Beware Pixmania

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Carmel

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I had a message on this forum a while back looking for opinions on a Sony Cybershot P200. I ended up ordering one from Pixmania in a 'bundle' package with a case and 512MB memory stick. Thought it was a very good deal.

The camera and case arrived, but the memory stick didn't. Then I got an email to say that the memory stick had been sent, but when the parcel arrived it contained an adaptor plug.

It is impossible to get through on the customer care line number given on the website and they aren't responding to emails, even though they say that they will within 24 hours.

I just did a search on the web for Pixmania complaints and have found forums warning people to stay away from them as their customer service is appaling.

A lesson learnt for me - always check out websites before you order online..........
 
Hi Carmel

It's not the first time I've heard a complaint about Pixmania recently but I have no doubt they will sort you out. I've been ordering stuff from Pixmania for a couple of years now with not one mess up. I may be alone in thinking this, but any huge (and Pixmania are European huge) webseller is bound to make some mistakes along the way. Amazon make them sometimes too and they have been around a long time. I think it has to be accepted in small doses.

You got good value - Pixmania are very good value normally on electronic goods.

If you do any search for complaints about any webseller you will find a lot of complaints. People complain a lot quicker than they post compliments. It's so easy to find complaints. Ever heard of Ebuyer - a big webseller - try typing in "Ebuyer customer service" into Google.

Of course it's your choice not to use them again, but I and many many of my friends and acquaintances have ordered without problems. If you got a bad meal in a restaurant you might not go back, but plenty of good meals may have been served.
 
Fair enough.

I'll let you know when and if it gets sorted. At the moment, I'm not a happy customer, but I'll post again to be fair and report on how I get on with them.
 
I'd have to agree with P.R. on this. I've order three digital cameras, three MP3 players, and lots of accessories from Pixmania and never had a problem.
 
My experience wiht Pixmania has also generally been good. I have also recommended it to friends with similar results.

There have been a few minor glitches, but they were always resolved satisfactorily.

A relevant point (from someone who bought last week) is that they've apparently just moved warehouse, so that may be the cause of some moe recent issues.
 
also bought an mp3 player and an IPod from pixmania. There was a delay receiving the iPod as the website said it was in Stock but it turned out it actually wasnt. But it did arrive maybe 2-3 weeks later.

So no bad experiences with them. Although yes the customer service wasn't brilliant.
 
They are always at that thing of saying items are "in stock". Its often in stock as long as you're prepared to wait a couple of weeks or more for them to get the items. Complete nonsense. Having said that I haven't had problems getting stuff from them eventually. Don't order from them if its time dependent though.
 
thejudge said:
Be warned, Internet shopping is anything but safe.
Click to expand...

A paranoid sounding and generalised statement to make.

thejudge said:
Complaints about Pixmania
Click to expand...

Yawn. As I said earlier, it's easy to find complaints about any webseller. So you found a few complaints - did you stop to think about the number of these complaints compared to the thousands and thousands of products a big webseller sells all over Europe.
 
thejudge said:
Be warned, Internet shopping is anything but safe.
Click to expand...

Totally disagree. I have been shopping online for 8 years without having any of my money stolen etc. The worst thing that happened was a cd never arrived from a supplier via amazon.com but this was credited back to my credit card the following day after I emailed them.

I also always pay all my household bills online, bank online, book cinema tickets, flights, hotels, concert tickets etc etc.

If "Internet shopping is anything but safe" then surely I would have experienced something bad by now?
 
My point is that if you went shopping down the high street, you would be able to:-

1. Inspect the goods or be able to take them back once you'd discovered defective goods
2. Pick up the goods straightaway rather than wait for delivery
3. More easily be able to seek redress from the consumer law enforcement authorities.

You wouldn't:-

1. Receive defective goods many days after you were promised
2. Stay on the phone to the customer service for hours without a response
3. Have to send the goods back to the company at your expense
4. Have to wait for weeks for your money back

Due to the manner in which consumer enforcement is set up in the UK, there's no effective enforcement of the distance selling regulations, so you've got about as much chance of getting your money back from a dodgy company as you have of getting it from a dodgy trader on ebay or a trader at your local market. As the prices on the internet are only marginally cheaper than on the high street, I don't feel that they reflect the higher risk that the customer incurs.
 
SteelBlue05 said:
If "Internet shopping is anything but safe" then surely I would have experienced something bad by now?
Click to expand...

It is when it does go wrong that you'll understand my point.
 
thejudge said:
You wouldn't:-

1. Receive defective goods many days after you were promised
2. Stay on the phone to the customer service for hours without a response
3. Have to send the goods back to the company at your expense
4. Have to wait for weeks for your money back
Click to expand...

I understand, but this doesnt make internet shopping unsafe, you just were unfortunate enough to purchase from a dodgy crap company, thats hardly the internets "fault".

Once caveat about Internet shopping is to be careful to buy only from reputable sellers online. And bad customer service is more widespread than just internet based sellers, try NTL for example! :)
 
SteelBlue05 said:
I understand, but this doesnt make internet shopping unsafe, you just were unfortunate enough to purchase from a dodgy crap company, thats hardly the internets "fault".

Once caveat about Internet shopping is to be careful to buy only from reputable sellers online. And bad customer service is more widespread than just internet based sellers, try NTL for example! :)
Click to expand...

I think we're singing from the same song sheet, here. Provided you buy from household name companies, then you are reducing your risk considerably. However, you still have less instant redress than if you'd bought it on the high street and could argue your case in person.

So long as it's well advertised what the risks are, then the customer has the choice as to what level of risk he wants.

If I just wanted cheap goods, I can buy hooky stuff down the local market for a fraction of the price that I see online and with no less risk than buying from a company that I've never heard of, trading on the internet.
 
One thing about buying on the high street though......

Buy an item from Argos that is not supported by the manufacturer in Ireland you will be sent round the houses for support.

A work colleague worked for Panasonic and Argos imported many items that were NOT supported by Panasonic Ireland. ARGOS will refer you to the manufacturer....
 
quarterfloun said:
One thing about buying on the high street though......

Buy an item from Argos that is not supported by the manufacturer in Ireland you will be sent round the houses for support.

A work colleague worked for Panasonic and Argos imported many items that were NOT supported by Panasonic Ireland. ARGOS will refer you to the manufacturer....
Click to expand...

This is contrary to our statutory rights as consumers, surely?
 
Quarterfloun - you're wrong - in Ireland your contract is with the vendor - you have nothing to do with the manufacturer. If the good is not of merchantable quality, it's up to the vendor to remedy it. If they wish to pursue it with the manufacturer, they can do so, but the vendor must satisfy the customer's complaint themselves.
 
machalla said:
More of Pixmanias unhappy customers (mostly unhappy)
Click to expand...

Again, unhappy customers always post complaints. Happy ones very rarely do. Easy to find complaints. If it was possible to find out how many unhappy customers of Pixmania as a proportion of their total customer base, I would guess it would be a tiny proportion.
 
all these ecommerce laddies feck up at some stage, pixmania must be having their bad period, try them after christmas.

I think Expansys are as bad nowadays at showing phantom stock .

I always found Komplett to be excellent

I have no relationship with any company of that sort by the way
 
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