If you want good prices - shop here - good service? go somewhere else! (Comet.co.uk)

Member Name: sue.51

Product:	Comet.co.uk
Date:	04/07/01 (1181 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Competitive prices, Good credit deals

Disadvantages: Poor customer service

COMET are deemed to be on of the cheapest and best large electrical dealers around, cheapest, certainly competitive, best service - definitely not.

Three years ago when I bought my first house, I needed a PC, and after checking out a few retailers ended up in my local Comet.

I found what I wanted, a very nice Siemens Nixdorf machine complete with colour printer, speakers, scanner, modem, and desk for £900, no thanks to the staff in-store (the computer expert only worked two days a week). After making my selection, I sought advice for the best purchase options:

ME: Can I purchase this on interest free credit? (10% deposit and the balance payable in 9 months time),

HIM: of course you can madam....

he proceeded to process my details, but my application was referred, the guy helpfully rang the credit company and begged on my behalf, (well i guess he was probably on some sort of commission) I earn £XX,XXX I begged (life without a computer and no baby-sitter in the evenings was unthinkable), this was irrelevant (when borrowing money salary is irrelevant in Comet). After 20 minutes of begging (and very sore knees) they agreed to sell it to me providing it was delivered to my new address.

Delivery was arranged at a cost £11.95 ( bearing in mind I lived less than ½mile from the store), and arrived 5 hours late because the store was short staffed, although no-one thought to ring and let me know.

On unpacking, the modem was found to ne missing and was unlikely to be available for around 6-8 weeks (even though Currys had loads). I was also advised that if they did receive any, one would not be reserved for me if someone came into the store and wanted to buy one there and then.

Also missing was the cables to link the scanner and printer up to the computer; now bearing in mind this was a complete starter package, can somebody explain this to me as I don't understand?.

Another visit to
the store, I left the proud new owner of two sets of cables Free of Charge to complete my purchase. I decided there and then I would never shop in Comet again. Well never is a long time.

STORE CARD
Despite being reluctant to give me credit, a couple of weeks later I received a Comet store card giving me £x,xxx credit; this card can be used in Woolworths, MVC, Comet, NEXT, B&Q and Superdrug, and operates on the same basis as a credit card, allowing you up to a maximum of 7 weeks interest free credit, a minimum payment (which is actually set at 5% of your credit limit irrespective of your outstanding balance)

A WORD OF CAUTION: USE THIS CARD, BUT PAY OFF THE BALANCE IN FULL - INTEREST RATE: 29.9% for payments by direct debit, 31.9% for payment by any other means (a.k.a very expensive)

The interest free credit works on the same basis; if you do not pay the entire balance off within the interest free period, you will be charged interest on the entire purchase price, irrespective of th remaining outstanding balance, for example, you have just £5 outstanding, you WILL incur £100's in interest charges which you will be expected to pay monthly over a 4 year period.

More recently, we were looking for a new dishwasher and fridge/freezer, and visited our local Comet store, but failed to get a member of staff to talk to us, so we went next door to Currys (more expensive but better service) and bought there, £600 of lost business for Comet.

NEW COMPUTER
Earlier this year, my computer decided it no longer wanted to behave itself, necessitating me having to go out and find a new one. We did the rounds and ended up again, in Comet. We spotted a machine on the shelf, and had a little play around with it, this time I was very specific about what I wanted.

I advised the assistant that the machine had been sold before, I was told this was ridiculous (my partner got stung big time by Dixons who sold him a fully
used, inoperable machine - shucks they didn't know who they were dealing with). I insisted she followed this up and 'lo and behold' a few minutes later she confirmed that the machine was indeed a customer return. Unperturbed, I opted to buy it and was given £150 off for it being a discontinued model, 20 free CD-R's, and 12 months interest free credit, which on this occasion required a 10% deposit, 11 payments of £20 and a final payment of the oustanding balance within 12 months, or else incur interest charges.

You can make additional payments at any time during the 12 months. Payments can be made through Switch or Delta direct through their customer services line (0870 number), although to be fair it is always answered quickly.

Credit facilities are supplied by Time Retail Finance. The CD-R's, surprise, surprise were out of stock.

PROBLEMS
On using the computer I found a problem with the CD-rewriter. I attempted contact the store, but number was ex-directory.

I contacted the call centre number and was advised that all Comet Stores are now ex-directory and you must contact them through their call centre number, who will then contact the store on your behalf. I was advised that the store could give me their number if they wished, but if when the message was passed on by the call centre, the store failed to call me back there was nothing they could do about it.

When I visited the store to complain about the machine, they told me they would fix it, no chance, result: problem still present, but I like the computer sooooo much I decided to live with it.

The CD-R's? I went to the store to collect them, they gave me 10 instead of 20, another visit (incidentally I now live about 10 miles away from this store and yes I know I should have checked before I left the store), and they reluctantly gave me another 10 of a different brand, not that I have ever been able to use them.

I
also tried to buy On-Digital from them, who asked if I could back another time as there was no expert in store, I again waltzed off to Currys and 20 minutes later left the store a proud owner of a new digibox, instructions and contract.

SUMMARY
SERVICE - 0/10: PRICE 8/10

There is no doubt they offer competitive prices, together with some of the best interest free credit facilities, although don't get sucked in to paying interest, however their customer service in my local store is somewhat lacking.

I can't give you contact details as they have changed their telephone number and are now ex-directory. How ridiculous is this?

Also they seldom have the item you want in stock, ranging from washing machines to telephones, although I must admit, Currys are no better.

Will I shop there again? probably, as their credit facilities really are rather generous.

Summary: