Non-motoring > Be careful with Argos electrical goods Miscellaneous
Thread Author: RattleandSmoke Replies: 72

 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - RattleandSmoke
I won't tell the full story yet as it would be well over 1000 words but to keep this simple:-

On Wednesday I bought a Seagate 320gb external hard drive, I was given an Iomega one was busy Christmas shopping and couldn't be bothered to argue about the spec change.

Tried it today and it was fault I had to keep moving the USB cables to get it to work and as it was for a customers backup device that was no good.

Today I returned and was told by the dopy staff member that she needed to get the manager to look at it. The manager told her Argos have a policy of no returns or refunds on certain electrical goods so it was tough. At this point I went mad pointing out comsumer trading laws and that as it was fault I was entitled to my money back.

She then accused me of breaking it myself. I then told her I spend £1000's a year on computer equipment and probably need to return one item out of 100. She then ask what the product was. At that point I just could not believe what I was hearing.

In the end another member of staff interviened and I did get my money back despite what the manager has told them. This went on for another 15 minutes and in end I did get my money back.

The worst thing was I was going to buy a TV from Argos for my parents christmas present, in the end that £100 went to Aldi.

I am still a bit amazed and baffeled about my entire experience. I just to work for Curry's which has a bad reputation but we were always very very good with returns and would even return used but unwanted items despite it not being customer policy as it kept them happy.

I am just amazed that a manager could say I could not have a refund as the receipt says no refunds. What the receipt actually says is no refunds if the customer changes their mind.

I shall be going to buy a hard drive instead from Microdirect tomorrow. I only went to Argos as I had no time to drive all the way to Microdirect just for a £35 drive.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - CGNorwich
I suspect that there was a degree of misunderstanding here possibly not helped by you "going mad". Argos have a 30 day return policy i.e. they will give you a refund on anything purchased in the last 30 days providing you have a receipt.

This policy however excludes certain items including electronic recording devices. From the Argos website:

"To protect your personal security, we are also unable to accept returns on some non-faulty imaging and recording products such as MP3 players and digital cameras." Your hard drive fell into this category

I believe other stores are also adopting this policy

This of course does not affect statutory rights and if the goods were faulty as you state, you are entitled to a full refund. This too is made clear on their website.

 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - RattleandSmoke
I didn't even raise my voice until she accused me of breaking it. That is when I lost my temper.

I was well aware of Argos's policy on this and that as my item was faulty their policy did not apply. I was polite at all times and kept saying I don't blame the member of staff at was not her fault she had not recieved proper training.

The worst thing about it is the manager just watched the entire situation. He should have spoken to me directly instead of making a junior member of staff deal with it.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Bromptonaut
>> I don't blame the member of staff at was not her fault she had not
>> recieved proper training.
>>
>> The worst thing about it is the manager just watched the entire situation. He should
>> have spoken to me directly instead of making a junior member of staff deal with
>> it.
>>

Maybe the manager had her card marked and was gathering evidence. I've certainly let colleagues dig themselves in to holes in meetings etc to test their strengths or expose their weaknesses. You can help them up to a point but sometimes they need to see what happens next.

Must be difficult in a retail customer/adviser environment though where organisational reputation is at risk
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - L'escargot
>> That is
>> when I lost my temper.

Losing one's temper rarely gets a good reaction/result. Calm and rational is what is needed.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - hobby
Exactly what i was thinking, L'es, in that sort of situation you need to keep calm, a couple of your comments, Rattle, would indicate that you didn't... I doubt she actually said that you broke it, more likely inferred it, which you read as saying that...

You have to be the one "in charge" in that sort of situation, if you "lose it" for whatever reason you will always find it more difficult to get what you want.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Iffy
...Calm and rational is what is needed...

Control is what's needed.

In similar situations I have feigned temper loss to get the job the moving.

Only for a few seconds, and I'm careful not to insult anyone, but sometimes these situations need a prod.

It may not be natural justice, but often those who shout loudest get the most done.

This applies particularly to people who complain about public bodies, such as the NHS or a local council.

The difference there, I think, is those organisations don't really have the ultimate sanction of turning you away.

 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - hobby
Yes, I agree Iffy, "control" is a far better word... I think that we were both thinking along the lines of the "inner" calm, rather than what we may be spouting!
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Leif
>> In similar situations I have feigned temper loss to get the job the moving.

I'm not comparing you to this person, but I once worked for someone who was the bees knees at bullying shop staff. He once went on a computer course, and when there found some of the people had a group discount. So back on the office he rang them up and complained that he was paying too much. He wasn't, but after many rude and obnoxious calls from him, they gave him a partial refund. He did that sort of thing quite often. He was an absolute pain to work for, impatient, arrogant, condescending ...
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - L'escargot
>> He should
>> have spoken to me directly instead of making a junior member of staff deal with
>> it.
>>

Rattle, it sounds as if you are a trifle conceited.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - L'escargot
>> The manager told her Argos have a policy
>> of no returns or refunds on certain electrical goods so it was tough.

Did the manager actually say "it was tough" or are you just exaggerating?
Last edited by: L'escargot on Sat 11 Dec 10 at 10:39
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Falkirk Bairn
R&S

You should not be buying 1 x drive etc when required, you should be carrying stock of "popular items" so you minimise the time you spend "going to get parts" and buy on better terms than from Argos or any other retailer.

Years ago I knew a chap with a room full of computer bits - value of any part was very little but when machines came in to be fixed he had parts on the shelves - 2nd hand to be fair mostly but he could then charge for the repair (inc replacement parts (90 days warranty) with little cost to himself. It was a "crime" when he had to actually buy specific parts.

There's gold in old broken laptops, desktops etc
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Avant
You're so right FB - in the old days there were shops like that, and they'd be hugely useful now when so often we replace a whole computer for want of a small part.

But the margins are too low for most people, although it might be a thought for someone like Rattle working on his own. Rattle, if you got yourself known as the one man in your area who had the odd computer bits that no-one else had, you could do well.
Last edited by: Avant on Sat 11 Dec 10 at 11:36
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - RattleandSmoke
Just isn't any demand for parts on that basis really. I did try buying some stock in but it is always sods law. If I have some spare RAM I may not sell it for 6 months by which time prices are halfed.

That is why I don't carry much stock. I do usually have a couple of power supplies in and a stick of 1GB DDR2 laptop RAM but that is about it.

I already get trade discount at my main suppliers the problem is it takes over an hour to get there, get the bits and drive back. I was doing Christmas shopping in a shopping centre at at an Argos.

I didn't loose it in terms of shouting but I was clearly annoyed and I did loose control of myself because I was wound up I was physically shaking.

I didn't speak to the mananager directly but what the girl on the till said to me wa

"The manager says no refunds or exchanges as it says that on the receipt" I said BUT it is faulty she then said it dosn't matter because that was what the receipt says. I told her to go back to her manager because I am legally entitled to a refund.

She did say at one point we can't offer refunds on faulty goods because you could have broke it yourself - it was that point I lost it and changed from being calm to threatening trading standards.

I am sure my experience was down to a specific branch (which I will not mention) and their manager rather than Argos itself.

I did also keep aplogising to the girl herself saying it wasn't her fault but I am very annoyed with situation and your manager and I will be complaining about him.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - RattleandSmoke
With desktops there isn't really any parts you can't get of the shelf anyway from any of the local backstreet shops. I avoid them because they tend to stock cheap quality goods at high prices and don't even know the answers to basic questions.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - devonite
>>don't even know the answers to basic questions. <<

like a lot of the "repair" shops around here! - they dont sort probs out, its easier and quicker to just re-format and fleece!
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - RattleandSmoke
And they still leave it with an infected MBR!

Still there is sometimes a good commercial argument for a format but only if the rootkits will take ours to remove. It is only really rookits which are the problem most malware can be removed by hand in less than 5 minutes.

What takes the time is checking to make sure there is no rootkit and if you simply just do a format without doing of those checks you might just be handing back an infected machine.

Another favourite by the more dodgy shops is to also install a dodgy copy of XP Pro on any system with a slight fault. Seen this lots of times.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Falkirk Bairn
>> You're so right FB - in the old days there were shops like that, and
>> they'd be hugely useful now when so often we replace a whole computer for want
>> of a small part.

He employed 100 people at its peak - 20 @ Head Office & up to 80 on the road.

On the road boys had kits that contained most common parts and they were topped up by post from HO - lots of used parts from duff machines, printers etc etc so parts costs were low - budget for PC parts was less than £10.00 / machine on contract / year!!

He was an excellent "PC Scrappy" @ HO level.

To be fair it grew from 10 people very quickly to 60+ then even higher as they were organised and tightly run - then the owner took his eye off the ball and brought in managers ..................... no longer in business.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Stuartli
I'm very surprised Rattle you had any problems with Argos - on the rare occasions I've had to return something it's been replaced without quibble.

That includes a DeLonghi microwave costing £40 (half-price in a sale) not once, but twice, as the second one also failed about two months after the original warranty expired. The Argos call centre was aware that the warranty had run out, but immediately contacted my nearest Argos store to have one ready when I called.

The second replacement was the very latest model costing just under £100.....:-)
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - RattleandSmoke
That has been my usual experience as well in the rare case I have had to return something.

Even out of warranty the shop sometimes has to replace the item but the law on that mattetr is complicated.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Clk Sec
I buy quite a lot from Argos and have never had any problems exchanging faulty goods. It's a bit like M & S, I suppose, you just know you're not going to have any hassle.

My experience when exchanging faulty footwear, however, is a different matter.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - SteelSpark
At the Argos that I used to use quite regularly, anybody in the returns queue is treated as if they are some kind of scumbag con artist. I have often be stood waiting to pick something up and heard the staff member berating some poor wide-eyed purchaser, demanding them to prove they didn't damage it themselves, or to find some other excuse not to refund it.

I once bought an inflatable mattress, that wouldn't stay inflated. Took it back the next day and had some staff member looking down her nose at me. She actually said "I know you broke it, but I'll give you a refund this time".

Let's just say that my experience of them when something is faulty is not great.
Last edited by: SteelSpark on Sat 11 Dec 10 at 16:30
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - RattleandSmoke
Sums up my experience with them really. It is up to the shop to get evidence that the customer broke it not the other way round.

In my case though they did loose a £100 sale. There was no way I was going to buy a TV from them.

It is like taking back a 3000 mile car to a dealer because the conrod has gone through the block and the dealer refusing to pay stating customer damage.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Manatee
>>At the Argos that I used to use quite regularly, anybody in the returns queue is treated as if they are some kind of scumbag con artist.

Probably because they often are. The problem with a liberal returns policy is that a certain type of person will buy say a camera to go to a wedding, then return it after the event (M&S also suffer from this with clothing.).

It's a common problem with mail order too. When Next launched their Directory about 20 years ago, the then unique 24 delivery service was very popular. The returns were much higher than expected. Lots of expensive dresses delivered on Saturday came back on Tuesday with food stains on them!
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - FotheringtonTomas
>> >>At the Argos that I used to use quite regularly, anybody in the returns queue
>> is treated as if they are some kind of scumbag con artist.
>>
>> Probably because they often are. The problem with a liberal returns policy is that a
>> certain type of person will buy say a camera to go to a wedding, then
>> return it after the event (M&S also suffer from this with clothing.).

Perhaps Rattle just lokks iffy. Smarten yourself up, Rattle!
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Fenlander
It must be a matter of bearing and attitude. At our Argos they're opening the till and offering cash refunds before I've finished my softly spoken story :-)
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - RattleandSmoke
I am not sure what was so wrong with

"Excuse me could I get a refund on this please as it is faulty, I have to keep wiggling the wire to get it to work and even then the computer dosn't regconise it"

Anyway I now have a further complaint I have just checked the Argos website and no where on the item description does it say it would be subsituted for a cheaper brand which is what happened in my case.

 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - hobby
Count to ten and plan your strategy carefully before going back in then, Rattle...

I'm a little mystified that you'd use Argos rather than a specialised computer component supplier for this sort of stuff... Its the first time I've heard of a business buying their stuff from them rather than a wholesaler or manufacturer direct... wouldn't that be cheaper?
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - RattleandSmoke
I always use Microdirect my main supplier or occasionaly Ebuyer on a next day delivery. I have a trade account with Microdirect and that is my official prefered supplier. I don't need enough items to ever buy anything in bulk. I am not a computer shop I simply supply hardware as a part of a service as when required.

The industry is moving far too fast to stock goods unless I can shift them straight away which I can't.

The only reason I used Argos is it was only £4 more expensive than Microdirect and it was better use of my time rather than spend over an hour driving to Microdirect just to get a £36 hard drive. I was in a shopping centre which had an Argos at the time.

It is very rare that I use a shop like Argos to buy parts, I don't ever even go to PCWORLD anymore since everything is much more expensive than MD.

It is just like a plumber might decide to buy a valve from B&Q if there was a B&Q nearby rathert han wasting an hour or so going to a merchant but if the plumber needed a few items the trip to merchant would be more than worth while.

I can't buy direct from a wholesaler or manufacturer as I would have to buy in bulk. This has two problems:0-

1) I would need to shift the stuff very quickly because it will loose value.
2) Storage costs.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Mon 13 Dec 10 at 15:45
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - R.P.
In fairness to Rattle he'd explained why he'd gone to Argos in his OP. (Last paragraph)
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - hobby
He did, I just missed it in the rest of the message... Thanks for explaining in full, though, Rattle!
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - R.P.
Sorry hobby if my post sounded a bit - well you know !
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - hobby
Nope, fair comment, just me not reading properly... and I hadn't even had a pint as my excuse!! :-)
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Chris S
>> She then accused me of breaking it myself.

You should have informed her that was slander. If your mobile has a camera you should have started filming her - people only throw their weight about if they think that they can get away with it.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - RattleandSmoke
I think the girl was just young and very inexperienced which is one reason I was polite with her as it was not her directly refusing to give me a refund. She was probably about 20 but I find it hard to tell girls ages.

What made her comment twenty times worse is there was no physical damage to the item at all and she had no idea what the item was.

I just have to deal with returns all the time when I worked for DSGi and sometimes we knew a customer was trying it on but I would never directly saying anything I would just offer the refund but keep an eye on the customer. Other members of staff got to know the same old faces abusing the system.

 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - spamcan61
I had a similar amount of grief in a local Argos last year trying to get a DAB radio changed, which was as deaf as a post on DAB and little better on FM; I reckon the aerial wasn't connected internally. The guy in Argos kept going on about how it was probably a dodgy signal at my house blah blah - even after I'd pointed out that I already had an identical radio that worked fine in the same spot! They gave in eventually.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - L'escargot
>> >> She then accused me of breaking it myself.
>>
>> You should have informed her that was slander.

Slander is a false spoken statement about someone which damages their reputation. Did it really damage Rattle's reputation?
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Tooslow
I think it is which COULD damage, so yes it was.
John
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - L'escargot
>> I think it is which COULD damage, so yes it was.
>> John
>>

dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/slander_1
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Tooslow
dictionary.reference.com/browse/slander

John
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Iffy
A key element of slander is almost certainly missing here - publication.

Rattle speaks of raised voices, but it's unlikely anyone else would have followed the discussion so closely as to make out the girl's comment, work out its meaning and context, before leaving the store with their opinion of Rattle lowered.

It has always been held that you cannot libel someone in a letter, because only the recipient can read it.

But you can libel someone in a post card, because the postman can read it, as well as the recipient.

Emails should be treated as postcards.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Clk Sec
>>Emails should be treated as postcards.

Yes. I would never email anything that I wouldn't put on a post card.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Mapmaker
Rattle's statutory rights.


They're not as extensive as he imagines. He is a trade customer.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - spamcan61
>> Rattle's statutory rights.
>>
>>
>> They're not as extensive as he imagines. He is a trade customer.
>>

An interesting point. I didn't think Argos had a trade counter, surely this was a 'normal' business to retail customer transaction. Or are you saying that if he claims the VAT back through his books that makes this a business to business transaction where SOGA wouldn't apply?
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Jetski
I have always found Argos replacement of faulty goods excellent.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - RattleandSmoke
It was a B2C sale. The consumer protection laws still apply unless it becomes a trade sale. That is how a lot of dodgy car dealers get away with things by calling themselves trade centres.

The only goods I buy trade are from Microdirect and I realise different laws apply then.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Mapmaker
Rattle>>"It was a B2C sale"

Amazing how the facts change by the bottom of the page when it was a B2B sale at the top of the page.

Rattle>>"Tried it today and it was faulty I had to keep moving the USB cables to get it to
>>work and as it was for a customer's backup device that was no good."



www.devon.gov.uk/print/index/economyenterprise/tradingstandards/tsbusiness/business2business.htm

Just by claiming it is a B2B sale doesn't give a dodgy car dealer the right to wriggle out of his liabilities to consumers. Similarly just by claiming that a B2B sale is a B2C sale doesn't allow you to claim more rights than you actually have. It's deceitful.
Last edited by: Mapmaker on Mon 13 Dec 10 at 12:56
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - movilogo
Certain items in Argos are indeed excluded from change of my mind return. However, those are clearly marked.

Even in that case, if the item is faulty, by law they must give you a refund.

 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - RattleandSmoke
Which was extra the point the girl behind the counter and the 'manager' did not seem to understand.

 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Suppose
>> Which was extra the point the girl behind the counter and the 'manager' did not
>> seem to understand.
>>

Did you tell them you were buying it for your business?

and you are condemning the whole Argos empire with your subject line "Be careful with Argos electrical goods" on the basis of one "bad" experience.
Last edited by: Suppose on Mon 13 Dec 10 at 20:01
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - RattleandSmoke
No but I do think people need to be careful. I am not sure how much my experience was a one off.

At the point of sale it was a business to consumer sale. They did not know it was for business and even if they did the item was FAULTY. IT DID NOT WORK. On top of that they sold me a completly different brand to what I ordered.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Mapmaker
>>At the point of sale it was a business to consumer sale

Rubbish.

Quite clearly they sold you the wrong item, and it did not work. But it was not, is not, and never will be a B2C sale.
Last edited by: Mapmaker on Tue 14 Dec 10 at 11:08
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Iffy
The item was sold to Rattle on standard consumer terms, so it was a consumer sale.

It matters not what he does for a living.

If I buy a pot of cough mixture for £2 from Boots, it's a consumer sale.

If a doctor buys the same pot for £2, it's still a consumer sale.

Just because the doctor's 'in the trade' doesn't make it a trade sale.

It would be different if Boots gave the doctor a discount after he showed his NHS i/d card.

Rattle paid retail money, so it's a retail or consumer sale.



 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Mapmaker
>>The item was sold to Rattle on standard consumer terms, so it was a consumer sale.

Nonsense. Rattle went into a shop and handed over cash in exchange for an item. There was no written contract so contract law and any other legislation applies.


How does the shop know? It doesn't.

Does it matter? Almost certainly not. The only time it would matter would be if the case were approaching court. At this point Rattle would have to admit - otherwise perjure himself - that it was purchased as a business.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Suppose
>> The item was sold to Rattle on standard consumer terms, so it was a consumer
>> sale.
>>
>> It matters not what he does for a living.
>>
>> Rattle paid retail money, so it's a retail or consumer sale.
>>

It matters what the planned end use of the product was. Price paid is irrelevant. It was a B2B transaction.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - spamcan61
OK this is from the web site T&Cs rather than the shops (my bold):-

"We have selected our products on the basis that they will be used for domestic use only, if you are planning to use them for business purposes please make sure that you are covered by the appropriate insurance. Where you decide to use the products in the course of a business, we exclude (to the fullest extend permitted by law) those warranties and conditions relating to fitness for a particular purpose. Our maximum liability to business users arising out of or in connection with the products shall be limited to the replacement value of the product in question (except in the case of death or personal injury caused by our negligence or in respect of fraud). In relation to business users, we do not accept liability for the fitness of goods for business purposes, nor do we accept liability for loss of use of the item nor any loss over and above the cost of the item in the event of a claim for breach of warranty or condition."

 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Ambo
In general, be careful to check the packaging of any item from Argos. If it has been selloptaped the item has probably been returned and there may be something wrong with it. I bought a small self-assembly item without checking which I found had a part missing when I got it home. I then realised the package was taped. (No sweat in this case as I did not need it.)
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - RattleandSmoke
It does say the loss will be covered to the value of the lost item. In this case a refund.

The terms are there because for obvious reasons I could not sue the company for loss of earnings due to the time wasted. That is completly obvious. The point I was making is that the staff members did not know it was a business purchase and if it was a personal purchase I would have been treated in exactly the same way.

And surely there are laws protecting businesses? I might actually look into B2B trading laws for future reference.

 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - spamcan61
>
>> And surely there are laws protecting businesses? I might actually look into B2B trading laws
>> for future reference.
>>
This is probably a good place to start:-

oft.gov.uk/business-advice/

Given your business situation things should be fairly uncomplicated I would think, biggest risk is probably someone claiming your PC repair electrocuted their hamster / burnt their house down etc. i.e. public liability.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - RattleandSmoke
It is why I thought about it. I have always wrongly assumed that everything I sold meets all the required EU standards because I buy them a reputable place but really I need to double check everything before I resell it.

 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Mapmaker
I take it you have business insurance?
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - RattleandSmoke
Of course I do not that it is relevant to this thread in anyway nor is the fact I run a business.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Danieljones
Availed with the doctor's prescribed stick.
Last edited by: R.P. on Mon 4 May 15 at 17:35
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - No FM2R
I have a sharp stick i could help you avail.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Lygonos
I'm sure I can find some Habanero and Broken Glass 'lube' for that stick before you use it, NoFM2R.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Armel Coussine
>> Habanero and Broken Glass 'lube' for that stick before you use it,

I have often noted that doctors have a marked sadistic side...
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - RattleandSmoke
Not sure why this ancient thread has been bought from the dead?

 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Old Navy
>> Not sure why this ancient thread has been bought from the dead?
>>

A spammer found it.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - R.P.
Snipped him Rats
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - No FM2R
Availing him would have achieved much the same, especially with the Doctor's lotion.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Zero
Damn, what have I missed?
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - R.P.
A damn good availing with a big stick and crushed glass.
 Be careful with Argos electrical goods - Armel Coussine
>> what have I missed?

Not a lot. A few posters being nasty to a hopeful salesman type whose first language isn't English. Doubtless he will avail himself of one of the numerous English for Ignorant Foreigners/Illiterate Salesmen courses available on line and in CFEs.
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