Hi! All
So does that mean all stores will close as of now, the reason I ask is that I went past our one this afternoon and it was closed but had a sign on saying that it would be open again from Saturday 3rd November.
I presume meaning preparing for a closing down sale but if they are now officially in administration then they will probably not reopen again.
Tbh I'm not surprised. Everytime I want into Comet the indifference of the staff was matched only by there lack of knowledge. It seemed to me they hired cheap staff who had no real idea on the goods they were selling and that combined with the rise of internet shopping signed there death knell. The only time I visit any electrical now is to have a look at something I am already thinking of buying else where. I'm just surprised Dixons / Currys didn't beat them down the drain.
Unless it's a 'bought-out warranty' (as Comet have sometimes done) - but usually, even in that case, the manufacturer will accept responsibility for the warranty.
You do however lose most of your legal rights, which are against the retailer.
Unless you buy it with a credit card as then the cc issuer is jointly liable.
The only brand people will definitely be screwed with is Proline as there is no manufacturer to fall back on.
I'm just surprised Dixons / Currys didn't beat them down the drain.
I popped into my local Currys to collect a USB Freeview dongle which I reserved online recently which is a large superstore. Really quiet considering, but at least DSG understand online more than Currys did.
Yep the same ones that made millions from Woolworths demise and didn't listen to some worthy take over bids either, afraid Comets are doomed with them.
If there was a 'worthy' takeover bid then the administrators would listen as they are in it for the money
If there was a 'worthy' takeover bid then the administrators would listen as they are in it for the money
They're legally obliged to take the best offer and would have been sued by Woolworths' creditors - many of whom were large organisations who had ready access to the best legal advice - if they did not.
They're legally obliged to take the best offer and would have been sued by Woolworths' creditors - many of whom were large organisations who had ready access to the best legal advice - if they did not.
There were plenty of worthy offers but they didn't give them the chance all they were interested was their fee which was millions, my wife worked there at the time and one of the managers knew someone close to the situation.
Once inside went to customer services and asked if prices had been discounted. "No" they said "all items are at ticket prices."
No custom from me then. I would want around 25% to cover loss of statuary rights once they are gone. Quite a few people inside but not sure if anyone was buying. Lots of empty shelves and some cleared areas. Looks as if the administrators are moving out the best stuff!!
yep that's what happens, the best stuff is either returned to the manufacturer or flogged to other retailers and then they announce a 'closing down sale' with whatever junk is left on the shelves
There were plenty of worthy offers but they didn't give them the chance all they were interested was their fee which was millions, my wife worked there at the time and one of the managers knew someone close to the situation.
Why would they pass up on a good offer? It's what an administrator is looking for and what they are there for. Obviously they were not as 'worthy' as the manager thought.
Heard on the news that the company that bought Comet for £2 less than a year ago, got a £50m dowry as long as they kept it going for 18 months. Similar to MFI, which they also took over.
what I found shocking the Comet site was still up and running during the moning by around 1:45pm
it was taken down.I just wonder how many people ordered during that time?
I am glad they are struggling because I have had bad experiences in the past. I have brought a fridge freezer which was awful and has only lasted four years and also a Sony laptop which kept having to be sent back to Sony for repair when really they should have replaced it. Of course I acknowledge that it is bad that there is less competition on the high street but oh well.
I am glad they are struggling because I have had bad experiences in the past. I have brought a fridge freezer which was awful and has only lasted four years and also a Sony laptop which kept having to be sent back to Sony for repair when really they should have replaced it. Of course I acknowledge that it is bad that there is less competition on the high street but oh well.
To be fair Comet didn't make your fridge freezer or laptop so I don't see how you could blame them. Its the expensive cables rip off that annoyed me about Comet. Unfortunately Currys will probably have a monopoly now and prices will rise which wont benefit the public.
Just been in my local Comet and the place was packed
There were two security guards on the door and I assumed that the place was packed with people snapping up goods at rock bottom prices. When I checked there didn't appear to be any reductions at all - I couldn't work it out to be honest
I am glad they are struggling because I have had bad experiences in the past. I have brought a fridge freezer which was awful and has only lasted four years and also a Sony laptop which kept having to be sent back to Sony for repair when really they should have replaced it. Of course I acknowledge that it is bad that there is less competition on the high street but oh well.
Posts like this never fail to get on my nerves. Thousands of people are about to lose their jobs and your celebrating because you bought a duff fridge from then once
Hi! All
I went into our local Comet today and they were having a sale on some items but not all of them, from what I saw it looked like washing machines with something and please correct me if I am wrong but a 50% reduction.
I only went in to have a look at and purchase a DAB radio which I am able to connect an external aerial to rather than just having a wire, which in some cases does not give good reception.
They were sold either sold out of at least two or three that I looked at or were unprepared to go to check whether there were any out the back or in the wharehouse, but I did manage to get a nice Panasonic DAB/DAB+ radio/hifi which takes an IPod as well as an MP3 Player and will play CD's and has a remote control for £169 which I though was good although not a sale item.
I guess the company behind Comet want to make as much money out of people before they close down, I happened to see from either the Daily Mirror or it might have been The Northern Echo that I read that Maplin are interested in purchasing some stores.
I like Maplin and I my opinion is that they are the new Tandy's, although from reading the Daily Mirror I saw an advert and see that Maplin now has a rival. Conrad which I take to probably be a foriegn name and from looking at the website I do not know what to make.
I think some of Conrad's prices and maybe someone will be able to back me up on this, but I feel that they are more expensive than Maplin's although I did see a tape player that will record straight onto an SD card and the price looked like a good bargain.
I am glad they are struggling because I have had bad experiences in the past. I have brought a fridge freezer which was awful and has only lasted four years and also a Sony laptop which kept having to be sent back to Sony for repair when really they should have replaced it. Of course I acknowledge that it is bad that there is less competition on the high street but oh well.
Well, any retailer could have provided you with a product which turned out to have problems - given they all buy from the same source.
Without more details, it is impossible to ascertain whether or not Comet treated you fairly about your laptop or indeed any differently to any other retailer you could have bought it from.
Stores tend to be very wary about replacing computers because the chances of the customer actually having caused the problem is far higher than on a washing machine or TV. That, presumably is why it was sent away for repair.
The fact they are struggling and possibly going to fail means that circa 6000 people are going to be out of a job with Christmas just round the corner, yet you seem to be celebrating this fact - I hope others would be similarly sympathetic to you if you find yourself out of a job in similar circumstances.
To go on the record, I've never worked for Comet nor have I ever bought anything from them, but I have worked in retail for a number of years and feel for any retail colleagues who have suffered when the company they have worked for has failed.
To my mind, one area which the media have largely ignored, yet needs to be looked at is the role of the 'Trade Insurers' in this - these guys supposedly "indemnify" the suppliers in the event of the retailer failing to ensure the suppliers aren't out of pocket. These organisations will have been directing suppliers whether or not to supply to Comet and the terms on which they do so, though what their qualifications are for the judgements they make, is unknown.
Posts like this never fail to get on my nerves. Thousands of people are about to lose their jobs and your celebrating because you bought a duff fridge from then once
I absolutely agree and I wish all the staff the best. I visited Comet New Malden today which is next door to a Curry's-PC World. Lots of people in both stores, no bargains or purchases being made in Comet but plenty of sales made at Currys-PC World.
The staff in Comet seemed quite jovial, perhaps they were just weekend staff or simply relieved the uncertainty was over. They advised bargain-hunters to check the Comet website for news of any sales as they didn't know the administrators' plans.
Well, any retailer could have provided you with a product which turned out to have problems - given they all buy from the same source.
Without more details, it is impossible to ascertain whether or not Comet treated you fairly about your laptop or indeed any differently to any other retailer you could have bought it from.
Stores tend to be very wary about replacing computers because the chances of the customer actually having caused the problem is far higher than on a washing machine or TV. That, presumably is why it was sent away for repair.
Posts like this never fail to get on my nerves. Thousands of people are about to lose their jobs and your celebrating because you bought a duff fridge from then once
I admit, I suppose I have put it a bit harshly. But I am not fibbing about my experiences with my local Comet stores. The laptop was for my younger sister who was at school at the time and it had to keep being sent to Sony in order for the hard drive to keep being replaced.
Comet should have replaced the whole item, which they eventually did. It was a difficult situation because it was me that brought it for her and she really looked forward to having this laptop for christmas it was her first computer. Also, you have to remember that people spend hard earned money on products that are expensive and therefore a little gratitude and reassurance towards the consumer is never misplaced. Remember, as a consumer we are putting faith into the retailer and therefore they have a duty of care and responsibility during and after sale. My friend brought an HP Pavillion laptop from Tesco's online and had a similar problem with the hard drive and he returned it to his local Tesco superstore and they refunded him his money back straight away and therefore he brought himself another model.
Of course it is sad that people are going to lose their jobs. I am very sorry to see that but as a company I have a negative perception towards the company due to past experiences. I can assure you I was a regular customer of Comet and have brought various products from them and spent vast amounts of money and when you have a bad experience like I did after I had demonstrated consumer loyalty you are going to have negative feelings towards a company and I am afraid I am not going to apologize for that. I can only hope that the staff find alternative work as soon as possible and I hope after Woolworths, Comet, JJB, Vrigin/Zaavi, Focus, XL airlines, Laura Ashley as well as the manufacturing companies that have gone that no other companies go under. it is bad for the UK economy as well as the consumer as our freedom of choice is being restricted forcing us to pay higher prices to retailers that can dominate the high street.
As I say, I apologize for my remarks and how my initial post was perceived about workers facing the threat of losing their jobs. I wish the staff all the best for the immediate future.
yep that's what happens, the best stuff is either returned to the manufacturer or flogged to other retailers and then they announce a 'closing down sale' with whatever junk is left on the shelves
I'll bet there's quite a bit of gear in Comet that still belongs to manufacturers because the invoices haven't yet been paid.
Comments
Probably not, the best products will be sold to other retailers and what's left will be junk with a few quid marked down
So does that mean all stores will close as of now, the reason I ask is that I went past our one this afternoon and it was closed but had a sign on saying that it would be open again from Saturday 3rd November.
I presume meaning preparing for a closing down sale but if they are now officially in administration then they will probably not reopen again.
The only brand people will definitely be screwed with is Proline as there is no manufacturer to fall back on.
I popped into my local Currys to collect a USB Freeview dongle which I reserved online recently which is a large superstore. Really quiet considering, but at least DSG understand online more than Currys did.
If there was a 'worthy' takeover bid then the administrators would listen as they are in it for the money
There were plenty of worthy offers but they didn't give them the chance all they were interested was their fee which was millions, my wife worked there at the time and one of the managers knew someone close to the situation.
yep that's what happens, the best stuff is either returned to the manufacturer or flogged to other retailers and then they announce a 'closing down sale' with whatever junk is left on the shelves
Why would they pass up on a good offer? It's what an administrator is looking for and what they are there for. Obviously they were not as 'worthy' as the manager thought.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/9649664/Comet-another-OpCapita-kiss-of-death.html
On the news it said it was under a year since they took over. That article says it was 14 months.
it was taken down.I just wonder how many people ordered during that time?
I think it took a few months for the deal to complete, so that could be where the difference is coming from.
To be fair Comet didn't make your fridge freezer or laptop so I don't see how you could blame them. Its the expensive cables rip off that annoyed me about Comet. Unfortunately Currys will probably have a monopoly now and prices will rise which wont benefit the public.
There were two security guards on the door and I assumed that the place was packed with people snapping up goods at rock bottom prices. When I checked there didn't appear to be any reductions at all - I couldn't work it out to be honest
Posts like this never fail to get on my nerves. Thousands of people are about to lose their jobs and your celebrating because you bought a duff fridge from then once
I went into our local Comet today and they were having a sale on some items but not all of them, from what I saw it looked like washing machines with something and please correct me if I am wrong but a 50% reduction.
I only went in to have a look at and purchase a DAB radio which I am able to connect an external aerial to rather than just having a wire, which in some cases does not give good reception.
They were sold either sold out of at least two or three that I looked at or were unprepared to go to check whether there were any out the back or in the wharehouse, but I did manage to get a nice Panasonic DAB/DAB+ radio/hifi which takes an IPod as well as an MP3 Player and will play CD's and has a remote control for £169 which I though was good although not a sale item.
I guess the company behind Comet want to make as much money out of people before they close down, I happened to see from either the Daily Mirror or it might have been The Northern Echo that I read that Maplin are interested in purchasing some stores.
I like Maplin and I my opinion is that they are the new Tandy's, although from reading the Daily Mirror I saw an advert and see that Maplin now has a rival. Conrad which I take to probably be a foriegn name and from looking at the website I do not know what to make.
I think some of Conrad's prices and maybe someone will be able to back me up on this, but I feel that they are more expensive than Maplin's although I did see a tape player that will record straight onto an SD card and the price looked like a good bargain.
I look forward to seeing what you think.
Well, any retailer could have provided you with a product which turned out to have problems - given they all buy from the same source.
Without more details, it is impossible to ascertain whether or not Comet treated you fairly about your laptop or indeed any differently to any other retailer you could have bought it from.
Stores tend to be very wary about replacing computers because the chances of the customer actually having caused the problem is far higher than on a washing machine or TV. That, presumably is why it was sent away for repair.
The fact they are struggling and possibly going to fail means that circa 6000 people are going to be out of a job with Christmas just round the corner, yet you seem to be celebrating this fact - I hope others would be similarly sympathetic to you if you find yourself out of a job in similar circumstances.
To go on the record, I've never worked for Comet nor have I ever bought anything from them, but I have worked in retail for a number of years and feel for any retail colleagues who have suffered when the company they have worked for has failed.
To my mind, one area which the media have largely ignored, yet needs to be looked at is the role of the 'Trade Insurers' in this - these guys supposedly "indemnify" the suppliers in the event of the retailer failing to ensure the suppliers aren't out of pocket. These organisations will have been directing suppliers whether or not to supply to Comet and the terms on which they do so, though what their qualifications are for the judgements they make, is unknown.
The staff in Comet seemed quite jovial, perhaps they were just weekend staff or simply relieved the uncertainty was over. They advised bargain-hunters to check the Comet website for news of any sales as they didn't know the administrators' plans.