Corporate Bull****

BnB

I think the general point the OP is trying to make here is a very valid one.

In this particular situation, I can understand the point that retailers may not want to do the swap because of a fear of fraud.

But I could not agree with the posters who say, "Why should the shop bother ?"

The onus these days seems to almost be on the customer now to try and prove they 100% legally deserve something before a shop will do anything for them.

Generally, doing something for a customer as a gesture of good will seems to be gone out the window.

In this particular case for example. If you take the fruad issue away. Say one shop decides to allow to OP to swap the ipod. There is a very good chance the OP will

a) Spend another few quid almost straight away on something in the shop like a carry case or speakers or car charger or something like that for the ipod.
b) Come back to the shop the next time he has to spend money.

Shops seem to have forgotten the value of good customer service.

Welease

BnB wrote: »

I think the general point the OP is trying to make here is a very valid one.

In this particular situation, I can understand the point that retailers may not want to do the swap because of a fear of fraud.

But I could not agree with the posters who say, "Why should the shop bother ?"

The onus these days seems to almost be on the customer now to try and prove they 100% legally deserve something before a shop will do anything for them.

Generally, doing something for a customer as a gesture of good will seems to be gone out the window.

In this particular case for example. If you take the fruad issue away. Say one shop decides to allow to OP to swap the ipod. There is a very good chance the OP will

a) Spend another few quid almost straight away on something in the shop like a carry case or speakers or car charger or something like that for the ipod.
b) Come back to the shop the next time he has to spend money.

Shops seem to have forgotten the value of good customer service.

I disagree.

Many retailers do offer above and beyond the basic requirements of law in my experience.. Agros/B&Q etc. will all take returns "no questions asked" up to 28 days which they are not required to do by law.

In this particular case, the OP is asking well beyond what anyone who is being reasonable would expect, and got the appropriate answer.

Nonoperational

What an absolutely ridiculous thread. Not in a million years would I expect anyone to do what your asking. Nothing at all to do with corporate bull****.

You won a ipod and because it's not the colour you wanted you think it's bull**** that a random shop won't exchange it for a different colour... this sounds like a wind up tbh.

keithclancy

For all the shop knows they could be stolen goods.

Any normal person would sell it on eBay or the like and buy the one they want.

the_syco

gpf101 wrote: »

You won a ipod and because it's not the colour you wanted you think it's bull**** that a random shop won't exchange it for a different colour... this sounds like a wind up tbh.

Pretty much.

OP, maybe get a case of a different colour, such as http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.22687 ?

JimsAlterEgo

if you are personally known to the company you drop 1200/1400 a year in, I think you may expect them to do you a favour. If you are not I suggest you switch this amoutn of business to a small retailer who you can develop a personal relationship with.

tricky D

I've lost count of how many times customer, keep my custom, customer service, customer this and customer that have been mentioned on this thread. Only problem is you were never their customer in relation to this product. You say, 'Why should I support these companies' when you never did. Logic fails.

Some of the comparisons are like apples and pencils, nevermind the already mentioned obvious fraud/breakage angle.

Thread title should be changed to Non-Customer Bullsh1t tbh.

krudler

When I used to work in HMV if someone returned a dvd we have plenty of and sold quite a bit and if it was sealed, we'd usually let them swap it, but if it was something we hadnt sold in months then no.
After christmas especially as people got presents and no reciepts and what have you,so the regular customers I knew I'd let them do it as they'd be the kind of people who would buy laods of dvds themselves then get duplicates of stuff they already had as presents but with electronics it was a big no no. I can kinda see where the op is coming from but its a bit chancery as well so I wouldnt be kicking off about a shop refusing to do it either.

91011

Has the OP thought of contacting the company he won the item from and asking them to exchange it for a different colour.

As for stores not exchanging it - the margin on apple products is tiny for the retailer, each item is barcoded and registered to a particular retailer, the item is also electronic. There are just too many things that don't add up for the retailer to offer a replacement.

If it was a pair of converse, or a game of monopoly, you'd probably find someone to swap, but not an ipod.

TheInquisitor

What planet are you on? What a ridiculous consumer issue. This should be more like retailer issues "you'll never believe what a customer tried to do today"

Has the packaging on the pink Ipod been opened?

Actually forget that question, it doesn't even matter , I'm just so annoyed by customers like you.

AHHHHHHHHH

GerardKeating

Dublinstiofán wrote: »

The ipod is sealed and is clearly an official Apple product.

But they still cannot sell it "as new", it is "second hand/previously owned".

And some of the knock-offs come in nice "sealed" apple packaging

Dublinstiofán

TheInquisitor wrote: »

What planet are you on? What a ridiculous consumer issue. This should be more like retailer issues "you'll never believe what a customer tried to do today"

Has the packaging on the pink Ipod been opened?

Actually forget that question, it doesn't even matter , I'm just so annoyed by customers like you.

AHHHHHHHHH

I don't think i was way out of line bring a sealed ipod to a place i spend a fortune in and asking them for a favour. I don't give a **** how much it annoys you.

Dublinstiofán

GerardKeating wrote: »

But they still cannot sell it "as new", it is "second hand/previously owned".

And some of the knock-offs come in nice "sealed" apple packaging

It is sealed and exactly the same as the ones in the sales cabinet. If it was swapped with a different colour. Nobody would have known.

sunnysoutheast

Dublinstiofán wrote: »

I don't think i was way out of line bring a sealed ipod to a place i spend a fortune in and asking them for a favour. I don't give a **** how much it annoys you.

You are clearly being unreasonable. What happens if the shop exchanges it, sells it to someone else and then it subsequently develops a fault? The shop will not be able to return it to Apple for repair/refund because it didn't come through normal channels and they could end up out of pocket. Furthermore they could end up suspected of grey importing etc.

You were lucky enough to win it for free in a competition, sell it on eBay if you don't want it. It's useless to the shop.

SSE

Cabaal

OP, seriously you must be trolling as I find it awful hard to believe somebody expects a company to exchange a product that they didn't even sell you in the first place.

If your not a troll then your likely one of the most unreasonable people I've ever come across.

Fingers crossed you don't win anything else in the future if this is the thanks you give for something you got for free.
:rolleyes:

Cabaal

Dublinstiofán wrote: »

I don't think i was way out of line bring a sealed ipod to a place i spend a fortune in and asking them for a favour. I don't give a **** how much it annoys you.

But its not "new" its "as new" and its still second hand so its no good to a shop.

Jev/N

If you're referencing the American retail model for your argument, that's laughable. They laud the whole 'consumer is always right' idea... now THAT is bullshit.

I dunno why I'm even posting as your point of view on this matter is ludicrous, to say the least

00112984

I think this is one of the biggest customer misconceptions.

Being told "no" in a polite way does NOT equal bad customer service.

OP, you chanced your arm and asked for a favour. It wasn't granted. You still have an iPod. You've lost nothing.

wmpdd3

If I spend €200 on an ipod, It had better come direct from the stores suppliers.

Not a customer return, sealed or not.

I want to know it was delivered, checked off and placed in a stock room,nothing else.

Retail stores have to guarantee products for up to 6 years, do you really think they are going to risk a claim for refund 12 months after purchase on a product that they swapped from someone they have no recourse from?

sesna

Most ridiculous complaint I've read in a long time on boards.ie

Such unreasonable, deluded demands from customers really sickens me.

Fey!

OP; what are you spending €200 a month on in a phone shop?

Is it just phone credit, or is it on goods?

Exclamation Marc

If you were a loyal customer to a certain shop, i'd say it'd be an slight annoyance, but shopping around for a undeserved (in that nobody is obliged to give you one) replacement and complaining about corporate bull is a bit rich.

I know people who used to be able to reseal old PS2 games and use some liquid to remove scratches on discs so that when they brought games back to shops they were as new and the shops out of niceness let them trade in (this is going back a few years) and somewhere down the line somebody got screwed. It is possible to reseal products if you know how to do it, so as far as any company is aware, you could be a 100% legit guy or you could be trying to do them over. Short of wasting time testing what you're bringing back, its better for them just to refuse. And don't say Apple seals are 100% guarantees of authenticity because I've seen fake ones.

Those shops which took those PS2 games back clearly were shafted by random consumers, something you are to all these shops, a random consumer who walked in their door. Look at it from their point of view, random person off street walks in and wants one of our ipods in exchance for one he's just brought to us. Any verification that its not fake or broken short of "a seal"? No. Why risk it, we only have something to lose here. Chance of consumer re-shopping her on exchange of ipod? Still quite slim.

Also, its a pink iPod, whats the problem? I'm a guy and have a pink DS (thanks mum)

Dublinstiofán wrote: »

. But with the day gone where one could get the odd favour or two.

And how many of these "favours" worked out shafting companies and stores?

For every genuine favour seeker, there's someone trying to shaft them. The reason "favours" aren't granted anymore is because people took the píss out of them and companies make nothing off the genuine people. They only make losses on the ones that scam them. Are you saying that there's some substantial reward to taking that risk?

mikemac

Been said many times already

If I was behind the counter and met you OP, then I'd refuse.

Companies out in Hong Kong are masters of making cheap knock offs and counterfeit goods.
The shop risks being burned

go to www.adverts.ie and you may be able to swop it. Or sell it

BnB

Welease wrote: »

I disagree.

Many retailers do offer above and beyond the basic requirements of law in my experience.. Agros/B&Q etc. will all take returns "no questions asked" up to 28 days which they are not required to do by law.

In this particular case, the OP is asking well beyond what anyone who is being reasonable would expect, and got the appropriate answer.

Yeah, thinking about it again and reading other replies, you're probably right.

It was a pretty ridiculous request.

dan1895

Could you not just buy a different coloured cover for it or something? If anyone asks why you have a pink ipod tell them your a wexford youths or palermo fan .

Anyway, I look forward to seeing this pop up again in the cries of retail thread in R&R

MitchKoobski

You won a free iPod, didn't like the colour and then attempted to get a shop to swap it for one you did want, when you never bought it from them in the first place?

I buy a lot of stuff from Penney's. If I get a shirt as a gift, and I dont like the colour, I dont walk into Penney's expecting them to swap it for a shirt colour I like better.
I also buy a good bit from Gamestop, and the staff know me, but if I won a game and didn't want it, I wouldn't walk in expecting it to be changed for another game I did want.