Argos used to fairly unique. Are they different from other stores now? (Argos)

Member Name: DarkestGrey

Product:	Argos
Date:	05/11/08 (207 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Browse from home. Sixteen day money back guarantee.

Disadvantages: Terrible customer service these days. Long waits for items.

When I was younger I used to love Argos.

It is simple to shop there. You can sit at home and decide what you want from their large book of products and then pop into the store to collect what you want.

Fill in that slip of paper, pay your money and within a few minutes you are leaving with your new prize possession.

This was the 1980's.

Unfortunately, it is twenty years later and Argos are not the same.

The book is much larger and gives you even more choice than before. And that is a good thing.

Arrive at the shop to fill in your little slip of paper and you may have your first problem. Finding a pen to write with is next to impossible.

Take your slip to the till to pay and there is no one there. Not in my local Argos. Depending on their mood changes at which till you are to pay at. Arrive at the wrong till at their mood changes. For the worse.

Eventually you get to pay, which is good because in a few minutes your goods will arrive from the magical lift at the back of the shop. I used to wonder if this lift really did bring goods from heaven itself.

A few minutes may not seem very long to wait, but when you are waiting it is a long time. They have computer screens up that inform you about how long the order will take to arrive at the desk, however the time on these never seems to be anywhere near accurate.

If this is how Argos clocks work, then I shall never buy a clock from there.

Eventually, and I do mean eventually, your items arrive at the desk and you can leave. A well deserved large sigh of relief is beneficial to your health as you leave the exit.

Once, I had to wait for 40 minutes for the goods to arrive. Of course it was busy, there was a whole one customer in: just me. don't get me wrong but that seems a little odd to me.

On the other hand they do have a 16 day money back guarantee on most products.

A while ago I purchased an item which wasn't covered under these scheme. The item was faulty.

Now a faulty item is covered by law, not by a sixteen day guarantee, however the person behind the till could not comprehend this.

Yes, the item worked when I bought it. It never worked very well and then it stopped working. This does sometimes happen to electrical goods.

I was quizzed by the member of staff on the return with the response that I could not return the item.

Of course I could, it was faulty. I kindly informed them that I didn't want my money back, I wanted a replacement.

Now that should be simple, no? Of course not.

Again, I was questioned on the return. Why wasn't I returning it to the Argos I bought it from? Well simple really. The website told me they were out of stock, so I wouldn't be able to get a replacement from that store, nor would I get a refund, since they were closed at that time! That's why I travelled further to get a replacement.

Oh, how the attitude changed. From being unhelpful, to being average.

Argos is wonderful to browse the items from the comfort of your own house. It is great to get products in a few minutes from being at the store.

But I can't help the feeling that the service has gone downhill.

Worse than that, I can browse internet shops from home now and have the items delivered.

The beauty of Argos has faded. It's a shame, it really was a good store at one point in time.

Of course, this type of shopping is still great for those without internet access, but I think the unique selling point of Argos has long gone.

Summary: Argos. Going downhill these days.