Frederick Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Last month I bought a G3 Dongle from the SFR shop. Their publications state "compatible with all computers " ...I could not get it to load up so took the laptop to the shop...After about an hour and a half and much talking with experts to solve the problem they announced my Medion laptop made in Germany with windows XP was NOT compatible ... They refunded the cost of the dongle about 60 euros in cash .. Then came the wierd stuff .. The 26 euros for the sim card giving me 15 hours connection could not be returned as they had activated the sim ... They agreed the problem was totally theirs....they were so very sorry that I had been put through such inconvienence ..they agree the sim card will not work in anything else such as a phone and is of no use to me ... But ...once they phone through and activate a sim card thats it ...they have no way of taking it back and giving a customer a refund they are not allowed to .confirmed by a phone call to regional manager . How many times have they done this do you think ?.. when people have been unable to install their dongle to gain web access .. As its a Vodaphone bit of kit and SFR are their French arm I wrote to Vodaphone to ask why it would not work in my laptop ..its Vodaphone software after all ..That was over a month ago and no doubt they passed my letter to SFR...so no surprise I am still waiting for a reply ..... What a system it could only happen in France ! and is it legal ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin963 Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 This may become more and more of a problem I suspect.On a related (slightly!) note I bought this week two Fransat sat receivers for the TNT channels via satellite (Atlantic Bird 3). They have finally become available in the shops.One was fine, it was the clear that the other one had already been "out of its box" when I opened up the packaging. To cut a long story short, a PIN had been chosen by whoever had gone through the set-up start-up menu, and of course I was not privy to that PIN because it wasn't me that had chosen it.Leroy Merlin were in fact fine about taking it back (I was able to show from the on-screen menus that the date the decryption card had been activated was two weeks prior to the day I had bought it!!) but the guarantee stated quite clearly that Metronic (the box makers) would not be responsible for any problems caused by loss of PIN, so I was determined that it wasn't going to be me with the problems, as certain functions are only accessible via PIN code. I imagine the box will have to go back to Metronic and have a new EEPROM or similar installed, costing them and Leroy Merlin money.I do sympathise with you, however irritating for the manufacturer/retailer it should be they who put the customer back into the initial financial position when problems like yours arise.Very glad you've pointed this up.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Martin963 wrote"...costing them and Leroy Merlin money"This is exactly your situation Frederick. They took back the dongle because they can sell it on but they don't know what to do with a used sim card except to scrap it which they wont do because it would cost them money.Anyone know what the law is on "fit for purpose" is in France? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 I remember buying a timer plug from Aldi which didnt work, in fact it must have had an internal short circuit as the battery got red hot.I took it back and was told to put it back on the shelf and choose another one, I was suspicious as half of those on the shelf had already been opened, of course they assured me that I was the only person to have returned one but could not answer my question as to why the others had been opened.I dug my heels in a bit and eventually the manager and I tested every one which included opening the remaining sealed boxes, every one was faulty [:(]He said that I could have a refund but it was at the time when the queues built up and of course there is a mad rush by the staff to close their checkout and disssapear so I wasted another 15 minutes.All the defective timer plugs including the one I returned remained on the shelf and were gradually sold to unwitting pigeons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted August 14, 2009 Author Share Posted August 14, 2009 Exactly Benjamin...They did not take back the sim card ...so if the dongle was dodgy then some other guy is going to go through the same hassle I did and come out of the shop a loser .You can see the shutters come down when you try and point out the problem is their doing ..the brainwashing kicks in and the stock answers come out " We cannot make a refund.... we are not permitted ...." Like talking to a Dr Who Darlik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mme poivre Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 I have had the same with 3 in england I purchased a new mobile phone and it has a dud batery it will not hold any charge. so take it back and they say sorry its no under gurantee only the softwear on the phone, not policy to exhange batteries, sorry, so i said just open another box and give me one from that cant do not allowed have to be regestered to someone before we can open box, They said I will have to purchase a new battery but not from them because they don't stock any !!!!!! I say you give me battery you sold me faulty goods....I have got to send phone off so they can see the problem although the sales guy in the shop told them and be without my phone for as long as it takes. Thank goodness I still have my old one [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gosub Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 [quote user="Benjamin"]Martin963 wrote"...costing them and Leroy Merlin money"Anyone know what the law is on "fit for purpose" is in France?[/quote]http://www.dgccrf.bercy.gouv.fr/documentation/fiches_pratiques/fiches/b15.htmhttp://www.dgccrf.bercy.gouv.fr/documentation/fiches_pratiques/fiches/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 When we have been in a similar situation to the ones above I have always written a stinking letter to the Managing Direstor or Chairman of the company. Most of the time the problem is solved and in fact we are waiting for a reply from a French national company because of a problem with an external door and some roller shutters!Boss men/women (PC or wot!!) don't like complaints landing on their desks or their PAs for that matter. All you need to do is to ask at he shop for the address of the central office and the name of the MD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 [quote user="Jonzjob"] in fact we are waiting for a reply from a French national company because of a problem with an external door and some roller shutters!Boss men/women (PC or wot!!) don't like complaints landing on their desks or their PAs for that matter. All you need to do is to ask at he shop for the address of the central office and the name of the MD.[/quote]It does not surprise me that you are waiting, I hope that you do get a response, were your other complaints that did result in action to French companies? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 This letter only went a couple of daze ago so we will wait. Britanie Ferries boss man basically said what they say to everyone, stuff off, but a couple of others have appologised and put things right.Some you win? But it makes me feel better to 'vent my spleen'! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin963 Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 Brittany Ferries are notorious for their very poor response to complaints, even when taken right up to the MD.One of the (many) reasons we don't give them any business (since 2000 in fact). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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