Returning PS3 to Virgin/Zavvi

collymcd

I bought my PS3 from virgin just under 6 months ago. Lately it's been freezing up a couple of times, particularly when I'm on the internet.

I went to Zavvi and asked for a refund on Saturday. The girl at the counter said something about me buying it longer than 3 months ago and implied it was now in the hands of Sony to deal with me, as she tried to ring their hotline.

Is this correct? I was under the impression that electrical goods, and particularly a PS3 should be covered by receipt for at least 1 year.

Also, if the shop asked to send it to Sony to test for defects would I have to accept this?

Thanks a lot in advance.

Edit: Having read around, I understand it has been suggested that outside of 28 days a refund cannot be achieved. But, this isn't said in the consumer's act 1980, and neither on the two consumer group websites. (Before anyone moans that I'm regurgitating old questions.)

Attol

Pretty sure you'll have to go to the manufacturer for it. One thing, is it a 60gb? If it is the shop won't have any more stocks as those are long gone so unless you want to end up with a 40gb I'd go directly through Sony.

jahalpin

You're not entitled to an automatic refund. The shop has the choice of repair, replace or refund. After 28 days it is highly unlikely that yuo will a refund under any circumstances

The shop will send the PS3 off to Sony for assessment and repair as they are entitled to do.

Freezing up on the internet could be due to problems with your wireless signal or broadband connection. A hardware defect would normally become apparent shortly after purchase.

If the shop just replaced the PS3 it could be left with an item which Sony will not allow them to return due to the fact that it could be damaged by the customer or not damaged at all.

collymcd

Thanks for the replies.

There's another PS3 in my house sand that works fine on the internet, so that pretty much rules out the problem being with the wireless signal. The other ps3 also loads a lot faster on the internet in general.

Yeah, it's a 60gb one.

So I've no grounds to ask for a refund at all? Crap:(

Ste.phen

They should (and probably will) send it back to Sony who'll repair it, unless they find something's been spilled on it, etc

Kess73

collymcd wrote: »

I bought my PS3 from virgin just under 6 months ago. Lately it's been freezing up a couple of times, particularly when I'm on the internet.

I went to Zavvi and asked for a refund on Saturday. The girl at the counter said something about me buying it longer than 3 months ago and implied it was now in the hands of Sony to deal with me, as she tried to ring their hotline.

Is this correct? I was under the impression that electrical goods, and particularly a PS3 should be covered by receipt for at least 1 year.

Also, if the shop asked to send it to Sony to test for defects would I have to accept this?

Thanks a lot in advance.

Edit: Having read around, I understand it has been suggested that outside of 28 days a refund cannot be achieved. But, this isn't said in the consumer's act 1980, and neither on the two consumer group websites. (Before anyone moans that I'm regurgitating old questions.)

The line about three months is just a fob off. The retailer that sold it is the point of contact for 12 months. They are obliged to check it and send it back to Sony for repair or replacement if faulty. A refund is at the retailers own discretion at that point, but highly unlikely. Personally I would phone ahead to the store and speak to the manager, explain that the item seems faulty and that you will be bringing it back for them to forward it onto Sony. If this is refused you can report the store for breaking your statutory rights, but the one thing not to do is to go in with all guns blazing and saying anything about going legal. Nice and friendly normally works.

Out of curiousity which store was it? A few of their remaining stores are quite poor in terms of customer service and in terms of actually knowing what the laws are with regards to items coming back with faults.

jor el

collymcd wrote: »

So I've no grounds to ask for a refund at all? Crap:(

No automatic right to a refund, not after 6 months. However, if Sony can't repair the damage they will probably offer to replace it. Since yours is a 60G version, and these are no longer available, they may try to replace it with a 40G version. This would be substantially less than what you paid for, and as such you would be entitled to a refund since they can't repair or replace it.

ChunkyManSkinny

Under the sale of goods, supply of services act 1980 the consumer is entitled to either a permanent repair, a replacement, or a refund.
In the first instance it is the decision of the retailer to choose the action. As the consumer contract is with the retailer not the manufacturer, unless purchaced direct from manufacturer who therefore become the retailer.
The consumer is entitled to have their product working for a "reasonable" amount of time. 3 months would not be considered reasonable for electronics, if it is used in the prescribed manner (i.e. using a PS3 for playing games, not as a goal post for soccer as well!!)
As regarding Virgin changing to Zavvi, they may have taken over all of Virgin's contracts etc.
The best people to query about all this is the NCA (1890 432 432).

Kess73

ChunkyManSkinny wrote: »

Under the sale of goods, supply of services act 1980 the consumer is entitled to either a permanent repair, a replacement, or a refund.
In the first instance it is the decision of the retailer to choose the action. As the consumer contract is with the retailer not the manufacturer, unless purchaced direct from manufacturer who therefore become the retailer.
The consumer is entitled to have their product working for a "reasonable" amount of time. 3 months would not be considered reasonable for electronics, if it is used in the prescribed manner (i.e. using a PS3 for playing games, not as a goal post for soccer as well!!)
As regarding Virgin changing to Zavvi, they may have taken over all of Virgin's contracts etc.
The best people to query about all this is the NCA (1890 432 432).

Virgin was bought by two men who were both directors at the company at the time. All contracts have been passed on from the old company to the new one, as was stated in their press release in September 2007.

jahalpin

Sony are normally pretty good when it comes to returns. In my experience, they will normally replace a defective item pretty quickly, as long as the damage wasn't caused by the user.

Have you tried downloading the latest version of the OS using your PC or other PS3, this might fix some of the problems

Guy:Incognito

collymcd wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

There's another PS3 in my house sand that works fine on the internet, so that pretty much rules out the problem being with the wireless signal. The other ps3 also loads a lot faster on the internet in general.

Yeah, it's a 60gb one.

So I've no grounds to ask for a refund at all? Crap:(

Deosnt nessecarily rule out a wireess issue. Just becasue another PS3 in the house is working fine doesnt mean there isnt some sort of interference in your part of the house or somewhere between you and the router.

Beano

have you tried swapping the two PS3s around? If the one that is faulty works properly in the other location it would indicate the problem is not necessarily with the PS3.

foggy_lad

the store should send it back to sony for assessment and they will they send a replacement or repaired unit back to the retailer for you to collect or as said in another post they cant replace so they may opt to refund,

but your dealings should be with the store who are legally obliged to guarantee electrical goods for 12 months

banananas

you are entitled to a refund (if it is within 28days) repair, or replacement. Zavvi will send it to sony for you for a repair, but this may take time as sony can be quite slow to deal with repairs, or a replacement, unfortunatly this will only be a 40gb as 60gb aren't made anymore.