Page 1 of Master Care, and other retail insurance plans.

Having read what you guys had to say on this subject i thought i would get an opinion on my little problem.

I bought a laptop from PC World in february of this year. I still havent received the recovery CD from the store, and ADVENT, the manufacturer. I wouldnt usually mind and i am reasonably patient, but my machine has recently broken down and in true PC Support fashion, the helplines solution was to de-install, and re-install all of the software. To do this i was told i needed the recovery CD. The helpline told me to get in touch with PC World, who the fobbed my off and told me to go back to the helpline, who then told me to contact the manufacturer, who havent got any in stock and wont have for a month. Absolutely rediculous!
Problem number 2! I managed to fix my PC ( Without de-installing anything). The only problem now is that the DVD rom drive has broken down. I spoke to the helpline who refered me to the store, they then told me to speak to the helpline and ask to get the removable drive replaced.
I asked the helpline this, stressing the importance of needing the laptop for business reasons. They said it would take 2 weeks to repair, and that time isnt guaranteed!!!!!!!
I spoke to PC W`s store manager who want prepared to loan me a laptop to take on a business trip while mine was being repaired!!
I have found the staff at both PC World, and the helpline polite, but braindead!!! I agree with what JIMBO was saying, but this is crazy. I paid nearly £300 for my cover plan for a Laptop that has broken down this soon! It seems a high price to pay for a crap service!

This item was edited on Friday, 18th May 2001, 16:43

Please note that this post is now owned by Dixons Group......

This item was edited on Saturday, 19th May 2001, 00:48

I agree with Haggis` advice to a point - this running around that they`re making you do is unacceptable : any breakdowns with equipment WITHIN THE FIRST SIX YEARS is, without fail, the vendor`s responsibility.

You`ve tried the helpline (or unhelpful line, to give it it`s true trading name) and have been given the runaround. The next logical step is to get yerself down to the store and to calmly ask for someone who knows something about computers and laptops. If there is no-one available ask to speak to the manager.

The answer here is not to accept `"We can`t possibly do that, sir, it`s not our problem" - WRONG. It is their problem, as they initially supplied you with the goods.

Whilst I don`t advocate shouting `Watchdog` at five second intervals, you should find that it`s a useful catch-all if they simply won`t budge. DSG have had a horrendous time of it, courtesy of the afore-mentioned telly programme, and if the manager is switched on no doubt he will have received formal training in how to handle "The Watchdog Threat Situation". This is when you should be able to get the moon on a stick without too much stamping of feet.

People - hold your ground, let the manager say his piece, then point out the vagaries of consumer law - the responsibility (per Sales of Goods Act 1979, as amended 1994) lies with the retailer to provide goods that do what they are supposed to. If they don`t do it the retailer should offer to (a) repair the kit for free or (b) swap like for like (and I don`t mean a second-hand piece of kit, a la Brands, either ;-) ).

There is little to gain from shouting, or for being escorted from the shop - it may make you feel good, but ultimately you could find yourself on a hiding to nothing at the end of the day.

Over to you, Jimbo....

This item was edited on Friday, 18th May 2001, 20:19

I also bought a PC from PC world and was very annoyed at their service. Usual story of being great when you were interested in buying but pathetic when you had a problem. The main problem I had was that the PC came with a sticker on it saying "AGP"which to me meant there was a port inside the pc for easy upgrade. A few months later I found out it is a PCI slot with an AGP chip on the motherboard.

The problem was when I called PC world the first time they told me to bring it in and they would change it. Then when calling back to check this was still ok got told that they would under no circumstances replace it. Again they changed their minds when I went to the shop and told me to bring the PC in then for the second time changed their minds and refused to replace it.

This resulted in a very p***ed off customer who got trading standards involved. The outcome of this was they said it was misleading and asked PC World not to put these stickers on any more machines but there was nothing I could do for personal benefit.

If I had been told straight off that I couldnt change it and why I would have been dissapointed but after 2 weeks of conflicting stories I just lost total faith in their standards. As for mastercare, seems good, I have had my monitor go and my hard drive break within the 2 years I have had it. Mastercare fixed my PC hard drive no problem.

As with any equipment this price I think the warranty is a good idea but I think the standards of service at PC World are pathetic.

Oh, I also got the

"its not our fault its the manufacturers"

story again.

This item was edited on Sunday, 20th May 2001, 11:39

>"I agree with Haggis` advice to a point - this running around that they`re making you do is unacceptable : any breakdowns with equipment WITHIN THE FIRST SIX YEARS is, without fail, the vendor`s responsibility."

Six years Clayts? I`m not aware of that one myself, but certainly within the manufacturers warranty period, or the extended warranty period, yes, you are correct.

>"The answer here is not to accept `"We can`t possibly do that, sir, it`s not our problem" - WRONG. It is their problem, as they initially supplied you with the goods."

Erm...yup! Can`t say much on that one!

>"There is little to gain from shouting, or for being escorted from the shop - it may make you feel good, but ultimately you could find yourself on a hiding to nothing at the end of the day."

Agreed. Anyone who comes in brandishing threats/being abusive in my store will get the "By the letter of the company`s rules".

Calmly explain, and if we can help, we will.
If we can`t help, we`ll do our utmost to find out who can.

On the top posting of this thread...you needed a master CD for a faulty drive.
you then got the PC up and running without it.
The master CD would have taken a month to come.
Sorry to say, but you just shot yourself in the foot!

DSG have a 28 day maximum repair time policy. If the goods are not repaired and ready for collection or returned to you (whichever applies), then they change the unit over with a like for like new model, or give the option to upgrade from the original purchase price if an acceptable replacement isn`t available.
(ie: my laptop was £1000, you don`t have it anymore, and I don`t like that one. I do like the one at £1200, can I pay the extra £200?..answer, yep, but only if a like for like isn`t available. However, most store managers will allow the upgrade if you haven`t been screaming the odds at them and have been patient.)

Secondly, if it`s in the coverplan period, the 28 day turnaround changes to a 6 week turnaround.
You may still land lucky with the drive problem, but get it in quick!!
The 28 days begins when the first engineer confirms the fault. Oh, and software faults are not covered under a gtee or cover, but if the drive was faulty, then that is!

(ie: if the master CD was required to fix the drive)

Sorry to drone on...:o)

Thanks guys for your usefull information. I did as you all generally advised and i had a very helpfull manager asure me that he would see that the turn around for my laptop repair take 5 working days, with a gurantee for it to be with me within 2 weeks if they have to order the parts. He also advised me that he will personally deal with advent to replace my restore CD.
If they cant get all of the above done within 2 weeks, he said they would loan me a laptop until mine is repaired.
So, to sum this story up.
It definately helps if you deal with the organ grinder and not the monkey. He agreed that the service lines leave a lot for the store managers to do, and that a young and unexperienced sales force only have limited knowledge of what they are dealing with. He also gave me his card so if i ever have any problems or queries to ask for him personally and he would try to help me. I found that i didnt need to yell, threated watchdog, quote, quote and rules from trading standards. i just asked for a moment of his time, voiced my concerns and voila!
I have to say it, i dont think i would ever purchase a PC from there again, but if i did, i would take out a seperate insurance on it and not the one dixons sell!!

Thanks Guys

Bruce