The Customer Service at PcWorld is a farce. I bought an Acer Laptop in November 2003 Christmas present. We tried to use it on 27th December, 2003. It would not load Microsoft Office. I tried all the help lines for about 2 hours. I could not get help. I was able to make a copy of the CD and I tried to load this. No result. Both CD's loaded on my Desktop.

I took the Laptop back to the Store explaining that I assumed that machines could be fixed but the Service was unacceptably dreadful.

I wrote a letter explaining the problem and my concerns. This was delivered by hand on 30th December, 2003. I wrote 3 more letters.
Finally saying that I had bought another Laptop.

On 17th January, 2004 (3 weeks) the store wrote to me stating that "there seems to be no apparent fault..." and I should collect the Laptop. I replied immediately explaining why not and asking what tests had been carried out particularly as Customer Services had said that full tests are always carried out on returned goods and particulalry also as the fault could well be intermittent (according to independent advice).

In the meantime I had contacted Customer Services by both Email and letter post. They truly did not care. They kept telling me to phone a particuar number even though a) this is where I had had trouble in the first place and b) the first question they ask you is "Do you have the computer in front of you? Answer "No, it is at the store. - "Sorry we cannot help you".

After several exchanges by Email and post I was told "there will be no more correspondence either by Email or by post." During this exchange Customer Services did not even contact the Store.

On February 5th, 2004 I received a recorded delivery letter from the Store stating that if the Laptop is not collected in 28 days if "will be disposed of". But still not referring to any of my letters and not answering any questions like "what tests have been carried out", "how am I to have confidence in performance" and do they consider that I live within 30 miles of the Store (relevant to teh Performance Agreement).

The Laptop was purchased using HFC bank "free credit". I have written several letters to them but they are not interested either. Not even an acknowledgement.

There is no doubt that PCWorld operate a deliberate evasive, unhelpful and obstructive after sales policy, whilel pretending to go through the motions.

I cancelled two other orders with the same group. I actually need several other products that they supply. I will never buy from their group. They don't mind at all. There are plenty of innocents out there.


P W Dodd

Acer - Disposable computers I bought an Acer Aspire 1300. While I had numerous minor problems, the most major one occurred after 18 months where the backlight went & I was advised that the machine was no longer under warranty & would cost £200 pounds to repair. In addition the battery charger was faulty & would probably cost another £200! I wrote to the UK CEO who advised me that it was under warranty & they would repair it which they did. Now, 3 months later the backlight has gone again & is out of all warranty periods. Remember the words of Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry 'Do you feel lucky?' You need to be if you buy an Acer. They are cheap because they only last 2 years then need to be binned!
Adrian Birks, - England .. 23 February 2005

I went into pcworld in Lincoln in Feb2005 to buy a 16x dvd burner ...when i saw that they all had 5packs or 10packs of dvd media attatched to them i though..thats a nice gesture for pc world.... but when i got to the checkout the put in the £79.99 for the burner and a further "20.00 for the 5 dvd-r blanks which when i asked what is going on .. they replied it is our policy to add the dvd-r to the price of the burner bacause it stops people making mistakes when they purchase dvd burners....I said i did not need them so they said well we cannot sell you the dvd burner....can anyone please tell me if they can do this???? especially when the 5 dvd-r's are priced at £9.99 and they charge £20.00 with the burner...surely this is not policy? David Ingram, - Lincoln ... 21 February 2005

2 months after the warranty on my MINOLTA S414 digital camera expired, I noticed that the plastic battery compartment cover had developed a stress fracture. It seems that the springs which ensure good battery contact are far too powerful and the pressure they apply has caused the plastic to split. There is little point in spending good money having the cover replaced as presumably the same problem will re-occur. I plan to come up with a makeshift repair which will strengthen the cover. The camera has been treated with absolute care, so all in all this fault is very disappointing, and buyers should beware – the S414 has a metal body but flimsy plastic components are also used!
John Palk, Cape Town .. 6 February 2005

Bought an Advent model LP2939 pc from PC World, a year later the power supply packed up,I have been looking for over a year (-unique design,have not seen a power supply even similar to it-),shops,internet everywhere-,PC Worlds strategy:Consumer society philisophy,if it goes wrong buy a new one.,sent emails,rang suppliers,no result!
A.Haji ... 7 May 2004