Page 1 of What an afternoon!!!

Well, i finally decided to go for a digital camera today!
So, reserved it online and called to Argos to collect it.
All`s well up to this point.
I get home (Sweltering today in Stoke :o ), unopened the box & guess what????
NO CAMERA!!!
Everything else is there (instructions,leads etc)
So, "Mad panic"
First thing that goes through my mind is.."Who`s going to believe me?"...After all, my word against theirs.
So, tries to phone the store (I won`t say which one, because after all is said & done, i don`t want to get anyone in trouble) 10 mins of ringing & no answer.
Finally, i call the number on the back of the reciept, who could sense my panic,they were quite undertanding, who put me through to the private shop number & got connected straight away.
I explain the situation to an assistant who takes my details & he says they will call me back.
10 mins later to their credit, I do recieve a call.
The guy says "We`ve found your camera...it was in the display cabinet"...Wierd...I looked around the store & never spotted it, but anyway, my heart finally starts to slow down!! ;)
I say that i`ll be down in about half an hour (i don`t drive, so this means a second walk to their store)
Finally get to the store & recieve my camera.
All i got was "There you go!.."
NO APOLOGY, KISS MY &RSE..NOWT >:( >:(
And people wonder why more shopping is done online!!!
Anyway, the camera is brill (Olympus 540) £109.99 with a free kit which includes a 64mb card, leather case & a book.
The (original :D ) reason i started this post was to ask "Has anything like this happened to anyone here before?...ie: the main item missing from the box?
Cheers,
Mark ;)

This item was edited on Tuesday, 3rd May 2005, 16:02

That`s bad news, if they hadn`t known it was in the display cabinet like you say, it would have been hard to prove it wa missing when you got it. I got one from Asda a few weeks ago and they opened the box to check everything was there. They gave a similar reason, that`s they`d had one returned with no camera in, they had to believe the customer, but it would be an easy scam to do if you chose to, so I guess they wised up to it.

Didn`t you haggle for a discount due to it being an ex display model...I would have, especially due ot the inconvenience of having to go back again?

Hiya HD462
To be honest, i was just glad that it got sorted out in the end, so never thought of asking for a discount (the camera was new, with no marks whatsoever - they`re in display cabinets, so no contact form the public)
To their credit though, i did take back a faulty cd/mp3 player (on the first visit today) which was 6 months old (and a bit battered), and they gave me a new one with no fuss (i was surprised... i was expecting a 6-8 week repair job!).
Swings and roundabouts really ;)

This item was edited on Tuesday, 3rd May 2005, 16:44

Quote:
Didn`t you haggle for a discount due to it being an ex display model...I would have, especially due ot the inconvenience of having to go back again?

I`d have insisted on an untouched one or a discount for sure.
The public may not be able to touch the camera willy-nilly,but they can still play about with them if an assistant opens the cabinet.
New should mean untouched between factory and you.

You ask if something like this has happened to me before ?
Yes.
I once took home a bloody heavy TV to find the self-build cabinet had no legs. :/
I had to strongly insist the manager stay behind so I could get a replacement cabinet.
My living room was in turmoil and they wanted me to wait until the following day ?
No chance. >:(

This item was edited on Tuesday, 3rd May 2005, 16:55

Quote:
I`d have insisted on an untouched one or a discount for sure.
I bought a Sanyo ex-display VHS Recorder a couple of years ago from Argos and they cut about 40% from the price. :/

If I were you I would call in to Argos, ask for the manager, explain
what has happened and ask what discount can be offered.

You have a couple of points in your favour, inconvenience having to go
back to the shop, because no camera in box, and what can only be
described as you being sold a display model, even if it looks untouched.

I`m almost certain you will be offered a discount.

Go for it, nothing to lose.
Good luck

I`m very happy you got satifaction. Honestly.

I think i may give it a go over a discount....As you say, nothing to lose ;)