Hello,
I purchased a 21 inch flat screen TV of Videocon from Sneehanjali Showroom (Vasai) in exchange of my old Videocon TV which was a Color Display 24 inch in working condition. The salesman inquired about the old TV. How many channels are there? Is it color? and in working condition? All the answers were positive. The deal was finalised and I placed an order with the Company.
The delivery of the TV took place in the afternoon. Everything was set. The mechanic checked my old TV and thereafter packed it and took it away. When I was still trying to figure out the features of the new TV in the late evening, the executive gives me a call and tells me that our technician have checked ur old TV in the workshop and they say your TV has been converted so you need to pay an extra Rs.1000 to compensate for the same.
I was shocked at this. As far as my knowledge, in an exchange scheme all the checking takes place at the consumer's place and once the product has been picked up from the customer's place no type of research can be charged upon the customer. I argued with him for the same saying that I cannot pay the extra amount you are charging me as the transaction has already taken place(I payed through my debit card the entire amount) The price of the TV was Rs. 6900/- and the exchange rate for my TV was Rs. 3000/-
He said that it is mandatory and I need to pay the extra charge because the TV has been converted and the channels extended, but when we purchased the TV it was an 89 channel, I told him this. He told me you can come over here and check it out. Our engineers will explain you. But I knew it was of no use as I do not have any technical knowledge and they were trying to take advantage of the same. The next day, he directly sent two of his labourers to collect the money. I told them I wouldn't pay them. Those guys told me to speak to the Company again. I called up and told the salesman I won't pay the money as it is none of my business what you people research after the product has been taken from my house, What is the guarantee that you people have not removed the parts and replaced? How will I know of it?
But they seemed to be professional cheaters. My parents were not there around me, but they told me on the phone not to pay him any money as it is going to go in their pockets. After much of discussion, the salesman threatened me saying that"aapke jaise customer se kaise deal karneka, ye hamme achi tarah se aata hai. Mai apne aadmi ko bhej raha hoon. Agar aap paise nahi de rahe ho, toh woh log naya TV le ke jaayenge aur juna Tv aapka rakh ke jaayenge..."
But I was in two minds. If I take back my old TV there was no guarantee that those thugs would keep my original parts and second as to pay the money or no. I was totally confused and devastated. Those labourers were not ready to move unless and until they got their money. After some negotiation, the sales person agreed to make it a full-and-final settlement of Rs. 500/- I consulted my neighbour, she was askin me to bring it more down, but i was in no mood to talk to that arrogant sales man. I gave him 500 bucks and asked him to leave immediately. So its a good lesson for all you guys planning to take any new product on exchange. Do not pay the money. I am just 21 and this was my first learning experience of day light robbery.
Aug 14, 2020
Complaint marked as Resolved
We purchased the appliance on 28th of March 2008 from the NEXT retail showroom at Sion. My problems started the day we purchased it. The service centre took more than a month to get the product installed. It was lying at my house in the box pack for that period. Every time we would call, the rep would inform us that the engineer would come to our house the very next day. Finally, it was only installed, when we personally went to the showroom and demanded our money back.
According to the warranty card the product has a six year warrenty period. On 16th June 2009, that is nearly 14 months of buying it, the product started giving us problems and stopped working. We called the service centre ( Reference no: MUM[protected]) and the representative came to our place on the 23rd of June, we were informed that the compresser needs repairs for the cooling to take place. We were told by the representative that it would cost us Rs 1400/- for the repairs. When we asked the representative if it is not covered by the warrenty period, we were informed that the cost is towards towing the product to the service station and filling gas.
They took in near 26 days to repair the product and on delivery i found out that the light bulb inside the refrigerator was not working. I refused to pay the balance repair amount and so the next day a representative was send again to collect the money and repair the bulb. I was also told that though not mentioned, the compressor would have a six month garauntee and if anything goes wrong, it would be repaired free of cost.
Now less than two months later, the product has gone bust again. I have registered a complaint ( Reference: MUM[protected]) with the service centre. My family generally prefers products from companies like LG, but it was on my insistence that they had gone for videocon. The videocon guys have certainly proved my family right.
Amit Shanbhag
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