The PcoGroup

[Teedoff]

Its rather embarrassing to have my first post here admit that I am an idiot. Still, its a lot less so as a faceless entity on the web.
I wanted a new PC for serious photo and video editing. I required at least 3 internal HD and as I have no expertise in building a PC, I searched for a custom build on the net. I came across this company and found some positive feedback on Hexus Trust, so I contacted them and found them very helpful. I decided to place an order on 15th February. Since then, it has been a disaster! Emails are ignored, phone calls not returned and I have been told on 3 separate occasions that the machine has been despatched, only to find on chasing up the tracking details, that there was a problem. The latest date given was for today, but despite assurances on Thursday that I would receive the consignment details, they have not been forthcoming, and I have received no response to my email and phone follow-ups.
It is now 40 days since I placed my order and they took my money and I am not optimistic that the PC will arrive. Fortunately, I used my credit card so should be able to get my money back - I hope!
The purpose of this post is to make others aware of my error. I hope it will enable others searching the web to make an informed decision about the PCOGroup.
If anyone here knows of a good company that will do what they promise, I'd appreciate hearing about them.
Thanks.

Kind regards,
Trevor

[mikerr]

thepcogroup.co.uk with a large hexus trust banner

http://trust.hexus.net/company_profile.php?company=190

[GoNz0]

probably the staff adding trust then, never head of em b4 your post !

[McPhee]

DinoPC.co.uk
PCSpecialist.co.uk
Desktop-Option.co.uk (formerly PCOption)

I've heard good things about those three. Only one I've dealt with personally is DinoPC who put my brother's PC together (he didn't want a custom build despite my protests) and they were hassle free. Can't rate them good or bad though really, the measure of a good company is how they deal with after-sales, being able to dispatch an order on time should be a given (which they pretty much managed. 2 days late, but that can be forgiven).

[Jay]

never seen them before and can't say I know any of the people who have give them trust reviews, I would probably rather use Scan for this kind of thing though

[Teedoff]

Thanks McPhee and Jay, I'll look into those suggestions if this falls through and I manage to get my money back.
Just an update: I phoned yesterday morning and left another message and followed it up with a fairly strongly worded email. I received a call back and was advised that they aren't open on Saturday (despite the web site saying otherwise) but have at last been given a tracking number. Interestingly, the courier's web site states despatch as 26th March, whereas I was assured that it had been sent on 24th. The timescale for delivery has also changed from 2-3 days to 2-5 days. I just hope it works when (if) it arrives as I can't bear the thought of having to send it back and go through all this again.

[Saracen]

Hmmm.

Just a personal opinion, but my feeling is that if I get problems of the type of customer service reported in this post before I get the machine, what are they going to be like afterwards, especially if I have problems?

Bearing in mind that this is only one side of the story and there may well be another side, my personal attitude is that I would not want to take the risk and, based on the description given, I'd be looking at using the Distance Selling Regs to cancel the order, and if I did so I would do so before delivery, and would decline to accept delivery.

Yes, it means getting your money back and starting again, but personally I'd rather do that than risk a far harder time later on, having lost the particularly strong protection the Distance Selling Regs give to consumers. I have a particularly strong aversion to being jerked about by retailers, and given the account in the opening post, would want nothing more to to with them, personally.

[nvening]

If you look at the trust ratings, not one of the authors has reviewed any other retailers and have neither given a rating for a member or received one.

Intresting?

[GoNz0]

thats the trouble when you let anyone use the trust, it should be established members only or its not worth the code its written with.

[Teedoff]

Thanks all, for the advice. I realise I made a mistake, which is why I posted. Hopefully others will be better aware of this company's shortcomings.

Trevor

[McPhee]

I'd be looking at using the Distance Selling Regs to cancel the order, and if I did so I would do so before delivery, and would decline to accept delivery.

Was about to say this too. They're messing up the easy bit, imagine the hassle if your machine breaks!

[GoNz0]

Thanks all, for the advice. I realise I made a mistake, which is why I posted. Hopefully others will be better aware of this company's shortcomings.

Trevor

Take Saracens advice, email and inform them you are rejecting this and refuse delivery. contact the CC company and start the chargeback, i think you have enough reason to warrant this.

[The_Wheelhouse]

Thanks all, for the advice. I realise I made a mistake, which is why I posted. Hopefully others will be better aware of this company's shortcomings.

Trevor

I guess you can always register on trust and copy and paste your first post, rating them suitably at least that will make their rating a bit more similar to the service you received...

[Shianna45]

Hi all, we too have had 'hassle' with the pcogroup over our PC order. They are great at selling and advice just duff at getting the goods to you,even though there are very very quick to take the money from your account. We were promised 10 to 12 working days for a bespoke comp. The main problem according to Oliver, was the unavailability of an Nvidia graphics card we wanted especially. (the 275) On searching we immediately found six were available at Overclockers????
Then the dear boy 'Oliver' was away in York? would that be NEW york? But surely one pesron being off his or her desk does not mean the company stops? There responces to e-mails and phone calls is abismal i have to admit. I wont get into it with Oliver so let my partner deal with him, she is Canadian and does NOT take prisoners. We now have a 'new' delivery date and today we were supposed to get the couriers delivery number? Don't ask, I didn't. So all in all a very unreliable company and judging by the strategic companies website thingy there are only worth around $4,000.00
We have sought advice, but feel this company is not what it seems?
Hope this helps, we looked at the Hexus Trust figures and can see that one post in particular makes it's appearence peridically?? same person?

[Teedoff]

I thought I'd provide an update on the situation.
I actually received the PC from them on 29th March, which was day 42 since order placed. It did not work! I phoned and eventually spoke to a technician who instructed me to remove the side panel. (I was not going to do that without their say so, because of the warranty) The wall of the HD bay was bowed and the hard drives were all in the bottom of the PC at an angle. At their request, I sent a photo of the damage and to their credit the PC was collected the next day. They insisted that they would not send out a PC in that condition and that it was damaged in transit. I suppose that anything is possible, but it seems odd that the only damage was inside the box and neither the case nor the packaging showed any real damage.
I was assured that the PC would be rebuilt and sent back on Tuesday 5th April and that I would be kept fully informed on progress.
I had to phone on Tuesday afternoon only to discover that the PC was not ready, but would go out on Wednesday. An attempt was made to call me Weds. but no message left. I called to discover that they couldn't install the 1394b card I'd asked for as there wasn't room on the mobo, because I also wanted a wireless card. Told then that it would go out Thursday. Thursday afternoon I emailed asking for confirmation that it had been sent. No response, so I emailed again.
This morning I was informed that there was a problem with the firewire card, but that a new one was on order and they were going in tomorrow (Saturday) to install and test it. Assured that it would definitely be sent on Monday.
Watch this space.....

[chadders]

Why haven't you just cancelled it as advised... rod for your own back.

edit: google map their addresses... "cottage industry"? Some burly-Yorkshireman hitting components with a lump hammer ranting t'internet?