DABS nightmare - shower of thieving morons!

Just some words of warning for potential DABS customers...

Bought an external harddrive from them on the 10th. Received on the 13th
(quick enough) but found it was knackered as the power button is faulty.
Filled in the RMA form on the afternoon of the 13th and since then have
filled in 2 more RMA forms and sent 5 emails to customer service and the
only reply I've had to date (after 6 days waiting) was to give me Freecom's
phone number and to tell me to get in touch with them as it was a warranty
issue!

So you buy brand new goods from DABS which they send out knackered and they
expect you to go through all the hassle of getting a warranty repair done on
something that's never even been used once.

I have now contacted my credit card company to do a chargeback and also
Trading Standards who are looking into their business practices under
section 14 of the sale of goods act.

I used to be a happy customer of DABS but never again will I deal with those
thieves.

For anyone else having a DABS nightmare, of which I assume there will be
many - you can give them a ring on : 01942 853488

It's not their customer service line, it takes you to their system admin
area. Still good for a rant and the lad I spoke to there was at least able
to confirm that my RMA form submissions had been received so I knew I was
being ignored rather than the forms just simply being lost in the system
somewhere.

If anyone from DABS reads this and cares to get in touch before my letter
goes off to The Judge (Sunday Mail) then by all means get in touch, my
customer ref is DAV3676

ND.

You have bought lots of stuff and been happy. You get one bad experience and
you make slanderous remarks.

Did you even try to speak to Freecom? You may have found that they would be
immediately responsible for the situation and sort you out as required. Yes,
it's correct that the contract is between you and Dabs but do you actually
want to resolve the issue or just make yourself out to be crusader for
everyone?

Writing to the Sunday Mail - pretty damn lame....

"ND" wrote in message
...
Just some words of warning for potential DABS customers...

Bought an external harddrive from them on the 10th. Received on the 13th
(quick enough) but found it was knackered as the power button is faulty.
Filled in the RMA form on the afternoon of the 13th and since then have
filled in 2 more RMA forms and sent 5 emails to customer service and the
only reply I've had to date (after 6 days waiting) was to give me
Freecom's
phone number and to tell me to get in touch with them as it was a warranty
issue!

So you buy brand new goods from DABS which they send out knackered and
they
expect you to go through all the hassle of getting a warranty repair done
on
something that's never even been used once.

I have now contacted my credit card company to do a chargeback and also
Trading Standards who are looking into their business practices under
section 14 of the sale of goods act.

I used to be a happy customer of DABS but never again will I deal with
those
thieves.

For anyone else having a DABS nightmare, of which I assume there will be
many - you can give them a ring on : 01942 853488

It's not their customer service line, it takes you to their system admin
area. Still good for a rant and the lad I spoke to there was at least able
to confirm that my RMA form submissions had been received so I knew I was
being ignored rather than the forms just simply being lost in the system
somewhere.

If anyone from DABS reads this and cares to get in touch before my letter
goes off to The Judge (Sunday Mail) then by all means get in touch, my
customer ref is DAV3676

ND.

On Mon, 20 Oct 2003 20:21:33 +0000, Reckless wrote:

You have bought lots of stuff and been happy. You get one bad experience and
you make slanderous remarks.

Did you even try to speak to Freecom? You may have found that they would be
immediately responsible for the situation and sort you out as required. Yes,
it's correct that the contract is between you and Dabs but do you actually
want to resolve the issue or just make yourself out to be crusader for
everyone?

Trouble is that once you start accepting repairs doesn't this mean that it
can be harder to enforce statutory rights?

Anyhow I hate dabs after the time I tried to buy a DVD burner that was
"available 3-4 days" I emailed them after 3 weeks to be told "just one
more week" then 2 weeks later they kept replying to my email query of
"when will you have this item in stock" with the form reply of "this items
status will be updated in 2-3 days"

I have had so many problems with them in the past that I would rather now
buy from pcworld! Oh, and just to be a bit controversial I like ebuyer
they even refunded me the delivery charge (i had paid extra for Saturday
delivery, and the courier never attempted to deliver, let alone leave a
card but of course they claimed different) for a Saturday delivery.

"Reckless" wrote in message
...
You have bought lots of stuff and been happy. You get one bad experience
and
you make slanderous remarks.

Did you even try to speak to Freecom? You may have found that they would
be
immediately responsible for the situation and sort you out as required.
Yes,
it's correct that the contract is between you and Dabs but do you actually
want to resolve the issue or just make yourself out to be crusader for
everyone?

Writing to the Sunday Mail - pretty damn lame....


I kind of agree with you.

The OP sends off an RMA request and within 6 days has already sent off 2
more and 5 emails?!?

ND, you really need to get a grip on reality if oyu are gonna continue
purchasing kit online - you simply confuse vendors with multiple RMA's and
follow-up emails - give them a chance and some time FFS!

If you ask *anyone* on this newsgroup to produce a list of requirements when
dealing online, then 'patience' will be top 3 for all of us.

Also, sometimes it is *better* dealing with the manufacturer directly - that
certainly is true with Maxtor hard drives anyway - much better service and a
replacement drive before you return the broken one.

Give Freecom a try? (I *know* some in here will say 'why should he' but
honestly it might save you time and hassle).

As for trading standards and especially the Sunday Mail - don't waste your
time.

g.

"Reckless" wrote in message
...
You have bought lots of stuff and been happy. You get one bad experience
and
you make slanderous remarks.

I suggest you read up on the meaning of slander mate.

Did you even try to speak to Freecom?

No.

You may have found that they would be
immediately responsible for the situation and sort you out as required.

I am not interested in getting the drive repaired, I want a new one. Had it
been 6 months old or whatever I would have had no hesitation in contacting
Freecom. It was in my possession all of 15 minutes before it was found to be
faulty.

Yes,
it's correct that the contract is between you and Dabs but do you actually
want to resolve the issue or just make yourself out to be crusader for
everyone?

I want the issue resolved and I want the company happy enough to bill me
£120 for the supply of faulty goods to get their act together and sort out
the problem. It's now almost 11 full days since I ordered the thing, 8 since
I received it and no further forward.

I'm not warning people aboiut Freecom, I'm warning them about DABS and their
complete lack of professionalism and customer care.

Writing to the Sunday Mail - pretty damn lame....

Says you, many others would say otherwise. Especially those who have had
problems resolved by doing just that.

ND.

"ND" wrote in message
...
Just some words of warning for potential DABS customers...

"Fat Freddy's Cat" wrote in message
...

I kind of agree with you.

The OP sends off an RMA request and within 6 days has already sent off 2
more and 5 emails?!?

Well as their system doesn't send any confirmation emails to say whether the
forms or emails have been received and are awaiting processing and there is
no customer service contact telephone number what do you suggest?

Once I got hold of a contact number for them (via a whois lookup) and spoke
to their system admin no more RMA forms were submitted.

I got a reply to the 4th email I sent - the reply telling me it was a
warranty issue yet the RMA forms were submitted before the email so what
gives there?

ND, you really need to get a grip on reality if oyu are gonna continue
purchasing kit online - you simply confuse vendors with multiple RMA's and
follow-up emails - give them a chance and some time FFS!

I spend about 2 grand a month online from dozens of various retailers
including Ebuyer, SVP, WCW Media, UK DVDR, Ebay, Scan and various motorcycle
parts and accessory shops and never have I had problems like I'm having with
DABS. Christ mate, they claim to be the leading internet retailer of IT and
tech products but can't even cobble together a form system or email system
that sends confirmations nor process web forms submitted over 7 days ago.


If you ask *anyone* on this newsgroup to produce a list of requirements
when
dealing online, then 'patience' will be top 3 for all of us.

There's a difference between having patience and accepting sub standard
service from a retailer making customer promises they can't keep and then
trying to fob you off by claiming something is a warranty issue when clearly
it is not.

Also, sometimes it is *better* dealing with the manufacturer directly -
that
certainly is true with Maxtor hard drives anyway - much better service and
a
replacement drive before you return the broken one.

Sometimes it's better not. Is freecom going to refund my delivery charges
and pay for carraige of the faulty goods from me and back to me again? Not
likely as they didn't sell me it.

Give Freecom a try? (I *know* some in here will say 'why should he' but
honestly it might save you time and hassle).

Have since bought a new drive from PC World so now DABS can have it back and
refund me in full.

As for trading standards and especially the Sunday Mail - don't waste your
time.

Trading Standards is hardly a waste of time. If DABS responded as quickly as
Trading Standards did to my problem I wouldn't be sat here typing this.

ND

"ND" wrote in message
...


Don't have a cow - i sympathise with you too.

DAB's are no experts at keeping customers happy on occasion, but i do think
your 6 day process was OTT.

BTW, i don't think DABs are suggesting Freecom will repair the thing, you
can get replacements under warranty (which is almost certainly what Freecom
will do in this case).

Anyway, if your experience is that bad and you deal in the volumes you
suggest online, I apologise for suggesting that DABs are anything but 100%
wrong on this occasion and they have treated you badly..

You do seem pretty het up about it though, so I understand your 2 RMA and 5
email rush.

Hope ot works out for you,
Regards,
g.

"Fat Freddy's Cat" wrote in message
...

DAB's are no experts at keeping customers happy on occasion, but i do
think
your 6 day process was OTT.

I can see why you and others would think that but again I would say that is
DABS own doing. As I suggested in their feedback form if they intend on
continuing this email / web form only system then the very least they must
do is set up some sort of confirmation system. Even their system admin i
spoke with couldn't believe it when I explained why I was calling.

BTW, i don't think DABs are suggesting Freecom will repair the thing, you
can get replacements under warranty (which is almost certainly what
Freecom
will do in this case).

Perhaps. Problem I have found with dealing direct before (not with Freecom
mind) is that it usually takes far longer than a simple replacement unit.
I've had CD drives etc pack in before and had to return them to
manufacturers and it's taken months to get them back.

Anyway, if your experience is that bad and you deal in the volumes you
suggest online, I apologise for suggesting that DABs are anything but 100%
wrong on this occasion and they have treated you badly..

No problem mate. All it would take is for DABS to spend 2 minutes to read
and reply to the points raised / questions asked in an email instead of
sending a one liner and expecting the customer to be happy with that.

You do seem pretty het up about it though, so I understand your 2 RMA and
5
email rush.

Being ignored is what infuriates me. I have no real problems with delayed
orders, faulty products, goods sent in error etc. so long as I'm not lied to
or ignored. Mistakes happen, delays happen, faults in sealed goods cannot be
spotted before being sent but there is no justifiable reason to ignore
customers or attempt to brush them and your responsibility to them off.

Hope ot works out for you,
Regards,

Thanks,

ND.

Yawn

"ND" wrote in message
...

"Reckless" wrote in message
...
You have bought lots of stuff and been happy. You get one bad experience
and
you make slanderous remarks.

I suggest you read up on the meaning of slander mate.

Did you even try to speak to Freecom?

No.

You may have found that they would be
immediately responsible for the situation and sort you out as required.

I am not interested in getting the drive repaired, I want a new one. Had
it
been 6 months old or whatever I would have had no hesitation in contacting
Freecom. It was in my possession all of 15 minutes before it was found to
be
faulty.

Yes,
it's correct that the contract is between you and Dabs but do you
actually
want to resolve the issue or just make yourself out to be crusader for
everyone?

I want the issue resolved and I want the company happy enough to bill me
£120 for the supply of faulty goods to get their act together and sort out
the problem. It's now almost 11 full days since I ordered the thing, 8
since
I received it and no further forward.

I'm not warning people aboiut Freecom, I'm warning them about DABS and
their
complete lack of professionalism and customer care.

Writing to the Sunday Mail - pretty damn lame....

Says you, many others would say otherwise. Especially those who have had
problems resolved by doing just that.

ND.

"ND" wrote in message
...
Just some words of warning for potential DABS customers...

I have had so many problems with them in the past that I would rather now
buy from pcworld! Oh, and just to be a bit controversial I like ebuyer
they even refunded me the delivery charge (i had paid extra for Saturday
delivery, and the courier never attempted to deliver, let alone leave a
card but of course they claimed different) for a Saturday delivery.


Talking of Saturday deliveries, in the early hours of Friday morning I
ordered an Aopen AK77 board, showing 6 in stock, and paid the £10
Saturday delivery. Early Saturday morning, because I hadn't received
any dispatch email I checked the order status and saw it was 'awaiting
stock'. It still is at the time of writing (early hours Tuesday) with
4 showing as available. I emailed them (futile, I know) telling them
that I expected my £10 to be refunded without any further chasing on
my part, but haven't had any reply so far. I wouldn't be in the least
bit surprised to discover their way of thinking is that since they
missed the first Saturday they'll hang on to the order to deliver it
next Saturday.

I've been buying from Dabs for over 5 years now, thousands spent with
them. I've had more trouble with them (other things on top of the
above) this past 6 months than any other supplier - Scan, Ebuyer
included. In fact, I've never had any bother with any other supplier.
I think I'll be using that phone number later today.

MJ