PcWorld troubles

Malmedicine

I bought a netbook off PcWorld in March and a week ago it just up'ed and died so I brought it back for them to have a look at (thought it was a virus), but got a phonecall today to say that its a hardware fault and to bring in my receipt. So i did expecting a refund or an exchange (was this right or wrong of me?) but instead was told they were sending it off to samsung and I might have it back in 2 to 3 weeks depending? Kinda pissed about it and asked could I return it as it was faulty and was told only within 28 days. Is there anything I could or should have done or am I waiting for 3 weeks and lumping it?

foggy_lad

If you don't get it back within a reasonable time like two weeks then ask for a different form of redress as the shop are not repairing in a reasonable time. You can then ask for a replacement or refund.

jor el

Malmedicine wrote: »

got a phonecall today to say that its a hardware fault and to bring in my receipt. So i did expecting a refund or an exchange (was this right or wrong of me?) but instead was told they were sending it off to samsung and I might have it back in 2 to 3 weeks depending?

They must offer you a repair, replacement or refund, and since they've offered you a repair, they have fulfilled their obligations. You don't have to accept this, but it is really between you and the retailer to come to an agreement. If you can't, then you can let the courts decide. This will take time, the fact that you are refusing the repair option will possibly go against you, as you are possibly being unreasonable in your refusal.

Malmedicine wrote: »

Kinda pissed about it and asked could I return it as it was faulty and was told only within 28 days.

A lot of shops have a policy of an instant replacement of a faulty product if it's returned within 28 days of purchase. This is at the retailer's discretion, and fulfils their obligations as mentioned above.

One thing you should note it that PC World have a policy of replacement if your repair isn't back with you within 35 days of first reporting the problem (the day you brought it back into the shop). Even without this policy, you would still be able to pursue other means of redress if they don't have it repaired and returned to you in a reasonable time frame.

looksee

Is that a policy? Replacement if you don't get it back in 35 days? I thought that related to insurance.

We had a computer that had had any number of in-house checks, then had to go back for a second time to be sent away. It hadn't ever really worked properly. On the second occasion it was vitally needed for exams/thesis and we asked for a replacement. Couldn't be done. No way. So we asked for a loan of one in the interim. (I had gone in at this stage as they were running my daughter round in rings, though she is a perfectly competent adult. At this stage I had been arguing for some time and was holding up the queue quite seriously ). Assistant goes off to 'check about loan' comes back and says that the manager said she could have a replacement! We put a hundred euros to it and got a much better computer.

From 'no way' to 'oh ok' just like that!

Esoteric_

I'm pretty sure they should be giving you a loan computer til they get yours back. the Laptop Shop had to give my partner a loan computer for 2 months until they repaired the fault in his.

Run_to_da_hills

Samsung are a rubbish netbook and I wouldn't touch them again after my own experience.

They do not come equipped with a full Microsoft operating system restore CD.

A serious virus on boot will prevent you from accessing any of their partitioned "Magic Doctor" backup or restore features,

I bought the N140 at Powercity and suffered this problem ie BSOD on boot but sorted it out myself. I had to remove and formatt the HDD completely then fit and reinstall XP from external third party CD having then to load all the drivers from the Samsung disk seperately.

Asus and most other netbooks come complete with mirrored op system and drivers all on the one disk, it takes less than 10 minutes to do a complete factory install no matter how badly infected your PC is.

More than likely Samsung will say that your problem was caused by third party software and will try to charge you. You should insist on having the original XP / Vista operating system disk that should normally come with any PC.

Nody

LyndaMcL wrote: »

I'm pretty sure they should be giving you a loan computer til they get yours back. the Laptop Shop had to give my partner a loan computer for 2 months until they repaired the fault in his.

No, there is no legal requirements to offer a substitute for the duration of a repair and it is an exception if it is done, not a rule.

jor el

looksee wrote: »

Is that a policy? Replacement if you don't get it back in 35 days? I thought that related to insurance.

It's policy of all shops in DSG (Dixons, Currys & PC World). I've never seen it written anywhere, but seen it being used. If you ring their helpline you get through to a UK call centre, and they will tell you it's 30 days. That only applies to the UK though, and it is 35 days in Ireland.