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Actually, you are wrong, if you deem something as "unfit for purpose", which it was as the back to speakers sounded like they were hissing the sound out, rather than actually generating a real sound, this is legitimate grounds for claiming a refund.

Actually it's not. You remind me of the people who come to the store claiming they can return stuff on any grounds because that's in their consumer rights, until you tell them that, no sorry, that's not true. Your speakers was fit for purpose, You bought them to play sound, you did not specify to the salesman that you wanted ones with a certain sound quality and you accepted a speaker set of lower quality. They make sound, they don't make the sound up to your expectation of quality, but they make sound and are thus fit for purpose.

The only argument you would have had if the speakers where actually broken, and thus where causing the "hissing" sound(though I'm thinking it's just cheaper badly shielded speakers and noise from the motherboard being amplified with the audio, which is quite common, especially on onboard), However they would then not be obliged to give you money back. If the maker had a DOA clause they could have given you a new set, otherwise they would only be obliged to send it in for repair.

I'm thinking the store only went out of their way to help you and get rid of the annoying customer. Afterall small brick and mortar stores need to provide a much higher service level than bigger chains and internet stores as they need to keep their customers happy or they lose their client base. That doesn't however mean they should or will replace anything for any reason. but they'll go far further than bigger chains, who can afford to just say "screw you".

Oh, and that last link you posted, I suggest you read it.

Tim: if the store refuses to replace your Air, you could consider... this. http://laptoplifts.com/

It might be a bit of an eyesore when used in the context of an Air though.

Well did get it replaced, but man was still a cluster f**k. You'd think they could simply swap the machine out, and be done with it, 2 min task. Well wasn't that easy.

All is well, got a nice less wobbly system, and my OCD can sleep for another 5 min.

Actually it's not. You remind me of the people who come to the store claiming they can return stuff on any grounds because that's in their consumer rights, until you tell them that, no sorry, that's not true. Your speakers was fit for purpose, You bought them to play sound, you did not specify to the salesman that you wanted ones with a certain sound quality and you accepted a speaker set of lower quality. They make sound, they don't make the sound up to your expectation of quality, but they make sound and are thus fit for purpose.

The only argument you would have had if the speakers where actually broken, and thus where causing the "hissing" sound(though I'm thinking it's just cheaper badly shielded speakers and noise from the motherboard being amplified with the audio, which is quite common, especially on onboard), However they would then not be obliged to give you money back. If the maker had a DOA clause they could have given you a new set, otherwise they would only be obliged to send it in for repair.

I'm thinking the store only went out of their way to help you and get rid of the annoying customer. Afterall small brick and mortar stores need to provide a much higher service level than bigger chains and internet stores as they need to keep their customers happy or they lose their client base. That doesn't however mean they should or will replace anything for any reason. but they'll go far further than bigger chains, who can afford to just say "screw you".

Oh, and that last link you posted, I suggest you read it.

A) I had a Soundblaster Audigy 2, a quality sound card at the time.

B) Their sound quality was worse than cheap laptops speakers. For the price, the sound quality was substandard. I did not expect amazing sound quality but they were sub-par to my expectation.

C) They were doing their up most to get rid of me, not help me.

D) It was in fact a chain store, you would know this if you read what I have already written, which you have obviously not.

E) I suggest you read what I have linked, poor quality is grounds for a refund, I have read all of the content I have linked, it would be stupid not to.

F) With all due respect, you're from/living in Norway? I wouldn't expect you to be an expert with UK consumer rights. I'm not claiming that I am, but as a consumer in the UK, I feel that I am informed enough to stand up for my consumer rights. I wouldn't even post about the consumer rights of another country, I feel residents of the said country which are members of Neowin would be better suited to advise on it.

G) I'm glad you got it sorted Timan, could have sworn your location stated you were in the UK when first reading this post, I wouldn't have gone on about statuary rights so much if I had realised otherwise! :D

Well did get it replaced, but man was still a cluster f**k. You'd think they could simply swap the machine out, and be done with it, 2 min task. Well wasn't that easy.

All is well, got a nice less wobbly system, and my OCD can sleep for another 5 min.

Good you got it replaced! I had my ?2400 iMac replaced because the screen had only I think it was 2 dead pixels as it was a very small line, but seriously it was killing me I could notice it ALL the time, got it replaced easily though. Then my replacement came and in the vent at the back where the fan is was a dent and the power button was flimsy as if someone had dropped it on its back! Had to get another replacement which was also easy enough.. 3rd time lucky and all good haha.

Glad you got it replaced, I did mine over the phone and they both each time just re-placed the order and arranged a collection from the home to take the old one. You pay a big price for these products and if something is annoying you then damn right you should get it replaced!

A) I had a Soundblaster Audigy 2, a quality sound card at the time.

B) Their sound quality was worse than cheap laptops speakers. For the price, the sound quality was substandard. I did not expect amazing sound quality but they were sub-par to my expectation.

C) They were doing their up most to get rid of me, not help me.

D) It was in fact a chain store, you would know this if you read what I have already written, which you have obviously not.

E) I suggest you read what I have linked, poor quality is grounds for a refund, I have read all of the content I have linked, it would be stupid not to.

F) With all due respect, you're from/living in Norway? I wouldn't expect you to be an expert with UK consumer rights. I'm not claiming that I am, but as a consumer in the UK, I feel that I am informed enough to stand up for my consumer rights. I wouldn't even post about the consumer rights of another country, I feel residents of the said country which are members of Neowin would be better suited to advise on it.

G) I'm glad you got it sorted Timan, could have sworn your location stated you were in the UK when first reading this post, I wouldn't have gone on about statuary rights so much if I had realised otherwise! :D

Actually no, according to your own links, poor audio quality is NOT grounds for return, UNLESS you where specifically promised high quality audio quality. Again, READ your last link and understand it.

They replaced either to get rid of you or because they figured it was actually broken, and if it was making hissing noises that seems the more likely. Also your original post made it sound like it was a small non chain store.

And just to quote the top point on your last linked

Shops? own returns policy. Buy something in a store and UNLESS it?s faulty, you have NO LEGAL RIGHT to return it ? changing your mind doesn?t cut it (you?ve more rights online where you?ve a legal seven-day-no-quibble right of return).

it goes into more details further down, but that should cover it for your point that you're allowed to simply return any item you're not "happy" with.

And just to quote the top point on your last linked

it goes into more details further down, but that should cover it for your point that you're allowed to simply return any item you're not "happy" with.

Good lord!

Sorry about this thread hijacking Timan but,

All goods must obey the Sale of Goods Act 1979, which, for memory ease, I call the SAD FART rules. All goods must be of ?

Satisfactory quality, As Described, Fit for purpose, And last a Reasonable length of Time.

The shops returns policy can't contradict the statuary rights! Even if they tried to, the statuary rights still stand in these key points, it overrides anything the shop says about an item. I didn't simply change my mind about these speakers, they were not of satisfactory quality! If they were of satisfactory quality considering their price, I would have kept them!

Timan, what sort of hassle did you encounter?

Timan, If it was an official apple store and it WASNT a 2 minute transaction to exchange it out there's going to be a survey with your receipt, please fill it out. Apple's high on feedback and that specific feedback will help the store and the employee

Heh, yea I just finished that. Kinda was an arse at what I typed in the notes. Named dropped etc, the experience was ######. I really do hate going to my local apple store.

Good lord!

Sorry about this thread hijacking Timan but,

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The shops returns policy can't contradict the statuary rights! Even if they tried to, the statuary rights still stand in these key points, it overrides anything the shop says about an item. I didn't simply change my mind about these speakers, they were not of satisfactory quality! If they were of satisfactory quality considering their price, I would have kept them!

Timan, what sort of hassle did you encounter?

And you still fail to understand what it means. maybe go beyond the header.

Like Timan, he had a valid grievance, because the wobblyness wasn't just a small annoyance or something like that, but a fault that could actually indicate a fault in the hardware itself, since it indicates the whole laptop has been bent, which could affect the motherboard and internals(the disadvantage of having a laptop built of thin aluminum, it bends and doesn't go back).

Now you just have to make sure this one doesn't bend, though t was most likely caused by a weakness in the metal combined with rough handling at the factory. but as someone said, don't lift them by the corners.

Heh, yea I just finished that. Kinda was an arse at what I typed in the notes. Named dropped etc, the experience was ****. I really do hate going to my local apple store.

you should receive a phone call from them; anytime this happened at the store i worked at, one of the managers would call the customer.

Actually, you are wrong, if you deem something as "unfit for purpose", which it was as the back to speakers sounded like they were hissing the sound out, rather than actually generating a real sound, this is legitimate grounds for claiming a refund.

http://whatconsumer....e-of-goods-act/

http://whatconsumer....atutory-rights/

http://www.moneysavi...efunds-exchange

http://blog.moneysav...t-really-means/

Do you have any reference for the rubbish you're spouting?

I know that the op of this thread is probably sorting his issue out in his own way but it's disappointing to see such ill informed consumer information being thrown around.

It's not ill-informed consumer information - it's the law. What you described was not "not fit for purpose" but instead "not what I expected". Nor am I spouting "rubbish" as you put it.

At the end of the day, unless something is *faulty*, you have no *legal* grounds to return it. Audio quality is a mute point, since its subjective, and as stated earlier in the thread, if there was an audible "hiss" over audio, that would be considered faulty. If you were simply "expecting better sound quality", then no, that's not. Most places would offer you a refund out of goodwill or to prevent a scene in store (14 days is pretty standard), but this is extra to your statutory rights, not part of them, make no mistake. Stating that you have a "right" to return something in a store (especially a chain store where the employees are probably not really trained on consumer law) might persuade them to return it for you, mainly to meet the second point of my previous sentence.

The actual law is that goods must be of satisfactory quality, given the description/price etc, and it must actually be unfit for purpose, not simply deemed to be. Again, note that something could be satisfactory to me, but not to you, or vice versa. The sale of goods act is a blanket act designed to protect both consumers and retailers - it's not a catch all for "i expected these to be better, so i want to return them".

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