WRT54GL arrived with continental plug!

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Hi there,
I ordered a WRT54GL a while back from a well known online retailer. It arrived a couple of days ago but on opening the box I was unimpressed to find they had not included a UK power adapter. Instead I have been sent a version containing the two-pin European type power cord.

I am obviously not best pleased with this. But where do I go from here? Are they obliged to send me a new power adapter? Will I have to send the whole pacakge back? I will be getting VM installed on Jan 4th, and after that I won't be able to access the internet without a working cable router so I'll be a bit stuck if they want me to return it.

I'm sure it will work with a standard electric shaver adapter but I don't really think that's a satisfactory service to be honest.
 
Contact them and ask what they are playing at with European goods in the UK. Unless someone had them imported! Give em a buzz!
 
tim80bwi said:
I will be getting VM installed on Jan 4th, and after that I won't be able to access the internet without a working cable router so I'll be a bit stuck if they want me to return it.
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You can just use the cable modem on its one with one pc
 
ste_bla said:
You can just use the cable modem on its one with one pc
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True, but with a family of five, all very much addicted to the internet, I doubt the news will be received well. :rolleyes: Thanks for the suggestion though!


andr3w1984 said:
Contact them and ask what they are playing at with European goods in the UK. Unless someone had them imported! Give em a buzz!
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It is actually the second time this has happened. I ordered a Canon 400D from them at the beginning of December. That arrived with the security seal broken and a european adapter, along with a UK adapter - obvious added at a later date. Although this time it looks like they forgot the UK adapter altogether.
 
On further investigation I have found that the product I ordered was indeed the WRT54G-EU model, as opposed to the WRT54G-UK. Does this mean I am in the wrong? The product was still marketed and sold to me by the UK branch of the website. Surely it is slightly misleading to sell a product through a website based in a country where the said product will not function.
 
To save the hassle you could always do the wedge trick, just use the two top parts of your plug and force it in. EU products work anyway.

If you don't fancy that use or buy a shaver plug as those are the same connection
 
Pixmania? They pull this crap all the time. Don't use them, hardly anyone honours warranties on kit bought from them.

Edit: Especially Canon and their DSLRs :)
 
why don't you return it under distance selling regulations, then reorder a UK version for a good supplier - just a suggestion
 
Well I emailed them and asked for a UK power adaptor to be dispatched. Here is their response...

we apologise for any inconvinence caused with the purchase of this item.

We can confirm that most electronic products offered by A*****.co.uk are supplied with two-pin plugs as standard. This is in accordance with the British Standard Wiring regulations covering the use of electrical goods.

We hope that we have been of assistance in your enquiry. Thank you for shopping at A*****.co.uk.


Please let us know if this e-mail answered your question:

Is it just me who feels this is wholly unacceptable?
 
tim80bwi said:
Is it just me who feels this is wholly unacceptable?
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Yes. My reasoning is in line with my answer above. We are a member state of the EU and enjoy all manner of good things from them. You indeed bought the EU version of the item and want a free adapter to be sent to you for them complying with the contract for sale?
 
Mr Sniper said:
To save the hassle you could always do the wedge trick, just use the two top parts of your plug and force it in. EU products work anyway.
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:eek: Not a good idea. Either replace the plug or return the product.

tim80bwi said:
This is in accordance with the British Standard Wiring regulations covering the use of electrical goods.
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I'd get them to quote the section in the British Standard Wiring regs that their taking that from.

I'm sure Trading Standards would have something to say on that considering all domestic mains connections in this country are of the three pin "13 amp" variety (and have been for many years).

In saying that you did order the EU version so the best advice is to return it and order the UK version instead.
 
That email was a shocking responce. Save yourself the hassel and buy a 2pin to 3pin converter. Only a pound or something. Just don't buy from them again if you feel strongly that your in the right. That's what I would do.
 
tim80bwi said:
We can confirm that most electronic products offered by A*****.co.uk are supplied with two-pin plugs as standard. This is in accordance with the British Standard Wiring regulations covering the use of electrical goods.
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I'm pretty sure this is untrue as all domestic electrical products sold in the UK should have a moulded 3-pin plug. Send it back and report them to Trading Standards for good measure.
 
go down wilkos or the like or local household goods shop and get a 13A plug or whatever rating really then cut the two pin EU one off and bang an english one on, or you can get some boxes that snap open and take a two pin plug on the inside.

TBH really its only a plug, how much is it going to cost you to get a new plug for it? a few quid maximum, ive seen plenty of appliances that come with a two pin end.

And the shaver adapter? thats just about as safe as you can get, 1 amp fuse in all of them so as safe as houses (as long as the power supply doesnt pull more than 1A@240V.
 
smids said:
You indeed bought the EU version of the item and want a free adapter to be sent to you for them complying with the contract for sale?
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Well no not really. I want an adapter sent out on the basis that I feel I was mislead by their website. All the etailers I know who sell products from different regions will make it abundantly clear that this is the case. Whether this be that the price is in EURO, or that the site is put into completely different sections, it is normally very obvious where the product is actually coming from.

But I'm afraid sticky a big fat .CO.UK at the top of this particular site along with various references to 'free UK delivery' does give the impression that the product originates, as suggested, in the UK. And when the only reference to the EU is WRT54GL-EU in a font about that small, I honestly don't see how they expect people to differentiate between the two.

go down wilkos or the like or local household goods shop and get a 13A plug or whatever rating really then cut the two pin EU one off and bang an english one on, or you can get some boxes that snap open and take a two pin plug on the inside.
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The plug is a 12V transformer...I would rather not mess around with it.

I have read that email again and again and really can't make much sense of it. I think my initial enquiry may have been understood wrong and the support person is referring to the UK 3-pin plugs with a dummy earth pin. Either way, I will be phoning them tomorrow to see what can be done, whether this means returning the router or otherwise.
 
tim80bwi said:
Well no not really. I want an adapter sent out on the basis that I feel I was mislead by their website. All the etailers I know who sell products from different regions will make it abundantly clear that this is the case. Whether this be that the price is in EURO, or that the site is put into completely different sections, it is normally very obvious where the product is actually coming from.

But I'm afraid sticky a big fat .CO.UK at the top of this particular site along with various references to 'free UK delivery' does give the impression that the product originates, as suggested, in the UK. And when the only reference to the EU is WRT54GL-EU in a font about that small, I honestly don't see how they expect people to differentiate between the two.
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This is exactly the reason the Distance Selling Regulations exist. They are to allow a remote buyer the chance to inspect the goods as if they were in the store itself. I still don't see a problem. I look at the case legally, I'm afraid, and the consumer is given adequate protection. They also give the model number for reference, something which I always cross check on the manufacturer's website. Simply take the positives from the situation - you will now be a more vigilant e-consumer to avoid having to invoke the DSR 2000.

.co.uk also means that it simply resolves against 1 of the 13 root servers in the world (this particular one resolving the .co.uk domains and based in the UK - I think).

You can buy a converter for EU to UK for about £2. I advise against a shaver unit as they are slightly too big but will work all the same.
 
smids said:
This is exactly the reason the Distance Selling Regulations exist. They are to allow a remote buyer the chance to inspect the goods as if they were in the store itself. I still don't see a problem. I look at the case legally, I'm afraid, and the consumer is given adequate protection. They also give the model number for reference, something which I always cross check on the manufacturer's website. Simply take the positives from the situation - you will now be a more vigilant e-consumer to avoid having to invoke the DSR 2000.

.co.uk also means that it simply resolves against 1 of the 13 root servers in the world (this particular one resolving the .co.uk domains and based in the UK - I think).
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Please remember I am not arguing as a lawyer trying to sue the a*** off some company...I am merely a consumer trying to provide what's best for my family. Yes, legally I'm sure every t has been crossed...but morally I think these guys need to pick themselves up off the ground.

BTW: I was referring to .co.uk in more a symbolic sense than technical. (ie. it was part of a logo)
 
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I think it's perfectly reasonable to expect goods sold by a UK store aimed at the UK market to be usable in the UK. You should check specs. carefully for lots of things, but whether or not the product is intended to be used in the country it's being sold in isn't one of them.
 
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