Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think this is really shit and wonder if this shop can actually do this?!

31 replies

unsurevalentine · 07/03/2011 19:40

This is not life shattering - just annoying and I just want to know how others would react.

Went to buy a TV from large high street electrical store (Curry's Grin) on Saturday. Was cheaper online but I work and thought it would be easier to go and get it rather than mess about trying to be in for the delivery man.

Checked it was in stock (they had 5 they said) and paid, waiting 20 mins until bloke came back and said v sorry but it isn't in stock after all Hmm. Offered to deliver it and I explained that was why I had come to the actual store - to purchase the actual item and take it home - today.

Bloke offered me a refund and he and the guy who sorted out the refund assured me (twice each) the money would go back onto my card there and then.

Came home ordered it online - have had email yesterday saying payment hasn't gone through as there isn't enough money in my account. Checked account and Currys haven't refunded the money. It says on their website that it takes 3-5 days and when I phoned they also told me it takes 3-5 days.

They tried to put me through to the store I tried to buy the TV from but couldn't get through - they asked me for my phone number and said they would email through and I would be phoned within 24 hours Shock.

Is it just me or do others think that this really is not good enough?!

OP posts:
ChunkyPickle · 07/03/2011 19:47

TBH, I don't think this is really their fault - the banks enforce this ridiculous 3 day transfer thing

(when they're perfectly capable of same day electronic transfers, and in my experience don't do any of the supposed checks they claim they're doing in those 3 days)

I doubt you'll get anywhere (in fact they'll probably blame Currys) but I'd definitely make a complaint to your card company.

Although saying they had 5 in stock and finding none is a bit suspicious to me - in a previous life, when I worked for a similar company, it did happen that the warehouse staff decided they couldn't be bothered to get something out, and told the sales staff they couldn't find it (annoying to the sales staff who earn commission) 5 TVs going missing from stock is pretty unusual.

I've seen PC World do this order online/pickup in store - they're all Dixons group aren't they? Do they do that?

ChunkyPickle · 07/03/2011 19:49

I just had a quick look - they certainly have an 'I'll pick up from my local store' button... although it wasn't enabled for what I'd selected (and it wasn't advertised until you had it in your shopping basket and went to checkout)

tyler80 · 07/03/2011 19:51

I find it bizarre that you made to pay before they checked whether it was in stock.

Whenever I've bought from currys and comet they get the stock out the back and then put it through the till so you can't pay for something they haven't got.

catinthehat2 · 07/03/2011 20:05

if you can get to a Richer SOunds next time, do it without hesitation.
customer service splendid, prices are right, and best of all you don't get the 1/2 wits LYING IN YOUR FACE that Currys seem to specialise in

Bringonthegoat · 07/03/2011 20:08

YANBU - they should've known and told you how long it would take. Shit service.

dawntigga · 07/03/2011 20:11

Erm, fyi it can take up to 10 working days for a refund to hit your account depending on your bank.

I know that is not what you wanted to hear - sorry :(

The worse one I ever saw was an outstanding auth (which is not a refund) that took 2 years to make it back on the account (twas a foreign transaction).

WishesMerchantsWouldBloodyWellListen/ReadWhatIsSentTiggaxx

Rhian82 · 07/03/2011 20:16

Seconding the recommendation for Richer Sounds - amazing customer service, they don't pressurise you into anything and actually know what they're talking about.

Honeydragon · 07/03/2011 20:17

YANBU
In Mothercare I needed a refund, I said I'd check the account in a few days to make sure it had gone through as the till was playing up. The assistant stated the refund was immediate. When I expressed surprise she said their system is said up to refund immediately. Apparently this is common, so if that is the case Currys were being unreasonable.

Also I had to buy my fridge from Dixons, Currys sister company as they rejected my credit card 3 times and locked it - the last was without my permission.... and insisted on telling me it was because I must be over the limit, I left them on hold called credit card company who confirmed they had unlocked card and card was fine and tried again....rejected. It had a £3000 limit and £0.00 balance Hmm, yet they continued to insist must be lack of funds. Ordered same item, same price, same day, through the same call centre, but through Dixons and the payment cleared straight way. Yet still Currys denied they had a problem.

ChunkyPickle · 07/03/2011 20:17

I third richer sounds (at least the one just round the corner from London Bridge station) they are just what you hope for when you go to buy something like that.

chipmonkey · 07/03/2011 20:31

Currys for example are twats!

Are they still at this lark

They did something similar to me 10 years ago, you'd think they'd have gotten their act together.

I visited the store, picked out a blue cooker which would go best with my kitchen. I paid for the cooker but it wasn't in stock. As we didn't yet own the house it was to be delivered to, I asked them to hold it for six weeks. When I returned to arrange delivery they had SOLD the cooker I had PAID FOR to someone else! They offered to either get the cooker from a store in the UK which if I were lucky, would be delivered in a month. Or I could have a green cooker. I didn't want the fecking green one but was so unsure as to whether I would actually get the blue one that I took it.

That green cooker sat sneering at me in our kitchen for 8 years.

Friends have had similar experiences with them. I will never shop there again.

melpomene · 07/03/2011 20:33

We bought our stereo/surround sound system from Richer Sounds a few years ago. Ordered it at the shop (about a mile from our home) and they said they would deliver and gave us an online tracking number.

Over the next week or so we tracked the progress of our stereo system online. I can't remember the exact details, but after starting out near our home in Cambridge it went something like this: up to Leicester, then down to High Wycombe, then to London, then up to Manchester, then finally back to Cambridge.

Maybe they have improved their efficiency since then though.

I think that the OP definitely has grounds for complaint (the store clearly made a mistake charging her when it was out of stock, and she was inconvenienced as a result of their mistake). When she gets through to the store she should ask for compensation, voucher of £10/20 might be appropriate compensation IMO.

MikeStand · 07/03/2011 20:37

Fourth recommendation for richer sounds. Excellent service, knowledgeable staff.

Pterosaur · 07/03/2011 20:43

Fifth for Richer Sounds (Cheltenham this time).

Original poster
unsurevalentine · 07/03/2011 20:43

I may try them - its not like I was spending a small amount of money either it is a big purchase for me £600 and they couldn't give two shits....

OP posts:
TotorosOcarina · 07/03/2011 20:45

why did you refuse home delivery only to get a refund, go home and order it for home delivery Confused

FabbyChic · 07/03/2011 20:45

Unfortunately it cannot be an instant refund, it comes from your card, it takes up to 24 hours to be taken from your card it has to go through that process first, then the refund goes through, no doubt the debit will be showing on your statement the same day the credit shows.

Surely you know that no card refund is instant? It never is, it is not physically possible.

Original poster
unsurevalentine · 07/03/2011 20:46

Because it was cheaper on Amazon....

OP posts:
Original poster
unsurevalentine · 07/03/2011 20:46

I didn't know that Fabby I was unsure which is why I asked and was assured it would be instant....

OP posts:
deste · 07/03/2011 20:47

I would buy it in John Lewis they give you a 5 year guarantee and price match.

TotorosOcarina · 07/03/2011 20:48

oh sorry!

i thought you came home and ordered it from curries again!

perhapstomorrow · 07/03/2011 20:51

Had a vaguely similar experience with PC World (part of same group as Curry's). Reserved an item then drove 30 mins to get it and guess what - not in stock! Really annoying.

I would also say Richer Sounds. Brilliant. Really helpful, we were even able to return an item when we then found it didn't have all the features we would have liked (down to an impulse buy and not being sold the wrong thing). They also priced matched with Amazon's price which was a bit cheaper.

catinthehat2 · 07/03/2011 20:52

Richer sounds 5y gtee is around £10-15, and this is highly unlikely to tip the balance toward JL for price

FabbyChic · 07/03/2011 20:53

They should never have taken your money, I would make a complaint about that.

loflo · 07/03/2011 20:55

We had the same situation perhaps tomorrow. And I moaned so much at customer services they gave me 20p per mile for an 80 mile round trip.

LoveMyGirls · 07/03/2011 20:57

I hate currys. Brought a fridge that broke within 12mths, they said they would take it be repaired but refused to lend us a fridge in the meantime Hmm so while my pretty much brand new but knackered fridge was being repaired I was meant to do what?

In the end being very very heavily pregnant I went down and sat in the shop threatening to bring the papers down if they didn't sort out a mini fridge so I could at least keep milk in there and my daughters antibiotics.

I will NOT EVER shop there ever again. Customer service is so crap!

Swipe left for the next trending thread