Argos giving out different camera than the one that was bought

Cunning Alias

1. Was in argos with my mum today buying a camera for my little sisters birthday and the camera that they gave us was a completely different model to the one that we selected. Luckily we realised something was up a few minutes after collecting it.

When we went back to argos the customer service girl said that when you buy one you either get the one in the catalog or a similar model and that the casheer should have told us this.

She also said that the camera we were given was an alternative that the manufacturer sends them to sell as a similar model!

I worked in PC World for 2 years and I have never heard of this ever happening.

In the end there was no problem getting the one we ordered. We felt like they were just trying to fob off some camera that they had too much stock of. Just though people should be cautious when buying from them.

2. Another issue I had was that when we were paying for the camera the casheer said that under no circumstances do they do refunds on cameras under the 28 day rule, even if it hasnt been opened.

He explained that people were bringing back cameras that had been used, saying they were unopened and argos ended up getting in trouble for selling a new camera with pictures already on it.

I think this is fair enough as I have seen people try everything to return a used product but is it not breaking the law?

If a customer genuinely hasn't opened the product, has the reciept and it's under the 28 days, how can they legally turn them away?

Sorry, that was much longer than I thought it would be

foggy_lad

you should have been informed at time of purchase that you might be getting a different model which was of similar or better specification but might be cosmetically different. they often substitute products and yes it may be to use up stock which is not selling! also they should not have given you a different product when they had the camera you wanted in stock!

on a related topic i see they are having their end of catalogue sale but it is nothing special and has even less offers than last months specials!

they seem to be much dearer than normal stores then they knock a tenner off to make you feel like your getting a bargain lol

Arciphel

I think changes are afoot at argos. Before they never had an issue exchanging or refunding your money under the guarantee, but i noticed a bit of a hardening in their stance this week. I bought a DAB radio and ended up bringing it back later the same day as the reception on it was so crap. This woman who looked like the store manager told me off saying that they weren't under any obligation to take it back, even though I explained to her that it was not fit for purpose as the reception was terrible. When I then told her to read the back of her own receipt talking about the 30 day money back guarantee she got very sniffy with me. But I get the feeling in the current circumstances that a lot of people are returning stuff now that wouldn't have before. While this is a good thing for consumers, it seems that argos are suffering. I think they have a new catalog out soon, wouldn't be surprised if they change the wording of the money back guarantee or increase the number of items exempt form the guarantee in the new catalog.

Another thing in Argos is always make sure the item you get has a box that is still sealed - sometimes I have gotten goods and when I took them home and opened up the box it was obvious that somebody else had had the thing before me and then returned it.

Thoie

Cunning Alias wrote: »

If a customer genuinely hasn't opened the product, has the reciept and it's under the 28 days, how can they legally turn them away?

I'm sure it will say somewhere it doesn't affect your statutory rights. Their 28 take back policy is niceness, not law. Argos will take things back within 28 days, even if you've just changed your mind. If the camera was faulty/broken, then they'd still take it back, all he was saying is that it's not one of their "changed your mind" products. Similarly they won't take back things like earrings in case they've been worn, etc.

No retailer is legally obliged to refund you if you just don't want something anymore. Some will because they feel it helps them make more sales.

Kensington

1st case is certainly very dodgy! If a product was in stock, I'd expect to get what I ordered. If not, then I'd expect them to inform me, before I order the product, that I would be supplied with a different model.

Second case though, no shop is under any legal obligation whatsoever to take back a product if you've simply changed your mind, or find that it doesn't do what you wanted or thought it would do (not to be confused with a product not doing what it is advertised to do - in this case they must legally take back the product). You're not entitled to a refund, credit note or exchange in this case. Any shops that do offer this are simply doing so by their own store policy. A lot of the time, phones, cameras, DVD recorders etc. are all exempt since there was a case of one store selling on a previously returned item which was loaded with pornography.

smelltheglove

It is something argos do from time to time although anytime it has happened to me the product has been substituted with a better model.

I bought a camera for my sister as a wedding present 3 years ago and when Igave it to her she told me she had bought one herself the previous week! When I went to return it they would not take it back then either. I ended up with a camera worth a few hundred I did not need and no money to buy her a present the day before her wedding! But the thing is they were not in the wrong at all, which was a kick up the ass for me!

dudara

If there is a genuine problem with the camera, then they are obliged to repair/replace/refund at their discretion, as laid out in Consumer Law.

Argos used to be very good at accepting returns for no *real* reason, but given the current climate, I wouldn't be surprised if they tightened up on that policy.

wmpdd3

When I bought my slr and video camera 10 years ago in argos they had that exemption. At the time it was a 16 day change of mind return policy and those two items were exempt.

Merch

smelltheglove wrote: »

It is something argos do from time to time although anytime it has happened to me the product has been substituted with a better model.

I bought a camera for my sister as a wedding present 3 years ago and when Igave it to her she told me she had bought one herself the previous week! When I went to return it they would not take it back then either. I ended up with a camera worth a few hundred I did not need and no money to buy her a present the day before her wedding! But the thing is they were not in the wrong at all, which was a kick up the ass for me!

Think cash is best as a gift really, sounds grubby but is a good option really.
Now i have to see if they will take that tent back that I got? I want to exchange it for a bigger one so Im sure they will.
I've always been very happy with argos, if I had a problem with the product there was never too much hoo ha about either exchanging it or on a rare occasion getting money back.
I hope it doesnt change significantly as Its kept me coming back time and again when I could have got stuff cheaper elsewhere as I was happy with their customer service.

Gummy Panda

dudara wrote: »

If there is a genuine problem with the camera, then they are obliged to repair/replace/refund at their discretion, as laid out in Consumer Law.

Argos used to be very good at accepting returns for no *real* reason, but given the current climate, I wouldn't be surprised if they tightened up on that policy.

They tightened up on cameras about a year ago. People were buying them, using them for a wedding/christening/etc then bringing them back for refund under the 28 day rule.

EDIT: I see another poster said this was always the case. I only heard about this from a friend when i was buying a camera last year

jor el

Gummy Panda wrote: »

They tightened up on cameras about a year ago. People were buying them, using them for a wedding/christening/etc then bringing them back for refund under the 28 day rule.

EDIT: I see another poster said this was always the case. I only heard about this from a friend when i was buying a camera last year

They started to tighten up on cameras and the like quite a few years ago, for exactly the reason you gave.

It's 16 days too, not 28.

TheDriver

I think the only disgraceful thing is if they tell you they can sub the camera and then refuse to take it back. if I was buying something at the till that couldn't be refunded and told it may be sub, i would demand to be told if it is the required item in stock before I paid my money which I am sure any manager would entertain.
Can't blame them otherwise though

foggy_lad

dudara wrote: »

If there is a genuine problem with the camera, then they are obliged to repair/replace/refund at their discretion, as laid out in Consumer Law.

they have discretion to offer repair replacement or refund but the consumer does not have to accept their offer although if you brought something back after a week which was blatently faulty they would most likely offer to replace or refund

darc

jor el wrote: »

They started to tighten up on cameras and the like quite a few years ago, for exactly the reason you gave.

It's 16 days too, not 28.

I reckon Argos were sick of people buying a product from them and then finding out a couple of weeks later it could be bought in a local independent retailer for 20% - 30% less

robbie1876

Particularly sneaky are Argos' pre-Christmas sales. I got caught out on a couple of these. What they do is discount a huge amount of stuff in the catalogue by a token amount, maybe 5% or even as low as €0.50 in my case. Then they tell you at the till that sale items are excluded from the 28 day guarantee, knowing full well that people are buying Christmas presents and may want to get refunds or exchanges after Christmas.

Sneaky.

antoinolachtnai

To be fair, Argos need to get rid of stock on stuff they aren't going to have in the next catalogue. They understandably want to avoid having that stuff come back.

edit: a later contributor says that is almost certainlynot the case.

snappieT

There are a lot of things in this thread that aren't quite accurate. As a ex-employee who worked the customer service desk for the best part of 2 years, I hope I can sort some of this out.

The 30 day guarantee is for 30 days, not 28 or 16. It used to be 16, it was upgraded to 30 about a year ago. It has absolutely nothing to do with defects, not being fit for purpose or anything. If you turned a camera on, plugged a fan in or anything, you've used the product, the 30 day guarantee is void. It serves only to allow you to inspect the item without using it.

There are, of course, exceptions to the 30 day guarantee. As a rule of thumb, anything that contains a memory element (cameras, camcorders, mp3 players), and anything with a hygeine issue (air matresses, earrings) are excluded.
End of line items have never, in my experience, been placed on the exclusion list in order to prevent people bring it back, unless it is a camera, air matress etc. as above.


As for the wrong item coming out, there is a message that appears on the till screen for the staff member to read out. That doesn't always mean it gets read out though. If you weren't told, you are of course entitled to your refund. Get a manager, and explain your point clearly and calmly. It'll get through.

daheff

If you dont receive what you paid for you are entitled to your money back or to the item you paid for (if available). Not telling you that you are getting a substituted item is fraud (selling under false pretences)

antoinolachtnai

For fraud there has to be some sort of bad intent. Argos has many egregious faults, but deliberately and knowingly pretending to be selling one thing whilst actually selling another thing is something it is hard to imagine them doing.

Mimikyu

This post has been deleted.

Jeapy

Slightly OT, but my boyfriends brother bought a camera in argos. The girl at the till offered this great accessories pack to go along with the camera :rolleyes: and he bought it. so as we were driving away and he was trying to set up his new camera, he found that the memory card he was sold for the camera wasn't the right type-it was the normal size SD, about 2cm in length while the camera took one less than half that size.

He went back and she flat out refused to return either item! He demanded the manager, who flatly refused aswell. So he refused to move out of the queue and eventually the changed the camera to fit the memory card they sold him incorrectly! argos ftl!

daheff

unsuitable goods....hes entitled to a refund/repair/replacement....maybe argos did realise the relacement shoula been for the memory card!!!