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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:

clairejo · 01/03/2007 11:36

if taken to trading standards it is her word against the store i think.

stleger · 01/03/2007 11:37

I'm amazed. I'm in Cork - Argos gave my dd a new dvd player after hers broke, probably 6 months in use. No questions asked. Tell the so and sos to sort out their rules! (I think in her case it was to do with charging it)

Original poster

fireflyfairy2 · 01/03/2007 11:40

They won't override the engineers report

The manager was lovely & advised me to write to the director & explain everything that has happened & it may be replaced.

Should I include the statement that the Argos employee said to c/minder? "You mean to tell me you have had this since October & you hadn't the brains to open it"

OP posts:

Original poster

fireflyfairy2 · 01/03/2007 11:45

I'm only in the North Stegler. & it was their head office in Milton Keynes I called.

OP posts:

pooka · 01/03/2007 11:46

Yes - you should include that.

I am appalled by this. What a shoddy excuse for customer service. Why on earth do they imagine your childminder would deliberately break the player!
Think you should also maybe show on the letter that you are cc'ing local trading standards and local paper as well.

Am so angry on your childminer's behalf. Did they give you the original dvd player back. How do you know that they haven't damamged it themselves? Could you maybe threaten second engineer's opinion with a bill for the cost/legal costs?

Good luck.

Original poster

fireflyfairy2 · 01/03/2007 11:49

Pooka, the mamanger I spoke to said she would advise 2 things.

Carry out an independent engineers report & if that says different from theirs then they will replace it. [But she doubted it would say different & that we would just end up paying for that]
Write to the directors office, put everything in writing, including the store's attitude. She said more often than not this is the way things get done & it should be replaced, either way they will get back to c/minder asap.

So I think I'll go into Uni early & compose a letter to the director, I feel so sorry for the 8yr old who still hasn't got using her dvd player & it's now the month of March!

OP posts:

zippitippitoes · 01/03/2007 11:49

ask advice of trading standards regarding an independent report

they must return the same player to you..did you take a serial number?

zippitippitoes · 01/03/2007 11:50

most unusual for a large store like argos to take this route it isdn't in their interests

Original poster

fireflyfairy2 · 01/03/2007 11:51

When I say we would end up paying, I mean c/minder. But on the phone to them I said it was my sister, so as not to seem odd...

OP posts:

Original poster

fireflyfairy2 · 01/03/2007 11:52

C/minder has the player. It came back yesterday from the engineer, that's why she only mentioned it to me today, as she was in a bad way when I dropped ds off at 9.30.

I am fuming for her, she is the nicest, most gentle & sincere woman you could find..why is it always the quiet ones gets done over?? I am more assertive so that's why she asked me if I could do anything..she just cries when she calls them.

The fella in store was really hateful to her though

OP posts:

sugarplumfairy · 01/03/2007 12:00

Is there a chance that somebody else initially bought this item, broke it and then took it back under the 16 day money back thing Argos do and then your c/m bought it, without it being checked at the store?

pooka · 01/03/2007 12:00

FGS, this is so unfair. I feel so sorry for your childminder's daughter.

Original poster

fireflyfairy2 · 01/03/2007 12:02

I don't know. Suppose we will never know. But can I put that in the letter too???? The manager told me to put that I can't prove it wasn't broken at factory or warehouse.. can they prove it She said to write "Why would I possible break off a laser, what good would it have done me?" Not in those words obviously.

OP posts:

sugarplumfairy · 01/03/2007 12:12

You could ask them if they would have had the same attitude if she had taken it back say within 28 days of purchase and it didn't work, so a reasonable amount of time to have bought something in advance of a bithday, but obviously lots of people buy stuff well in advance of Christmas so this must happen quite often.

Did they expect her to try it when she got home after shopping? How many of us do that really? We just assume the product works and if it doesn't either get a new one or get old one fixed.

JonesTheSteam · 01/03/2007 12:14

Portable DVD players are exempt from the 16 day return thing, I believe.

DH bought a portable DVD thing for SIL to give to her son for Christmas (to go in the car). She decided it wasn't suitable, and didn't even open it.

DH took it back and at first the guy refused to let him have his money back. It was obviously unopened though, so in the end he relented and DH had a refund.

The reason they are exempt, apparently, is that they have caught people buying them, taking them on holiday and using them, and then bringing them back (within the 16 day return thing).

Am annoyed on your CM's behalf though - if DVD is faulty it should be replaced. End of.

Original poster

fireflyfairy2 · 01/03/2007 12:18

The guy in shop asked her why she hadn't the brains to open it & look at it. Her son was going through tests @ hosp just before Xmas & it was the last thing on her mind. She buys from Argos all the time she said & never checks things.. But I guess this will be a lesson to me as well as her! I'll be checking everything as soon as I buy it!

I have her receipt here in front of me & it has the blue 16 day money back guarantee on it, but that's probably just what it says on the back of all receipts. She said when she took it back in Jan, before they sent it away, the fella in the shop told her they wouldn't exchange it or replace it as it was electrical & they had no way of proving she did not use it.

OP posts:

zippitippitoes · 01/03/2007 12:21

I would just stick to the facts

date purchased
date you tried to use it
state it doesn't play dvds so not fit for purpose
ask for refund
dates of contact with argos

store is required to prove it was not a prepurchase/manufacturing fault

contact card issuer
contact trading standards
see if house insurance includes legal cover

stleger · 01/03/2007 15:40

But fairyfly my dd's was broken, or ceased to function months after we got it. I can't see why it would be different policy between UK and Republic stores, both are covered by EU consumer law. Does Radio Ulster still have a consumer programme - if they do ring in, if not tell Argos you'll ring them! (And do CAB as well).

bubbly1973 · 01/03/2007 15:58

a bit of a long shot, but have you tried to get a refund from another branch of argos nearby?

once in a big store the woman behind the counter refused to change something saying that it was opened up , so i went upstairs and had my money back from another section!

a bit different in your case, but worth a try

stleger · 01/03/2007 16:52

Yer man in the shop also deserves a slap. Not in the running for customer service award!

Original poster

fireflyfairy2 · 01/03/2007 17:37

No, they were very definite on the phone. I have written the letter on her behalf & sent it. I think I sent it to myself also [from Uni pc] so will c&p here.

OP posts:

Original poster

fireflyfairy2 · 01/03/2007 17:38

If she wants to ring radio then she can do that herself I don't mind stroppy phone calls or narky letters, but won't go on radio for anyone!!

If it was myself I would be camped outside with placards!!!

OP posts:

supersox · 09/03/2007 17:42

Just to let you know that my dd had a portable dvd player for Christmas (purchased from Argos). In Feb it stopped working, so I returned it to Argos (without a receipt) and it was exchanged without quibble. In fact nobody even bothered to inspect it and it wasn't until I returned home, I realised we still had the remote control and other various bits! After another few weeks the second one developed a fault and was returned for a second no-quibble exchange. If this one goes wrong I will request a refund and won't leave the shop unless I get one!! Surely Argos must have the same exchange/refund policy in every store in the uk?

Fimbo · 09/03/2007 17:50

I would second the suggestion to try a different store.

My year old buggy broke on holiday last August and dh had to triapse about Poole looking for Argos! The woman was really snotty and unpleasant but did agree to change it for another buggy. She did ask for the receipt though and I thought yes you really take a receipt for a buggy on holiday don't you.

stleger · 09/03/2007 18:37

Surely the stores in the Province can't be one offs in rules - Republic, England do exchange!

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