Pixmania.co.uk (Before November 2010)

I was pleased with the service, the price, and the use of the website. However, please be warned that the after-sales service is TERRIBLE!

I had a WiFi accessory which was faulty, and broke down within about 5-6 weeks of delivery. However, instead of a replacement, Pixmania insisted they would have to take it in for repairs.

I had to re-package the item and send it off (paying for this myself). It took about 2-3 weeks for them to acknowledge reciept of the item (because their returns process goes through so many courier depots). Then, after about a month of hearing nothing I called, and asked what was happening. They explained their after-sales service - they allow themselves 10 days for testing (I told them it was broke, and you only needed to turn it on to see - a job which takes about 25 seconds) and then they give themselves 40 days to repair or replace the item.

In total this means you will be without your returned item for over 2 months.

In a long phone conversation I then had with Pixmania I explained that under the Sale Of Goods Act if a product is defective (it was because it shouldn't have died after just a few weeks of use) then I have a legal right to a replacement or refund, and I just wanted a new replacement. The worst bit, is that when I was explaining this to the telephone operator he was adamant that this was wrong and that they weren't going to do this.

So I asked to speak to a supervisor and guess what - there wasn't one. When I asked to speak to whoever managed the person on the phone, I was told he didn't have a manager! They explained that someone called Andre or Dave would call within 48 hours.

What is the best bit in all of this is that I explained to him that I was quite sceptical about them calling me back, as my experience of Pixmania so far was poor and they were mucking me about - and I was chastised for thinking this by the man on the phone! "Of course they'll call you", I was told.

Did I get a call back? No.

The twist in the tale is that eventually a new replacement came through the post direct from the manufacturer. I hate to think what my experience would have been like if I had to return a LCD or Plasma TV to Pixmania and wait over 2 months for it.

Because I didn't have the time to call them back and complain (which is how they like it I guess) I decided to wait until their returns process had finished and post my experience here. So here it is! I wouldn't recommend Pixmania if you are buying something important as you will be without it for 2 months if it goes wrong.