Feel so let down by a major store I trusted.

Parasocial - I had to look it up but I agree - they've always been in business - but I felt like the business model they adopted in days not so long ago, was customer focussed - and based on my total misunderstanding of the relationship, I feel let down.

Update - on Easter Saturday (April 19th) my daughter came with me to take my laptop into the store where I ordered it and asked able a repair. The nice chap looked it over - and agreed the damage. He explained that, as it was a bank holiday it wouldn't be sent for repair until Tuesday. I asked how long I'd be without it - could be a month but usually under 3 weeks. OK. I can just about manage. But as one of you guys advised me - if I didn't take it back other things might go wrong. On 6th May I had a message - "You repair... is now at our workshop". Now at their workshop - where had it been until then - I thought. It was repaired eventually but before they returned it they told me that the slider for the camera cover was broken. I said I didn't use this and I was desperate to get my laptop back. So I was told it would be returned on Wednesday last. I arranged to work from home that day. It didn't turn up. I was told it would come on Thursday - so I cancelled an eye appointment and waited in. It didn't turn up. After spending endless time messaging JL, getting cut off on What's Ap, on hold trying to find out where the laptop was, I was told it I had to sign for it and it would be delivered that day - Friday. I hung about for as long as I could. Eventually I found a box on my doorstep - delivery driver not knocked or asked for signature. So from April 19th to 30th May I had no access to internet banking, no personal emails, no access to documents or files. Internet banking was a particular pain as to get mini statements I have to go to a branch - and the local branch of my bank is 10 miles away - and I had to do it weekly at least. I've rearranged my eye test.
I was told by a friend I would have been wiser to cut my losses and buy a laptop replacement - but not at JL. Didn't they once have a reputation for customer care? It's been nothing but stress!!!

Hi Little Bear Pad - I don't have a personal smart phone - I have one for work but can't use it for banking or personal emails - it's really just for work contact. But I wondered how everyone else coped without their laptop. I'm sure you're right - that sooner or later this thing is going to need to be fixed. Or I cut my losses and buy a replacement from Curry's. Definitely not going to buy from JL again!!

TY78910 - thanks so much for this advice. I might just be able to. This morning the laptop screen didn't come on - I restarted and the third reboot it came to life. I was panic stricken - realised that all my bank accounts are on-line. Something else I use the computer for that I had forgotten about - just taken for granted!! But managing for even a week would be such a pain!!

Hi NattyTurtle59 - so glad you didn't have issues. Not sure what a zenbook is but it sounds snazzy. My Lenova lasted donkey's years (also bought through JL), I'm typing on the Asus too - just that there's this little plastic hinge cover that will need to be pressed back into place when I finish to let me close the computer lid - and this was how I realised the hinge was misaligned. I guess I've come to the conclusion that there's no resolve through JL - I'd rather live with this than live without a laptop for any period of time.

You're quite right - it is more complicated than it needs to be - my fault - I just don't know where to 'back up' stuff without a computer to back it up on. Also my daughter is a chartered accountant and April she is rushed off her feet - but because she's so good with computers etc I tend to wait until she can sort things out for me - which is pathetic on my part. But when I was a kid my parents bought a video player - and only one of them learnt how to use it. Same as just about every gadget that came into our house. My mum used to put on plugs for example - the rest of us looked on! My dad, though, was the first to have a computer - in his retirement. No one else would go near it. Maybe this allocation of responsibilities and knowledge is the same in most households - or maybe we are genetically disposed to be technophobes!

Hi GodspeedJune. Yes - me too. I used to think - I need a new dishwasher, washing machine or similar - must go to JL!! I found their installers weren't always as good as the product themselves, but thought I had a degree of protection - if something went wrong they'd fix it. What worries me is the downhill trend. I wondered if this were why their profits were falling - or alternatively that they were investing less in this side of their business because it was costing too much. I find it so sad. Like I said at the whole beginning of my moan, I used to be such a loyal customer.

Hi TheLette - The emails I use daily, but I have written - quite a lot of stuff over the years. When I bought this new laptop - January 2025 - my daughter somehow transferred everything - a couple of novels, children's stories, poems etc. I have some on memory sticks but earlier unedited versions. I'd dread going through the lot. Also my dad died 2 years ago - he was 99 so it was a full life - but I still haven't completed settling his estate so I have correspondence with solicitors and estate agents. And precious - I have photos. I need to collect them into an album - but it's one of those things that I haven't got round to.

Incidentally, what I wanted was a replacement - not a refund - but for the transfer of everything stored, my email account etc, done in the store with my daughter present.

Hi OneMellowGreenQuoter - if I've got that right! I think I mentioned needing my daughter to come with me - but not sure how much detail I went into with my disability. It's difficult not trying to sound too pathetic, while explaining the reality of a situation. In truth, I think daughter would have been able to come with me one Saturday, but would have had to do the back up first - no idea how this works - and then there is the 'no computer' issue - and that's the real issue.

And I assume I'd have the same problem with Asus - though I'd never heard of the company before buying this. Maybe I should take that as a warning.

What do most people do when their computer fails - and how long are they expected to last without issues?