Overclockers Sucks !

[DemonPhil]

On March 20th I ordered (on behalf of my company) a computer system from

Overclockers UK
Unit 40, Imex Business Park
Ormonde Street
Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent
Staffordshire ST4 3NP
Telephone: 0870 443 0881
Technical Support : 0871 222 8528


I had problems with the system from the word go. The system re-booted itself at random times during use. Lots of time speaking to Overclockers Technical Support Dept on the telephone (at premium rates) followed by periods where the system settled down to a certain extent where it was just usable.

However things were not right and at the suggestion of Overclockers Technical Support Dept I posted back, at my expense the Asus motherboard, BFG graphics card and Corsair memory sticks for them to test. This I did on June 13th 2006.

Overclockers UK will NEVER telephone their customers so when I telephoned them they confirmed that the motherboard and graphics card were both faulty. They sent those back to the manufacturers for replacement and quoted a maximum of 28 days for this to take place. The replacement motherboard arrived 2 weeks later and I waited for the graphics card to arrive. I borrowed a graphics card from a friend to test the new motherboard. This too was faulty - the problem being identical to the first. I sent this motherboard back for further replacement. Again the 3rd motherboard finally arrived and still no graphics card. The 3rd motherboard was again faulty - same as before. Eventually after some haggling they agreed to send me a different model Asus motherboard.

Finally this 4th motherboard proved to be working OK! By this time I had to return the borrowed graphics card and I had had to purchase a cheap inferior graphics card just to test the motherboard with!

To date still no replacement BFG graphics card. I telephone them on average twice a week only to be fobbed off with ' we are still waiting to hear from our suppliers' . These are premium rate 0871 numbers.

During a conversation with Ryan he said that legally Overclockers can take 3 months to replace my item to me. Only after 90 days will they then have a legal obligation to replace this card with one which they have always held in stock!

I wrote to the managing director at Overclockers Mr Mark Proudfoot to ask that they now replace my graphics card without any further delay. The second letter was dated 18th August - he has made no response to it.

I then spoke to Robert in Technical Support. I asked him for all the returns details that Overclockers had used to send the card back to their supplier. To my great surprise he willingly gave me the DETAIL id, PRODUCT id, RMA id, SUPPLIER RMA, and SERIAL number of the graphics card. He also gave me the telephone number of BFG Technologies in the States. I then telephoned BFG and gave them these details - only to be told that these details did not relate to anything at BFG !!

I think that this BFG card has been lost....

As a result of all this I have a computer system which cannot be used properly for the purpose that it was originally intended. The BFG graphics card was quite expensive £219 + vat and this has specific features on it that made me order this item.

After looking through these forums on the internet including this one I have been horrified by the number of similar stories that I have uncovered. Overclockers should replace a known faulty item from their own stock if there should be any extended delays from their suppliers. Any decent company would do this. To penalize a customer in this way is I think disgraceful.

I spoke to Ryan at Technical support last week and asked once again to speak to a senior manager - his response - as usual - none were available. He grudgingly agreed to ask Mr Andy Maclean of Technical Support to ring me at home on Monday 28th. This was a bank holiday but Overclockers were all working that day. To no surprise there was no phone call from them. I am in despair. The computer system is an important tool as I use it to edit wedding videos which I do for my living. I am currently using a stand - in system to do the work.

I am at my wits end and do not know what to do next. May be a visit to Trading Standards? If anyone can advise me at all then I will be eternally grateful

[nomaxim]

Welcome to RR.
Is there a reason you posted this twice, in the 'Tech Support' forum?
Perhaps it belongs in the ' Merchant Discussion and Shopping Advice' section.

EDIT:
Nevermind a MOD has fixed the problem.
Also, is this the company?
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/

I would suggest looking here, http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/cgi-bin/callist.cgi and if you believe that you are in the right then file a complaint here,http://www.consumercomplaints.org.uk/
You may need this;UK Limited Company, (Company number: 3869866)

NOTE:
Since you didn't say where you are located it's kinda hard for me to look up what rights you have with the TS. There are differences between England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland's legal codes in these matters. Scotland's seem to be listed seperate from the others most of the time. And if you are located somewhere else (ie.Germany) then you will also have different opitions. See here;http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/c...rs/ceurope.cfm

Also, this company has a rather bad rating here at RR. A 3.31 out of ten.
http://www.resellerratings.com/seller1714.html Their low points are 'Customer Service' and 'Returns or Replacements', as you seem to be finding out.

[WestCoastBaDBoY]

I recently had bought two defective video cards there one of witch fried my motherboard. when i sent the rma for that motherboard witch i also purchased from newegg and the two cards.

THEY SAID I ONLY SENT THEM ONE X850 AND DENY RECEIVING THE OTHER.
BUT IT WAS ALL IN ONE BIG BOX!!!!!!!

[1anmac]

That sounds familiar Demonphil.

I purchased an xfx gfx card for a customer 6 months ago. It failed and i returned it to overclockers.co.uk on 17 august. Many e-notes, phonecalls and 11 weeks later i am without a gfx card still. I have had to refund the customer for the price of the card and installation.

If i cannot meet my comitments i give my customers a refund. Overclockers give their customers excuses, passing the buck to their suppliers.

Their returns procedure is absolutely appaulling and i would warn everyone against using them at any cost. they really do suck.

Have you had any luck?


Westcoast: did you have 1 rma number or 2? most companies will not recognise rma items unless they are in separate boxes with each rma clearly marked on the out side.

They sure do suck.