bloody camera shop sales assistants

lexie

lexie

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keith
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i went to a well known high street camera shop this evening to buy a remote release and found a sony compatable hanhel one. it didn't have my camera listed on the front so i asked the sales assistant if it would fit, "it says it fits all sony dslr's, so it'll be fine" she said. "happy days, i'll take it" i said.

i got home and opened my new purchase, only to be presented with a connector on the end of it that doesn't fit anywhere on my camera :bang:

so now i'm left with a bloody button on a wire which is no good to me and which the well known high street camera retailer will no doubt refuse to take back because i had to cut the plastic packaging to get the damn thing out. :thumbsdown:

is it so hard for someone who works in a camera shop to at least know about the products they are selling, sorry for the rant but i'm a bit ****ed off.
 
I find the staff in local specialist shops much more clued up than the high street equivalents.
 
^what FITP says. Try take it back to the same sales assistant to make it even easier
 
You purchased it on the understanding that it'd work with your camera, the sales asistant told you it would work and therefore it is not fit for the purpose you asked about. There should be no problem returning it. If you hadnt enquired it would have been a different matter.
 
Should be fine taking it back as you were mislead into understanding it would work on your camera when it doesn't.

I find if i go into my local chain of a well known camera shop the staff just pounce the minute you get in the door asking if you need anything! :bang: never get a chance to look at anything peacefully and ask for help when i need it
 
You are protected under the Sale of Goods act, as the item is not fit for purpose. You relied solely on the advice of the sales assisitant and, basically, they misinformed you.
 
wegotitugetit said:
you have 7 days in which to return it by law and if they refuse they will be in trouble
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What law is that then?

I agree that under the sale of goods act, as the assistant said that it was OK, that it is not fit for purpose but I do not know of any law which allows you to return something and gives you 7 days to do it!
 
I think they're confusing the distance selling regulations with normal in shop regulations. DSR says you can return the goods within 7 days for a full refund for any reason but you have to buy them online/mail order/over the phone ie not in person.
 
Lets not get into all the laws and stuff yet, just follow the advice of FITP and all should be ok:)
 
Having learnt the hard way, I suspect from the same national high street retail camera shop, if there is anything you want in the way of camera accessories its best to take the camera along to make sure the accessory works. I learn't this when they tried to sell me a used Nikon D300 as new. Luckily It wasn't the first camera I owned so new what to lok out for. One excuse was they had opened the sealed box to make sure everything was there and to charge up the battery. When spending £1000+ (at the time) you don't expect treatment like that.


Realspeed
 
Are you gonna name the shop in question? I've increasingly found Jessops quality of staff diminish for clueless teenage biffs who just grunt at you if you ask anything remotely tasking.
I much prefer the local independant shops, usually family run with decades of expertise and knowledge. More expensive but hey, help the little guy out.
 
I would go in and ask the same question again. When told that it fits your camera, you can then say "no it doesn't...." If they say it doesn't, then say "Well why did so & so say it did".

Either way, you will have made your point before actually asking for a refund...

Best wait until they're busy, and then start talking with ever increasing volume should they get difficult.

Steve
 
Scarecrow said:
You are protected under the Sale of Goods act, as the item is not fit for purpose. You relied solely on the advice of the sales assisitant and, basically, they misinformed you.
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Unfortunately the product is fit for purpose, as it will still work with the equipment its designed to work on. Its not fit for the OPs camera but that is not the fault of the product, thats the fault of the sales assistant.

However, you were wrongly sold the item so the shop should exchange it without any problems. The shop will simply send it to be re-packaged.
 
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odd jim said:
Unfortunately the product is fit for purpose, as it will still work with the equipment its designed to work on. Its not fit for the OPs camera but that is not the fault of the product, thats the fault of the sales assistant.

However, you were wrongly sold the item so the shop should exchange it without any problems. The shop will simply send it to be re-packaged.
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It is not fit for the purpose for which it was sold!
 
True, but I dont know if the sales of goods act goes that far?

This is the relevant part; "Wherever goods are bought they must "conform to contract". This means they must be as described, fit for purpose and of satisfactory quality (i.e. not inherently faulty at the time of sale)."

EDIT - yes I was wrong, doh - definition of fit for purpose;

"'fit for purpose' – this means both their everyday purpose, and also any specific purpose that you agreed with the seller (for example, if you specifically asked for a printer that would be compatible with your computer)"

Sorted. Though I dont think you would have a problem getting your money back anyway!
 
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^ yep, I've already edited! :)
 
UPDATE:
i took the remote back to the shop today, expecting to have a bit of a barney if i'm honest. but they couldn't have been better to deal with! offered a refund immediately and put a note on the item to say it isn't compatable with the a390. one guy in particular was great to deal with, spending about 20 minutes trying to find a wireless remote for me.
this story at least has a happy ending :)
 
lexie said:
UPDATE:
i took the remote back to the shop today, expecting to have a bit of a barney if i'm honest. but they couldn't have been better to deal with! offered a refund immediately and put a note on the item to say it isn't compatable with the a390. one guy in particular was great to deal with, spending about 20 minutes trying to find a wireless remote for me.
this story at least has a happy ending :)
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This post should have been started after the outcome, would have been so much more of a compliment rather than an unfounded insult and all the needless comments about the shop assistant and the "law". No I am not a shop assistant but do insist on being treated fairly, I fear the shop assistant was not on this occasion, was it her fault or did she not receive the proper training?
 
So after all the shop and assistant bashing the story has a happy ending...will everyone who had a go at them come back and apologise now?

The important part of the story for me is that in the OP this was said "so i asked the sales assistant if it would fit, "it says it fits all sony dslr's, so it'll be fine" she said" so the assistant was going with the information on the packaging....a mistake that anyone could have made in those circumstances. The shop and assistants rectified the error of the manufacturers quickly and to the customers satisfaction.

Happy snapping to all.
 
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Despite the Jessops bashing that sometimes goes on, I do find my two local branches very helpful, especially the other day when the sales assistant practically turned over the entire warehouse to find my Canon EW-73 hood, which was the last remaining one!
 
Highlanderjc said:
This post should have been started after the outcome, would have been so much more of a compliment rather than an unfounded insult and all the needless comments about the shop assistant and the "law". No I am not a shop assistant but do insist on being treated fairly, I fear the shop assistant was not on this occasion, was it her fault or did she not receive the proper training?
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the staff i dealt with yesterday said they felt the packaging wasn't easy to read. maybe the girl could have digged a bit further to see if it would fit but the packaging seemed to give the impression that it would 'fit all sony dslr's'.

so maybe a lack of training is to blame, and not the particular shop assistant.


apolpogies to any shop assistants i might have offended with my rant in my original post ;)
 
im gonna take a jump on the jessops hating here and just say the staff in the warrington branch are either rude, up their own bum or completely clueless.

the major point for me was when i went in with a friend and push comes to shove i mention to a member of staff that i have a tripod from argos - he pratically laughed in my face and called me poor for not being able to afford a pro standard manfrotto tripod

that said, the staff in huddersfield jessops are very helpful, and helped me find the perfect shoulder bag for my needs and within my budget and was stood with me for about 20-30 minutes!


i guess it comes down to the shop at the end of the day and who employs who.
 
dan d said:
Most shops, most of the time will do the right thing.
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Exactly - and contrary to popular belief the sales assistant probably didn't intentionally try to get it wrong. Glad it got sorted (y)
 
i had a problem with a lens i brought and they replaced it straight away.i expected a battle but the service i got was suberb
 
realspeed said:
Having learnt the hard way, I suspect from the same national high street retail camera shop, if there is anything you want in the way of camera accessories its best to take the camera along to make sure the accessory works. I learn't this when they tried to sell me a used Nikon D300 as new. Luckily It wasn't the first camera I owned so new what to lok out for. One excuse was they had opened the sealed box to make sure everything was there and to charge up the battery. When spending £1000+ (at the time) you don't expect treatment like that.


Realspeed
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I bought a Canon 5D Mkii last week from a specialist camera shop.
The salesman opened an apparently brand new sealed box in front of me.
Got home, put to everything togather to test, only to discover an a scratched/used CF card with images already in the camera.
 
lexie said:
the staff i dealt with yesterday said they felt the packaging wasn't easy to read. maybe the girl could have digged a bit further to see if it would fit but the packaging seemed to give the impression that it would 'fit all sony dslr's'.

so maybe a lack of training is to blame, and not the particular shop assistant.


apolpogies to any shop assistants i might have offended with my rant in my original post ;)
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Nice one Keith (y)
 
good_fella7777 said:
I bought a Canon 5D Mkii last week from a specialist camera shop.
The salesman opened an apparently brand new sealed box in front of me.
Got home, put to everything togather to test, only to discover an a scratched/used CF card with images already in the camera.
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...not all bad then - you got a free CF card(y)

Texy
 
I think people are far more likely to complain about poor service than give credit for good service. I suppose this is natural enough.

OTOH, have we reached a point where courtesy and "good service" is simply what we used to take for granted? Call centres and central telephone numbers are my pet hates.
 
lexie said:
jessops in derry, northern ireland. the guy was called mick i think. credit given where it's due :)
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The exact same guy i dealt with when purchasing my d3000. An absolute gent and i was in the shop for about 45 minutes discussing things with him, he was really clued up and friendly. He also pointed me in the direction of a few camera clubs and I am now a member of one. Jessops do get a bad rap on here but everytime i have dealt with them, and Michael in particular, it has been an absolute pleasure.
 
thorton said:
im gonna take a jump on the hating here and just say the staff in the warrington branch are either rude, up their own bum or completely clueless.

the major point for me was when i went in with a friend and push comes to shove i mention to a member of staff that i have a tripod from argos - he pratically laughed in my face and called me poor for not being able to afford a pro standard manfrotto tripod

that said, the staff in huddersfield jessops are very helpful, and helped me find the perfect shoulder bag for my needs and within my budget and was stood with me for about 20-30 minutes!


i guess it comes down to the shop at the end of the day and who employs who.
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That's a tough one to believe, sorry.

A shop assistant laughed at you, called you poor (which I assume you meant he/she inferred you didn't have much money) because you can't afford a Pro tripod??

You took that on the chin and went shopping in another Jessops store?
 
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