Techtronics www.techtronics.com Review

Overall Rating

Price.

Everything but price.

I bought a DVD player from Techtronics in March.
A month later it developed a fault (screen noise). I called Customer Support (Ha!), they were convinced that it was due to wires or a fault with the TV (although I explained every other device plugged in worked fine). But giving them the benefit of the doubt, I replaced the wiring and called had the TV replaced - The TV still displayed the screen noise when playing DVDs.

I call Techtronics numereous times trying to isolate what the fault is. I even took a picture of the screen noise and email it in to see if that would help.

A month of calling and finally a break-through - One of the Techs has seen my DVD exhibit that fault before. They organised to pick up the DVD.

The courier didn't turn up the day he was supposed to (I took the afternoon off work to ensure I was there for pick up). The courier then turned up the next evening, when he wasn't supposed to (I wasn't home). I called Techtronics and was told that if I'm not home next time the courier turns up I will be charged for it (huh?). Luckily the courier turned up the following afternoon. (hhmmm only two afternoons of work missed for that!).

Three weeks goes by. I start calling Techtronics to find out what the fault is. After calling almost everyday for two weeks, a Tech calls and tells me that there isn't a fault with my DVD. Shocked (after hearing him say that he's seen the same problem before) and out of options, I ask him to send the worthless thing back to me.

Oh, I found my credit card was debited 30 quid repair cost although I never gave Techtronics authority to do it.

2 weeks of my DVD being in 'Dispatch' (that's what they kept telling me anyway). I get a call from a Tech telling me that they found a crack in a circuit board on the DVD (I was told it was in dispatch - what are they doing cracking it open? someone's been telling porkies me thinks!). Techtronics offer me a refund or an upgrade to newer model DVD (since the old one has been dis-continued). I choose a upgrade (dumb!) after reading about their dubious track record for refunds.

Another couple of weeks pass and usual couriers hassle, DVD arrives. I open the box and find the unit is incomplete (no manual or wiring, everything just thrown in there - clearly an old return). To my horror it has the same problem. I ring Techtronics keen to return the product.

Another two weeks, usual courier hassle, but finally they take the new DVD away.

In the mean time I find that Techtronics didn't charge me the difference in price for the upgrade, they charged me full price for the new one. Now I'm 900 quid out of pocket and no DVD player!

After another month of calling customer support I finally get a refund of the full 900.

This whole process took numerous emails, well over 50 phone calls (I memorised their phone number and the on-hold play list!) and 7 months.

The moral of this story is never, NEVER deal with Techtronics ever again.