camerabox.co.uk - need some advice

nheather

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I ordered a camera for my daughters birthday from camerabox.co.uk - big mistake, I should have read the reviews first

Camerabox Ltd www.camerabox.co.uk Reviews of 2010 & 2011 | Compare ratings at Review Centre

but I didn't so no point crying over what I should have done.

The short version is that they sent me the wrong camera. I returned it the same day as requested by Special Delivery at a cost of £7.00 which I was assured would be refunded. The camera was returned unused and still sealed.

On it's return (which camerbox acknowledged) they still had stock of the correct camera. But instead of using it to correct their error they delayed and sold the stock to other customers. Subsequently the camera went out of stock and still is.

Without saying too much, I am experiencing the same level of service as many who have written on reviewcentre. I am met with rude, evasive and obstructive customer services. There is no concern and they act as if they are the ones inconvenienced not me. They are treating my case in the same way as a faulty return rather than a order which has yet to be fulfilled. This means that I have to deal with the repairs department rather than customer service but the company rules are that I am not allowed to talk to the repairs department - just emails, which they mostly ignore.

I have been told of several restock dates, all of which have come and gone without success and it now feels like they haven't got a clue when (or if) there will be a restock and are just fobbing me off.

They have still not refunded my refund postage which doesn't bode well.

They are very keen at every opportunity, to state that under DSR they have 30 days to make a refund. But many reports on ReviewCentre suggest that they flaunt the DSR and take many months to refund.

So I am now considering my options. They seem to be

(i) Wait an unspecified time for the camera to be replaced and my postage to be refunded

(ii) Cancel the order and demand a refund for the camera and my return postage.

(iii) Raise a dispute with PayPal, which I would expect would get my camera refunded but would risk throwing away my postage refund.

(iv) Raise a dispute with VISA and get the charges reversed. Again this would probably mean throwing away my return postage.

So that you have the values in perspective

Camera Price = £124.99
Return Postage Incurred = £7.00

So what would you do?


Cheers,

Nigel
 
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seeks advice from Consumer Direct, but you are afforded rights and protection under the Distance Selling Regulations and the Sale of Goods Act, especially if it was a credit visa card you paid with.

Distance Selling Regulations* - The Office of Fair Trading

For Businesses: Carrying out the contract (Regulation 19)

How long do I have to carry out the contract?

3.16 A contract must be carried out within the time limits agreed with the
consumer as stated in your terms and conditions. If no period has
been agreed, the statutory time limit is 30 days from the day after
the day the consumer sends the order to you.

What if I am unable to deliver the goods or start a service in
the time agreed or within the 30 days statutory limit?

3.17 If you cannot meet the 30 day deadline to deliver the goods or
perform the service, you must inform the consumer before the expiry
of the deadline. You and the consumer may agree a revised date
for delivery of the goods or performance of the service. But the
consumer does not have to agree to a revised date. If they do not
agree to a revised date, the contract must be treated as if it had not
been made, apart from any rights that the consumer has under it as
the result of the non-performance.

3.18 If you are unable to meet the deadline and have not agreed an
alternative delivery date with the consumer, you must refund all
money paid in relation to the contract including the postage and
packaging
. Please see paragraph 3.49 for information on additional
services that may have been provided under a different contract.
The refund should be made as quickly as possible and within a
maximum of 30 days.

3.19 Any credit agreement associated with the purchase is also
automatically cancelled. For more information about refunds see
paragraphs 3.46 to 3.54.
 
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hope that helps
 
@Geege

I think camerbox are well aware of the DSR - they are happy to quote the bits that benefit them - but from some of the reviews they also seem happy to flaunt them.

I have no doubts or concerns about getting the purchase price back as that is something I can ultimately control, either through PayPal or VISA.

Whethe, I will ever see my £7.00 incurred postage costs back is another matter.

@Dony

Thanks, I will find that thread.

Cheers,

Nigel
 
In the first instance I have raised a PayPal dispute.

I dind't think it was fair at this point to a do a chargeback because that would just take the money of PayPal - though I'm sure they would be quick to claim it back off camerbox.

If PayPal don't play ball then it will be Visa.

Cheers,

Nigel
 
Unbelievable company.

I have been trying to communicate with the returns department to discuss whether they can deliver the camera in a reasonable time or to give a refund. All my emails have been ignorred.

I went to place a review on reviewcentre

Camerabox Ltd www.camerabox.co.uk Reviews of 2010 & 2011 | Compare ratings at Review Centre

but noticed in the summary that camerabox give a contact to address concerns.

So I emailed [email protected] as directed, explaining the problem, saying that I was considering writing a review but did she want to discuss it with me before I did so.

I got no response from her, so went ahead and placed the review.

Later, I got an email from reviewcentre saying that camerabox had complained about my review and it had been temporarily removed. I noticed that a lot of the '1 out of 5' star reviews had also been removed. Reviewcentre have now offered me the opportunity to provide supporting information to get it reinstated, which I have done.

So in summary, they don't have the time to talk to me before the review is written, but time to complain once it has been done.

Furthermore, I have started a PayPal dispute, still at the communication stage. In this I ask that I want to sensibly discuss a resolution. They haven't respondd to that. It will be escalated soon.

Cheers,

Nigel
 

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