PC World are the biggest con merchants ever. Curry's aren't any better. Both shops are part of the same company - The Dixons Group.
DO NOT CONTEMPLATE BUYING ANYTHING FROM THOSE SHOPS.
Chances are, that you can get exactly the same product a hell of a lot cheaper online. The only downside is that you will have to wait a few days for it to arrive.
Curry's really pissed me off too. Here is a copy of an email I sent to them just now...
"Dear Sir/Madam,
I visited the Currys store in Cardiff Bay earlier this morning, and I
was looking at an item I was interested in purchasing. However, the
item in question I have found elsewhere for forty pounds cheaper, and
I was wondering if you could give me information regarding your
customer slogan 'We won't be beaten on price', which is displayed
throughout your stores.
I asked a member of staff if they could give me information about it,
but they didn't have much knowledge of it, and did not endeavour to
provide me with any verbal or written information.
I cannot find any information about it on the Currys website, so I
would be grateful if you could forward me information regarding your
promise that you 'won't be beaten on price'.
Yours faithfully,
JP"
-
scottishtv
- Posts: 764
- Joined: Thu 01 Apr, 2004 15.36
- Location: Edinburgh
I am a bit of king when it comes to complaining. A letter I sent to a local bus company seemed to have scared them so much that they sent a customer service rep round to my flat to chat about the 'problems' I was having, which was bizarre. It was all the usual stuff - buses over capacity, 10min service appearing every 45 minutes etc. I tend to find that letter writing (if you are still angry and willing to print off a letter) can often hassle companies more as they have to put a bit of effort in to reply to you by post.Jamez wrote:Curry's really pissed me off too. Here is a copy of an email I sent to them just now...
I did email Pot Noodle once, when the tomato sauce was missing from my Pot (it was a dare by a mate to see if I could get anything), and hey presto, £3 voucher. Doesn't sound much, but it did get me 5 more of the said Pots for nowt.
As for PC World - I do think we need to start a war on the terror they cause. I was last in a store after Christmas where only one cashier was on a till and had a massive queue snaking around the store. The store manager (when questioned) said he was short-staffed, yet there were countless other staff who were swanning around trying to hassle customers into buying stuff. In the end, the security guard felt so embarrassed about the 20 minute wait (a lot of the transactions were refunds) that he was going up and down the queue apologising. He was the only guy that seemed to show any leadership or customer service training.
Maybe we should flashmob PC World stores and all complain at once - they can't 'remove' us all then.
Well, the bloke who I spoke to at PC World at Culverhouse Cross in Cardiff (it's opposite the ITV Wales buildings), was incredibly rude. He kept looking at my clothes so much I had to say "Do you think I'm bugged or something?", and he replied "Err...you could be". To which I then replied "Yeah, damn right I'm bugged. This shop and your attitude is terrible. That sign there says 'stamping down on prices'. That's obviously a lie, isn't it!"
Oh, and there was another instance of when I purchased music editing software for £50, but it didn't work at all. Not even on any of my mate's computers. So I took it back a couple of weeks later to demand a refund, and the bloke said "Sorry, you can only bring software back under xx days unless it's faulty". So I explained that the CD/Software was faulty, and he went off for ages behind this glass office and sat there for ages trying to get it to work, and it didn't. So eventually after a hell of a lot of bantering between him and me, he agreed to give me a refund on my debit card.
The refund never appeared on my bank statement, and that was November 2003. Fucking disgusting behavior.
Oh, and there was another instance of when I purchased music editing software for £50, but it didn't work at all. Not even on any of my mate's computers. So I took it back a couple of weeks later to demand a refund, and the bloke said "Sorry, you can only bring software back under xx days unless it's faulty". So I explained that the CD/Software was faulty, and he went off for ages behind this glass office and sat there for ages trying to get it to work, and it didn't. So eventually after a hell of a lot of bantering between him and me, he agreed to give me a refund on my debit card.
The refund never appeared on my bank statement, and that was November 2003. Fucking disgusting behavior.
User Removed
PC World are occasionally a good store to buy from. Granted their CS isn't too good, but if you don't want the hassle of having to wait in or get someone else to wait in for your package from the courier or want to use the item on the very same day or simply don't want the hassle of having to send the whole lot back if it doesn't work or comes with missing parts, then I would rather fork out an extra £5 and go there.Jamez wrote:PC World are the biggest con merchants ever. Curry's aren't any better. Both shops are part of the same company - The Dixons Group.
DO NOT CONTEMPLATE BUYING ANYTHING FROM THOSE SHOPS.
Chances are, that you can get exactly the same product a hell of a lot cheaper online. The only downside is that you will have to wait a few days for it to arrive.
For example I bought a printer last year for £85 from there (it was on special offer). Online, when coupled with "economy" 3 day delivery would have taken the prices to around the same level, if not a few pounds more - and everywhere I kept looking for this printer online, people were experiencing problems with the manuals, power cables, box and driver CDs all being supplied in French/German or with an "EU" plug, and I didn't want the hassle of having to source the manuals and drivers online together with the fact I had to buy another power lead - which my local independent electrical store (nowhere else around here) would have cost me the best part of £7.
When I went to PC World and got the printer, although the sign still said £85 they were going to sell it to me for £99 because the promotion had ended, but the guy at the till after a bit of haggling offered to reduce it for me to the price on the stand. Result.
Generally, I will go to the place with the lowest price and most convenience, but not at the risk of bad customer service if it's a big purchase. Of course, this usually means online most of the time, but if it's cheaper in the shops and comes with what I want, then I'll go there instead.
How about this one. Back in the 90s, I bought an early digital camera from PC World in Guildford. The item wasn't in stock but I paid the £350 or so and was promised that I would be called when new stock was received.
The call came but when I got to the store, only one camera had been received and some clot had sold my camera to another customer. A few days later, the same thing happened but I finally got my new toy on the fifth visit to the store.
I thought I was a happy bunny until I got my Amex bill and found that I had been charged three times for the camera. The store blamed head office for the error and head office blamed the store. Back to the store who helpfully advised me to take the matter up with Amex.
The whole matter took three months, a letter to trading standards and threats of legal action to resolve.
I have not set foot in a Dixons Retail Group store since (note - group companies are PC World, Curry's Dixons and The Link).
The call came but when I got to the store, only one camera had been received and some clot had sold my camera to another customer. A few days later, the same thing happened but I finally got my new toy on the fifth visit to the store.
I thought I was a happy bunny until I got my Amex bill and found that I had been charged three times for the camera. The store blamed head office for the error and head office blamed the store. Back to the store who helpfully advised me to take the matter up with Amex.
The whole matter took three months, a letter to trading standards and threats of legal action to resolve.
I have not set foot in a Dixons Retail Group store since (note - group companies are PC World, Curry's Dixons and The Link).
Reply from Currys...
Thank you for your email
Currys price match policy states that if you can find exactly the same
product else where for less from one of our competitors will reduce
our price by 110% of the difference. The product must be available to buy
immediately from our competitors store, and that store must be within 10
miles of the Currys store where you are asking for the price match.
The price match does not apply to on line, telesales, opening or closing
down offer, ex-display items or managers specials.
Kindest Regards
Thank you for your email
Currys price match policy states that if you can find exactly the same
product else where for less from one of our competitors will reduce
our price by 110% of the difference. The product must be available to buy
immediately from our competitors store, and that store must be within 10
miles of the Currys store where you are asking for the price match.
The price match does not apply to on line, telesales, opening or closing
down offer, ex-display items or managers specials.
Kindest Regards
User Removed
Not forgetting Mastercare.Crocks wrote:I have not set foot in a Dixons Retail Group store since (note - group companies are PC World, Curry's Dixons and The Link).
I try to avoid going to any of their stores at all costs; I'd only go in desperation if a part were needed urgently.
As an aside, why every time I go there is the checkout chocked with goons buying the latest Packard Bell machine? I never seem to see any other models being bought.
Is is just thick Geordies, or are PC World salespeople actually on commission to sell PB computers?
Why are Dixons and Currys seperate companies? Don't they sell practically the same thing? Or am I missing something?
Dixons, Currys & PC World are owned by the same company, and have identitical prices in all 3 shops. Their websites are almost identitical (apart from colour-schemes).Psythor wrote:Why are Dixons and Currys seperate companies? Don't they sell practically the same thing? Or am I missing something?
Evil shops!
User Removed
Currys sell household goods as well as a limited range of electronics, Dixon's don't.Psythor wrote:Why are Dixons and Currys seperate companies? Don't they sell practically the same thing? Or am I missing something?
I would possibly say that Dixons are mainly high street shops with Currys mainly in retail parks
If you avoid Dixons Group, there's only really Comet left on the high street