I feel like I was ripped off, when a colleague showed me some websites that confirm I probably was! I bought a self build PC kit from Watford Electronics. It was my first purchase online, and I feel like a mug. When it arrived, and was assembled (by a qualified tech) there was no signal from the computer at all. It was a nightmare. I called the company who asked me to e-mail my complaint - a stupid remark considering I could not even switch on the PC they had just sent me. Then they gave me a returns number and asked me to post it back. I said that was an expensive option and finally got them to agree to collect it - but they could not do this for a week! I was advised to send it back as assembled, but despite advice kept hold of the packaging. I found out the relevant address and drove it back to their depot myself - it was less hassle!!! The system was in my possession for 7.5 hrs only!
It was a good thing I called them first as Watford Electronics had not arranged payment for transport which I had to chase Watford Electronics for again, where I was told that it would take 10 working days maximum to test the PC.
They received the faulty PC the very next day and despite many phonecalls and email from work I could get a response except for associates telling me that had emailed me at my home address which I had to keep pointing out was useless as they had my PC!! On the 10th working day I called to ask about the results of the testing to be told their internal e-mail system was down and they promised to call me back that day or the next day. 3 Days later with no contact I called them back to be told by the rudest and most defensive girl on the planet that they legally had 28 days to continue testing and that they had a backlog of faults and would not get back to me until they had finished their work. I was fuming and asked why they had not told me this from the beginning. she told me to go to trading standards if I was unhappy as they were operating well within legal limits. I reported the case there and then. At this point a colleague learned of my purchase and showed me these links which horrified me; http://www.clik2complaints.co.uk/DPs/savastore.html
They showed many cases of consumers having the exact same problems as myself. I learned from these complaints that any faulty PC Self build kit were usually either returned as no fault found with a bill for repairs blaming the consumer for damaging the equipment, or a refund offered minus the price of the damaged items was really unhappy!!
Another week later and I had a message from Watford Electronics asking me to call - which I did. A gentleman told me that They had discovered that the PC had been incorrectly assembled, and that following repair work, the system was now operational. He said that they had photographs to prove that it had been incorrectly pieced together, and would email them on so I could see for myself - again I pointed out that they had my only system..! He asked, did I want it back or a refund minus a no fault found fee? I requested my money back as looking through some of the other complaints I could see that even equipment replaced had failed consumers in the past and the after sales care had been so appalling I just wanted to cut my losses and run. I asked how soon I could have my money back, and was told it would take 4 working days to process. I double checked with the associate that all was now settled and he said he was action the refund as soon as he had finished talking with me.
Today was the 4th working day and guess what? no funds!! I called Watford Electronics to get back to the same rude girl I had the misfortune to be wound up by previously, and immediately she began blinding me with legal Jargon and then told me they had no intention of refunding me until I had returned the original packaging!! I asked why they called me the previous week to refund me when they had no intention of doing so at all but she just was plain rude and spouted more legal talk which I did not understand, and so how could I check it out?? She then said that without returning 3 small cardboard boxes that they intend only to refund 50% of the original cost, minus the £35 return fee.
All along I had been requesting to speak to a line manager or some kind of supervisor, but the usual pattern followed... they put me on hold on my mobile for 5 minutes then said all team leaders were unavailable. I asked that a manager call me back ASAP, and was told this request would be put on my account. I was amazed that at around 5:30pm that day a manager called Peter called me back, where I was able to explain why I was so unhappy. He told me that they had recorded my calls to their company but with no warning of this when first connected this alone is an issue concerning privacy!! This time I was told that the system was in fine working order and that the power to the CPU has simply not been plugged in?? He said that the only packaging that I was missing was the box for the mother board, but the motherboard came bagged, and I only have 3 small brown boxes at home which are too small for the motherboard. I told him that I have kept every piece of packaging down to each small wire twist. Peter told me that certain discs for operating the mother board had not be returned. I know I was very careful to include every media sent out to me so I told him that if he had not received it, then I was never sent it in the first place. He said he had to call the warehouse to confirm what packaging had been returned.
He actually called me back within 5 minutes and said that the warehouse had agreed to find alternate discs, and that I would be refunded. This will take 4 working days to process, and all I can do at this point is hold my breath and hope that at the end of this deadline the £542 - probably minus the no fault found fee despite the different accounts of fault resolve - will be safely returned to the account it was collected from!! If not, all I can do is call the rude girl again... at least she delivered a manager to me!!
I took out a loan to buy a digital camera and computer to process the images. So any losses will slowly grow in interest... not something that helps me sleep at night!! I simply wish to find someone who can fight for the small consumer, and also warn people about the service provided by Watford Electronics, also known as Savacentre!! They are a great company - until you find a fault...then you are talking to a brick wall!! Like so many have asked... How the hell is this company still operating...?
All in al they promised me a refund 4 times, 3 of which were not honoured, nor was I notified of the fact that the refund was not to be paid on time; even the 4th promise of a refund was actually paid out, but even then on the 4th day the funds were not in my account, so I called them again and quoted my trading standrads ref no. and 4 days after that I eventually was refunded £497 of the £542 I had originally paid - BEWARE!! the no fault found fee of £35 will have VAT tagged on top of that. I still have not received a proper explanation of why my PC did not work, yet they still deducted money for whatever it was. Stear clear of this company -it cost me £20 in calls to chase up my refund!!
submitted by zoe jade price
