Techbitsonline: AVOID

[Cantsaytoomuch]

Small update, I drafted a letter (Based on the TS format), it will be sent recorded delivery the next chance I get. I'll keep in touch to see if it's successful.
I'll also send it via email to various addresses from CCK.

As well as sending 1 copy via recorded delivery, send 2 more copies with just a certificate of posting.

They could decide to refuse to sign for the recorded delivery one, but there is a case between a landlord and tennents, where the tennents refused to sign for a delivery, but having 2 additional copies sent with certificate of posting, the judge ruled in the landlords favour due to it being highly unlikely they did not receive notification.

It will be useful should the need arise to take it to small claims court.

[Shooty*]

Right, I'm pleased to report that they actioned ONE of the refunds very quickly. The other remains outstanding, and the order is still pending. I can give them the benefit of the doubt on that: their system is set up such that you generate a complaint by order number. I did that, and referred to two orders in the main body, so one may have been over looked.

On the other hand, as the other order is still active, and the pending date has not been altered, and the item's not arrived, that's not good.

I've asked for the other one to be processed as well. Let's see how we do.

[crackshot]

As well as sending 1 copy via recorded delivery, send 2 more copies with just a certificate of posting.

They could decide to refuse to sign for the recorded delivery one, but there is a case...
snip

Thanks very much for the excellent advice. I'll be tracking the signature of the letter through Royal Mail, and will post when it does/doesn't get through

From emailing a few CCK email addresses and analysing what bounced, the following email addresses at least do not bounce. Your milage may vary:
chris@ccktechnologies.co.uk (Chris Puxty, the director of CCK)
noreply@ccktechnologies.co.uk (emailed orders)
donotreply@ccktechnologies.co.uk (another emailed orders)
admin@ccktechnologies.co.uk (usually admin@... are valid email addresses)
postmaster@ccktechnologies.co.uk (as above)
hayley@ccktechnologies.co.uk (This is the lovely lady that keeps referring my case to the relevant department.)
jade@ccktechnologies.co.uk (a random name from the help ticket system)

I've contacted my credit card company too, they've posted me forms for me to fill in. Under UK law (I'm not sure which law), the credit card company are jointly and severally liable for the safe delivery of the items. Yay.

Oh, one further thing which irritates me - CCK still list the mobo, CPU and memory as "in stock".

[Cantsaytoomuch]

I've contacted my credit card company too, they've posted me forms for me to fill in. Under UK law (I'm not sure which law), the credit card company are jointly and severally liable for the safe delivery of the items. Yay.

Section 75 Consumer Credit Act 1974
"Section 75 (1) If the debtor under a debtor-creditor-supplier agreement falling within section 12(b) or (c) has, in relation to a transaction financed by the agreement, any claim against the supplier in respect of a misrepresentation or breach of contract, he shall have a like claim against the creditor, who, with the supplier, shall accordingly be jointly and severally liable to the debtor."

Sums between £100 and £30,000

[crackshot]

SUCCESS!!!

CCK have credited me to the value of the CPU/mobo/memory (about £250).
They've not contacted me by email, but my credit card statement shows a refund.

[Tetley]

I also received a refund yesterday for the full amount of the memory I ordered so I can finally wash my hands of this whole mess. To to all others who are still awaiting orders/refunds then I wish you the greatest of luck and have certainly learnt my lesson on not checking up on companies who I have never heard of before (no matter how cheap they are....).

[Sambop]

Hi folks, I have also been having problems with the people over at techbitsonline.co.uk.

I'd orderd a few bits from them, and waited for them to be delivered........ No sign!

I contacted them, and they told me (next day):

Dear Customer,

Thank you for contacting us.

We have investigated with our carrier and unfortunately your item has been lost in the post, we are unable to send out replacements as this item is no longer available, Sorry for any inconvenience caused.
Your order has been cancelled off our system today 12/03/09, and has now been passed to our accounts team for action.
NOTE: Our Merchant Services indicate Credit Card refunds can take up to 30 days to appear on the customer statements - for Debit Card transactions this time frame may be reduced.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any additional questions.

Sincerely,

Linda

Ok, so at least I was going to get my money back....... When the reund seemed to be a bit slow, I contacted them again - and got this back:

As advised in our previous ticket on 12/03/09 your cancellation is now with the accounts team for action.

Still no refund....... So contacted them again - asking for a prompt refund from the money grabbing little [insert not nice word here]:

As advised it can take upto 30days for your refund to show on your statement, i have no further information on this matter.

The 30 day mark came and went - so contacted them by phone, asking them for my money back. Each time they said that they would investigate and cal me back. Each time I have hade to call tehm back - and still no refund.

I have now contacted consumer direct (part of the OFT) - (on 08454 040506) and on the very good advice form them, sent this letter via recorded delivery:

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to you after several failed attempts to reach a resolution via email, ‘LiveChat’ and phone to my order not being delivered and not having received a refund for the 4X Airport Express items ordered.

These items were ordered and paid for on the 25th February 2009, and when they had not been received by the latest expected delivery date of the 11th of March I contacted you via your website. I was informed that the items had been lost in the post, and had now been discontinued so could not be replaced. At this time the order was cancelled.

Under the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulation 2000, a retailer must provide a refund within 30 days of the order being cancelled. This time frame has now passed, and I have not been refunded.

On the advice of the OFT/Consumer Direct, I ask that you ensure that I am refunded all monies paid within 5 working days, so by Friday 24th April 2009. If this refund is not received then I will not hesitate in taking further legal action.

It would also be appreciated if you could explain why I have not received my refund, as I have contacted you several times since the order was cancelled. I Please see enclosed copies of replies received for your reference.

I hope that I will hear form them soon - but after what I have read here I'm not going to hold my breath! I paid with a debit card, so think that I may not see my money again........ Think I may have to contact Watchdog or somthing as I am not happy!



Sam

[Crossbow]

Sambop, sorry to hear you were also caught out, & thanks for sharing your experience with details that might be helpful to others.

May I ask if you paid with a Visa debit card (DC)? This appears to offer 'more protection' with this type of DC than with any other type - see Debit card refunds: your rights (updated)

Not sure how far you'll get with the above, but would be worth contacting your card issuer to see where it goes.

All the best with it all.

[Sambop]

Thanks Crossbow - I did by by Visa debit, and didn't know that it gave any sort of protection!

Will let you all know if I do get anywhere!

[Cantsaytoomuch]

This company is just a complete cowbow outfit.

Having spoken to Trading Standards about their terms and condidtions in the past, guess what I've noticed creep back in there:

7.6 You do not have the right to cancel the contract if the order is for computer software or memory (RAM), hard disk drives (where price is dependent on fluctuations in the financial market) or such goods which have been unsealed by you or for consumable goods which, by their nature, cannot be returned, save where a fault is discovered which could not have been discovered otherwise than by unsealing the goods. Nor do you have the right of cancellation if it is deemed and agreed by you with the Supplier, that goods requested are a special order as notified by the Supplier.

I know that TS had spoken to them about this in the past, because I reported them for it!

[crackshot]

I hope that I will hear form them soon - but after what I have read here I'm not going to hold my breath! I paid with a debit card, so think that I may not see my money again........ Think I may have to contact Watchdog or somthing as I am not happy!

Sorry to hear that. I think it might be worth a call to Watchdog. I'll get on that sometime this week, if you will

Also, I believe you can claim money back through the small claims courts. It is a bit of a hassle, and costs actual money to recover your cash, but it might be worth looking into.
Have you called your bank branch for advice? Even with a debit card, they might be able to put some pressure on CCK.

[Sambop]

Happy today!

I have received a refund from the little {won’t write it but you know what I mean]!!

Had a letter through the post, with a copy of the invoice and a cheque refund. The only thing missing is the word sorry, or any explanation of why it has taken so much for them to give me my money back.

The cheque btw is from CCK.

I hope everyone else is well on the way to getting your money back too!

[Mr Statto]

I really wish I'd read this thread before I made the mistake of buying from TechBits in an attempt to save ~£2. Having ordered a printer on 1 April I have spent the last 2 months chasing the printer. I finally sent a cancellation letter on 20 May (having found the printer elsewhere), and surprise surprise, the printer arrived on 1 June.

However they shot themselves completely in the foot, as it was delivered to the address on the headed paper I used to cancel it, which wasn't the address on the original order - therefore they can only have despatched it after the cancellation was received. I have tried to arrange collection & refund for the past 2 weeks with absolutely no success, and am now in the process of writing to let them know that I will be instigating legal proceedings to obtain my refund if I don't receive it within 10 days.

Their LiveChat service is a joke, every time I have phoned I have been fobbed off with "it's been passed to the relevant department", emails & letters have not been answered. I would have to say it's been the worst customer (non) service experience I have ever had. I cannot warn people strongly enough STAY AWAY FROM TECHBITS LIKE THE PLAGUE

[RICH B]

Hi,

Guess what.....i only found this site after palcing an order with technbits online.

I guess you know my story before i go onto any detail....it sounds strangely similar to what you've all experienced.

I was due a refund on the 13th June 09 (its the 15th 2day), and no refund.....


So annoyed.....i've been chasing this for 3 months now.

What did it take for you all to get your money back....i really don't want to call their premium rate number again as they're winning just by having me complain on the phone (which they pay no attention to anyway.....)


Any advice on how to take things forward would be appreciated.

Thx

Rich B

[Mr Statto]

Hi,

Guess what.....i only found this site after palcing an order with technbits online.

I guess you know my story before i go onto any detail....it sounds strangely similar to what you've all experienced.

I was due a refund on the 13th June 09 (its the 15th 2day), and no refund.....


So annoyed.....i've been chasing this for 3 months now.

What did it take for you all to get your money back....i really don't want to call their premium rate number again as they're winning just by having me complain on the phone (which they pay no attention to anyway.....)


Any advice on how to take things forward would be appreciated.

Thx

Rich B

Use this number instead of the 0871 one - 01244 281466. It takes you straight through to 'Customer Services' - though I should warn you, that's the only success you'll have. I'm going to be starting legal action if I haven't heard anything by Wednesday

[doodaf]

I have also got a refund due from this company. Same old story: I ordered an external hard drive at the beginning of March; nothing arrived; was told I had to wait 15 days before they 'could' investigate; I made it clear I wanted to cancel the order but instead they finally despatched it just over a month after the order date; I immediately returned it and asked for a refund within 30 days, which is now 6 weeks overdue.

I am concerned that they aren't answering any of the phone numbers - neither the 01244 281466 number, nor the 0871 number or the 0800 ink cartridges order number.

I have been in touch with Flintshire Trading Standards who say they haven't heard anything but they have been in touch with CCK about my case.

Does anyone know if they've ceased trading?