urgent query - high St store returns policy

danlightbulb · 16 Sep 2016 at 09:40

Hi all.

Sorry I know this doesn't really fit here but don't know where else to ask.

My missus bought a laptop yesterday from the well known high street stores with the purple logo. I had no idea she was planning to go. They conned her into buying £150 of extra crap like mcaffie anti virus, a 2tb cloud storage, ms office, £5 a month product insurance, data transfer off her old laptop which won't boot, and finally the stores own in house set up service.

I am very annoyed. It's her money of course but my God have they seen her coming.

She has to collect it today. Can anyone help tell me what the returns / cancellation rights are in this situation? All her additional software will have already been set up on the laptop, apart from the data transfer which hasn't been done yet.

Thanks.

tom_e · 16 Sep 2016 at 09:42

An unwanted product can be returned for a full refund within 21 days of delivery as long as it’s still in its original, unopened packaging. This returns policy for unopened goods is in addition to your statutory rights and applies to purchases made in store, online or over the phone.

Separately to the 21 day policy above, and in accordance with your rights when you purchase goods online or over the phone, unwanted items can be returned even if you have opened them for inspection as long as you let us know within 14 calendar days from the day after delivery. Once you have told us you want to return an item, you should do so without undue delay and not later than 14 days from the day on which you informed us of your decision to cancel the order. You can examine the goods as you would in a shop but to obtain a full refund you must not start using them, install them or input any data/software. The goods must be returned in ‘as new’ condition and in their original packaging.

Returns and exchanges can only be processed with proof of purchase. This can be the sales receipt, a bank statement or an online sales invoice. Please provide your order numbers when you return a product.

You're probably going to fall foul of the fact it's all already set up though so unless it's faulty or they're feeling nice you may have to suck it up.

OJ46 · 16 Sep 2016 at 09:48

I would have thought you could get the cloud storage, product insurance and data transfer cancelled but unfortunately the anti virus and MS Office they'll probably charge for as it has already been installed. She could try and get them to remove it, although knowing what high street stores are like they'd probably charge her £20 for the privilege! Good luck though, nothing worse than seeing people being ripped off by scummy chains

Thekwango · 16 Sep 2016 at 10:10

OJ46 said:
Good luck though, nothing worse than seeing people being ripped off by scummy chains

yea, it has to be verging on illegal - I was asked to leave a store (not the purple crowd but rhymes with 'ruby murries') , I was just in killing time while the missus shopped next door and there were this older couple being given the 'hard sell' by this obnoxiously friendly chap. he'd talked them into the whole gamut of needless extras, when he gleefully ran off to get the paperwork I wandered over and quickly advised them they didn't need any of the extra nonsense he was peddling.

oh the look on his face when he came back and they told him 'that nice chap has told us you've been trying to sell us a load of extra rubbish, thanks for your help but we'll be taking our business elsewhere!'

back to the OP, could you go in and go down the route of 'mis-sold and not necessary'

danlightbulb · 16 Sep 2016 at 10:18

Thekwango said:
back to the OP, could you go in and go down the route of 'mis-sold and not necessary'

I wish I could. I'm at work today and have my kids all over the weekend so I couldn't get there till Sunday afternoon. She's off today to collect it all. She still thinks she needs all the stuff despite me trying to tell her otherwise last night. I should just give it up probably but it's such a waste of money.

tom_e · 16 Sep 2016 at 10:19

danlightbulb said:
I wish I could. I'm at work today and have my kids all over the weekend so I couldn't get there till Sunday afternoon. She's off today to collect it all. She still thinks she needs all the stuff despite me trying to tell her otherwise last night. I should just give it up probably but it's such a waste of money.

Leave her be, no point in getting into an argument about it if she's made her mind up.

OJ46 · 16 Sep 2016 at 10:41

Thekwango said:
yea, it has to be verging on illegal - I was asked to leave a store (not the purple crowd but rhymes with 'ruby murries') , I was just in killing time while the missus shopped next door and there were this older couple being given the 'hard sell' by this obnoxiously friendly chap. he'd talked them into the whole gamut of needless extras, when he gleefully ran off to get the paperwork I wandered over and quickly advised them they didn't need any of the extra nonsense he was peddling.

oh the look on his face when he came back and they told him 'that nice chap has told us you've been trying to sell us a load of extra rubbish, thanks for your help but we'll be taking our business elsewhere!'

back to the OP, could you go in and go down the route of 'mis-sold and not necessary'

Was banned from the local "Personal Computer Planet"

a few years ago after they tried to charge somebody a fortune to transfer data from an old PC onto their new one. Told them how easy it was with a dirt cheap USB stick and gave them my number so they could phone if they were stuck... That went down well!

Back to OP: If she's refusing to accept they're ripping her off then might be easier to let her pay it, just don't let her use a joint account!!

danlightbulb · 16 Sep 2016 at 10:41

tom_e said:
Leave her be, no point in getting into an argument about it if she's made her mind up.

Yeah I think that's how it's going to go.

And to top it all off I had to sit through the film Bad Moms last night at the cinemas with her. Warning to all the men here avoid this film at all costs it is absolutely awful. Missus loved it.

tom_e · 16 Sep 2016 at 10:42

danlightbulb said:
Yeah I think that's how it's going to go.

And to top it all off I had to sit through the film Bad Moms last night at the cinemas with her. Warning to all the men here avoid this film at all costs it is absolutely awful. Missus loved it.

Time for a new missus tbh

danlightbulb · 16 Sep 2016 at 10:44

tom_e said:
Time for a new missus tbh

If OCUK sold girlfriends.....

Thekwango · 16 Sep 2016 at 10:56

danlightbulb said:
I wish I could. I'm at work today and have my kids all over the weekend so I couldn't get there till Sunday afternoon. She's off today to collect it all. She still thinks she needs all the stuff despite me trying to tell her otherwise last night. I should just give it up probably but it's such a waste of money.

so wait, you've told her she doesn't need all that guff but she isn't listening to you?! get out now dude - run! (unless of course she is mega hot and/or rich - in which case has she any sisters, I could do with a trade up

?!)

Puzzled · 16 Sep 2016 at 10:57

Might be able to get some of it cancelled but not where you'd sit on the being opened condition, technically they've opened it but I don't know how that would play.

Conned is a bit strong, sure they sell expensive solutions but most people need some form of internet protection, office software and a backup service.

You can cancel the product insurance, they always have a cooling off period no matter what retailer.

danlightbulb · 16 Sep 2016 at 11:11

It's the extra £150 on a £300 laptop that makes it sound way OTT. You're right that conned is a little strong but she said to me they told her she needed mcaffie for the computer to work. If that's true (and it may not be because I'm hearing it 2nd hand), then it's miss selling. I'm more frustrated that I could have sorted something out for her at substantially less cost if she'd have just mentioned it. I don't say that to be controlling in any way just to try and help save her some cash.

edscdk · 16 Sep 2016 at 11:20

danlightbulb said:
It's the extra £150 on a £300 laptop that makes it sound way OTT. You're right that conned is a little strong but she said to me they told her she needed mcaffie for the computer to work. If that's true (and it may not be because I'm hearing it 2nd hand), then it's miss selling. I'm more frustrated that I could have sorted something out for her at substantially less cost if she'd have just mentioned it. I don't say that to be controlling in any way just to try and help save her some cash.

they do it to everyone, and they can be quite insistent.. I personally think they are out of order... I know they are a business and want to sell stuff... but so am I and I will only sell someone what they need / want... People trust them and they take advantage of that... they don't even tailor what they try and sell (when you get a laptop) to what you might want / need they just insist you need x / y / z

tom_e · 16 Sep 2016 at 11:24

My parents took me along once as they wanted to get my sister a laptop, I was mildly hungover and not really in the mood but I went along anyway.
The woman serving us knew my mum yet was still insistent on the hard sell on some crap spec'd piece of rubbish and all the crap that went along with it.
In the end I lost my rag and told her she was talking complete testicles and walked out.

Kelt · 16 Sep 2016 at 11:28

danlightbulb said:
If OCUK sold girlfriends.....

Tweaked, tuned and overclocked by 8Pack at no extra cost...

Puzzled · 16 Sep 2016 at 11:32

tom_e said:
My parents took me along once as they wanted to get my sister a laptop, I was mildly hungover and not really in the mood but I went along anyway.
The woman serving us knew my mum yet was still insistent on the hard sell on some crap spec'd piece of rubbish and all the crap that went along with it.
In the end I lost my rag and told her she was talking complete testicles and walked out.

Knowing people who work there it will probably come to no surprise to you that staff are forced to sell all the add-ons.
Very little profit in hardware so they pretty much rely on software / insurance to keep the company afloat.

If staff don't meet daily targets they get a warning, no improvement and they are out .

I agree it is a horrible company and they do talk people in to buying expensive services but the majority of customers just don't care. They want it all set up and ready to go and if something goes wrong they have someone to fix it.

Savvy people buy elsewhere or play the system against them, take out the insurance for example to get a discount and then cancel it afterwards.

danlightbulb · 16 Sep 2016 at 11:34

I kind of wish she hadn't even told me about it now. When she told me about the extras she bought I couldn't help having a negative reaction and I've probably put a downer on the purchase for her now.

Akagi · 16 Sep 2016 at 11:45

Kelt said:
Tweaked, tuned and overclocked by 8Pack at no extra cost...

I don't want a girlfriend that has been tweaked by 8-Pack thanks.

Damaged goods.

House · 17 Sep 2016 at 01:08

while I'm sure they have taken advantage, what's the RRP on office (I'm assuming 365) and AV software? £70 for office and another £30 for the AV stuff?

now charging someone £50 to transfer some files is a bit rich but its cheaper than an Hour at the garage for the car isn't it.