HALFORDS RIP OFF!!

I went to Halfords on Penarth Road as both my headlight bulbs had gone. As I remember it it's free fitting so I thought it would save time. I went in briskly and went to the desk and an assistant asked a member of staff to change them for me.

He suggested a £15 mid range bulb which he said was the best value.I said great I will go for that. He fitted the two in about 5-10 minutes. I went in to pay and it came to £44!!!

I had been charged £7 for each bulb that was fitted! I wasn't told about the fitting and I thought it was free!

I told the Manager it was bang out of order and she pointed out the signs which had an area the size of a first class stamp in the middle behind the bulbs indicating the charge!

She said they hadn't done free fitting for 15 and a half years!! She also pointed out the vague signs 6 foot above the customer services desk! About as clear as shit! After much creating she offered to reduce it to one fitting charge which is still excessive.

Would you seriously pay £14 to for a 5 minute job! Its bloody ridiculous!! They should verbally Inform customers before they fit them!

Or you should pay more attention and ask first.Why should they be bothered if you can't be arsed.

Or you should pay more attention and ask first.Why should they be bothered if you can't be arsed.

I don't think it's unreasonable, you give them the custom and stick them in. If they ask and don't mention a fee no reason to think they would change.

I paid £2 for them to put on my windscreen wipers, it took him 5 seconds lol didn't realise it was so easy.

Lighten up.

I don't blame the staff it's the company that's at fault. I would make the signs more visible and make it policy to tell the customers there is a charge before fitting. They are just hoping you won't realise and accept the fee.The last time I went it was free and I expected the same.

My attention was on the bulbs and I didn't think to look behind them for any small print which is exactly what it was, or high above the customer service desk. I bet they are told not to bring the fitting charge to your attention in case you change your mind. You can't assume anything nowadays but I felt like I had been robbed when I looked at my receipt!

I always assumed they charged for fitting that's why I always do it myself they should of said to you when you went to the till. Everytime I've paid at the till they ask me if I want them to fit it and I ask how much they then give me a price and I always decline as it's a rip off the fitting prices are I think changing the lightbulb is a 2 minute job tops

you could probably get the bulb for £5 from places like gmf aswell.
halfords nickname is halfrauds

I always assumed they charged for fitting that's why I always do it myself they should of said to you when you went to the till. Everytime I've paid at the till they ask me if I want them to fit it and I ask how much they then give me a price and I always decline as it's a rip off the fitting prices are I think changing the lightbulb is a 2 minute job tops

Cheers!

That's all I expect Is to be verbally warned before the job so I know what I'm paying for. Not a lot to ask really is it? People haven't always got time to go looking for signs so they should allow for that. She said they have never had anyone miss them before which is utter crap! I have been a retail Manager for 20 years myself and I bet loads of customers would miss that! I apreciate they can't really sympathise too much that's why I blame the company. I rarely complain, am not self righteous and don't mention any experience I have, I just expect some basic clarity when I make a purchase.

Fair enough butty but I just go into any shop expecting to pay and take it upon myself to find out if theres any freebies and not wait until after had the service/goods.Anyway,my nephew works for them so I get it all for nowt anyway.

Very rare I go to Halfrauds ,One of my mates went there to get some wipers .The young lad in the shop asked if he wanted them fitted,My mate said ok.

He took the old wiper blade off and let the wiper arm go ,It smashed my mates windscreen Idiots

I went to Halfords on Penarth Road as both my headlight bulbs had gone. As I remember it it's free fitting so I thought it would save time. I went in briskly and went to the desk and an assistant asked a member of staff to change them for me.

He suggested a £15 mid range bulb which he said was the best value.I said great I will go for that. He fitted the two in about 5-10 minutes. I went in to pay and it came to £44!!!

I had been charged £7 for each bulb that was fitted! I wasn't told about the fitting and I thought it was free!

I told the Manager it was bang out of order and she pointed out the signs which had an area the size of a first class stamp in the middle behind the bulbs indicating the charge!

She said they hadn't done free fitting for 15 and a half years!! She also pointed out the vague signs 6 foot above the customer services desk! About as clear as shit! After much creating she offered to reduce it to one fitting charge which is still excessive.

Would you seriously pay £14 to for a 5 minute job! Its bloody ridiculous!! They should verbally Inform customers before they fit them!

Nothing in life is free, why would you think it is

roadrunners in church village is the place i go ,the guys there are great and fit bulbs ,wipers , batteries at no charge at a fraction of the cost of halfords, plus the owner is a big city fan. stick to independent traders.

As someone who works in retail, bugger off and stop moaning. No injustice was done here, you merely didn't may attention and assumed instead actually enquiring if they charge.

It's not like they cost you £50 each anyway. A lot of faff over nothing.

roadrunners in church village is the place i go ,the guys there are great and fit bulbs ,wipers , batteries at no charge at a fraction of the cost of halfords, plus the owner is a big city fan. stick to independent traders.

Seconded. Great service there and far cheaper than most places.

As someone who works in retail, bugger off and stop moaning. No injustice was done here, you merely didn't may attention and assumed instead actually enquiring if they charge.

It's not like they cost you £50 each anyway. A lot of faff over nothing.

So because it didn't cost him £50 each for wipers its ok

Should we check every little sign in every shop before purchasing something just incase

Your attitude is everything that's wrong with retail. A simple reminder of the cost would not hurt, its just basic customer service.

As someone who works in retail, bugger off and stop moaning. No injustice was done here, you merely didn't may attention and assumed instead actually enquiring if they charge.

It's not like they cost you £50 each anyway. A lot of faff over nothing.

So because it didn't cost him £50 each for wipers its ok

Should we check every little sign in every shop before purchasing something just incase

Your attitude is everything that's wrong with retail. A simple reminder of the cost would not hurt, its just basic customer service.

I 100% agree the customer is always right and if they didn't see the signs then perhaps the signs are not good enough! It's certainly not good practice to suggest they should have seen them especially when they are not clear. It feels like they are saying we have got your money now so hard luck which they are. A customer should be given reasonable doubt, it's easy to tell if a customer is trying it on or not. I think I would have deserved an Oscar for my performance if I was trying it on.

I paid £40 once for a 5 minute job

I don't think it would have been too much trouble for the shop assistant to say that the cost will be £30 plus £14 labour. They are probably told not to mention the fitting charges as this is easy money for them. Fairly easy to change things like bulbs and wiper blades etc., I would prefer to do those 2 minute jobs myself so I know it's been done properly.

For goodness sake what a load of rubbish! how dull must the OP be not to ask if there was free fitting, he said the last time he used Halfords there was, 15 years ago If I was dull enough not to ask about fitting, then I would certainly not come on a message board and show everyone how dull I was

For goodness sake what a load of rubbish! how dull must the OP be not to ask if there was free fitting, he said the last time he used Halfords there was, 15 years ago If I was dull enough not to ask about fitting, then I would certainly not come on a message board and show everyone how dull I was

It's got nothing to do with being dull but perhaps slightly naive to think you could expect a 2 minute job to be done for free without being told there is a charge. I literally followed the fitter in he reccomend a bulb, told me the price and then he fitted it. He omitted to say there was a charge and in my book that's unreasonable. I had a battery fitted about a year ago for free so the manager is talking a load of shite!

I don't think it would have been too much trouble for the shop assistant to say that the cost will be £30 plus £14 labour. They are probably told not to mention the fitting charges as this is easy money for them. Fairly easy to change things like bulbs and wiper blades etc., I would prefer to do those 2 minute jobs myself so I know it's been done properly.

Spot on!

The wife had her T5 serviced at halfrauds in Bridgend, unfortunately for them they forgot to change the fuel filter, even through they said it had been done. Full refund and £150 compensation. Wouldn't use again

For goodness sake what a load of rubbish! how dull must the OP be not to ask if there was free fitting, he said the last time he used Halfords there was, 15 years ago If I was dull enough not to ask about fitting, then I would certainly not come on a message board and show everyone how dull I was

It's got nothing to do with being dull but perhaps slightly naive to think you could expect a 2 minute job to be done for free without being told there is a charge. I literally followed the fitter in he reccomend a bulb, told me the price and then he fitted it. He omitted to say there was a charge and in my book that's unreasonable. I had a battery fitted about a year ago for free so the manager is talking a load of shite!

Is it alright if Slade makes a couple of changes this weekend or does he have to run it by you first.

For goodness sake what a load of rubbish! how dull must the OP be not to ask if there was free fitting, he said the last time he used Halfords there was, 15 years ago If I was dull enough not to ask about fitting, then I would certainly not come on a message board and show everyone how dull I was

It's got nothing to do with being dull but perhaps slightly naive to think you could expect a 2 minute job to be done for free without being told there is a charge. I literally followed the fitter in he reccomend a bulb, told me the price and then he fitted it. He omitted to say there was a charge and in my book that's unreasonable. I had a battery fitted about a year ago for free so the manager is talking a load of shite!

Is it alright if Slade makes a couple of changes this weekend or does he have to run it by you first.

It would be nice if he kept me in the loop.