# Proof of Purchase for TV



## hakouna (10 Apr 2013)

I bought a TV in April 2010 from one of the major super stores in Dublin . The TV is now broken and Samsung is willing to fix it for free provide I show a proof of purchase .

I called the super store call center in UK and they said we can not search Irish purchases as we do not use postal code here in Ireland , they advised to go to the shop personally . Went there with my visa card statement which includes most of details ( date , amount , transaction ref) but they were very unhelpful . Once they said they can only search no longer than 2 years ago , and the other time they said they can not allocate the store reference number as this has chanced during the course of the 2 years .

I was informed by Samsung-UK that by law they have to have a record for purchases for 5 years , can anyone confirms this please ?

Also , where to go next if I want to escalate it , is there any regulator who can force them to provide such a proof ?
I managed to get all replies in writing either by email or in letter stating they are not able to find record of my purchase .

Can anyone help please ?

P.S I did a quick search and didn't find similar question addressed , so apologies in advance if this is a duplicate post.
Thanks


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## dereko1969 (10 Apr 2013)

Have Samsung stated categorically that they won't accept the visa card statement?

I'm not 100% sure but perhaps they should have a record of the transaction that you can receive if you make a data protection request.

Have a look here
[broken link removed]

Personally, I would have thought the visa statement would have been enough.


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## AlbacoreA (10 Apr 2013)

Maybe Visa have more details you can request.


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## hakouna (10 Apr 2013)

Thanks for your reply .

That's exactly what I got from Samsung UK:

Unfortunately we cannot accept any form of card or bank statements as proof of purchase. It would need to be something obtained from the retailer when purchased, they do by law need to keep copies for 5 years after the date of purchase.


To be honest , the visa statement mentioned the retails name , amount , date , but it didn't specify the item bought , except a long reference number that might only be related to my bank .

Can you please elaborate on what data protection commissionaire could help here ?

Thanks


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## Tired Paul (10 Apr 2013)

I'd call the store where you purchased it, ask for the manager and inform them of your issue including the fact that you have details from Samsung regarding the need to keep copies of purchase.
If all else fails here, seek legal advice and let them know that you will be persuing this matter - usually this gets them to do more for you.


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## Jazz01 (10 Apr 2013)

Another side of this is that although Samsung are willing to fix it, you should work this through the store you purchased it from. Your contract is with them.

I would recommend that you put everything in writing (templates on the consumer rights web site) & bring the letter into the store, also indicating in the letter that the manufacturer is willing to fix the product. Don't accept the brush off from the store - they must stand over the product. Also, it may get you over the issue with the "proof of purchase" as the VISA transaction was at their store.


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## hakouna (10 Apr 2013)

When I spoke with the store duty manager she informed me over the phone that she can't search for purchases beyond 2 years , I asked her to put that in writing , here is her reply by email :

Further to our telephone conversation, unfortunately our system can only do a receipt research back 2 years, i.e. to Jan 2011 and we cannot search 2010 and beyond.

I even replied to her email asking for the head office number , she ignored my email so far for 10 days . 
Apparently the TV is not covered with Warranty anymore , not sure under which condition Samsung is going to fix it but the service center gave me a great hope that this will likely be for free , so I don't want the store to take control as they might blow it out .

I will take your advice and tell them I am going to proceed with the complaint in 24 hours if I do not receive proper resolution to this issue .

But back to my original question , do we have here in Ireland such a thing that retailers by law have to keep records for 5 years ?

Thanks


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## seantheman (11 Apr 2013)

hakouna said:


> I bought a TV in April 2010 from one of the major super stores in Dublin . The TV is now broken and Samsung is willing to fix it for free provide I show a proof of purchase .


 


Did ye not hold on to your store receipt?


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## MrEarl (11 Apr 2013)

Hi,

Why not ask your credit card provider, for a copy of the transaction receipt associated with the transaction - I'd expect them to have an electronic copy of it, which they might give you ?

regards

Mr. Earl.


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## hakouna (11 Apr 2013)

seantheman said:


> Did ye not hold on to your store receipt?



Unfortunately I lost it moving homes , despite I am always careful with those stuff , I even hold older receipts for other stuff .


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## hakouna (11 Apr 2013)

MrEarl said:


> Hi,
> 
> Why not ask your credit card provider, for a copy of the transaction receipt associated with the transaction - I'd expect them to have an electronic copy of it, which they might give you ?
> 
> ...



I did ask my bank but they said if it was within 6 months they could have gave me a copy of visa transaction receipt which is the standard one you normally get when you use the visa card  , but I doubt it if would include any details of the purchase itself more than what is written in the visa card statement . Would it show that the purchase was for a TV or TV model , ...etc ?

Thanks
Shady


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## MrEarl (14 Apr 2013)

hakouna said:


> I did ask my bank but they said if it was within 6 months they could have gave me a copy of visa transaction receipt which is the standard one you normally get when you use the visa card  , but I doubt it if would include any details of the purchase itself more than what is written in the visa card statement . Would it show that the purchase was for a TV or TV model , ...etc ?
> 
> Thanks
> Shady




Get a copy of it, I think it usually has a specific transaction reference, which the shop should be able to reconcile.

Suffice to say, if the shop can't do that, then how can they prove the transaction was genuine and should have occured - in which case, the next question is to ask them to reverse the entry, if they can't prove what goods they sold you 


In my view, it's time to start preparing to go to The Small Claims Court:

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/justice/courts_system/small_claims_court.html

[broken link removed]

Regards

Mr. Earl.


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## roker (14 Apr 2013)

Have you noticed how the stores receipt off those small machines fade in a year, I usually photocopy them.


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## Marion (14 Apr 2013)

I think if you have a credit card statement for an amount that is equivalent to the purchase price of the item purchased on a particular date then there is no difficulty in proving that the purchase was made. 

Hopefully the company will see sense when you produce the copy of the credit card statement.

Failing that, Mr Earl has provided you with another option - 


Marion


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## britvic55 (14 Apr 2013)

or  you  could simply contact the consumer how rte.ie  who will be more than happy to invest your complaint, which after their intervention will no doubt lead to a very successful and speedily resolution.  and avoid weeks of stress and bewilderment  and avoiding legal action and court cases...nothing ventured  nothing gained ?


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## Padraigb (14 Apr 2013)

Start at the right place. Your rights as a consumer are asserted against the trader from whom your purchase a good or service.

If Samsung are prepared to repair it for free, there is an implicit acknowledgement that the television was in some way faulty or deficient. Contact the store again and tell therm that you want them to arrange to repair your television because it is not of merchantable quality, a fact that Samsung obviously recognises.

Your Visa record backed up by your personal testimony is likely to be accepted by the Small Claims Court as sufficient evidence of purchase, and Samsung's acceptance of responsibility is persuasive evidence that the television is not of merchantable quality.


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## roker (15 Apr 2013)

What if the trader goes out of business? should we not ask for a manufacturers guarantee?


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## hakouna (15 Apr 2013)

Thanks all for your advises and feedback .. much appreciated .

I contacted them by email last week and they still unable to locate any receipt on their in-store system , they informed me they have escalated the issue to their head office in the UK where their data integrety team is working to assist . They said they are going to contact me early this week with an update . 

I guess I will give them till end of the week before I take up the "small claim court" option .

Thanks


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## Black Sheep (16 Apr 2013)

So who are you taking to the small claims court?. I can only assume it is the store where you purchased it. Have they actually refused to repair it?.

I think you would need a written refusal from them (could be wrong) to take to court. While I understand they are being far from helpful, I would mention to them that you are taking this to court they may find your receipt fairly quickly.


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## hakouna (16 Apr 2013)

All I have asked the store for is to provide a proof of purchase , The TV was bought almost 3 years ago , so the store will simply say that warrentee is over. 

Is the Small claim court the right place to complaint about store not able to provide a duplicate receipt or the data protection commissionaire ?

Thanks in advance


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## dereko1969 (16 Apr 2013)

hakouna said:


> All I have asked the store for is to provide a proof of purchase , The TV was bought almost 3 years ago , so the store will simply say that warrentee is over.
> 
> Is the Small claim court the right place to complaint about store not able to provide a duplicate receipt or the data protection commissionaire ?
> 
> Thanks in advance


 
The fact that the warranty is out of doubt does not necessarily mean that the item should just not be covered. TV's have a longer life-span than three years so the shop should send it for repair on your behalf.


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## sam h (16 Apr 2013)

Not sure what you do at this stage & this advice it abit too late.

For future large purchases, stick the receipt in an envelope & sellotape it to the back or underneath the product. You always know where it is!!



> That's exactly what I got from Samsung UK:
> 
> Unfortunately we cannot accept any form of card or bank statements as proof of purchase. It would need to be something obtained from the retailer when purchased, they do by law need to keep copies for 5 years after the date of purchase.


I have never heard of this, is it an Irish or UK law?



> Have you noticed how the stores receipt off those small machines fade in a year, I usually photocopy them.


 
Yes, I've noticed this, it is as if they are using vanishing ink !!


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