Distressing Encounter

[arpie]

Hi guys

Tues last week, I went to Harvey Norman to buy a replacement Laser Printer Toner Cartridge, as I had purchased the printer there & the one that came with it had just run out. A simple enough exercise, I thought, boy, was I wrong!!

When I got it home, I opened the box & the silver packet that the cartridge was in had been tampered with - totally cut open, not sealed at all. Upon contacting the shop & speaking with the salesman who served me, I told him what had happened. The conversation went a bit like this:

Look, i am ringing to let you know that I just opened the package & it had already been opened, I would like a replacement.

That has never happened before - I don't know what the procedure is relating to a replacement.

Wel, it has happened now & I would like a replacement.

We don't have any in stock just now - and there is no way that we know it was tampered with as it came from the Fuji Depot - our records show that it has never been sold to anyone before. I will have to contact Fuji. We only get these cartridges in on 'as requested' basis.

Well, I requested one in December and have never been advised of it's arrival. It was written in a book & I was to be rung.

I don't know what happened to that request or why you were not contacted.

I bought the toner from you in good faith & have advised you of the damaged packaging, as I thought you would be interested in finding out how it happened. As it has been opened & I don't know if it has been used or not, I would like a replacement.

We couldn't get a replacement in till Tues next week.

In that case, I would like a refund.

We can't give a refund as we don't know who opened the package - it may have been used. Have you taken it out & looked at the cartridge?

No, but I will - it is the same size as my 'old' one but has a sticker on it saying 2.5k whereas my 'empty' one has a sticker on it saying '1.5k' on it.

Your old cartridge was the one that came with the machine & will print 1,500 pages whereas the new cartridge will print 2,500 pages. We have no way of knowing whether a used cartridge has been put back into the box.

Precisely! That is why I have rung you - to sort this out! I have a product that is not as I expected it to be - I will bring it in tomorrow for a refund.

It is Anzac day tomorrow - all shops will be closed.

I will bring it in on Thurs morning for a refund.

End of conversation

Now, you could expect them to be suspicious if I had contacted them the next day or the next week, but I rang them within an hour of purchase!!!

Thurs morning

The conversation went like this (after waiting for 10 mins for the computer manager to come & speak with me, I am told he is in an offsite meeting & they don't know how long he will be):

I would like a refund or a replacement for this cartridge - it was already open when I opened the package.

We can't do that. It may have been used. It may have been used for a big print run.

I rang the shop within an hour of the purchase & had been shopping prior to returning home & have dockets with the time on them to prove it. Are you saying that I opened the cartridge, used it and am now trying to return it?

I didn't say that - I am just saying that we don't know what state of use the cartridge was when it left the store.

That is precisely why i am here, to get a refund or a replacement cartridge. I am very unhappy with the way I am being treated by the staff of this shop. I want to speak with the Manager.

He is not available, but if you give me your Mobile No (I had told him I was on the way south ... as it was, to the Entrance!)

I gave it to him. He was a rude, arrogant PIG of the first degree, with no customer/people skills at all. This was going on at the counter, in the middle of the store with customers & staff listening in.

3hrs later the computer manager rings & says they will not give a refund but will give a replacement.

Fine, I will be back on Monday afternoon - if it is not there, I will expect a refund.

OK

1/2hr later he calls again

A replacement won't be available for 2 weeks.

That is unacceptable. Try the Taree store & if they have one in stock, do an interstore transfer. If it is not there on Monday pm, I expect a refund.

OK

Got there Monday pm & the replacement was there (had already contacted Taree to see if they had any more in stock & they did ..... just in case the Forster mob said there were none.)

The salesman I had originally spoken with (& bought it from) was being very petty & pouty & couldn't/wouldn't process the credit/recharge so dragged another bloke in who was just as bolshie! I couldn't believe it! Finally had the paperwork done & then I opened it up in front of them, to ensure this one was in an 'un opened state', which it was.

Bloody hell! All I wanted was a printer cartridge, not a bloody heart attack from stress!!!

Next time, I will consider having the cartridge refilled at Cartridge World - has anyone dealt with them? Any problems?? I have spoken with them already & they can do it, but I want to hear from anyone that has refilled a laser cartridge before - don't want to damage the machine!!

Sorry it is a bit long & involved, but that is what happened! I don't intend frequenting that shop again for anything! And I told them that!

Cheers

Roberta

[GregL]

That's unlucky Roberta

Is your printer still under warranty?

If so just make sure if you use non-genuine inks it's still covered.

Greg

[arpie]

Is your printer still under warranty?

Hi Greg

Thanks for that - Good Point! Must be brain dead, or still spewing not to think of it!! The first cartridge lasted 8 months, so reckon this one (fully filled replacement from them) should last about 12 months, so it should be out of warranty by then, but will check the original invoice. I am pretty sure Cartridge World 'warranties' their products, too.

Cheers

Roberta

[Robbielites]

Roberta.

I use the cheapy cartridge replacements, I go through 5 or 6 a year and I have never had a problem.

Also if you ask for a refill instead of a replacement it is cheaper again.

Cheers.

Robbie.

[Dan A]

As expected from Harvey Norman or its Sister Store Domayne.

I pulled out of a purchase from Domayne and the sales rep phoned me on my mobile and abused me!

Needless to say I shop at neither of these stores now

Dan

Edited May 4, 2007 by Dan A

[Davemmm]

Going on my experience it seems that Hardley Normal has a policy of only employing staff who aren't real bright.

My wife works there and given that she married me she couldnt be real smart.

Dave

[Brad Duffell]

That is terrible what ever happens to "customer is allways right?" I work at maccas and we have a very strong policy on pleasing our customers. the boss always finds time to drum it into us and to mae sure they are happy. To have this done to you robetra is just not on... just my two bob

cheers

Brad

[arpie]

...Going on my experience it seems that Hardley Normal has a policy of only employing staff who aren't real bright. My wife works there and given that she married me she couldnt be real smart. ....

I really was amazed at their attitude, given that I rang them within an hour of purchasing, thinking they would want to know about the tampering!!!

Hey Brad!

Ditto! The customer may not always be right, but a simple swap should have been accomodated without hassle! The bullsh_t they put me thru was totally unwarranted. I am a fairly laid back person, but that got me stewing & spewing.

Have something good to say about a company - you tell 10. Have something bad to say about a company & you tell hundreds!!!

Hey Dan - glad to find out I am not the only one!

Cheers

Roberta

May even write to the paper so the whole town reads about it! They would spew (or sue!)

[OWZAT]

G`day Fellas ,

Those refill cartridge are quite Good EXCEPT If your printer is an EPSON.

I Got so Disgusted at the Prices Epson was Charging I substituted the refillable ones for the Epson.

Big Mistake , 5th Page of a 15 Page run , serious bleed , followed by Paper Jam , and shit everywhere.

Nozzles Blocked , quoted $185.00 to clean and repair.

Solution !! , took one 5lb lump hammer , and reduced printer to pulp, packed mangled mess into it`s original Carton , asked a mate going to town to drop it off at the recycle depot at Taree .

Next day drove into ***** , Purchased a $90.00 HP printer & scanner all in one , and have been amazed at the quality of the Colour prints.

Have replaced The colour Cartridge with the Elcheapo , and bingo No Discernable difference ," unless you were a chronic nit picker ".

Mick

[traysexy]

Unfortunately working is retail is a thankless job.. I'm doing it now and thats only because I need to wait for an offer to come up somewhere else. The whole ' the customer is always right" is a load of crap and my retail trainer tells me that. I have had numerous people come in insist that they purchase a second hand product/damaged product although I know 100% that there was nothing wrong with it when they left the store. The can try and pull all that 'dept of fair trading' as much as they like, although when an item has been damaged outside of the store, the warranty is VOID. I'm talking about serious cases here. items such as cartridges, I would gladely offer a over-the-counter replacement such as in your case. I have had many people phone me up on the day saying that something is missing and I would agree 100%.

I understand that sometimes sales people can give you the craps, although unfortunately we just follow the rules:(.. or you can be like me and make your own:)

you should have been given a replacement the next trading day. end of story..

cheers, pete

[DaveD]

That has to be the first thing I totally agree with you on Mr. Traysexy.

I've had issues like that all the time aswell, oh I got this it was damaged etc, my response is usually one where I'll gladly refund or replace it, save all the arguments and time in the end. Shame other people (especially juniour staff members) take their job so seriously and wont even try helping out the customer.

[Nel]

Roberta, better still, contact me for a price next time, it'll save you a lot of stress! (We mainly deal with Canon, Brother, HP and Epson though)..

[arpie]

Hi nel

Where is Connells Point? I am up the mid north coast!

Cheers

Roberta

[roosterman]

hi Roberta

sorry to hear of your drama.. that cartridge should of been swapped in good faith,and as was said word of mouth advertising is best so bad experiaces can = lots of lost sales.i am a senior photocopier tech and have even been a service manager before so have come across issues like this and sometimes have doubted the validity of complaint but err on the side of caution as cust satisfaction and future sales is cheap in this instance when theyll do a warrantee on it anyway.... with the new shops up forster there more places to go and spend your hard earned so hardly normals unless you pick your act up....... i would put a written complaint in with full details to head office,may not achieve anything but if all who have bad dealings do this then things will definitely change.... steve....