Consumer Rights - Taking Back something you dont like...

andyr

Hi everyone. Hope i have the right group and have come to the right place.

Does anyone know (in a very easy to understand way for a thicko
like me to understand) how I would stand with this i.e. what right have I got as a consumer.

The story goes like this.

Last week I got a Lexsor 27" Widescreen LCD TV from Currys at 649.00 Euro. I was pretty happy with it when I first got it out of the box except now after
a week of having it I am starting to not like a couple of things. Some
things are just niggly and stupid reasons (I don't like the remote) and
others are just the silly design manufacturing features (picture seems
'jerky' in places) and bad speaker sound and just a couple of other niggly
things which most probably would not bother other people but it bothers me.
I would say I am happy with it but about 80 percent not fully. Now seeing as
the cost of it (the 649.00 is a lot of money to me, to some others its most
probably not a lot) and seeing as I plan to have this TV a very long time I
would like to be more than 80 percent happy with it.

Today I go into Currys sister store, PC World just up the road, and see a
Polaroid 26" LCD TV for the same price 649.00 Euro and they only seem to
have just got that in. Its not for sale in Currys. I like the remote control
better I like the onscreen display better it has better sound and looks
better made than the Lexsor in places and more of thought gone into the
design and working of the TV. Had I seen that one last week I would have
ended up buying that one I reckon!

I know they are both 2 very obscure brands (well Polariod have been well
known name for years but for instant cameras! not TV's) but I cannot afford
the likes of Samsung Sony or Philips or LG (which is a shame).

How do I stand now as a consumer having just bought this Lexsor set and
having it for just over a week on taking it back? - or have I not a leg to
stand on and its my tough luck and that is the way life goes and that's just
what happens. I can tell what I think and that is I have no chance of taking
it back and getting a refund unless there is an actual fault with the Lexsor
and even then they will most probably say they would have to send it off for
repair or something.

You can never fully try these things out properly in the shops (as it was
when I was trying it out the staff were giving me piercing looks!) and so
you get it home and try it out and if it is not to your liking what can you
do? - I mean I still think I have a right to be happy with it seeing as I am
going to use it for years to come. If I am a bit unhappy with things for
just having it over a week how am I going to feel later on?

So how does things stand if you have something for a while and decide you
are not 100 percent happy with it? - has the consumers got any rights to
take it back? - anyone very up on these kind of things and have been in the
same situation as me? - have they successfully taken something back and got
a refund OK from Currys after having it for over a week? Love to hear about
it.

Please don't point me to these complicated consumer law websites because I
don't understand all the jargon. I am just looking for a simple yes or no or
maybe or what conditions a place has to take something back for a refund or
if they have to give some kind of cooling off period by law. I paid by
credit card if that has any baring on things I don't know whether that has
any effect or not?

Cheers for advice.

Andy.

John R

Unless the product is faulty or it is not what it was advertised as then you have no right to a refund.

Some stores offer a no-questions refund for a certain amount of time but this usually only applies if the product is unopened and re-saleable.

admiralofthefleet

yeah, you can only get a refund if there is a fault, not if you change your mind.
http://www.odca.ie
thats for the office of the director of consumer affairs

SeanW

You could always try them but they're under no obligation to give you your money back.

Check any reciepts or other materials you got from the store to see if they have a returns policy.

You might get lucky.

andyr

Thanks for the replies folks. - I bet thats it then I am stuck. Its my own fault I know I should have looked more into it. You can only check items so much in the shop though. Its when you get it home and have a long play with these things do you know whether you are going to like /get on with these products though. - Shame there isn't no 'cooling off periods' on any of this stuff so that if you try it out but return it all back in its original packaging as it was and pick something else but i suppose no firm is going to offer that.

Years ago the big UK catalogues used to give 14 days and would take stuff back (not TV's I don't think though) even if it was opened and 'tried out' .

cheers anyway for the replies I will just have to bite the bullet! - next time I should not jump in with both feet and make the same mistake again. Impulse buying eh?

DublinEvents

Whenever you are ready to to plop down a large amount of cash on something, always do your homework by researching all the pros and cons of the thing you are going to buy. Check out reviews. Ponder on the specs. Ask around for any bad experiences with that particular product etc. If you are just going to go into a shop and buy something coz it looks good to you, you will end up regretting your decision.

And the sales staff giving you piercing looks for checking out the equipment? Well that's your right. You have to find out if this is the stuff you really want. They should actually be grateful that you are interested in their product enough to want to check it thoroughly.

oleras

andyr wrote:

Years ago the big UK catalogues used to give 14 days and would take stuff back (not TV's I don't think though) even if it was opened and 'tried out' .

Argos offer this service if i remember correctly.....seem to remember reading about some guy who kinda lived his electrical life by having a different tv every 27 days..... all free of course, because in the end he just asked for his money back, free hire purchase.....:D

andyr

oleras wrote:

Argos offer this service if i remember correctly.....seem to remember reading about some guy who kinda lived his electrical life by having a different tv every 27 days..... all free of course, because in the end he just asked for his money back, free hire purchase.....:D

After a while of coming across someone who repeatedly buys stuff and sends it back would they not cop on and ban a person like this from their stores?

oleras

andyr wrote:

After a while of coming across someone who repeatedly buys stuff and sends it back would they not cop on and ban a person like this from their stores?

Why? they offer a 28 day unconditional money back policy. your just playing the game afterall......

mcaul

From PC World (sister company of currys)

19. If you change your mind we may take goods back at our discretion if they are unopened, unused and in perfect condition. There will be a handling charge of 15% of the purchase price or €30 (whichever is greater) plus a collection charge of €10 for this service.



If you still have all the box & packaging and can put everything back in an "as new" condition, you may get the manager on a good day and have him agree to a product swap.

Best option is to approach without the goods and ask if there was a possibility to swap the set you have for a different set. Let him / her know that it is in the original packaging and that when you brought it home someone recommended a different set that is stocked in Currys - i'd say 80% chance of getting a swap. - Go early in the week when they are quiet.

andyr

Well the latest is that I have emailed the DSG customer services department and told them of my predicament. I was honest and told them that I felt I couldn't try it out fully in the shop and its only having a real good go at the TV at home for a while that I have found some things I am not personally happy with and have asked for an exchange and asked if they had a 28day refund/exchange policy or not.

The answer more than likely could be no but I mean it does not hurt to try and there is 2 ways it can go.

Will let you know how I get on and the reply. Of course its only because of paying 649.00 Euro for the thing is that I am pushing it. If it were something that I had bought for 10 or 20 Euro and I wasn't happy with it I would most probably put up with it and just get on with it.

Start taking bets now everyone: will I get a 'yes you can exchange it' or a 'no you cannot exchange it' ?

Andy.