DSG Retail fined for selling used computers as new in PC World
The website of York & County Press reports that PC World's parent company DSG Retail Ltd has been fined for twice selling used computers as new
Judge Foster, it says, fined DSG Retail Ltd £5,500, awarded its customers £2,184 compensation, and ordered the company to pay £28,000 prosecution costs."
DSG Retail Ltd [parent company of Dixons, Currys and The Link, as well as PC World and the PC World Component Centre (PCWCC) on-line shop] – was reported to have been taken to court by York Trading Standards for offences that happened at the Monks Cross (Yorks) branch of PC World.
According to the write up, DSG twice breached the 1968 Trade Descriptions Act – once for selling a Toshiba 1800-814 laptop and the other time for the sale of an Apple 700 CDRW. In each case, the PCs were previously owned but marked up as 'ex-display' and 'new'.
In its defence, DSG was said to have argued 'due diligence' and that it "took reasonable precautions to prevent such offences, with operations systems, training programmes and auditing".
Clearly, the court didn't think it had been quite diligent enough.
We tried to contact York Trading Standards to get the details straight from the horse's mouth but met a brick wall that would do credit to a PC World after-sales department late on a Friday afternoon.
"Someone will get back to you in three working days", we were told. "But this is urgent", we pleaded, "we're trying to write a news story now. Isn't there anyone we can speak before then? Is there a local or central press office we can contact? What about Matthew Boxall who seems to have fronted the case – can we have his number?".
"No", was the very understanding and helpful reply from Ilyash Patel to all these questions.
To read York & County Press's report go here.
To read Trading Standards account, go whistle, or go phone 01904 551562 – perhaps they'll want to tell you all about it.
