Littlewoods and "Water Resistant" Watches

Gavin "shels" · 03-07-2009 5:17pm #1

So the parents bought me a watch for the Christmas just gone and on Thursday morning I got caught up in that thunder and lightening monsoon rain at 3am, so anyway under the face there is moist/damp and it won't dry out, even had the watch in a lunchbox of rice to try drying it out but that didn't work in the end.

So rang up Littlewoods today and they said to send it back to them and they'll see if there's a fault with it, the watch is marked as "50m water resistant" so what happens if they say there isn't a fault? What route can I go down, etc...

This is the watch http://www.littlewoodsireland.ie/rf/lwi/p.do/gent-s-bracelet-watch?Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&SNtt=Ben+Sherman&groupId=554999618&Nu=pca_id&SNtk=generic_search&Np=1&SN=107+85&Ntt=554999618&D=554999618&Ntk=group_search&Dx=mode%2bmatchall&thisprod=554999618&N=107+85&Nty=1&Mis_item_id=15&Mis_item_loc_id=1&product=554999618

Note - I've never worn this watch in a shower, bath, swimming pool, etc...

Oryx · 03-07-2009 5:25pm

If you want to try and prevent harm to a watch that is damp the safest thing to do is keep wearing it while your waiting to bring it back. Dont open the watch back or attempt to get in to dry it yourself.

Re the damp, if its an analogue watch with a winder, could the winder have been left pulled out (as in when youre setting it) at any stage? Or did you have the back off for battery replacement, ever?

Regardless, if the watch is marked as 50m wr, then it hasnt done its job, and littlewoods 'should' repair it for you, as it is not as described. (Though in my experience a lot of watches have that written on them that are not sealed to that degree at all.)

Bring it back and see how you get on. Usually a fault like this is as a result of a dodgy seal, the winder pulled out, or a rapid change in temperature.

Gavin "shels" · 03-07-2009 6:02pm

Cheers for the reply.;)

Oryx wrote: »

If you want to try and prevent harm to a watch that is damp the safest thing to do is keep wearing it while your waiting to bring it back. Dont open the watch back or attempt to get in to dry it yourself.

Why do you suggest this?

Oryx wrote: »

Re the damp, if its an analogue watch with a winder, could the winder have been left pulled out (as in when youre setting it) at any stage? Or did you have the back off for battery replacement, ever?

Regardless, if the watch is marked as 50m wr, then it hasnt done its job, and littlewoods 'should' repair it for you, as it is not as described. (Though in my experience a lot of watches have that written on them that are not sealed to that degree at all.)

Bring it back and see how you get on. Usually a fault like this is as a result of a dodgy seal, the winder pulled out, or a rapid change in temperature.

The winder wasn't out, no. And there has never been a battery replacement.

Would this be repairable?

tallaghtoutlaws · 03-07-2009 8:58pm

Gavin that happened with me before with a very expensive brand of watch while in the US. Got caught in a thunderstorm and got the moisture on the inside of the glass. Brought it to a main dealer in Chicago and he told me the 50m means that the mechanism will still work at 50m but the problem is the glass as it will always fog up.

I was completely baffled by this. My watch still worked but like you tried every method to get rid of the moisture and to no avail. watch was no good if I couldn't see the hands. I end up having to argue with the maker of the watch. As I have a few of their watches and had them registered with them they sorted me out with a swap. If you dont get joy with the shop just go straight to the makers of it. To me and you and everyone else 50m means 50m.

Hope it works out for you.

Gavin "shels" · 04-07-2009 4:16am

Cheers for the advice. I've worn the watch as Oryx suggested and all the moisture has gone into the centre of the watch. If it doesn't go by Monday afternoon I plan to return it and fight my cause to get it repaired or a replacement/refund. I'll keep the thread updated though.;)

Oryx · 04-07-2009 11:36am

You dont open it so that you dont get fresh air in, which would accelerate any rusting thats going on. You wear it to keep it at body temp. Its a funny thing, watches that are otherwise ok, seem to develop this fault in summer rainstorms.

Youre as well to bring it back so a watchmaker can check it for any moisture damage. Modern quartz watches have a lot of plastic in them, so can escape pretty well, but the electronics can corrode, so its best to have it checked and dried properly. They should also check the watchback and winder seals in case they are perished or pinched.

Gavin "shels" · 04-07-2009 2:26pm

Cheers again for the reply. I'm just going to post it back to Littlewoods on Monday and let them sort it out.

Gavin "shels" · 20-07-2009 6:40pm

So 2 weeks since I posted and there was no word, rang up today and the girl wouldn't talk to me as I'm not the account holder so got my mam to ring up there and just sort it, but well after a few mins of your man basically not trying to help in anyway I got on the phone.;)

Basically they credited the account our account with €55 as they deemed the watch faulty and unfixable, which for the watch and belt set back in November we paid €89 for so them telling me the belt cost €34 I wasn't having none of it. The belt alone now on there website is €74 which I'm now aiming to get, but him nor he manager couldn't make that decision and now instead I have to wait up to 48 hours for a phonecall telling me what the story is.

Summary basically, no communication at all from Littlewoods to me, no effort to help customers, no answers, employees who are talking out of their you know where and wouldn't put me onto a manager. Basically not a hope in hell I'll be giving these any custom again (unless they get my watch back in stock).

Just to clarify, the item is faulty and is valued €74 by them, therefore if they can't produce me a replacement I should be entitled to the €74 or at least send the belt back and get my €89?

MOH · 21-07-2009 10:19am

Gavin shels wrote: »

So 2 weeks since I posted and there was no word, rang up today and the girl wouldn't talk to me as I'm not the account holder so got my mam to ring up there and just sort it, but well after a few mins of your man basically not trying to help in anyway I got on the phone.;)

Basically they credited the account our account with €55 as they deemed the watch faulty and unfixable, which for the watch and belt set back in November we paid €89 for so them telling me the belt cost €34 I wasn't having none of it. The belt alone now on there website is €74 which I'm now aiming to get, but him nor he manager couldn't make that decision and now instead I have to wait up to 48 hours for a phonecall telling me what the story is.

Summary basically, no communication at all from Littlewoods to me, no effort to help customers, no answers, employees who are talking out of their you know where and wouldn't put me onto a manager. Basically not a hope in hell I'll be giving these any custom again (unless they get my watch back in stock).

Just to clarify, the item is faulty and is valued €74 by them, therefore if they can't produce me a replacement I should be entitled to the €74 or at least send the belt back and get my €89?

Wait, if the belt is €74 now and the whole lot is €89 are they not saying the watch is only €15 ?

dudara · 21-07-2009 10:31am

Were the watch and belt sold as a set?

jor el · 21-07-2009 11:17am

Gavin shels wrote: »

Just to clarify, the item is faulty and is valued €74 by them, therefore if they can't produce me a replacement I should be entitled to the €74 or at least send the belt back and get my €89?

They've accepted that the watch is faulty, they should therefore refund the full purchase amount, not credit an account, and not for a partial amount.

Hagar · 21-07-2009 11:23am

Tell them you are prepared to also return the belt as part of the set and seek a full refund.

dudara · 21-07-2009 12:22pm

Hagar wrote: »

Tell them you are prepared to also return the belt as part of the set and seek a full refund.

Breaking up a set is not really a good idea, so by returning the belt, they will have to refund you in full.

Gavin "shels" · 21-07-2009 3:28pm

First off cheers for the replies, just took out the oul Leaving Cert Business book to refresh myself on the Sales of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980.

MOH wrote: »

Wait, if the belt is €74 now and the whole lot is €89 are they not saying the watch is only €15 ?

Other way around my man. But they've only credited me €55 for the watch, saying that they think the value of the belt is €34.

dudara wrote: »

Were the watch and belt sold as a set?

Yup.

jor el wrote: »

They've accepted that the watch is faulty, they should therefore refund the full purchase amount, not credit an account, and not for a partial amount.

Hagar wrote: »

Tell them you are prepared to also return the belt as part of the set and seek a full refund.

dudara wrote: »

Breaking up a set is not really a good idea, so by returning the belt, they will have to refund you in full.

That's my plan now really, unless when the big boys in Littlewoods ring me tomorrow they have a better offer, otherwise they can have the belt back.

Gavin "shels" · 23-07-2009 5:30pm

So no reply yet from Littlewoods, so rang them up today but well they wouldn't talk to me as I'm not the account holder and the mother (who is) just jetted off to Portugal for 2 weeks this morning so now I have to get her to ring them up, get me on as a 3rd party on the account and when that's done I have to ring them back up and get onto the advisers.

chasm · 23-07-2009 7:51pm

Gavin shels wrote: »

So no reply yet from Littlewoods, so rang them up today but well they wouldn't talk to me as I'm not the account holder and the mother (who is) just jetted off to Portugal for 2 weeks this morning so now I have to get her to ring them up, get me on as a 3rd party on the account and when that's done I have to ring them back up and get onto the advisers.

if you know the account number you could always email them at : queries@littlewoodsireland.ie.
They are not my favourite company at the moment as im overdue a delivery of furniture and the house is in a heap because of it. There customer services are a joke anyway so if you can avoid speaking to them then i would. The guy as good as accused me of lying about not receiving my delivery because it said delivered on the tracking system, and when i persisted his tracking system suddenly came up as delivered to dublin, by the time i got off the phone the delivery was actually still at beehive depot in the UK. They are a joke My sister lives in the uk and she ordered the same thing as me about a week after i did- she has received hers already -with might i add 52 weeks interest free credit! Rant over

Gavin "shels" · 24-07-2009 4:18pm

I'm just waiting on the "advisors" to ring me to discuss why I wasn't refunded what I should have been, so not much point in me emailing customer service plus I much prefer talking to them on the phone as it usually get things sorted out there and then.

Just waiting on my mam to ring up Littlewoods to get me on as a 3rd party on the account so I can finally get this crap sorted.

Gavin "shels" · 09-08-2009 11:22pm

Finally it's nearly sorted, a month after I phoned and sent the watch back I was told to post the belt back aswell, which I done on Friday in the GPO. Have my letter of complaint ready to post off during the week aswell and bought a different watch elsewhere in the end.

Just another question, can I request the refund to go onto my laser card? Or does it have to be credit?

GerardKeating · 09-08-2009 11:32pm

Gavin shels wrote: »

Just another question, can I request the refund to go onto my laser card? Or does it have to be credit?

Your options with any faultly items are

Repair
Replacement
Refund

If they elect you refund you, they cannot force you to accept store credit, it must be cash (or cheuqe/laser etc).

Gavin "shels" · 10-08-2009 3:03am

GerardKeating wrote: »

Your options with any faultly items are
Repair

Replacement

Refund

If they elect you refund you, they cannot force you to accept store credit, it must be cash (or cheuqe/laser etc).

Knew that's what it was in a store as per Sales of Goods and Supply of Services Act, but wasn't 100% sure it applied to online. Thanks for the reply, shall be having an oul phone call to rap this up tomorrow or Tuesday, finally!

Run_to_da_hills · 10-08-2009 4:34am

Stick the watch in the microwave for about 20 seconds, that should dry any moisture out of it.

Gavin "shels" · 10-08-2009 4:34pm

FFS up to 14 days now for them to check if the belt is ok? Seriously cut me some poxy slack, 5 weeks of being bollo*ked about with and then go and they me I have to wait up to 14 days as per the T&C's, jaysis well if that's the case I should have been told in the first place that I had to return the whole set, selective use of rules imo. Even got onto a manager to ask if there was anyway they could ring up the returns office and ask them to fast track it, no was the answer much to my annoyance.

5 weeks after the first phone call regarding this and I finally get communicated by Littlewoods informing me I had to return the belt, well you're a tad behind, I done that on Friday.

Last time I personnally buy anything from this shower.

They're also telling me I can't get it refunded onto my Laser card as 1) I paid by Credit Card and 2) The Debit Card in England is different and they can't use Laser cards.

And that know I can only get a cheque or it credited to my account.

Gavin "shels" · 02-09-2009 4:25pm

Finally sorted. All the money owed back onto the account. Plan is to get the money sent out as a cheque and close the account, biggest load of crap I've ever had to deal with.

Gavin "shels" · 30-10-2009 3:53pm

Finally got the cheque today, months later. Not even an apology with the cheque, have some letter typed up which will they'll be receiving soon.

Littlewoods and "Water Resistant" Watches

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