts, and the purchase prices of the products they sell. so store staff cannot deal with it.)

AGAIN

 

SoGA at all times refers to the seller (ie the retailer).

 

This is not some nebulous corporate entity at Head Office in Hemel Hempstead. It is the store.

 

You are very fond of telling people to look on their receipts for the telephone number; well I suggest that you take a closer look at the front of the receipt to see what address is on there - oh look! It's the store address! (recoils in shock horror).

 

This little bit of printing puts the store straight back into the frame as the responsible party; the seller.

 

Now before you start another of your long-winded, incomprehensible, poorly-written rants about SoGA, let me tell you that SoGA is not the reason for the store address on the receipt - it's a variety of other regulations (inc VAT) that defines the selling entity.

 

 

[maximus0983]

Where do you get this imaginery £100 figure? I've taken stuff back in the past and had it repaired / replaced well over this value without any calls to Head Office. And to suggest that the customer themselves would be put on the phone to Head Office whilst in the shop is just ridiculous.

 

I won't even bother wasting my time re-itterating that your contract is with the store and all that entails. I give in, I really do.

 

PCW have a system called Oasis which generally says that if the item is valued at under £100 and becomes faulty within the first year then its just an instant exchange to avoid confusion. this applies to most products apart from things like ipods and printers that go for testing.

 

hope it helps