[KPV]

I have had the most awful time at PC world and need advice.

I bought a new laptop in April (an Advent Monza N2? blue) for £400 (thereabouts). I managed to crack the screen with my palm somehow and understood that my repair would probably not be covered by my guarantee. Needless to say, it wasn't.

Sunday: Took the laptop to the store and paid £50 that the staff member kept referring to as a "deposit". The guy also told me that the soonest it could be sent off for repair was Wednesday. I was told the laptop was going off for diagnostics (which was mandatory for fixture, though I knew the issue and the solution and told them so). [I later realized that the guy never gave me my receipt for £400+ back.]

In the afternoon I get agitated as my mum thinks it isn't worth the price. I agree that I can do without a new screen if I cannot find anyone cheaper anyway (because the screen is a fair size that the crack doesn't much bother me).

As a result, I dial the number on the receipt for collection which is an 0844 number. I am put through to a call centre? rather than the store and ask to be forwarded to the Cabot Circus branch. She asks me why I have called today and I explain I want to collect my laptop rather than sending it off for repair. I am put onto hold and then she answers, tells me she has conveyed my wishes to the staff at the store and I may collect it the day after. It will not go anywhere.

Monday: I bring my receipt to the till. A different member of staff tells me the laptop has been sent off already for repair. I tell him that I was assured it would be here. He says that he doesn't know where it is and would have to investigate and phone me later. I ask for my £50 back too and the man says that it's non-refundable. I tell him that I was at no point told that this sum was non-refundable and the term "deposit", used repeatedly, had inferred otherwise. I am refused my refund.

I decide to complain to the manager, who keeps asking me what it is that I actually want (basically this means that he can't retrieve my laptop at present so what else is there to be said)? I tell him I want to file a complaint and my £50 back. He insists it's non-refundable and gets the staff member I initially spoke to today to look at the email correspondences to and from the store. I am told there was no email about keeping my laptop in the store. I explain that the man I spoke to on Sunday said the laptop would be sent off on Wednesday and I don't understand how it has left the store anyway. He says without a reference number from my phone call or the name of the woman there was no complaint I can file. (In my horrendous anger and frustration, I forgot that the guy I spoke to on Sunday had a lot to answer to). I left the store and travelled 20km back to my home.

Any advice on getting my £50, filing complaints? (I also realized that the manager had not even apologized). I am so angry that returning the laptop that should have been instore yesterday is not enough to appease me and as a sign of goodwill the least they could have done was return my £50. A word of advice to all laptop buyers - avoid PC world like the plague.

[Iqbal007]

(Original post by KPV)
I have had the most awful time at PC world and need advice.

I bought a new laptop in April (an Advent Monza N2? blue) for £400 (thereabouts). I managed to crack the screen with my palm somehow and understood that my repair would probably not be covered by my guarantee. Needless to say, it wasn't.

Sunday: Took the laptop to the store and paid £50 that the staff member kept referring to as a "deposit". The guy also told me that the soonest it could be sent off for repair was Wednesday. I was told the laptop was going off for diagnostics (which was mandatory for fixture, though I knew the issue and the solution and told them so). [I later realized that the guy never gave me my receipt for £400+ back.]

In the afternoon I get agitated as my mum thinks it isn't worth the price. I agree that I can do without a new screen if I cannot find anyone cheaper anyway (because the screen is a fair size that the crack doesn't much bother me).

As a result, I dial the number on the receipt for collection which is an 0844 number. I am put through to a call centre? rather than the store and ask to be forwarded to the Cabot Circus branch. She asks me why I have called today and I explain I want to collect my laptop rather than sending it off for repair. I am put onto hold and then she answers, tells me she has conveyed my wishes to the staff at the store and I may collect it the day after. It will not go anywhere.

Monday: I bring my receipt to the till. A different member of staff tells me the laptop has been sent off already for repair. I tell him that I was assured it would be here. He says that he doesn't know where it is and would have to investigate and phone me later. I ask for my £50 back too and the man says that it's non-refundable. I tell him that I was at no point told that this sum was non-refundable and the term "deposit", used repeatedly, had inferred otherwise. I am refused my refund.

I decide to complain to the manager, who keeps asking me what it is that I actually want (basically this means that he can't retrieve my laptop at present so what else is there to be said)? I tell him I want to file a complaint and my £50 back. He insists it's non-refundable and gets the staff member I initially spoke to today to look at the email correspondences to and from the store. I am told there was no email about keeping my laptop in the store. I explain that the man I spoke to on Sunday said the laptop would be sent off on Wednesday and I don't understand how it has left the store anyway. He says without a reference number from my phone call or the name of the woman there was no complaint I can file. (In my horrendous anger and frustration, I forgot that the guy I spoke to on Sunday had a lot to answer to). I left the store and travelled 20km back to my home.

Any advice on getting my £50, filing complaints? (I also realized that the manager had not even apologized). I am so angry that returning the laptop that should have been instore yesterday is not enough to appease me and as a sign of goodwill the least they could have done was return my £50. A word of advice to all laptop buyers - avoid PC world like the plague.

You do realise, most of us here don't recommend PC World unless theres a very good deal on....otherwise we avoid it due to the crazy prices for the bad specs.

I really dont know what you can do, but I suggest calling up PC world and try to get them to find out who you talk to, otherwise just keep complaining.