Faulty laptop - store not offering a remedy

muslimahkar

Hello,
I am looking for advice on what to do. I purchased a laptop for a large amount of money. Within 1 week, the laptop began crashing when I was doing work on it. I brought it to the shop. They told me they contacted the manufacturer (let's say it was Apple), and the manufacturer told them I can have a replacement laptop. A couple of days later I returned to the store with the faulty laptop and charger, as it was being shipped to the manufacturer. Fast forward 2 weeks later, I never received a replacement as promised. When I dropped off the laptop, the staff member told me "I thought the manufacturer would let us give you one of the laptops we have here in boxes, but now they're saying no".

Staff have emailed me saying the engineer found no fault with my laptop and they are sending it back to me. I emailed them stating my position, that they are in breach of the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services act 1980, and I am entitled to a replacement, repair or refund. I have records of the crashes on the laptop.

Today, the store owner called my phone and shouted at me for about 15 minutes, about my "threatening" email (I used a neutral tone and I was not aggressive in any way, unlike the owner). The owner said "How dare SOMEONE like You think you can berate the service my shop offers", and other nonsense like this. They proceeded to give me a lecture on how successful their business is, and they always put the customer first. The first store employee told me the laptop was sent to the manufacturer, but the owner said it was sent to an independent engineer, she even mentioned the company name and the engineers name. She was extremely aggressive and borderline abusive to say the least. So far, they have lied, so how can I trust that the laptop ever even left the shop? It seems she was also angry as in my email I asked to see the engineers report.

I have not been offered a replacement, a repair or refund.

As of now I am scared to go collect the laptop as I fear for my physical safety.

muslimahkar

sugarman wrote: »

Small claims court, walk down there with a letter & theyll sort it out fast enough for you.

In my email to the store I told them that I need to see the engineers report should I want to make a case with the SCC. This seems to be what triggered the owner's abusive phone call to me at 9 am this morning. I have looked at the event manager on my laptop to see records of the laptop crashing 6 times within 3 days. Yet their independent engineer has turned the laptop on for 9 hours each day for 1 week, and apparently nothing has happened. I don't think I want my laptop back after it being treated in such a way.

WhoWhatWhere

sugarman wrote: »

Small claims court, walk down there with a letter & theyll sort it out fast enough for you.

Save your €25 just yet. Go and demand to see the report and speak to a supervisor. Manager won't hurt you don't be silly, she's not jumping after you, be insisting and calm. Explain you're either leaving with a new laptop or a refund and if this request isn't obliged then take it further.

muslimahkar wrote: »

In my email to the store I told them that I need to see the engineers report should I want to make a case with the SCC. This seems to be what triggered the owner's abusive phone call to me at 9 am this morning. I have looked at the event manager on my laptop to see records of the laptop crashing 6 times within 3 days. Yet their independent engineer has turned the laptop on for 9 hours each day for 1 week, and apparently nothing has happened. I don't think I want my laptop back after it being treated in such a way.

Edit I misread what you said in the last sentence. My apologies.

muslimahkar

WhoWhatWhere wrote: »

Save your €25 just yet. Go and demand to see the report and speak to a supervisor. Manager won't hurt you don't be silly, she's not jumping after you, be insisting and calm. Explain you're either leaving with a new laptop or a refund and if this request isn't obliged then take it further.

Thank you for your advice. Am I within my rights? This manager tried to humiliate me on the phone today and made me feel as if I have no legal grounds here. I will take your advice on board.

WhoWhatWhere

muslimahkar wrote: »

Thank you for your advice. Am I within my rights? This manager tried to humiliate me on the phone today and made me feel as if I have no legal grounds here. I will take your advice on board.

You're entitled to as you said, repair, refund or replacement. These tests they carry out are nonsense. The "engineer" turned the laptop on and just left it there, the reason its crashing is from use, it's not likely to crash being left idle.

And please don't threaten them with small claims. Don't use any threats. If they won't help calmly leave and return with the letter advising your suing.

P. Breathnach

OP, I get the impression that aggressive behaviour upsets you greatly. It might be a good idea to ask a friend to accompany you when you call into the shop (and no, I don't mean somebody to fight on your behalf; I mean somebody calm who can act as a witness if that ever becomes necessary).

Nonoperational

Did you reinstall the operating system? Did you install any third party apps or extensions? Software issues could easily be caused by third party interference.

Snake Plisken

If this was a major UK/Irish retailer then an email to their head office or Facebook message outline the issue and the verbal abuse from the manager should get this resolved pretty quickly!

liam7831

I hope its not that big PC retailer that merged with that other big pc retailer a few years ago. i had a laptop problem a few years ago with them, absolutely terrible customer service basically told me laptop was perfect. Ended up paying privately to get it fixed even though was only 6 weeks old

Walter2016

Far too many people threaten small claims court with no knowledge whatever of what is needed.

I can see why the store owner / manager got pissed off as the op DID threaten the store and queried their bona fides.

Why oh why can't customers act reasonably and DISCUSS issues like an adult instead of the childlike " I'll take you to court" or "I'll call joe duffy"

Once you enter that realm no business will go anywhere beyond what they must do.

Now instead of an adult conversation that possibly would have seen a quick resolution you have a disgruntled customer and a disgruntled retailer and no-one will win.

Btw any court action whether its scc or supreme court should only be taken as a last resort. To threaten scc at such an early stage means you are on the back foot as the retailer has zero interest in retaining such a customer.

If you read some old threads here there is one thing that stands out - those who have issues with products, who approach a business in a reasonable and respectful adult manner almost always get superb results whilst those who shout their "rights" and treat the retailer with distane, rarely get an outcome they are happy with.

It is easy to rectify this - apologise for suggesting scc, say you were having a bad day, have a mannerly discussion about the issue, try replicating the issue in the store and then see what is done.

liam7831

Walter2016 wrote: »

Far too many people threaten small claims court with no knowledge whatever of what is needed.

I can see why the store owner / manager got pissed off as the op DID threaten the store and queried their bona fides.

Why oh why can't customers act reasonably and DISCUSS issues like an adult instead of the childlike " I'll take you to court" or "I'll call joe duffy"

Once you enter that realm no business will go anywhere beyond what they must do.

Now instead of an adult conversation that possibly would have seen a quick resolution you have a disgruntled customer and a disgruntled retailer and no-one will win.

Btw any court action whether its scc or supreme court should only be taken as a last resort. To threaten scc at such an early stage means you are on the back foot as the retailer has zero interest in retaining such a customer.

If you read some old threads here there is one thing that stands out - those who have issues with products, who approach a business in a reasonable and respectful adult manner almost always get superb results whilst those who shout their "rights" and treat the retailer with distane, rarely get an outcome they are happy with.

It is easy to rectify this - apologise for suggesting scc, say you were having a bad day, have a mannerly discussion about the issue, try replicating the issue in the store and then see what is done.

Just get on your knees altogether

TonyStark

Walter2016 wrote: »

It is easy to rectify this - apologise for suggesting scc, say you were having a bad day, have a mannerly discussion about the issue, try replicating the issue in the store and then see what is done.

Indeed a win for you is a laptop that works. Sometimes you get more bees with honey than you do with vinegar.

WhoWhatWhere

liam7831 wrote: »

Just get on your knees altogether

The first action in a dispute is not to sue someone. That's not being a corporate slave it's being a sensible person. Too many people here advise the first action is Small Claims. Just yesterday there was a guy who bought an iPhone, that had a scratch so small he only caught it while angled at a light, 12 days old the phone was and because Apple couldn't see it he's bringing them to court? No wonder it can take up to 6 months to get a date.

Walter2016

liam7831 wrote: »

Just get on your knees altogether

You'd be surprised what a bit of humility (even if its false) will get you.

Threats of running to scc (6 months wait) are now laughed at.

TerrorFirmer

Also the laptop is 'crashing' is very, very vague.

Crashing as in switching off?

Or crashing as in Windows is crashing?

Two totally different things and the latter is possibly not any hardware fault thus difficult to prove or replicate. Could be down to drivers, software installed, etc, or could be a bad stick of ram or hard drive.

ssmith6287

what program are you running when the machine crashes, have you an anti virus, id so have you uninstalled the trial that came on the machine. Is the hardware designed for the work you want to do on it. The term crash is generally associated with software which can usually be fixed quite easily