[dr john]

Here's a simple question:
What's the difference between a Creative Zen V 4Gb MP3 player and a Creative Zen V 4Gb MP3 player?
Tricky one, eh!

Well, if you're buying it from PC World, UK computer shops, the answer is, of course about £20 more.
Confused? Me too!

I bought one Friday morning from PC World Ashford for £49.97. Wonderful sound quality, compact little device and at a fair price I thought. Then after about 3:30 mins use, it died on me. Totally dead. No response what so ever.

Now I understand that these things happen occasionally, just my tough luck, so I took it back to the shop for a swap. "Yes sir, I'll get you another one no problem. That'll be another £20 please."
Yes, the exchange price was an extra £20!

Now you can go online to www.pcworld.co.uk this very minute, and they'll tell you the price is £49.97, but you try and buy one at that price! And it's not marked as a special offer in any way either.

This would appear to be a scam, to lure people into the shop, but I'd be surprized if they had more than one available at that price. I've tried a few random postcodes and you're lucky if one in six shops has one at this price! They hope you have got so hooked on it, that you'll pay the higher price. So beware, if it unfortunately dies on you, it will cost you more when you try to exchange it.

And no, they didn't try to sell me a different model by accident, even the staff were confused. But they couldn't do a swap without me paying more. So I was forced to ask for a refund instead.

As I said, beware of their prices and dirty tricks.

[mrdaveyk]

what did the guy say when you asked why it was another £20? if you got your reciept you WONT have to pay anymore to exchange a faulty item

[dr john]

He said it must be a different model. I pointed out it was the same model, all the specs were the same, the name was the same and told him what the other models in the range were called (the ones that do cost more). He said but the price is different so there must be a difference even though it says its the same, so I'd have to pay more if I wanted a swap. He did look confused at the price difference, but said he wasn't allowed to do a swap unless any price difference was paid. In disgust I took the refund instead. I now realise I should have demanded to see the manager and mentioned Trading Standards or something.

I heard from two guys who have worked in PC World who said that they often advertise a special price, but only one or two models at that price are ever delivered to a store. Just to lure you into a shop and then they try to get you to buy a more expensive model. This seems to be what's going on here. Their web site still says the price I saw, but the items in stores are more expensive.

And it is not marked as a special limited offer, or web only price (I reserved it, I didn't buy it online)

[l3v5y]

I think if you reserve it online they give you the 'web only price' to lure you in. Then they aren't sure why it's cheaper than on the shelves because they have no idea what's going on and charge you extra.

The only thing I've ever bought from the (a set top box for freeview) has worked perfectly and I reserved it online and there where no problems...

[JonathanRichard]

If it's faulty within like 28 days of purchase and you have the receipt, you do NOT have to pay anymore for a replacement/fixture.
On the back of your receipt it will say something about the warrenty.