Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Money matters

Find financial and money-saving discussions including debt and pension chat on our Money forum. If you're looking for ways to make your money to go further, sign up to our Moneysaver emails here.

Original poster

Argos refusing to exchange/refund portable dvd player

50 replies

fireflyfairy2 · 01/03/2007 10:19

Hi, I am posting this on behalf of my c/minder. They bought a portable dvd player for their oldest girl in Oct, for Xmas. They hadn't opened it or looked at it until their dd opened it on Xmas day.

Her dad went to put a dvd player in it, but it wouldn't go. They thought he was doing it wrong so they left it until s friend came over later. The friend couldn't get it to work either & advised them to take it back to Argos, which they did.

Argos staff opened it & told c/minder [& 8yr old dd] that it had been bought in October [even though c/minder kept saying No Santa brought it!] He said since they had it from October they had time in between to break it He then said the lazer that plays dvd's was missing [this explains why her dh & their friend couldn't get any dvds to play]

C/minder insisted that no-one had touched it & the lazer bit that was missing had in fact never been on it. There surely would be a mark, or some broken spoke or something if they had prised it off.. which there aren't.

Anyway, Under her instruction he send it off to some centre to be looked at, with the comment "Laser missing, looks as if this was pulled out"
It came back last week & she hadn't time to pick it up, she minds every day, so her SIL picked it up yesterday, the comment by the engineer was "Not repaired - Laser missing. External force would be required to make this happen"

Now, c/minder said that there was never a laser on the dvd player, they had never seen a dvd player before so aren't aware of what it should look like anyway, & the dvd player was like this when it was removed from box on Xmas morning.

When c/minder asked head office for the number of the company that makes the dvd players they refused to give her it.

They said the brand was only made for Argos. They no longer exchange or refund on electrical goods.

I have been onto CAB this morning,but their phone has been engaged. c/minder is in a bad way, it cost £130 & her dd has been without her main xmas gift.

Does anyone know what she could do? I am going to keep calling CAB on her behalf.

OP posts:
Original poster
fireflyfairy2 · 01/03/2007 10:31

Anyone? Mrs Badger, font of all knowledge???

OP posts:
BLWisbest · 01/03/2007 10:34

Whatever happened to the customer is always right?!

She needs to get Argos head office number and call them.
Shout and scream until she's heard.

Thats appauling.

TwirlyN · 01/03/2007 10:35

Can't give any advise other than i just had a quick look at consumeraffairs.com. you might find something helpful there, sorry FFF2 best i could do

Original poster
fireflyfairy2 · 01/03/2007 10:37

BLW, It was Argos head office who refused to give her the number of Venturer company who makes the dvd players.

I may look them up on the net actually!!

I will look at the site thanks TwirlyN

OP posts:
gscrym · 01/03/2007 10:37

Whatever the make of the DVD player is, google the company to get the info. They may have had other complaints. Also tell Argos you're going to discuss the situation with trading standards. I thought Argos guaranteed stuff for a year after purchase.

gscrym · 01/03/2007 10:40

Venturer Enquiry Form

BLWisbest · 01/03/2007 10:40

Ahh right, sorry.

zippitippitoes · 01/03/2007 10:42

it is argos who are responsible always the retailer

goods not fit for purpose

if you have house insurance with legal expenses ring them

or if it was paid by credit card contact card issuer

clairejo · 01/03/2007 10:42

I am not sure on the law but i work in an electrical shop and as far as our policy works over xmas is that if you buy anything from october we will presume it is a xmas pressie and treat it as if only opened on xmas day. I would ring HO. it is her word against the store band I would not back down

Original poster
fireflyfairy2 · 01/03/2007 10:42

Thanks Gscrym, That form won't let me put Ireland in, it seems to be just states in Canada!

My CAB is always engaged. I am sorely tempted to call Argos head office for her again... She already put in a complaint about the way she was treated in store.

OP posts:
Original poster
fireflyfairy2 · 01/03/2007 10:44

I have her receipt in front of me here. It was paid by Maestro card.

OP posts:
clairejo · 01/03/2007 10:45

Also all electrical items are guaranteed for 1 year after purchase. You may find the company ho made it will say its not their problem. your contract is with argos. and argos's contract is with the dvd player company

gscrym · 01/03/2007 10:46

Try the e-mail sddress. They may tell you how to deal with european enquiries.

[email protected]

gscrym · 01/03/2007 10:49

We bought a DVD player from the Co-op (it was Goodmans) and it packed in a couple of weeks after the warrenty expired. DH phoned them up and they said that although they couldn't do anything under warrenty, they could send us a recon one for £30. Sometimes it can help to phone the suplier. Good luck with it though.

zippitippitoes · 01/03/2007 10:49

ok the purchaser has to complain to the store within a reasonable time

they my try to catch her on this

the credit card company is jointly liable with argos if it is a credit card

within the first six months the burden of proof lies with the retailer to prove it was not faulty

Saggarmakersbottomknocker · 01/03/2007 10:54

You could try the supplier.

We had a Medion portable DVD player. It had a two year manufacturer's guarantee. When it broke after about 18 months they replaced it free of charge. Came the next day - bloody marvellous customer service!

Original poster
fireflyfairy2 · 01/03/2007 10:56

I have written an email, but it won't give me an email address!

I just called c/minder & she said head office said they do not exchange dvd players, portable players or videocameras as they have no proof the customer hadn't used them.

OP posts:
Original poster
fireflyfairy2 · 01/03/2007 10:57

Oh Gsycrm, thankyou!!!!!

Will read rest of replies in a minute!

OP posts:
zippitippitoes · 01/03/2007 10:59

it doesn't matter if you used it muppets if it's faulty

Saggarmakersbottomknocker · 01/03/2007 11:02

It's faulty so it doesn't matter that it's been used. You wouldn't know it was faulty if you hadn't used it.

Original poster
fireflyfairy2 · 01/03/2007 11:08

Am on phone to HO am furious

OP posts:
Original poster
fireflyfairy2 · 01/03/2007 11:11

Becky will call me back within the next 10/15 mins. I said the way she was dealt with was appalling & I am furious. She was a lovely girl who said she will contact the store & call me back.

I think c/minder was more annoyed at the guy saying over & over again "You bought it in October!!" & her 8yr old was saying "Mum didn't buy it, Santa did"

OP posts:
TwirlyN · 01/03/2007 11:13

FFF2 have you tried cab in another area, you don't have to stick to you local one over the phone. Also only a thought, if Venturer are Canadian, and you can get a number for them, i would maybe try thatroute, as the USA are great when it comes to faulty goods. We have sent quite a few things back, none of the hassle your cm is getting, they just simple replace goods.

Original poster
fireflyfairy2 · 01/03/2007 11:25

Becky called the store & they said the engineer said it wasn't a production fault & had to have been broken by c/minder. Am holding for a manager.

OP posts:
zippitippitoes · 01/03/2007 11:27

ff they have to prove that