Pc World .

[Bird Brain]

its often the norm to supply computers with a single install of windows and no discs, its the way windows is licenced, you then get round this by providing the option of making a back up disk for the computer so that you can return it to how it was when you bought it if you need to.

i've had a few computers like this and not had problems.

been using mac's for the past 6 years now tho.

Weird though because any other computer I have bought has had the driver disks bundled.

 

[decca234uk]

Years ago me and a friend ran a computer building and repair business. The likes of PC world getting their computers made cheap in emerging economies wiped the floor with small independant retailers. The problem for small sellers was the general ignorance of most people about computers. Small players could provide excellent customer service and high spec PCs with top quality components. Unfortunately all the average member of the public saw was that PC world were selling computers for 350 quid. It was pointless trying to explain that these computers were full of crap parts and very poor spec. It didn't matter, it was new and shiney and cheap. Good luck to PC world, they wiped out many small players, fortunately you can still get excellent systems from other places.

 

[Chutzpah]

Supply of Goods & Services, Sale of Goods Act as well as the Trade descriptions Act would have covered you for this. Common practice, within DSG shops, I've found for one staff member to keep you talking whilst another removes the offending item. Cameras come in handy here.

Prices have to be deliberately misleading (and pretty much systematic) for them to fall foul of consumer trading laws.

Traders have the right to change their prices/remove any offers any time they like up until payment is taken. Look up "invitation to treat". They are under no obligation to charge the price displayed, and you are under no obligation to pay it (hence why haggling exists!)

What happened here probably wasn't illegal, just shocking customer services where the OP has now gone and told a load of people his experience.

 

[taxing]

Our first PC was from PC World and it was awful. The second was from a small independent business and that one was awful too. It seems like it's luck of the draw. My last laptop (also awful, but it was cheap) was from Currys and when it broke it was sent off to the Tech Guys, they took over three months to fix it because they thought they had ordered a part and hadn't, so they just fobbed me off every time I called while my laptop was just sitting there, part not ordered. I found out that in the contract for the extra warranty I had taken out it said that I could get a new laptop if they took over three months to fix it, and to their credit as soon as I rang up and mentioned that they sorted out store credit for the original price of the laptop, so I could go in and choose another. Touch wood this one has been fine.

 

[Jezston]

I went into pc world the other day to buy a mini usb cable. Cheapest price? THIRTY FIVE POUNDS! Went to little indie shop us the road and got one for 4 quid.

 

[PBancroft]

Not true.

Comet is a totally separate company and had a corporate image makeover severa years ago to emphasise that it was not connected with the Dixons/Currys and PCWorld chain.

Many years ago I worked in Currys as a sales bod. It was just a college job, and I wouldn't usually shop there unless I was certain I knew what I was looking at and happy to pay before I went in. I have plenty of stories from there (largely involving theft or daft people). One of my favourite stories for those six months is the chap who came in effing and blinding about his TV which he bought the previous week but was now broken. He wanted his "f***ing money" back.

After ten minutes of listening to his well rehearsed diatribe, I politely informed him that I would be glad to give him his money or repair his TV if he could show me his receipt or proof of purchase. He seemed happy with this and toddled off to his car to get it. He dragged in his 42" widescreen cathode ray-tube TV too. After he returned and showed me the all-important headed receipt, I had no alternative but to tell him I couldn't give him a refund.

Cue another ten-minute spiel about my lack of customer service.

Once I could finally get a word in edgeways, I showed him his receipt, pointed out that he was in Currys and not Comet which was where he bought the TV from.


That kind of mistake was relatively common, and I reckon neither electrical retailer really benefited.

 

[Black Sheep]

Not true.

Comet is a totally separate company and had a corporate image makeover severa years ago to emphasise that it was not connected with the Dixons/Currys and PCWorld chain.

whoops, my mistake, i meant dixons, currys and pc world

Years ago me and a friend ran a computer building and repair business. The likes of PC world getting their computers made cheap in emerging economies wiped the floor with small independant retailers. The problem for small sellers was the general ignorance of most people about computers. Small players could provide excellent customer service and high spec PCs with top quality components. Unfortunately all the average member of the public saw was that PC world were selling computers for 350 quid. It was pointless trying to explain that these computers were full of crap parts and very poor spec. It didn't matter, it was new and shiney and cheap. Good luck to PC world, they wiped out many small players, fortunately you can still get excellent systems from other places.

I used to know someone on a computer science degree course who swore by tiny and time pc's, Time / tiny were cheaply built and used to get bad press due to phone lines for customer service being jammed, this was down to people who knew little about computers wondering how to turn it on etc,

he had 6 chained together under the desk that he'd bundled together to form one 'super computer' as he put it.

it worked really quite well, was more powerful than my HP desk top.

 

[just jim]

Their seconds department often has some good bargains. I've had seconds printers and a laptop which were all under half price and all performed just fine.

Do your own research before going in there, though, as their salesmen would probably fail to make the grade in Halfords.

The ultimate cc nightmare, pc world and halfords to merge

IMO.

 

[just jim]

Hmmm. Posting a bit tricky at the mo...