Thoughts on a situation with DVD.co.uk please?

[Reverend Scapegoat]

I've got a bit of a situation ongoing now with dvd.co.uk (http://www.thedvdforums.com/jump.php?url=http://dvddeals.at/thedvdforums) regarding their Dr Who "Buy One Get One Free" offer.

I initially put in an order for "Remembrance Of The Daleks" on DVD.
This was done AFTER the BOGOF offer started, but when I put the order in I didn't actually notice this.

Anyway, a day or two later, I put in another order - For two more Who DVDs.
They showed up - And still no sign of "Remembrance".

So I mailed DVD.co.uk, just asking them to check the order status, on 17/10/05... And got no reply.

I mailed again on 02/11/05 and got the following in response:

Your order was dispatched on 5/10/2005. As more than 14 days have passed
since the item was dispatched, the Royal Mail will now consider this
parcel officially lost in the post. We can either send a replacement item
or arrange a refund. Please send an email to returns@dvd.co.uk to let us
know which you would prefer.


We must make a claim for the missing parcel from the Royal Mail and so we
need you to please include your order reference number, the date of
dispatch, and a statement that the order has not been received. We will
use this email as evidence for the investigation and claim that we will
make with the Royal Mail and as confirmation of a lost parcel.
( My italics/bold )


OK, fair enough.


I decided to chance it, and ask:
I wonder if I could be cheeky, and ask that since I didn't notice until my subsequent order ( 131490358171
) that this was a "Buy One Get One Free" offer, is there any chance I could pick a "One Free" to go with my initial "Doctor Who" DVD, please?
If it IS possible to add in a "Buy One Get One Free" DVD, could you please include the following?

I got a normal automated response saying that my replacement would be going out soon - And I replied with a "Thanks - Did you consider sending out the BOGOF DVD?"

I got this in return:
Sorry,


We have already lost one package in the post, I think that was your free one
!


Regards,

Ed Smith,
Customer Services


Now, this is where I started to get annoyed.
I would have been fine if they'd given me a formal "Sorry - We can only send a like-for-like replacement" type reply.

But that just seemed cheeky to me!

So I sent back:

Umm...
Given that dvd.co.uk will be getting compensation from Royal Mail for the lost package, I think that that's not strictly accurate.
I'd appreciate it if you could pass this upwards for re-consideration - Especially since it's hardly my fault that the original package failed to arrive!
Leaving me technically paying twice for the same DVD!

And I got this in reply!

Dear Sir,


We do not get compensation at all, for parcels sent from Jersey.


When you ordered the item that went missing the offer was not on.


Regards,

Ed Smith,


Which, as I'm sure some of you will spot, is now resorting to downright lies!
The offer WAS on - And while I don't know about whether or not they get compensation for packages lost from Jersey, it confuses me that their first few mails say that they'll be claiming for it and need confirmation from me of the lost package as a result!

OK, it was daft of me to not clock the BOGOF offer - And I would have let it drop had the initial response been a polite and firm "Sorry."

But now I'm getting more adamant that I AM entitled to the extra DVD ( Or at least my money back so I can then go ahead and place another order! :) )

Can I get some of your thoughts, please, on this matter?

Thanks.


[EDIT]
Just got an automated mail saying that the replacement has been sent out.

I am entitled to send it back for a refund within a certain amout of time, right? For any reason ( Distance Selling Regs, or something?

[sideshowbob]

If you go to a supermarket and buy one of something that's listed as BOGOF, notice a few weeks later and (armed with your receipt) go back to demand the free something you didn't originally pick up, they'd look puzzled for a minute and then politely decline your request.

Assuming it was an offer where you have to add the "one free" to your basket, the onus is on you to do so. If it were a "we'll send you something free without you having to do anything other than buy one thing" type offer, the onus would be on them to send you the freebie.

[Alan b]

but when I put the order in I didn't actually notice this.



Without wishing to sound harsh if you didn't pick up your free one at the time of ordering then it is your fault and I would have thought that dvd.co.uk (http://www.thedvdforums.com/jump.php?url=http://dvddeals.at/thedvdforums) are under no obligation to provide you with it.

[Reverend Scapegoat]

I do understand that - And as I said, had they simply said "Sorry... You should have asked at the time." then I would have dismissed the matter.

It's the fact that the initial reply was "We have already lost one package in the post, I think that was your free one!" - which was just cheeky... And the latest response was a downright LIE that annoys me.

The offer WAS on when I made the initial order.
I forgot it at the time, but for them to try now to say that it WASN'T on is not on.

By all means tell me where to go... But don't lie to me!

As it is, I think I'm going to return the replacement DVD, get a refund, and simply order another pair of DVDs.
OK, I'll be eating the postage costs but that's about a quid compared to the £6 another DVD would cost.
Not exactly a huge amount, but it's the principle of the thing that's annoying me now.

[Baz]

Yes its not good when you are belittled by customer service people. Its enough to make you stay away in future. Id say get your DVD or your money back and vote with your credit card and just dont use em again. A few more reports of such behaviour and it will make me think twice about using them.

Afterall I would be amazed if amazon or CD-Wow ever would come out with such sarcasm to a customer.

[Fawlty]

you already mentioned the solution in your initial post.

When it arrives return it under distance selling regs as you have examine dthe goods and they are not what you wanted (you wanted BOGOF)

Then once done you re-order with BOGOF... as long as it is still on.


There is no reason to get into a war of words with them if you can use distance selling regs...

[Alan b]

The offer WAS on when I made the initial order.
I forgot it at the time, but for them to try now to say that it WASN'T on is not on.

By all means tell me where to go... But don't lie to me!



Ask them when the BOGOF promotion started and if "Remembrance Of The Daleks" was part of the offer. Also ask them for the date you placed your order, if they get back to you that the promotion started before you ordered this DVD then you have got them.

[Reverend Scapegoat]

Well, I have the emails saved confirming my order - And the thread on here about the promotion was started on the same day ( October 1st ).
I will ask for confirmation of the date on which the promotion started in my next reply to whatever Mr Smith MEANT to say in the blank email he sent me earlier...

[Sick Boy]

Well I like DVDcouk. Never had a problem when ordering from them.

It would seem that your light hearted "cheeky" email got an equally light hearted response.

[Reverend Scapegoat]

I suppose it could be taken that way - But I did kinda expect a serious response, and the content of the response itself... Lighthearted or no... Still translates as "You're paying for the item that got lost in the post."


Does anyone know WHY they don't receive compensation for items shipped from Jersey?
And why they ask for your details "To enable us to claim for compensation" if they know they're not gonna get it?