Consumer advice needed!

Hey all,
I bought a PSP a couple of days ago from Dixons (a large chain store in the UK that mostly sells electrical goods), when I was buying it the guy said to me, in these exact words;

Right, I said and left feeling rather worried.

I got home and surpirise, surprise there were about 4 or 5 dead pixels and lucky for me 2 of them were concentrated right in the middle of the screen!
I decided to look through my instruction manual and here's what it had to say about it's LCD screen

Should I be able to return it for one minus the dead pixels? Does anybody have any thoughts?

Kirk

 

From what I hear alot of PSP users were having this problem.. If this guy doesn't do anything for you... I say go back when he's NOT working.... Purchase another one... swap them out, and then return the one with the dead pixels and tell them you found it somewhere else for cheaper...

The retailer should be the one taking it up with sony... they shouldn't be selling defective merchandise and expect the customer to deal with it... There's no reason why you should have to deal with dead pixels simply because it's "common place"...

 

I'm wondering what the deal is with this, but I did find an article on Gamespot that tells all about it. They say to play with it for about a week or two, and if it still bothers you to contact Sony directly. I honestly have not had any experience with LCD screens, but you would think there wouldn't be any "dead pixels" in the screen.

As for the returning it to the retailer, I wonder if that's what their telling the employees since they know there's a ton of problems with the PSP. After reading all of this information, I really don't think I want a PSP if it's going to be nothing but a hunk of junk. If I paid something like that, I'd rather get the Turbo Express (old system) or the Nintendo DS.

I might see if I can ask around to see what I find out about it. It couldn't hurt.

 

Long, tall and short of it is Kirk, than in the UK you have a 28 day return policy on any item (unless it states less, such as Argos' 16 day policy stated on the receipt). If an item is not fit for purpose and does not do what it states then you can return it within those 28 days and expect a full refund. If Dixon's state it is not their fault, but Sony's, you gentle remind them that as you brought the product from their store, and not directly from Sony, your contract is with them, and not the manufacturer, and that these are your purchasing right under the Sale of Goods Act 1979. Helpful website URL http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/onelife/legal/rights/consumer.shtml

If that doesn't work, ask to speak to the manager, repeat all of the above. If that doesn't work, then contact your local Citizen's Advice Bureau who will gladly help sort the matter out free of charge on your behalf

Above all...be firm, but be polite. You get more milk out a contented cow

 

Additionally Dixons and other electronic retailers like PCWorld are all owned by DSG International. If they aren't playing by the law you might like to contact their holding company.

http://dsgportal01.dixons.co.uk/wps/portal/dixonsURL

 

Thanks for the advice everyone,
Thats a good idea ANHEDONIC but I'm a lowly student and don't have another £200 in my bank
I was thinking of selling it on Ebay as they go for nearly as much there but that would't be fair on whoever bought it.

I'm definetely going to send an e-mail to Sony to see what they have to say, however I have no doubts that it will be a re-write of what they say in their instruction manual but it's worth a shot.

I think that I am going to first play with it for a week or so to see if the dead pixels are actually interfering with gameplay. I can only really see them when it is dark so hopefully I wont notice it that much. Although the first film I bought for it was Donnie Darko!
Its hard to ignore something once you have noticed it, even if it is only a small area.
If the pixels are still bothering me then I'll try and take it back to Dixon's (avoiding the guy who sold it to me in the first place) if they dont accept it then I will follow Lev's post! Hopefully it wont come the me contacting CAB

Other than the dead pixels I must say I am very impressed with the system overall, just dissapointed in paying so much for something (£200 with a game) and it not working perfectly.

Thanks again for the replies and I'll keep you posted on how it turns out.

Kirk

 

When I've had issues like this where no-one wants to claim liability I have played both hands. You write to both the manager of the place you bought it from AND the head office of the company's Managing Director. CC the letter so the manager of the store knows that you have copied the big chief in. More often than not you will get a reply AND compensation from both!! As a lowly student this could be to your advantage

I once had a very interesting couple of responses from the Royal Mail, both contradicting each other entirely as to what their policy was and how they could not completely compensate me the entire sum requested. However, between them, they did just that. And it cost me only 2 stamps

 

That sounds like a really good idea Lev, I'll also say how un-professional the guy in the shop was with me. Think I will have to drag my sister into writing the e-mail for me, she is quite good at writing angry letters to big companies!

 

Yup...don;t forget to state that the guy in the shop is openly advertising to the public that Dixons breaks the law of the Sale of Goods Act!! That'll hit 'em where it hurts

Also mentioning how you really don't want to involve the local press on this one as a poor student who spent what little he had on a luxury product that doesn't even work.

If they know the product is defective and are still selling it, once again, they are breaking the law.

Have fun drafting that one

 

Lev's plan is the best one. LCD screens frequently have some dead pixels, and most manufacturers policies on them (whether monitors or whatever) vary widely on what they consider "defective". Sony's written statement seems to deny any responsibility, but if UK law requires that you can return it to the store, do that.

 

As retarded as it might sound...I was reading in one of my PC World mags...some manufacturers don't consider it defective unless there is a certain # or more of dead pixels!!

I'll have to see if I can dig that one up!! I think it is a crock of crap that they would sell something that isn't right and basically leave up to the consumer to gamble on whether they were the lucky or unlucky purchaser!!!! That's like selling somone a vehicle with a V8 in it and tell them that there is a good chance that only 7 cylinders work, but...that is something you will just have to deal with!! I'm mean come on...that is simply not right!!!!

Let us know what comes of this situation!!!!

Roger