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Can't believe what happened

post #1 of 8
12/9/10 at 9:03pm
Thread Starter 
I cannot believe what has just happened.

Got a laptop on-line from www.comet.co.uk and decide to take it back to store because I wasn't happy with it. They said I could do this when I spoke to them before ordering.

First the store tells me they will not take it back and when I insist they say they must 'search my hard drive to make sure I have not put any illegal images on it before they can process the refund!'

I almost smacked him one but held my nerve. He then called some guy over who proceeded to look at my browsing history before giving me a refund. All this happened in front of a queue of customers at the customer service desk. I thought I was going to explode with embarrassment. They made me feel like a criminal.

What can I do about this. And I don't mean just make a complaint. Is this legal?

Appreciate your comments.
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post #2 of 8
12/9/10 at 9:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by HelpIamAngry View Post
I cannot believe what has just happened.

Got a laptop on-line from www.comet.co.uk and decide to take it back to store because I wasn't happy with it. They said I could do this when I spoke to them before ordering.

First the store tells me they will not take it back and when I insist they say they must 'search my hard drive to make sure I have not put any illegal images on it before they can process the refund!'

I almost smacked him one but held my nerve. He then called some guy over who proceeded to look at my browsing history before giving me a refund. All this happened in front of a queue of customers at the customer service desk. I thought I was going to explode with embarrassment. They made me feel like a criminal.

What can I do about this. And I don't mean just make a complaint. Is this legal?

Appreciate your comments.
I live in the US and don't know the law in the UK, but it certainly sound like a massive and completely inappropriate invasion of privacy, especially since the store will have to wipe the hard drive before reselling it anyway. Whoever did that should be fired.
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post #3 of 8
12/10/10 at 1:25pm
Pure and simple lousy customer services. Too bad because a few members here did have some good support from them.

2nd Djembe above - fire the turkey

cheers ...
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post #4 of 8
12/10/10 at 5:50pm
No, it's simply a sales assistant covering himself... If you buy a product online and don't like it you have seven days to return it for a complete refund (minus postage)... You will also find online and high street shops bearing the same name sometimes work independently of each other... To take it back to a store without calling first is also bad form and can lead to unnecessary confrontation over who is right and who is wrong...

I am not standing up for the big retailer, but do know from experience what 'misunderstandings' happen in these situations.. Bear in mind if the product is not faulty the retailer will make a loss on it - how can you resell a used product at full price if all that shows is an opened box? Also if returning a pc or laptop, run the recovery so the drive is cleared...

No offense mate, but I bet you got that treatment for being a bit bolshy with a sales assistant...
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post #5 of 8
12/10/10 at 9:02pm
Thread Starter 
Hi Mr T,

I understand what you say but:
The online and high street shop are very much the same company with the same boss.
The person I was discussing the matter with in the store had nothing to 'cover himself' for. He had no commission to lose etc.

So why did he employ such tactics? My guess - that is what he was trained to do.

By the way, if you knew me, you would understand that being bolshy is impossible. I am a timid frog. Even your profile picture scares me.

So why did a store and more than one employee use such apparently coordinated tactics. My guess - They have been trained to do so.

Look at this response to my identical post on a new forum in the UK. Coincidence? I am getting braver by the moment and I am considering going to the expense of legal advice.

I am interested in your opinion because you are understanding of the retailers position. If you still feel this way after my comments and reading the response on the other forum then please say but I am not prepared to let it go yet.

Read here: (I am grep) http://which-laptop.com/forum/8-lapt...met-manager#11
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post #6 of 8
12/10/10 at 9:13pm
Thread Starter 
The comment by CF2 is what interested me. I have copied it below.

CF2 said

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This is not new. Many retailers have rogue policies to increase profitability.

That is, they have strategies they teach their staff to maintain or increase profitability but can be denied if necessary.

I happen to know that the BBC program Watchdog has received similar complaint(s) and that the UK Trading Standards and Data Protection Commissioner have files relating to the one you make about and about the same company. Add to this I have seen evidence that Hugh Harvey the Comet MD is at least complicit, at best, if not actually involved in these rogue policies.


Don't you wanna smack him?

The allegations that BBC Watchdog received was to do with threats to a customer, from a store manager, that they were looking for indecent images of children on his returned laptop - unless he decided he didn't want a refund instead.

Tough choice even if you are innocent especially if there is a crowd of staff and customers looking on.

I do not wish to verify my identity - sorry! So I understand if you need to delete this from your forum to avoid the wrath of Comet PLC but if you can pass my message of empathy to the original poster before you delete this that would be good.

CF2
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post #7 of 8
12/10/10 at 9:16pm
Thread Starter 
Coincidence? Or informal policy for avoiding refunds?
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post #8 of 8
12/11/10 at 4:10am
I would leave it... You have got your money back, just never ever buy anything from the store again, likewise tell your friends and family too... That is the strongest way to hurt them...

Bear in mind, most if not all stores, anywhere will refuse to refund on software - why? Because it can be copied, used or activated - too easy to fraud... They are well within their rights to do this.. If you buy a laptop with windows pre-installed they technically could refuse a refund due to 'software' (but I am sure trading standards and watchdog would have something to say)..

But that doesn't account for rude, ill informed staff... All he could have done is said, 'that's fine, I just need to check it over' and 5 minutes later you walk out with a refund and no embarrassment...

As I said, just don't go there any more and tell as many people as possible.. There are cheaper/better retailers and e-tailers out there (bear in mind, Currys/Comet/Dixons and PCWorld all pee in the same pot) and with the e-tailers bear in mind the distance selling rule...

Our shop is a small high street store and we do the utmost to give customer satisfaction, because we know word of mouth is the biggest advert in the world. If someone is bolshy they will get asked to leave and calm down which happens occasionally, but we still sort the problem out to their satisfaction and be nice.. If they return a non-faulty product, they may get charged a 're-stocking fee' and again this comes down to attitude.. So far, I have been sworn at, spat at and threatened with violence in this business (no joking esp at Computer Fairs) and I am not the only one, but I digress....

As I said, just leave it now, it just isn't worth losing sleep over it in the long run...
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