Argos - Coffee Machine Nightmare

jellyjaws

I received a DeLonghi EC820 Coffee Machine as a christmas present from my uncle who bought it in Argos Dun Laoghaire, as i have being working over the christmas i only got the chance to open it yesterday. Before opening the box i noticed that the box had been previously opened as the tape had been cut and as i unpacked the item from the box i also noticed that all the bags that the individual parts came in were ripped and open, so it was safe to say that this coffee machine had already been bought and returned to Argos. At this point i thought to myself that this might have just been an unwanted gift and was returned unused. I set up the coffee machine and followed the instructions giving about its first use and when i switched it on it started to empty itself of lumpy gone-off milk and then every LED light on it started to flash and it just stopped working.

The only explanation i can come up with is that some idiot filled the water container with milk in an effort to make a milky cup of coffee not knowing that this machine boils water (or milk)on the way from the cold water container to the cup, as a result of this stupid act i imagine every pipe and tube within the machine is either blocked with burnt or gone-off lumpy milk(or at this point probably cheese)

I am returning it today to change it for another one and see if i have any better luck with that one ( i'll let you know).

My questions are these, does Argos not test or check these items when they are returned and has anyone else ever had a problem like this with Argos?

Kat1170

So long as you have the reciept there should be no problem. Certain items are excluded from their 28 day money back /exchange guarentee but this doesn't seem to be one of them. Be sure to let them know the problem so someone else doesn't get caught.

foggy_lad

Be prepared to be told they do not take items back once they have been opened or used and that this is Their policy but also the law. Argos along with most British chain stores are not very good with the concept of Irish consumer law and statutory rights.

Recently in the Ashbourne argos I witnessed a woman trying to return a steam generator iron which she claimed was faulty because it leaked water all over her clothes. They had had the item in for their "24 hour testing" and "their 24 hour testing staff member could find no fault"

Three different staff members dealt with the woman each one being more rude and aggressive than the last and were telling her that the only recourse she had was through the uk number printed inside the box because their store testing staff had found no fault. She could not have a refund or replacement as it had been used and was not in resale able condition for the 28 day money back refund but the woman was claiming a fault which they dismissed stating that she had no further rights and that was the law because their store testing facility found no fault!

The third person to deal with the woman who appeared to be a store manager was practically shouting at the woman and told her she "must be stupid not to realise she could not return this" and just appeared to be laughing and ridiculing the woman.

I know argos have their 24hour testing policy but it is nothing to do with the law as they seem to suggest, it appears more about denying Irish consumers their rights. Argos hardly have a testing facility in each store with qualified engineers to test every different item they sell?!?

A friend had bought an item in the store just as this saga was unfolding and immediately returned it stating as it was a present for a family member they would not want them to experience the same level of care in the event of any issue arising, the staff member who processed the return who had been one of the three to deal with the woman said sometimes the situation can be complicated and seemed from that and his expression to insinuate some kind of wrongdoing on the part of the woman who sounded eastern european.

I just thought no wonder the Argos in Ashbourne was completely empty of customers on 23rd December when most other stores were packed! Maybe it should be closed to eliminate staff of the calibre I witnessed there?

wmpdd3

You should have proof of purchase, is there any chance you could ask your uncle for the receipt. In saying that, I know if it was a present I probably wouldn't ask for the receipt.

Nonoperational

foggy_lad wrote: »

Be prepared to be told they do not take items back once they have been opened or used and that this is Their policy but also the law. Argos along with most British chain stores are not very good with the concept of Irish consumer law and statutory rights.

Recently in the Ashbourne argos I witnessed a woman trying to return a steam generator iron which she claimed was faulty because it leaked water all over her clothes. They had had the item in for their "24 hour testing" and "their 24 hour testing staff member could find no fault"

Three different staff members dealt with the woman each one being more rude and aggressive than the last and were telling her that the only recourse she had was through the uk number printed inside the box because their store testing staff had found no fault. She could not have a refund or replacement as it had been used and was not in resale able condition for the 28 day money back refund but the woman was claiming a fault which they dismissed stating that she had no further rights and that was the law because their store testing facility found no fault!

The third person to deal with the woman who appeared to be a store manager was practically shouting at the woman and told her she "must be stupid not to realise she could not return this" and just appeared to be laughing and ridiculing the woman.

I know argos have their 24hour testing policy but it is nothing to do with the law as they seem to suggest, it appears more about denying Irish consumers their rights. Argos hardly have a testing facility in each store with qualified engineers to test every different item they sell?!?

A friend had bought an item in the store just as this saga was unfolding and immediately returned it stating as it was a present for a family member they would not want them to experience the same level of care in the event of any issue arising, the staff member who processed the return who had been one of the three to deal with the woman said sometimes the situation can be complicated and seemed from that and his expression to insinuate some kind of wrongdoing on the part of the woman who sounded eastern european.

I just thought no wonder the Argos in Ashbourne was completely empty of customers on 23rd December when most other stores were packed! Maybe it should be closed to eliminate staff of the calibre I witnessed there?

They don't have to take anything back if it is open unless it is faulty/not as described or not fit for purpose.

Just to play devils advocate who's to say you didn't open it, fill it with milk and leave it out all night? They really shouldn't have resold it after it was returned.

jellyjaws

I'm just back from returning it and had no problem exchanging it for an identical machine (i had already asked him for the receipt), although i was told i could only exchange it for another item/s to the same value but no refund, i was however subjected to a half an hour wait while they tested it in the back of the store, its a pity they didn't test it the first time it was returned. The new coffee machine works perfectly and no sour milk in sight.

That is shocking what happened to that woman with the steam iron, i wouldn't shop much in Argos but i remember a few years ago you could return anything (apart the few exceptions)for a full refund as long as you had your receipt.

wmpdd3

That is brilliant, I really thought you were going to have a bit of bother with that as you had no receipt, therefore no date of purchase etc. Glad you got what you needed.