Overclockers UK RMA problem! SOLVED

I’ve been without a printer for about 4 months now, which isn’t great when you run a small business. So I finally tracked down the printer I wanted, the Samsung CLP-315W Wireless Colour Laser Printer. Now keep an eye on that ‘W’ there as it’s important. That ‘W’ means Wireless. Yes I could put this printer anywhere in the house. My desk’s real estate is expensive and I was looking forward to all that free room that a printer stashed in the cupboard would bring.

So I looked around and found the cheapest place to buy it, Overclockers UK, a snip at £125.31. I’ve used these people lots of times for all sort of computer bits and never had a problem although a quick look around the internet showed they had quite a number of dissatisfied customers. Most were complaining about the companies’ poor returns policy and up till then I’d never experienced it.

Well I’ve got to say that many of these customers were correct. Overclockers’ Webnote system is the only way to contact the people there as there’s no email address. This sytem is hideously out of date and you end up having a different staff member answering each query you have and you never feel that and communication between them goes on.

Anyway, I order the CLP-315W and get the CLP-315. Not much difference I admit but the CLP-315 is lacking one thing, yes that ‘W’. Bang goes that free desk space because the printer I get sent isn’t wireless!

Now begins a torturous procedure of trying to get the company to take back this printer and swap it for the one I ordered. This has happened to me before and has always been painless. The company arrange for somebody to come and pick it up and within a few days you get the right one. Unfortunately it didn’t quite work out like that and now 4 weeks after ordering the printer they just sent me back the old CLP-315.

This wouldn’t be that annoying if it wasn’t for the fact that I have told them on two seperate occasions that they may just make that mistake so please could they double check that they send me back the correct printer. I was told that the managers has ensured that my order has been corrected, oops!

So I’ve just sent off an email to them explaining this, along with a nice timeline of the order so far and asking to see how they may lift me out of this Kafka-esque nightmare. I’ll probably be adding to this over the next painfull few weeks. Do you think they may send me back the wrong one again? I may start taking bets.

UPDATE: Overclockers UK have given me a full refund after messing up my order due to a stock numbering problem. One member of staff there was really quite helpful in sorting this out. The conclusion I’ve drawn during this is that Overclockers UK really need to change their problem management software. The current webnote system meant a complete breakdown in communication between different members of staff and it’s really awful to use for the end user too.

Time line of my Overclockers UK Samsung CLP-315W colour laser printer order:

22 Nov – ordered Samsung CLP-315W StockID PR-011-SA – order number 3XXXXXX

23 Nov – Rec’d email conf that Samsung CLP-315W has shipped

24 Nov – Was delivered Samsung CLP-315 by mistake

24 Nov – Rec’d RMA number 1XXXXX

27 Nov – after waiting 3 days for RMA instruction I send email asking for RMA instructions and explain that Stock ID PR-011-SA has been changed to non-wireless Samsung CLP-315 product

27 Nov – Rec’d email reiterating RMA number but with no further details

7 Dec – I email you to ask again for RMA instructions

9 Dec – Told item will be picked up from me on the 11th of Dec

11 Dec – Contact you to tell you pick up was not made and to ask for another pick up.

15 Dec – DPD finally pick up the printer from me

17 Dec – Told new printer will be dispatched soon

17 Dec – Rec’d email conf that Samsung CLP-315 has shipped

17 Dec – I contact you to check that you’re sending me the correct printer this time (the CLP-315W not the CLP-315) as the order email looks like you’re sending me the non-wireless one.

17 Dec – Rec’d reply saying that the managers have assured you that this has been corrected.

19 Dec – Rec wrong Samsung CLP-315 printer (as I predicted might happen due to Stock ID number correction).

19 Dec – Send them a complaint and ask them to solve this once and for all.

21 Dec – Rec new RMA number and date of 23 Dec for pick up.

23 Dec – Printer picked up.

30 Dec – Printer arrives at Overclockers.

31 Dec – Rec email telling me my money will be refunded.

5 Jan – Money refunded into my bank account.

That’s 44 days in total!

Epilogue: I ordered the same printer from PC World last week and the correct one arrived 4 days later, even with all this snow!