You people really do amaze me. You buy gear from internet discount 'retailers' and then complain about poor service. What do you expect? If you weren't so tight trying to save yourself a few quid and bought from your local dealers then you'd get proper service.
It's because of all you tight wads that your local dealers are disappearing fast. They can't compete on price with the 'big boys' but will provide you with after sales service long after you've paid your money. Don't forget - they employ real engineers to sort out any faults you've got.

[M.Joshi]

I agree with you although there are some companies that have a good service such as QED-UK.com

[Ian J]

Interesting first post but you omitted to mention which dealer you worked for.

There are a number of threads here about the poor service available from some dealers which perhaps you ought to look at.

I don't work for a dealer - perhaps you're feeling guilty and feel the need to justify your own purchases?!!!

I'd love to have a name and shame list on poor service - if anyone can point me in the right direction I'd love to read the gory details.

[rigman]

I'd love to have a name and shame list on poor service - if anyone can point me in the right direction I'd love to read the gory details.

Well stick around for a few months and there will be plenty to read in the future. Not bad for your first couple of posts slagging people off.

How to win friends and influence people is available at all good book shops. Suggest you read it.

Darren

[alanrob]

Have a read through the hardware forums for all the problems people have had with online and high street purchases.

This topic was covered to death at the tail end of last year on this forum and we all seemed to agree on one thing - If you want to save money and don't care about service buy online, if you want great service at a price then buy from your local dealer.

Oh! BTW, the only things in my setup that I bought online are a cheapo VCR player (£98 three years ago for a nicam stereo deck ) and my Sony TV that was one of the first "32 widescreen sets to hit the UK - I saved £1200 against the Sony list price
All other kit has been bought via Stereo Stereo (I'll be looking for a commission for the advert Gordon )

[lmccauley]

Originally posted by gges
You people really do amaze me. You buy gear from internet discount 'retailers' and then complain about poor service.

You talkin' to me?

Are you generalising like this to be provocative or do you honestly believe everyone on this forum does as you say?

Suggest you use the "Search" facility on this site to get the info you're interested in, as there was quite a lengthy discussion about it recently.

Cheers,
Liam

[gringottsdirect]

gges, is this a flame?
Over the years I have paid full price (ish) to various independent dealers, Naim, Arcam, Linn, Epos, Loewe products purchased still delighting. As you say, real people running a business to make a crust, hopefully intending to back up their sales expertise with real engineers to provide service expertise.
More recently, with the advent of the here today, gone tomorrow, sometimes, here today, gone later the same day, internet mail order retailers, my buying habits have changed.
If I want say a Sony Minidisc separate, or a Pioneer CD Recorder separate, I will search the more established bricks and mortar/ internet retailers for the best price, Empire, Qed and the like.
If I need a large screen tv, I choose the local independent, in my experience it will be installed correctly and if there is a problem further down the years, it will be put right. However, as these local businesses are running to make a profit, I cannot expect to save the few (hundred) quid you mention. It's a personal choice, but to my mind the real problem for my buying at lowest price off net is going to be obtaining good service when the first year guarantee swap out expires.
If my purchase is say less than £300, I'll take the chance, but for more expensive items I'll buy locally. Obviously, everyone has to take their own view.

[Ian J]

I don't work for a dealer - perhaps you're feeling guilty and feel the need to justify your own purchases?!!!

I need to justify my purchases to an unknown set of initials - you must be joking.

PS You are not chompy are you ?

Firstly, let me say that I don't mean to offend anyone. Yes, I am being a little provocative and hoped to make a few people think. If anyone has taken my comments as an insult then that's their problem.
I am however amazed at SOME people who have posted on this forum who want the earth. For example, TV's that are 'faulty' upon delivery. Does anyone really expect a refund or replacement for a product until it has been confirmed as being faulty? If you do, you're a fool. The majority of 'faults' reported on new equipment are not really faults and are down to poor installation/set up/ignorance (not reading the instructions). If you have genuine problems then of course you are entitled to a refund or replacement. However, if your supplier is hundereds of miles away then the problem begins. If the 'fault' isn't really a fault and is down to you then you should expect to be charged for the engineer's visit. Any savings you made on the purchase price have gone down the toilet. If you'd bought from your local dealer, they'd be there the same day and may well not charge you for your mistake. If the equipment is faulty you can expect a replacement/refund without the hassle of phone calls to the 0870 numbers the internet companies love so much. You will NEVER receive the kind of service that a local reputable dealer will give.
Of course there are good and bad dealers but trust your instinct, or better still a recommendation. If you're not happy, walk away - there are other AV shops!
By the way, I am an independent service engineer and have been in the trade 18 years. I repair and service both domestic and professional equipment for the public, the trade and many local authorities in the north of England.

Firstly, let me say that I don't mean to offend anyone

Generalisation nearly always leads to offence. There are hundreds that use these forums, some buy from dealers, some over the internet and the majority (including myself) use both but your post addressed to "you people" attacked all of us.

You state that you are a service engineer based in the North of England and I am sure that if I made the same general comments about Northerners you would be the first in the queue to complain.

Of course I won't as I am not a provocative sort of person so take your flat cap and buzz off back to the slag heaps

[mjn]

gges

Sevenoaks are dealers, as are Superfi, and many others......but people still complain about them...

i think its the Leeds branch of Sevenoaks, which has got the most complaints.

and i'll buy my goods from where i want!!

Just because i buy something mail order/internet.......doesn't mean it has to be faulty.....if an item is faulty when leaving factory it doesn't make a difference who sells it, its gonna be faulty!!

I just think you maybe paid full price at Dixons for all your kit, and got a bit pi**ed off, when you realised you didn't get a discount!!

If I pay £1700 for a TV, I expect it to be perfect, regardless of how much I've saved. End of story.

[Stuart Wright]

gges - the last post starting 'you people ....' got the poster permanently banned. He was a bit more insulting than you.
Good arguments are welcome. Name calling is not.
And frogspit - if someone posts something which offends or upsets you, report it. I consider myself to be a northerner and insulting the administrator is the fastest way to get yourself booted off a forum .