Currys – False Advertising – Terrible Customer Service

I went into Currys two weeks ago and bought a ‘Range Style’ cooker and hood with free delivery and free installation on both items, delivery was arranged and I had a week to get my kitchen altered from the conventional oven hob combination to adapt the new free-standing range style cooker.

Saturday morning came, I had prepared the change of units and worktops, my deal was for free installation but I did as much pre-emptive work as possible.

The cooker arrived in the van with the installation guys and that is where the nightmare began. The fitters brought the hood in and I showed them where the hood and cooker would go, they told me “actually sir although Currys sell the deal with free installation we don’t actually do it, all we can do is connect the gas to the cooker” and plug it in.

I explained that I bought the hood and free installation on both and the installers replied well tell them to stop selling and advertising this service because we don’t do it. He said that they do not install cooker hoods because they have no step ladder, I had my one ready, it was a small 3 step version because cooker hoods are not set high and they are very light.

The two burly installers refused to step on the ladder which was new quoting health and safety, they said Currys know they are not able to step above 6 inches!!!!

It gets worse, whilst this debate is going on Currys fitter number 2 removes the oven and then bends the hob in two as he levers it from the worktop. At that moment fitter number 1 goes to the van and brings in the cooker….. its the wrong one!

At that point it became obvious that not only was the hob mashed the oven was also sitting trashed in the van, this meant that indeed I could not get them reconnected. I rang Currys in Clacton on Sea and was told “don’t worry just pop in before 2pm and we will get another delivered the next day on Sunday”.

At this point my annoyance was bearable, a couple of unhelpful fitters and a deal that was not a deal was something I could come to terms with even though my cooker would be a day late.

I hot footed it to the showroom to get my new cooker delivery sorted, I was a little more annoyed on the way because I began to think “why do I need to go to the shop to have delivery arranged?” At this point all the inconvenience is mine – the customer.

On arriving at the store I addressed the assistant manager who was quite unhelpful at first as he beleived the mistake was somehow mine and that I ordered and paid for a cream cooker and not the black one I wanted. After taking him to task he realised that I, the customer has no input other than I want that one” and the rest of the ordering is down to Currys staff. In this case my only other involvement was parting with £1,200.

He took time to locate the correct model and stock number and then promptly told me that it would be two weeks before I could have the cooker I bought!! So thats two weeks of fast food, take aways and microwave meals for a family of 6 people. As you can imagine I was annoyed and fractious, I could not beleive the mess I was in thanks to Currys.

The manner that I was dealt with was really poor, I took them to task about selling free installation and the Currys manager said it was a Nationwide advertising campaign, free installation was on TV and online. He said he was astonished they were selling the deal when it could not be delivered.

Of course non of this was of any help to me and my family.

Now two weeks later I was given a due in date of 16th, this date came and went, I had contacted the store by phone and visited the store in an effort to get the cooker despatched straight from the Currys warehouse to my home with minimum delay. Today my frustration is complete as Currys finally tell me that the cooker came in on the 16th but they cannot get it to me until the 19th at the earliest!!

I said that I asked for them to arrange despatch as soon as the cooker landed at the warehouse, they then told me that was not possible and delivery can only be arranged once the cooker has been at the warehouse for a day, then I have to fit into the daily schedule.

As with many of my experiences with large retailers I am once again left dumbfounded at the complete lack of service and the manner in which I have been dealt with.

Currys also selling with promotions and deals that they cannot deliver must contravene advertising standards at least!!!!

So there we are, fast food for another 3 days, I wonder if we will have the correct cooker this time, one thing is certain I will not be shopping there again!