Argos cuntstomer service

[randomnotmum]

cut a long story short I bought a strimmer qualcast 600w and 3yr replacement warranty in may from argos in ipswich retail park, london road ipswich. I used it the other day and after a half an hour of light use the handle sheared off. I took it back today and said it wasn't fit for purpose the manager said I accidentally damaged it by dropping it and quickly put the claim through my warranty bought another one out and asked if i would like to buy a new 3 year warranty. I said no, no chance. I asked him to escalate it to higher management another manager came out and gave me the same decision. Angered I left with the broken machine and the warranty. The told me take up with qualcast.

I called qaulcast they told me "qualcast" don't exist they are a brand and argos is responsible. I called customer service and complained to them saying I didn't appreciate being called a liar. Customer services phoned me back and said to take it back to the store and the manager will have another look at it. Also that I could get an independent engineers report that it is not fit for purpose and they would refund the cost of that inspection!

I took it back I was met by another manager who completely ignored what I was saying to him and told me that I had broken it accidentally and they would replace it by claiming on the insurance and then I would have to buy another insurance policy. He said he had the same strimmer over three years and then bought one out of stock to show him how I used it .

As I was holding you could see how flimsy it was around the handle joint,
like it was designed to break, planned obsolescence He then said lets break this one to see how much effort it would take. At that point I could see that this was totally (REMOVED BY MNHQ) I was about to leave and he offered me that display strimmer. He was so incredibly petty keeping the old box and making me take out the strimmer and put it in my old box ! WTF ! he told me that if the handle broke again they wouldn't replace it. What about my consumer rights!

He treated me all the time like a complete liar, ignoring what I was saying to him. That is a real eye opener for me. Basically the warranty depends on the discretion of the managers! I didn't realise that argos were a cowboy outfit but they are. What a shame they used to be decent brand you could trust but now I won't be buying any warranties from them or any products if I can avoid it.

I'm disgusted and shocked by their attitude.

[chickenfuckingpox]

tweet them they are more helpful

ring back and tell them you were treated like a twunt

have you read the details of your warranty they dont usually say you need the consent of a untrained unqualified individual to get a replacement

seriously i would have refused to demonstrate in the shop unless they have weeds and grass in the shop

[Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost]

Well they've certainly done themselves no favours.
I was actually going to buy a strimmer from them. I won't be now

[PingpongDingDong]

I've had nothing but good service at Argos BUT I've never taken out one of their warranties and often wondered if I should do. Your post has made me glad that I haven't.

[SoleBizzzz]

I got to totally retarded....

[GarminGirl]

3 managers all had the same attitude and conclusion? Did you go in all guns blazing op?

[Patapouf]

What sole said. I was with you until retarded.
Citizens advice have a consumer rights hotline...

[poppyseedgirl]

Ring your local CAB and give them all the details of the situation, if the way they are conducting themselves breeches your statritory rights they will report them to Trading Standards on your behalf and rectify things for you.

[LadyCuntingtonThe3rd]

Our Argos is always replacing my coffee maker on the regular warranty and after one yer has passed, on the one that I buy from them.
I think you might have appeared angry and rude from the beginning, so they were the same to you.

[Kanumoov]

OP are you going to call CAB? I had to return a sewing machine years ago and met similar attitude. It's the one reason I pay a bit more (but you really don't have to now as everyone wants your loyal custom) for reassuring aftersales service.

[ArseForElbow]

I'm surprised I've always had great customer service from them.

[cakedcrusader]

Yanbu, I won't shop there again after a similar bad experience with their customer service.

This thread is not going to end well after the retard comment though....

[HighwayDragon]

I was with you until the word retarded. Go educate yourself.

[Icimoi]

Escalate it and tell them you'll sue if you don't get your money back. Look at Money Claims online to find out how to do that.

I never buy extended warranties - they're ludicrously overpriced give that you already get consumer protection via the Sale of Goods Act and other legislation.

[ilovesooty]

I've always had good customer service from them.
I didn't like your use of the word retarded either.

[WoonerismSpit]

For fuck sake. Get a fucking education and do not say the R word again.

[SilverBirchWithout]

Under the Sale of Goods Act, if the item is not fit for purpose ( and for a Strimmer that would mean robust enough to withstand robust garden use and a minor knock or 2) you have the right to reject the item within a reasonable amount of time. The existence of a warranty is not necessary to protect your rights. Your contract of purchase is with the retailer and not the manufacturer.

If I was you I would put in writing (or email) your complaint about how you were treated in the store to their Head of Customer Services, Head of Retail Sales and CEO. Asking them for an explanation about why you were treated in such a shabby manner, pointing out politely that their USP for the majority of customers is responding to problems with purchases quickly, efficiently and politely and it is important that they are made aware that staff at their store in Ipswich are letting them down badly.

[daisydukes229]

If you are the kind of moron who throws around the word retarded like that then you deserve to be treated like that.

[WineIsTheAnswer]

I could have helped you up to the point of "retarded". Now I can't be asked...

[SilverBirchWithout]

Daisy I do hope your use of moron was ironic. If not I wish to nominate your comment for a

[Impostersyndrome]

silverbirch that's brilliantly worded advice! Just to add, here's the CEO email address

www.ceoemail.com/s.php?id=b-9019

[BishopBrennansArse]

Yeah if you're going to use disablist language you can do one.

[SchwarzwalderKirschtorte]

One of my friends worked as a manager at Argos and she often told how they were leaned on by higher management to deny the customer's rights by keep repeating the same phrase and assuming the customer had done something wrong until the customer gave up. She left there as she hated that culture.

[SchwarzwalderKirschtorte]

However, the "r" word will lose you a lot of potential advice. Many people with think why the heck should I bother when you are happy to offend?

[Kafri]

Agree with PPs about your use of retarded - unacceptable really

WRT your issue, GAME is the same. If the staff member serving you doesn't agree there is a fault with a problem they won't replace it for you. I asked them what makes them qualified or more qualified than the customer to determine whether there's a fault (given that they're not engineers of any kind) to be told that they have to be careful how much stock they return as it's the store that has to pay for it.

[sugar21]

two for using the words moron and retard.
I hope you didn't use those words in the shop !