Help needed from experienced internet bods
 

Hi all.
Need your expert and considered opinions on the authenticity of a site. The GF has been after one of the wii fit boards for a good while and i managed to find one on www.zavvidirect.co.uk
All seemed well as i recalled that virgin megastores as was has rebranded as zavvi and i assumed this was their online persona so i dutifully paid up with the credit card and thought no more of it until today. Had heard nothing of a delivery date and nothing bar the e-reciept.

Been looking at the site and like this post there is lots of gramattical and spelling errors. I didn't notice them due to my poor english skills but the GF managed to spot it. Using your considered opinions and resources can you guys help me find out a) whether this is actually a reputable company? and b) where they are actually based??

thanks in advance for your help.
132.3

Have you been in touch with them at all?

They are just around the corner from me, if you get no joy I will go around and see what is what regarding thier address.

no joy on the phone at the moment, gonna try tomorrow lunchtime, thinking i've been had at the moment!

And me. The Old Steine is not what you might call either the most salubrious part of town or the local silicon valley. It seems they are Zavvi direct ltd. I have credit checking facilities at work, with which I can look up their status, accounts, ccj's, directors etc. I'll have a look tomorrow, see what I can turn up.


Edit: Quick public search says they were incorporated Feb 2008. That's not an indicator in itself, but doesn't allow you a trading record, because they don't have one. Also, what's clear is they are nothing to do with Zavvi stores I.e. the rebranded Virgin megastores & that does not bode well imho. Any substantive online outfit would strive to create it's own identity to avoid cannibalising it's sales by being mixed with another, This site is doing just that, the conclusion being they seek credibility by association.

Looks like a one-man band, punching above his weight - but that what the web allows you to do. Reputable? No idea, but at least the names and addresses tie up. Try contacting him, see what happens.

SD

thanks for the help people, much appreciated. See if the phones get answered in the morrow!

Actually, there are two directors. Paul Clayton & Steve McClellan. This is a matter of public record. They are incorporated as a ltd co. But that means nothing in terms of repute. The address is actually suite 16, 20 old steine. That says cheap serviced office.

Could be a fledgling start up trying hard, could be a scam. Website says scam. The same guys have zavvisports.co.uk as well.

You might want to check this link on Yahoo:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...6043611AAvpGGr

Nothing definite, but would make me more rather than less nervous.

SD

Something odd with the times of the above posts as they appear on my machine.

If you paid with a credit card, and they aren't answering the phone, then call the credit card co and ask for your money back. That soon gets their attention.

Keef, there has been such peculiarity with post times for a while - ever since the migration to new servers a few months ago. The site admins are aware of the problem and are duly scratching their heads.

SD

Okey Dokey,

I've had a look at these guys through my software & there isn't much more to tell. It's a new company formed in feb this year, it therefore has no trading record in financial terms to examine.

The one piece of good news is that it also has no county court judgements against it as yet. There are two directors as discussed & if you decided to get medieval on them for your money, assuming you don't get what you ordered, I can tell you one of them lives in Hove. I'm not about to print the address on here, but it is a requirement for directors that their home addresses are recorded on the companies house register - I'm sure it wouldn't take a lot to find out...:E

Zavvi Direct
 

Hello all. I am the online marketing manager for zavvi.co.uk We are the company which was previously branded as Virgin Megastores. I just wanted to confirm that Zavvi Direct and Zavvi Sports are in no way connected to zavvi.co.uk and we are currently investigating their use of our brand.
Regards
Suzanne

My work here is done...

Good Lad.. :)

132.3 Any more on this?

I am heading over that way today so will have a nose around...

Have a look at http://www.mediacentre.org/officesp/availablesp.php

Old Steyne House seems to be the same address as 20 Old Steine.

The bottom of the page says:

For more information and to arrange a viewing, please contact us:

01273 201100
[email protected]

No mention of the company on this page:

http://www.mediacentre.org/clients/clientlist.php, so they may just be using it as a mailbox.

He is probably waiting for the shipment to arrive from China.

as an update, the phone was answered and it seems he is just waiting for a shipment. The only cash that has been taken was what the price of it was and just as a precaution that card now has a new number. Going to give it a couple of weeks and see what happens!

One of the four greatest lies ever told. Others are:

"I'll love you forever"

"The cheque is in the post"

The fourth I'll leave to your imagination.

Perhaps if this comes to nought as it appears it may do, Ms Jiggens could step in with a rescue offer. Very good P.R. coup for Zavvi, one would have thought.:)

I may be stating something already found out but see this link
Web shoppers fear Wii Fit con - 18 Jun 2008 - Computeractive