I have to be totally honest with you. I have never really liked Currys PC World. But this has always been more to do with their rip-off pricing rather than their customer service, which is usually fairly OK.
In fact I am writing this very article
right now using a laptop computer that I bought from them a few years ago. There
was an initial technical problem with my laptop (which Currys PC World refused
to solve until I had proved that it was their fault). But aside from that it
has worked OK since then, and I have had no reason to complain.
I am a frequent visitor to my local
branch of the store, but I have to admit that I very rarely actually buy
anything from them. They are a great shop to browse round and try out new
products, but then I usually go onto the internet and purchase the same item online
at a much cheaper price.
So my view of Currys PC World as a
whole is that they usually (not always) offer reasonable customer service, and
they have a great range of products. But their prices are nearly always higher
than what you pay from an online retailer.
But it seems that Currys PC World has
now been caught out with some pretty dodgy customer service practices. Numerous customers
have recently complained that they were pressured into paying £35 in
set-up fees for a new laptop.
Consumer group Which? Has reported that
108 customers complained of being given no choice but to pay the extra amount
when they collected their laptop. The consumer group said it had raised the
issue with the firm "multiple times" since 2015, but they still
continued to hear about complaints.
Customers said staff had told them
computers that had already been set up were the only ones left in stock,
meaning they would have to pay a previously unmentioned set-up fee.
The retailer offers a £35
'Knowhow' set-up service. But these angry customers have said that they
were not advised it was optional. Under UK consumer law, all retailers
should advertise the full price of a product bought online.
A Currys PC World spokeswoman said:
"We are sorry to hear that some customers have been charged for a Knowhow
Laptop Set-up service on their new machine when they did not request it. While
setting up machines in advance enables customers who want the service to
benefit from it straight away, it is not something everyone needs.”
"We are urgently re-briefing our
stores to remind them that, in the small number of cases where only pre-set up
models are available, customers should not be charged for the service when they
buy their laptop."
Which? called on the firm to refund
affected customers, saying it had first contacted Currys in January 2015.
Alex Neill, the Which? director of home and
product services, said: "This issue has been going on for more than three
years without resolution and we are disappointed people are continuing to
report feeling pressurised into parting with their cash.”
"We want Currys to make cast-iron
guarantees that it will put an end to this practice and that customers who've
been caught out will be reimbursed."
Customers affected by this problem
should begin by emailing this address: whichsupport@dixonscarphone.com.
And please also let us know about it here at The Customer Service Blog so that
we can help to expose Currys PC World when they treat customers in this shoddy
way. (Don't worry, we will always keep your identity completely private).
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