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Thread ID: 134889	2013-08-28 01:19:00	DON'T buy from TV shop!	Greg (193)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
1352255	2013-08-28 01:19:00	My one and only and last experience... We called up the 0800 number to "trial" one of these fancy roomba auto vacuum cleaners - as a joke. We intended to trial it for a 30 day period, at the cost of twenty bucks. :tui: So, we unpack the thing and it needs a degree in rocket surgery to assemble. Okay. I have such a degree, sort of. I mean I was challenged over three years to rebuild an '80's Alfa Romeo Guilietta virtually from the ground up. This fekkin thing was harder to operate than co-joining the Space Shuttle to the Sky Lab! Okay.. terms and conditions.. if I wish to return the item it has to be AS NEW. What!? The bloody thing was on trial! Okay... so I prepare to unpack the goddamn thing.. oops - another degree in Scientific Fekking Nonsense... sorry, I ain't got a Bachelor of SFN behind my humble name. I mean really.. my business card doesn't have Greg B.SFN. Sadly. If it did I'd apply for John Key's job. Ok. So I repack the "thing" in identical, but reverse, method of assembly, keeping in mind the T&E's, which require it to be exactly as received. :tui: Ok. I haven't used the "thing" at all. Not one iota of its being was consummated between itself and myself. Ok. .. so you think it gets better from here? Bzzt, wrong. I've repacked this biatch, phoned their sodding number to get a recall number, waited two days for them to call me with their number, and now I have to courier it to them. Remember... this is a thirty day trial. I'm stuffed if I "trialed" it for twenty nine days! It gets worse. Horribly worse. Walking deads are a green peaceful landscape compared to this. We were offered FREE, I reiterate FREE, a Shark (hmm.. by name, by nature comes to mind) steam mop. Lovely. Didn't want one, don't need one (what the fekking heck are women for I asks myself). The fekking basket on the phone insisted that I take it as a "thank you" for trialing the "thing" and as such its a free gift. "GIFT" I emphasise. Ok. . this Shark thingy crap useless piece of fekkin weighs only half a ton. But now they INSIST that I have to return this "FREE" gift.. which natuarly incurs more courier costs. So... $20 for the trial, I'm guessing +/- $40 for each item to be returned, along with possible litigation for not having used the fekking thing or not having re-packaged it it properly, along with their fekkin lies about the free add-on, and stress... remember the stress people! So I ask myself... do I buy myself a couple of containers, a massive forklift, and ship the whole fekkin lot of them and their shyte to Syria?	Greg (193)
1352256	2013-08-28 02:05:00	While their handling of the situation sounds dodgy and would be bad for any legitimate purchaser, the fact that you entered in the the contract to purchase (trial) on false pretences kinda takes the wind out of your argument. I would call it Karma.	DeSade (984)
1352257	2013-08-28 02:09:00	Was it a genuine iRobot Roomba, or some cheap knockoff? The genuine ones I've used have been pretty straight forward, but there's a few knockoff brands that are not exactly so snazzy. And of course they need it returned as new, pretty much any sort of return policy requires it to be in as new, resalable condition. They're looking to resell it - can't do that very well when it's got gouges out of it and a crack down the side. But yeah, some places like the As Seen on TV shops can be a bit of a pain to deal with if you're doing a return (they want to discourage it after all), but they're not all bad.	inphinity (7274)
1352258	2013-08-28 02:13:00	Asking for the gift back sounds very dodgy to me but I could not find anything to support that assumption.	DeSade (984)
1352259	2013-08-28 02:23:00	Asking for the gift back sounds very dodgy to me but I could not find anything to support that assumption. It does, and I don't know the ad that Greg saw. I don't even know which specific TV shop he dealt with. My previous dealings with As Seen on TV have always used wording that the gift is free with 'purchase' not trial, and that if you return the main product, you also return the gift. That should've been made clear to the customer if that was the case, especially if they wouldn't let you decline the gift. But that leads back to the 'never intended to buy anyway' ;)	inphinity (7274)
1352260	2013-08-28 02:27:00	There's probably some fine print regarding the "gift" being only valid if the purchase goes ahead, who reads that stuff ever? But if not they can't ask for it back in my opinion, a gift is a gift and can't be requested back or it's false advertising. Not that I'd be bothered arguing the point myself, I'd never have bothered with the trial either.	dugimodo (138)
1352261	2013-08-28 02:28:00	The damn salesman told us verbally that the "gift" was free given that we trialed the product - but of course it wasn't in writing. Grr	Greg (193)
1352262	2013-08-28 02:32:00	I would simply tell them that is what the Salesman said and refuse to return the gift unless they pay for the postage of it. If they refuse a refund based on that wave the CGA at them, I doubt they will want the hassle (publicity) of that.	DeSade (984)
1352263	2013-08-28 02:34:00	The damn salesman told us verbally that the "gift" was free given that we trialed the product - but of course it wasn't in writing. Grr Then you have a very valid point to argue it, and certainly shouldn't be out of pocket to send the gift back. It's their issue to deal with internally, that information could well have been an influential factor in your decision making, and they can't change their minds about it later. Argue the CGA if they want to take it that far.	inphinity (7274)
1352264	2013-08-28 20:21:00	We called up the 0800 number to "trial" one of these fancy roomba auto vacuum cleaners - as a joke . We intended to trial it for a 30 day period, at the cost of twenty bucks . :tui: Okay . . terms and conditions . . if I wish to return the item it has to be AS NEW . I've repacked this biatch, phoned their sodding number to get a recall number, waited two days for them to call me with their number, and now I have to courier it to them . We were offered FREE, a Shark The fekking basket on the phone insisted that I take it as a "thank you" for trialing the "thing" and as such its a free gift . Ok . . this Shark thingy crap useless piece of fekkin weighs only half a ton . But now they INSIST that I have to return this "FREE" gift . . which natuarly incurs more courier costs . So . . . $20 for the trial, I'm guessing +/- $40 for each item to be returned, along with possible litigation for not having used the fekking thing or not having re-packaged it it properly, along with their fekkin lies about the free add-on, and stress . . . remember the stress people! I went for an interview there . . . . . . when I found out who they were I hesitated but they said they would report the good, the bad and the ugly so I thought I'd see what they said . This was for "customer service" . 1)They pay well for a call centre . They also have bonuses for preventing people returning things etc . . . . 2)They do NOT want anything back and you must do your damnedest to prevent the customer returning an item . This includes reducing price first by 25%, then by 50% . Then, offer another months trial - but don't mention the original terms and conditions still apply . This is no doubt why they have a comprehensive debt collections department also . 3)The price they charge for whatever is outrageous - your Roomba for instance - did you Google? You can buy the same thing elsewhere for a fraction of the cost . And often a better quality one . This is why they can offer 50% off and still make enormous profits . 4)They make it hard to return things by insisting on courier, no drop off allowed etc . 5)They insist you ring 0800, they will not discuss the product then but call you back . This is so they can phone spam you in future . They also take your credit card details immediately at this point . All these responses are scripted and staff are NOT permitted to deviate from the script and speak like a normal human . They have supervisors roaming the floor to ensure this is done . <shudder> I ran away from the horrible place and would never work there, I don't care how much they pay . Nor would I ever buy something with their methods like that . Well, not that I'd buy some overpriced piece of junk anyway - reviews tell you waht people think of the products . . . .	pctek (84)
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