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Zavvi and why I won't shop there again

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  • Zavvi and why I won't shop there again

    It was my wife's birthday yesterday and true to form, I went out Saturday to buy her a few gifts. Among other things, I wanted to get her some games for her DS Lite. I knew which ones and went into Zavvi to buy them. I could only find one of the games and nothing else that I wanted.

    I bought the one game they did have in stock, only to find it more than £5 cheaper in Sainsbury's half an hour later. This annoyed me sufficiently to email them when I arrived home.

    There follows the email exchange so far.

    Dear Sir

    I wish to register a complaint. I have been a loyal customer, with three children who between them have PC's, a Sony PSP, a Nintendo Wii, a Nintendo DS Lite and a Sony PS2 yet today I purchased a DS Lite game only to find an identical product available in Sainsbury's for over £5 less. Given that the nature of your business is games and Sainsbury's sell predominantly groceries you should be ashamed of yourselves. Either your buyers need educating (having been shown up by grocers) or you are being greedy. Either way, you have now lost my custom for ever. I shall not purchase anything in any of your stores again, ever.

    This kind of shameless profiteering is inexcusable. I could take it back of course, but that is self-defeating and would cost me more in time alone than the £5 I would gain. It is far better therefore that I simply never visit you again and tell everyone who will listen (and those who won't) not to visit you either.

    Yours faithfully

  • #2
    Re: Zavvi and why I won't shop there again

    They replied today, with this.

    Dear Cetelco

    Thank you for your email.

    We monitor our competitors’ prices across a range of new titles weekly, to ensure our prices our competitive when looking at the overall picture. However, in any given week there will be specific titles where zavvi is more expensive than some competitors and there will be similar examples where our prices are below those same competitors

    Additionally, and in contrast to non-specialist stores, we regularly run a wide range of special multibuy offers, offering our customers considerable savings on the regular selling price of the respective individual items.

    It is worth saying that our aim is not to be the cheapest shop in town, but to offer the best overall value for money in terms of the choice, convenience, friendly knowledgeable service and competitive prices. I hope that in your past experience we have delivered against those aspirations.

    We apologise for any inconvenience that this may have caused you. If you have any further queries then please do not hesitate to contact us.

    If we can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us again.

    Kind regards,

    The zavvi customer services team

    zavvi customer services

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Zavvi and why I won't shop there again

      I was not at all impressed, so have replied this morning with the following.

      It is only by challenging companies in this way that we can attempt to change their perceptions that consumers are dim-witted drones who will believe anything they tell us and will continue to buy from them, no matter how poorly they treat us.

      Dear Sir

      Quite what your template response is intended to achieve is not clear. Evidently “customer service” was not the aim of the message as if it was, you have once again, failed miserably.

      I visited your store because it was convenient for me, not because you were the cheapest because you have never impressed me with your pricing. The convenience alone was worth the difference, however, a price difference of over 17% is wholly unacceptable and erases any previous goodwill I might have held for your company.

      Multi-buy offers might well be better value, but only if you have the products in stock, which you did not. I intended to purchase a number of items from your store yet was unable to do so as the products I wanted were not available. Therefore, the one and only reason for visiting your store, convenience, no longer applies. One cannot make “considerable savings” on products that one cannot buy.

      I now turn to your aims and aspirations. “It is worth saying that our aim is not to be the cheapest shop in town…” Here you have succeeded, you have never been the cheapest. “…but to offer the best overall value for money in terms of the choice…” an abject failure, see above “…convenience…” another failure, as I cannot buy what it is out of stock “…friendly knowledgeable service and competitive prices…” smiling shop assistants aside, there is no specialist knowledge required to utter the words “No sorry, that is out of stock.” As for your penultimate point, perhaps you could explain to me how being 17% more expensive than a grocery store (and the local gamestation) makes you in any way competitive?

      In short and as I stated yesterday, I will no longer be using your stores, which is something I am certain will not bother you in the slightest if the message below is anything to go by. As you appear to have set out to be mediocre then you have succeeded, but I doubt that was your aim, so what are you going to do about it as it is widely accepted that keeping an existing customer is a great deal easier and cheaper than finding a new one?

      It is ironic that I recently got involved on my mother-in-law’s behalf with Virgin Media due to some issues with them and her account. I received a telephone call from the Executive Office and two emails from Neil Berkett and was entirely satisfied with their response. Clearly Richard Branson was correct in refusing to allow you to use his brand, probably knowing what you would do with it. I suspect it comes down to cost, many customers simply accept poor service and as a result, Zavvi (and you are by no means alone in this) believe that you have our tacit approval to continue delivering it.

      Yours faithfully

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Zavvi and why I won't shop there again

        Excellent work Cetelco.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Zavvi and why I won't shop there again

          Marvelous.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Zavvi and why I won't shop there again

            This is the best they can come up with.

            Dear Cetelco


            Thank you for your email.

            We would like to offer our apologies for your disappointment. Regretfully we are unable to offer to price match against our competitors. Our initial responses to you do explain quite clearly how the process of prices within our company works. Where we are able to obtain it from our suppliers at a cheaper price, we will of course pass this saving onto our customers. We do not however sell above the recommended retail price and cannot comment on our competitors pricing strategy.

            Thankyou for taking the time however to feedback to us.


            If we can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us again.

            Kind regards,

            The zavvi customer services team

            zavvi customer services
            "Thank you" is two words and always has been and punctuation appears to be an alien concept to those at zavvi.

            Notwithstanding that, they have once again failed to grasp the opportunity that has been presented to them. Had I been sent these emails, my first question would have been "What did you want to buy?" thus keeping the customer. I had already explained that I did not want a refund, but I also mentioned that I was looking for products that were out of stock, that in itself is a signal that I want to buy products. Instead, the moron charged with customer services at zavvi feels it necessary to explain "quite clearly" how their pricing structure works. I don't care and I doubt if any customers do. I visited their shop to buy products, not to be educated about retail pricing policies.

            Instead of asking me what they can do for me and very likely turn me from an unhappy ex-customer into a profitable customer again, they seem to feel that it is their duty to tell me what they cannot do and how sorry they are about that.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Zavvi and why I won't shop there again

              It's a sad fact of life today that customer loyalty by many companies is not valued at all. It's one of the reasons why I have chosen to shop around when it comes to giving my custom to anyone. If a business wants my custom then they will have to work for it by offering me good value and decent service. If they fail on either count then I will look elsewhere. It's as simple as that.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Zavvi and why I won't shop there again

                I'm sorry to be a party pooper but I disagree. It's up to the buyer to ensure they get the best deal around by comparing prices between sellers BEFORE buying

                Had the seller been advertising their prices as the cheapest available then there would be cause for compliant otherwise no
                ------------------------------- merged -------------------------------
                What if the buyer discovers that the next day the seller selling the same product to others for much less because of a sudden sale. Again there are no grounds for compliant
                Last edited by righty; 2nd December 2008, 16:10:PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Zavvi and why I won't shop there again

                  Originally posted by righty View Post
                  I'm sorry to be a party pooper but I disagree. It's up to the buyer to ensure they get the best deal around by comparing prices between sellers BEFORE buying

                  Had the seller been advertising their prices as the cheapest available then there would be cause for compliant otherwise no
                  ------------------------------- merged -------------------------------
                  What if the buyer discovers that the next day the seller selling the same product to others for much less because of a sudden sale. Again there are no grounds for compliant
                  It is intended as more of an observation on their customer service, not price. Had I been that bothered about the price, I would have returned the item for a refund. I was not, as I explained in my email to them, but simply wanted to inform them that they were not competitive and that they had a great many items out of stock.

                  However, the way they handled it is indicative of their attitude to their customers. For too many companies, customers are merely an irritation and an unwelcome interruption to their day. They take customers for granted and their "customer service" staff see their role as to argue and justify, not to serve.

                  In my businesses I have customers and I am very grateful for each and every one of them. I do not argue with them and I make sure they all feel important in all dealings they have with me or anyone else in my companies.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Zavvi and why I won't shop there again

                    Blimey Cet.................wouldnt want to p!ss you off mate!!!!!!!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Zavvi and why I won't shop there again

                      Originally posted by Cet
                      Zavvi and why I won't shop there again
                      Well Cet, Looks like you wont be able to anyway now

                      Zavvi Goes Into Administration - Music Games And DVD Retailer | Business | Sky News

                      DVD retailer Zavvi - formerly known as Virgin Megastore - has gone into administration, endangering more than 3,000 jobs.

                      The move has been confirmed by auditor Ernst & Young.
                      Zavvi Group is the UK's largest independent entertainment retailer with 114 stores across the country.
                      More than 2,000 people are employed full time by the company, with another 1,000 part-time staff on its books across all shops, including the 11 in Ireland.
                      So far, the group's ventures in Ireland are unaffected.
                      Trouble began for Zavvi when its main supplier, EUK (owned by Woolworths) went into administration at the end of last month.
                      The company says it has been "unable to source stock" in the usual way since then and has been forced into new trading agreements, with difficulties in reaching "favourable credit terms".

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Zavvi and why I won't shop there again

                        I went in a Zavvi store yesterday and to be honest it was rubbish and I couldn't find anything I wanted.
                        #staysafestayhome

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                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Zavvi and why I won't shop there again

                          See what happens when Cetelco gets the hump and starts on one of his 'missions', the poor people give up and feign financial troubles and shut up shop, rather than face an irate Cetelco on the rampage :rofl::kiss:

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Zavvi and why I won't shop there again

                            Originally posted by Amethyst View Post
                            I went in a Zavvi store yesterday and to be honest it was rubbish and I couldn't find anything I wanted.

                            I agree Ame.. I much preferred it when it was called Virgin Megastore TBH. There is something about a name when it changes, somehow has an adverse effect on the store itself, hence Zavvi going into Admin. Although it shouldn't do.( The credit crunch is obviously to blame too,as the problems with Woolies/EUK has had a knock on effect against Zavvi...

                            bfxx



                            Member of the Beagles £2 coin and small change savers clubs, both based in the Debt Forum

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Zavvi and why I won't shop there again

                              Originally posted by bloomingflower View Post
                              I agree Ame.. I much preferred it when it was called Virgin Megastore TBH. There is something about a name when it changes, somehow has an adverse effect on the store itself, hence Zavvi going into Admin. Although it shouldn't do.( The credit crunch is obviously to blame too,as the problems with Woolies/EUK has had a knock on effect against Zavvi...

                              bfxx
                              The issue with EUK was more to do with Zavvi than most people realise. Zavvi owed EUK £106M and could not pay them. In addition, when EUK collapsed (due in no small part to the debt owed to them by Zavvi) Zavvi found themselves without a supplier just before the biggest retail bonanza of the year. What on earth possessed them to partner with EUK is beyond me, notwithstanding the fact that they had no fallback because they chose a single source of supply. Then, to cap it all, they failed to pay their only supplier.

                              This was going to happen. The company had an arrogant, dismissive and hostile attitude toward their customers. Aside from the lost jobs of course, this is the silver lining in the current recession cloud, that companies such as these fail and vanish.

                              Comment

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