That's the end of Dabs then...
Thread Starter
'nough said
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,025
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From: Raynes Park
That's the end of Dabs then...
Just read that BT have acquired dabs<dot>com for £30m.
How long it will it take them to wreck it I wonder
Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4956100.stm
How long it will it take them to wreck it I wonder
Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4956100.stm
Last edited by amanoffewwords; 30th April 2006 at 20:23.
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 125
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From: UK
How long it will it take them to wreck I wonder
. All i needed was a replacement fan...eventually gave up with dabs and bought a nice quiet passive zalman heatsink.
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 196
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From: North of Watford
Dabs customer service was diabolical 
. I had a major problem with them a year or so back and spent three weeks trying to get them to return money that they had taken TWICE - it was a substantial sum, over £1k. I had bought from them almost since they started and was a very loyal customer. That didn't matter.
I can only hope that BT manage to get to grips with it and sort it out.
If they do, I might consider using them again. Slight problem there, because how will I know unless I use them ....
Chicken - egg, egg -chicken ...
I wish them well.
ST
. I had a major problem with them a year or so back and spent three weeks trying to get them to return money that they had taken TWICE - it was a substantial sum, over £1k. I had bought from them almost since they started and was a very loyal customer. That didn't matter.I can only hope that BT manage to get to grips with it and sort it out.
If they do, I might consider using them again. Slight problem there, because how will I know unless I use them ....
Chicken - egg, egg -chicken ...
I wish them well.
ST
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
From: Surrey
Having just had trouble with Dabs I don't see how things can get worse.
When things go wrong (they sent me the incorrect Graphics card in my order) their automated return system failed completely.It somehow got it into its head that I wanted to return a mainboard and nothing I could do could make them read the messages I wrote in the return process.
They don't provide a phone number to call and if you find it out through "searching" you end up with an answerphone where they promise to ring you back but never do. Nor do they reply to recorded delivery letters.
Eventually I wrote again and said that I was writing one last time at the request of my credit card company (true) and if they didn't give me satisfaction
I would leave it in their hands.
Of course being a purely internet based company now their livelihoods depend on card sales and as my cc company had said I wasn't the first to complain about their service - and too many complaints could mean possibly losing the use of that particular card. Perhaps not likely but it did the trick, they finally started taking notice.
The annoying aspect about the whole business - which took about 6 weeks to resolve - was that if I could have spoken to someone on the phone it could have been sorted out in minutes.
When things go wrong (they sent me the incorrect Graphics card in my order) their automated return system failed completely.It somehow got it into its head that I wanted to return a mainboard and nothing I could do could make them read the messages I wrote in the return process.
They don't provide a phone number to call and if you find it out through "searching" you end up with an answerphone where they promise to ring you back but never do. Nor do they reply to recorded delivery letters.
Eventually I wrote again and said that I was writing one last time at the request of my credit card company (true) and if they didn't give me satisfaction
I would leave it in their hands. Of course being a purely internet based company now their livelihoods depend on card sales and as my cc company had said I wasn't the first to complain about their service - and too many complaints could mean possibly losing the use of that particular card. Perhaps not likely but it did the trick, they finally started taking notice.
The annoying aspect about the whole business - which took about 6 weeks to resolve - was that if I could have spoken to someone on the phone it could have been sorted out in minutes.
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 211
Likes: 0
From: UK
Having taken advice from the helpful members of this group, I decided to buy the Wacom Graphics Tablet from DABS...
I wish I'd read this thread before making the order...
Paid for last Monday; DABS said "In Stock"; no delivery as yet - stock automated reply...
Why-oh-why did I order from these b@$tards?
Will keep the group posted.
I have every intention of petitioning my local MP with regards to banning "email only" firms; it's simply not reliable enough as a means of communication and exists purely for profit motives.
Vermin
I wish I'd read this thread before making the order...
Paid for last Monday; DABS said "In Stock"; no delivery as yet - stock automated reply...
Why-oh-why did I order from these b@$tards?
Will keep the group posted.
I have every intention of petitioning my local MP with regards to banning "email only" firms; it's simply not reliable enough as a means of communication and exists purely for profit motives.
Vermin
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
From: Surrey
Originally Posted by WG774
...
I have every intention of petitioning my local MP with regards to banning "email only" firms; it's simply not reliable enough as a means of communication and exists purely for profit motives.
Vermin
I have every intention of petitioning my local MP with regards to banning "email only" firms; it's simply not reliable enough as a means of communication and exists purely for profit motives.
Vermin
To get a phone number I put "dabs sucks" into google and the first link http://www.gringod.com/2005/04/06/mo...scom-contacts/ gave me some phone numbers. It didn't do me any good but you might be luckier. I tried ringing Paul Sharrock and left 2 messages for him which he declined to answer.
Bolton Trading Standards refused to act on my behalf too.
Getting your credit card company involved will probably work but they told me that even after receiving all the details they will wait a month before acting so it can get to be a bit long drawn out.
I agree with you that there should be legislation for them to be contactable by phone.
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 211
Likes: 0
From: UK
The good news: Both items arrived today, 10 days after ordering (according to site at time they were "in stock").
The bad news: The Lacie drive and the Wacom (£225) tablet were just sitting on top of each other in a cardboard box with NO packing material or cushioning...
Bubble wrap is surprisingly expensive - I should know, I have to re-order some - but the alternative is having hundreds of dissatisfied customers due to having bits broken off their hardware...
Oh well, bubble wrap affects margins... With their scale of client base, the savings on bubble wrap probably amount to an executive's bonus, and we can't have that can we?
The bad news: The Lacie drive and the Wacom (£225) tablet were just sitting on top of each other in a cardboard box with NO packing material or cushioning...
Bubble wrap is surprisingly expensive - I should know, I have to re-order some - but the alternative is having hundreds of dissatisfied customers due to having bits broken off their hardware...
Oh well, bubble wrap affects margins... With their scale of client base, the savings on bubble wrap probably amount to an executive's bonus, and we can't have that can we?
Recidivist
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,240
Likes: 0
From: Essex, UK
For an OTT and reverse packaging and delivery experience, order from Screwfix.
It will always arrive next day, and you will be amazed at the amount of packaging used to protect something almost indestructible anyway.
It will always arrive next day, and you will be amazed at the amount of packaging used to protect something almost indestructible anyway.
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 13,787
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From: EuroGA.org
I doubt BT did much due diligence on this, unless they bought it for a very different reason.
No customer service.
Nobody with a brain on the customer interface.
Countless other internet outlets selling the same stuff, and with customer service that's no worse (it could be no worse).
Curious.
No customer service.
Nobody with a brain on the customer interface.
Countless other internet outlets selling the same stuff, and with customer service that's no worse (it could be no worse).
Curious.
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: UK
DABS or no DABS
Try Scan instead.
www.scan.co.uk
Much better as they have a customer counter so you can visit a real person.
Justin.
www.scan.co.uk
Much better as they have a customer counter so you can visit a real person.
Justin.
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
From: Surrey
About 5 years ago, Dabs used to have retail outlets -there was one near Woking- where you could go to get advice and buy their hardware. Because of the "feel good factor" I developed from them in those days I had no hesitation in buying from them when they went to an online only company.
It was big mistake, a company stands or falls on their response when something goes wrong and Dabs failed miserably in my case.
If you read the faqs on their website they try to make a vitue out of the fact that you can't contact them by phone!
When their automated returns system goes wrong then you are in big trouble.
I hope BT can address this but I'm not holding my breath.
It was big mistake, a company stands or falls on their response when something goes wrong and Dabs failed miserably in my case.
If you read the faqs on their website they try to make a vitue out of the fact that you can't contact them by phone!
When their automated returns system goes wrong then you are in big trouble.
I hope BT can address this but I'm not holding my breath.
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 8,121
Likes: 686
From: Twickenham, home of rugby
About 5 years ago, Dabs used to have retail outlets -there was one near Woking- where you could go to get advice and buy their hardware. Because of the "feel good factor" I developed from them in those days I had no hesitation in buying from them when they went to an online only company.
It was big mistake, a company stands or falls on their response when something goes wrong and Dabs failed miserably in my case.
It was big mistake, a company stands or falls on their response when something goes wrong and Dabs failed miserably in my case.
