At my absolute wits end with Currys - should have known better. Where to go next?
Posted by jbr1683@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 71 comments
Anyone got any ideas where I can escalate next?
I ordered 2 sets of Apple Airpods- one for my sister for Christmas and one for me. They arrived with the seals broken, this is a common scam where it appears the top seal remains intact but the bottom one is open. This was on both items. I didn't open them, I put them back in the postage bag and arranged a return.
I was told to wait 14 days for an exchange. This passed, nothing happened.
I called them up and was told to wait 3-5 days whilst they chased. This passed, nothing happened.
I called them again after Christmas and was told they are sorry, it has been escalated and to wait another 3 days. This passed, nothing happened.
I left a review on trustpilot and they replied for me to contact their social media team. I did, on Christmas eve, nothing has happened, no reply.
I called them again today to be told to wait AGAIN for 5 days whilst they investigate my concern.
I suppose my issue is that the damaged seals is not my concern. All I want are the items I paid for. They can investigate on their timeline.. not mine.
Am I being unreasonable? I understand we have had some non working days over the holiday season but this is really taking such an age?
I wish I used an alternative provider- having worked at a rival firm (known for being never knowingly undersold) I know for a fact that I could have exchanged them with no quibble, in store. I had to go via courier for this Currys online order. I made the 'mistake' of using Currys as we get 6% off via our Company Portal- but the purchase is made via voucher, otherwise, I'd have contact my credit card company.
Picture cropped to show seal damage, this is how they arrived. Use this company at your own risk.
Thrilllhousee@reddit
I'm having the same issue as you. Returned something to them over three weeks ago and still no refund. Customer support are useless and just tell me to keep waiting. Did you ever get your money back?
Catsilth@reddit
They are rubbish, and they outsourced all the technical support and customer support to India and South Africa. They just made the last UK homeworkers redundant
Durzel@reddit
I'm experiencing this myself now, after a MacBook Air I ordered disappeared at a DPD depot and is now "being held". DPD even told me on the phone that they couldn't find it and that I needed to "open an investigation" with Currys.
All Currys are doing is telling me I need to wait 24 hours, every time i contact them.
What makes it worse with these foreign call centres is the platitudes they give out when you have a problem. One of the people I spoke to said that they "valued my feedback" and that it "would be used to try and prevent this happening again". I replied asking how that helped me - being £850 in the hole, with no resolution offered.
Coley_@reddit
Did you manage to get this sorted in the end? I had a similar situation with boots and after going back and forth with an incompetent live chat agent, I ended up using postright.co.uk to send a formal complaint letter instead they seemed to have took it seriously as someone called me within a few days to sort.
jbr1683@reddit (OP)
Yes eventually it was sorted- they had to close an investigation with DPD (was their excuse) and they then sent me my items. It was around 3 months in all
demt64@reddit
I bought a Logik washing machine last October, it doesn't work, they're taking the, liars
Neither_March4000@reddit
Write to the CEO https://www.ceoemail.com/index-search.php and/or every Director of the company whose email address you can find.
If I'm getting nowhere fast then that's what I do having gone through the complaints procedure. You may not get a response of the CEO but your case will be escalated to a customer advocate who'll get thing moving.
jbr1683@reddit (OP)
Thank you- I’ll be doing that, appreciate it
Daz-F1971@reddit
Did you get a reply and which email worked
InsufferableHag@reddit
Use chat gpt to help write this letter. It knows about uk consumer law and will craft a letter that will be bang on and will hopefully get the job done.
c0rtec@reddit
4.0 or 5.1?
😀
landwomble@reddit
This. Be very clear and concise on what has happened, what you've tried to do to remedy it and what you want them to do. I've had people call me back and apologise through gritted teeth after a carefully worded CEO email. Shit flows downhill and if on a cursory glance it's obvious they've messed up they will just want the problem to go away quickly
OldishWench@reddit
This seems to be a common tactic. My stepmother bought a small appliance online just after Christmas, and tried to return it a week after it arrived, as it wasn't fit for purpose.
She did the online return process and was told to wait 14 days for instructions. Nothing happened.
She finally got onto the web chat to ask what was going on last week, the agent seemed to be juggling a dozen chats - or was instructed to wait 8-9 minutes between responses - no idea which. After an hour and a half on the web chat she finally got an email with a return label.
An unacceptable level of customer service in my opinion.
octobod@reddit
John Lewis are pretty good
DigitalStefan@reddit
Frying pan and fire, spring to mind. JL are known awful and have been for years.
Y_ddraig_gwyn@reddit
I’ve had nothing but trouble from JL. I bought an iPad from Currys but avoided this nonsense by having it delivered to store then checking with the staff before accepting the item.
jbr1683@reddit (OP)
I know.. I wish I went with them, especially as I worked there 5 years. My mistake!!
MCDCFC@reddit
There is a Facebook group called 'Currys Where's my refund?'. Lots of helpful info on there which may help you. Sadly you are not alone
jbr1683@reddit (OP)
Thank you- I’ll have a look now, appreciate it
MCDCFC@reddit
Good luck
TheQualityOfMersey@reddit
Not a lawyer, but if I understand correctly you bought the items online, and under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 you are entitled to reject goods bought that way within 14 days of receiving them without needing any reason at all - with a few exceptions. You don't need to get involved with any investigation that they may want to make. You have rejected them and as long as you have fulfilled a few basic conditions you are entitled to a refund. They are supposed to refund you as quickly as possible, but in any case it should be within 14 days of them receiving the goods back. Quote these regulations to them in writing and demand a refund. If they don't comply, try contacting your local Trading Standards Department. 'Which' magazine has some guidance you may find useful...
[Which Magazine ]
(https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/i-want-to-return-my-goods-what-are-my-rights-ams3G2z9V7lW)
jbr1683@reddit (OP)
Thank you- I appreciate your help. I was thinking this too- ultimately the investigation should be on their timeline, not mine. I’ll give it until midday tomorrow and then I’ll call
Liverspoon18@reddit
This is exactly the avenue to go down. It’s irrelevant what they have to do on their end, you have a statutory right to a refund in the timelines you’ve set out.
I’ve had issues with Currys in the past and what worked for me was just not letting up and calling every day, eventually I got through to a supervisor who begrudgingly authorised my refund (for a fridge that arrived damaged, it’s worth saying).
Good luck.
ToriaLyons@reddit
They're running the clock down.
You need to do a credit card chargeback ASAP. Or PayPal, or however you paid, you need to escalate it.
WinglyBap@reddit
I use PayPal quite a lot for this reason. Recently had to use it and got a full refund and heard nothing from the company so got to keep the item too!
Appropriate_Trader@reddit
Last time I needed to challenge a non delivered item with PayPal they gave the seller 30 days to respond, when they failed to do so PayPal found in favour of ….. the seller and denied my refund.
I had to appeal the decision which led to me trying to prove a negative.
All I’m saying is PayPal aren’t the great arbiters of fairness either.
jibbetygibbet@reddit
They paid with gift cards…
mas-sive@reddit
You can still do a charge back, you have to buy the vouchers with a card off those work perk websites
ArtichokeFragrant291@reddit
He can’t do charge back as there is no issue with purchase of voucher
OhKitty65536@reddit
They're fucking awful
Dcj91@reddit
Send an email to their ceo. I brought a tv, it broke within warranty.
Curry’s told me it couldn’t be switched until they attempted a repair if it wasn’t fixed within five days I’ll get a like for like replacement.
The five days came and went. On the seventh day, I emailed the ceo explaining the situation, by the evening I had a new tv.
fizzysmoke@reddit
Currently going through a nightmare with currys myself. Long story short, I bought a Sony TV which went faulty (panel issue) within 4 months, packed it back up and took it back to Currys who claim they do not accept Sony returns or repairs and to contact Sony. Been back and forth with Sony for four months who refuse to send engineer out to repair or replace it and are telling me I need to pay for repairs.
Next step will be this Saturday when I will be dragging the tv back to Currys and my plan is to just dump it on them if they again refuse to accept the return and tell them to keep the tv and my 600 quid. Im done with them, I'll never buy from them again.
So yeah, a word of warning. Don't buy a Sony product from Currys because even if it is in warranty they will just fob you off. Bastards.
DrakeManley@reddit
Roughly 28 years ago, I was asked to leave Curry's after a dispute about a vacuum cleaner, never been in one since.
spa2k@reddit
A vacuum cleaner or a Curry's.
DrakeManley@reddit
Hahahaha. A Curry's
spa2k@reddit
Just for clarity, people use vacuum cleaners for all sorts.... apparently.
poshbakerloo@reddit
What is the scam? Was the box empty?
jbr1683@reddit (OP)
After receiving the item- I had a look online and saw people are using heat guns to remove the top seal, breaking the bottom seal, to then remove / replace the items and then resealing again. I didn’t break the top seal as I wanted to return them to currys in the form I received them in.. it may be perfectly fine, but I didn’t want to accept them in that form
Icy_Mixture1482@reddit
After reading this, it’s still unclear what your issue was. You opened the box, and then what happened?
You suspect some people somewhere have opened AirPods boxes using heat guns?
nathderbyshire@reddit
Seals are there for a reason, if they're broken you don't accept the product. There's no legitimate reason the seal should be broken
Icy_Mixture1482@reddit
OP added a LOT more context after I posted
jbr1683@reddit (OP)
Yes correct - my items may have been stolen before they arrived. If an item arrives opened (as seals show) then I (assume) I have every right to send them back. Or both
poshbakerloo@reddit
I assume it's taking longer to replace than normal as they are investigating first rather than just replacing. I recieved damaged TV and it was replaced within 3 days, I went into the store with it.
Brilliant_Shoe5514@reddit
Currys are a shit company. I see it every time I go into the store. You need to be assertive and sure of your rights.
I remember at my local Currys I wanted to buy something and a trainee was selling it to me. I knew I was buying it before I got in. I refused the additional protection so he called his manager over. He tried to tell me if I went home and it did not work I would have to go to the manufacturer and wait 30-60 days for a replacement if I did not buy the extra protection.
I told him. If I take it home and it does not work Currys will be giving me a replacement.
He argued with me and I told him it sounds like you do not want me to buy it from Currys because if you insist you are correct I will not buy it. He backed down and I told the trainee, he should look up consumer service and rights.
One_Anteater_9234@reddit
Curry's arent great with small electrical. They make very little profit so fight tooth and nail to not pay out.
Expensive-Leave4715@reddit
Have you tried going in store?
ImFamousYoghurt@reddit
My local currys refuse to offer any support for online orders even though their policy says they should
Expensive-Leave4715@reddit
100% they should - I worked in one for 4 years, that's one for their manager to explain!
simkk@reddit
Yeah this is the great thing about currys they still have some stores with dedicated customer service staff especially the bigger ones.
The only issue is they won't be able to do anything about the order themselves but will be able to contact the ecommerce team to get it fixed.
OutrageousRhubarb853@reddit
Yeah, I’d be a proper pain in the arse about this. There would be no staff abuse but there would be a BIG bunch of wasted time for the customer service people, and it would be everyday until I had two pairs of perfect AirPods in my hand. They need to be losing money or face before this will be fixed.
GreekVicar@reddit
Distance selling regs should be your friend. You have a right to return any item bought within 14 days without giving a reason.
JayL80@reddit
Consumer rights act, section 28 I believe, should be useful to you.
Not sure if I'm allowed to provide links here, it's to a gov.uk site.
Mods can take this down if not permitted
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/section/28
DPH996@reddit
Chiming in here. I buy a lot of tech. Bought a computer monitor online from Curry’s thinking if there happens to be an issue, I can always go in store. There was - egregious screen burn within 12 months I think it was on a £1000 monitor. No big deal, I’ve bought lots from them, they’re simply the merchant here not the manufacturer. Ended up having about ten phone calls, going into the store three times, being referred to the manufacturer multiple times, told to go to other stores because of the unwillingness of my local store to help, Twitter DMs, messages on their online help.
It wasn’t until I received one of those “how did we do today?” emails where I absolutely let rip. Explained how I’ve spent thousands with the store in the last couple of years alone buying everything from TVs, headphones, VR headsets, monitors, laptops and never had an issue - but the one time I do I’m spoken to like a child and everyone claims “not my problem!”. Got a call within an hour from my local store who I presume had received a right dressing down over it saying they would give me a credit note (which is all I was asking for).
It was so, so painful. It made me realise that despite their physical presence, Curry’s just isn’t worth the time of day. I had no more protection using them than I would have if I’d used an online retailer. I would recommend all steer clear and pick someone like John Lewis instead.
OddlyDown@reddit
Lots of people here saying Currys are dodgy. They are right. However, sometimes that incompetence works in your favour - I ordered a cheap refurb monitor (it was the cheapest 27” 4k monitor I could find that day) and they sent be a brand new top spec 32” monitor worth five times as much.
lamaldo78@reddit
I had an abysmal experience buying a tv from currys so it's not just you
Disastrous-Trash1025@reddit
I’d send a letter before claim and then take them to MCOL then High court enforcement
It will probably be sorted shortly after the letter before claim
shak_0508@reddit
Charge back
PineappleFrittering@reddit
Currys fucked me around for months, refusing to either deliver my cooker or refund me, until I raised a chargeback with my bank. It's not just incompetent staff, their systems are so broken they can't help you even if they want to. There is no redeeming that company, avoid forever.
jbr1683@reddit (OP)
Wish I could… bought using gift vouchers via company scheme
spamjavelin@reddit
Contact the administrators of the scheme, they will likely be in a position to assist.
jbr1683@reddit (OP)
Good shout also- thank you
ConfidentialX@reddit
Scummy company.
Will never use them again.
Far-Birthday-3589@reddit
I have had no end of issues with Curry’s so now I flat out refuse to use them. My partner had a gaming PC arrive damaged TWICE (with one of these being the replacement!) the back and forth went on for months with the PC being out of stock/them offering an inferior replacement/promising delivery multiple times but never actually sending one/ being on hold for hours on end then them hanging up/ refusing to repair the PC and return it/ blatantly fabricating false promises until he eventually managed to get another replacement. His brother also received a damaged PC and was offered an immediate replacement and a ‘Goodwill gesture’ of a percentage of the cost, despite not having even nearly as much trouble. Seems to be one rule for one and one for another and the customer service is abhorrent, I will never ever use them again. Recommend John Lewis all the way as I’ve never had a problem and they often have a 3 year guarantee
jamesckelsall@reddit
Did you pay for the full purchase by gift card, or was part of it by another method? If any other method was used, a chargeback for that part could well trigger action.
If even 1p was paid using a credit card, don't bother with a chargeback - do a section 75 claim for the full value - your credit card provider is jointly liable with the retailer for the full sale, including the part that was paid for using gift cards.
tea_would_be_lovely@reddit
you could try the guardian's consumer champions https://www.theguardian.com/money/series/consumer-champions
SexyPiranhaPartyBoat@reddit
I think you did the right thing, they may well have been swapped with fake ones, or maybe not, but either way if you opened them you could have been accused of swapping with fake ones and made the returns process more complicated.
Not accusing anyone of doing something wrong but do you think the breaking of the seal happened in store or during delivery?
AssociationGold8745@reddit
Have you considered buying electronics from pizzas next time?
jbr1683@reddit (OP)
Probably would have had better luck 😂
mas-sive@reddit
Do a charge back on your card. If you used a credit card, all the more better as you get more protection
NaveedQ@reddit
You need to ask for a refund.
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