I bought a Targa DVD player/recorder from Lidl in mid 2007. It had a 36 month guarantee, which I didn't take much notice of when buying it. I felt that it was quite expensive at the time but it had an enormous memory. It was also cheaper than comparable machines in the normal electrical retailers
Over the period I owned it, I watched a few pre-recorded DVDs but mainly used it for recording off the TV.
In Dec 2008, I loaded up a prerecorded DVD and tried to use the DVD player. It wouldn't work. I contacted Lidl by phone and they transferred me on to the Targa service department. I explained the problem with the machine. I told them that, while I had the receipt somewhere in the house, I couldn't find it at that moment.
Over the phone the assistant asked me for the serial number of the player. From this she was able to tell me when the machine had been manufactured and she accepted that it was inside the 3 year guarantee period. She gave me a reference number and asked me to post the player off to some woman in Kerry. She told me to keep the receipt of posting and assured me that this would be refunded at a later date. Rather than posting it I went into the Lidl shop where I bought it, but they said that I would have to return it by post.
I didn't bother posting it off at the time, as I had too many programmes already recorded on it that I wanted to watch. In April 09, I contacted Lidl/Targa again and was again given the address in Kerry. This time I posted it off in the local post office, with a note outlining the problem. Postage cost E15 and I kept the receipt.
About 10 days later DHL delivered the machine back to my house. It came from Germany. The accompanying document told me that they had replaced the DVD slot and that they had tried the machine and that it worked. I checked, it did.
I then contacted LIDL looking for a refund of the postage. They insisted that I send them in a copy of the E15 receipt either by fax or by post. I thought this was a bit OTT, as how else was I going to get the player from Dublin to Kerry, anyway I faxed it in to them. They contacted me and asked whether I wanted a cheque or Lidl vouchers. I opted for the latter and have just received E20 worth of vouchers in the post.
Anyway I am very satisfied with the service I received from Lidl and Targa. Had I bought the machine off an ordinary electronic retailer, after owning the machine for nearly two years, I very much doubt that I would have been treated so well or as efficiently. No arguments, no saying that I had mistreated it, no saying that it was somehow my fault, no argueing that as I had no receipt or proof of purchase it was not their responsibility. Just a straightforward replacement of the broken part.
I will definitely buy Targa again.
Murt
Over the period I owned it, I watched a few pre-recorded DVDs but mainly used it for recording off the TV.
In Dec 2008, I loaded up a prerecorded DVD and tried to use the DVD player. It wouldn't work. I contacted Lidl by phone and they transferred me on to the Targa service department. I explained the problem with the machine. I told them that, while I had the receipt somewhere in the house, I couldn't find it at that moment.
Over the phone the assistant asked me for the serial number of the player. From this she was able to tell me when the machine had been manufactured and she accepted that it was inside the 3 year guarantee period. She gave me a reference number and asked me to post the player off to some woman in Kerry. She told me to keep the receipt of posting and assured me that this would be refunded at a later date. Rather than posting it I went into the Lidl shop where I bought it, but they said that I would have to return it by post.
I didn't bother posting it off at the time, as I had too many programmes already recorded on it that I wanted to watch. In April 09, I contacted Lidl/Targa again and was again given the address in Kerry. This time I posted it off in the local post office, with a note outlining the problem. Postage cost E15 and I kept the receipt.
About 10 days later DHL delivered the machine back to my house. It came from Germany. The accompanying document told me that they had replaced the DVD slot and that they had tried the machine and that it worked. I checked, it did.
I then contacted LIDL looking for a refund of the postage. They insisted that I send them in a copy of the E15 receipt either by fax or by post. I thought this was a bit OTT, as how else was I going to get the player from Dublin to Kerry, anyway I faxed it in to them. They contacted me and asked whether I wanted a cheque or Lidl vouchers. I opted for the latter and have just received E20 worth of vouchers in the post.
Anyway I am very satisfied with the service I received from Lidl and Targa. Had I bought the machine off an ordinary electronic retailer, after owning the machine for nearly two years, I very much doubt that I would have been treated so well or as efficiently. No arguments, no saying that I had mistreated it, no saying that it was somehow my fault, no argueing that as I had no receipt or proof of purchase it was not their responsibility. Just a straightforward replacement of the broken part.
I will definitely buy Targa again.
Murt
