Legal to sell a product with European plug in UK?

[Rob P]

Ordered a printer a week ago from a well known electronics website.

Arrived today and I opened it up...to find the plug is a European type 2 pin.

No-where in the product description does it tell you this and I definatly ordered from the UK part of the website.

Can they supply this without making it clear before-hand that it needs a different cable or adapter?

Opinions welcome before I call them tomorrow and give them a rollocking...

[sparkythecat]

Rob P said:

Opinions welcome before I call them tomorrow and give them a rollocking...

Calm down dear, it's only a plug!.

By the time you've been through all the selections on their automated answering system and then found that the person you really want to rant at isn't available, it would be quicker to cut the plug off and replace it with another. New plug would probably cost less than the phone call anyway.

[Rob P]

sparkythecat said:

Rob P said: Opinions welcome before I call them tomorrow and give them a rollocking... Calm down dear, it's only a plug!. By the time you've been through all the selections on their automated answering system and then found that the person you really want to rant at isn't available, it would be quicker to cut the plug off and replace it with another. New plug would probably cost less than the phone call anyway.

Principles my friend!
Plus they messed me around with delivery (2 days actually took 8) so they will be getting in in the ear tomorrow.
Why should I fart about with changing a plug (which I havnt got) with a screwdriver and set of wire cutters (that i havnt got)?!

[scared but happy]

Quick google:

www.dti.gov.uk/strd/plugso.html
and
www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1994/Uksi_19941768_en_1.htm

>> Edited by scared but happy on Wednesday 30th November 18:41

[Rob P]

scared but happy said:

Quick google: www.dti.gov.uk/strd/plugso.html and www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1994/Uksi_19941768_en_1.htm >> Edited by scared but happy on Wednesday 30th November 18:41

Excellent, thanks for that.

[sadako]

They put the wrong cable pack in the box by accident. Call the manufacturer and I am sure they will give you a new kettle lead.

[simpo two]

Grey import. I bought two plasma screens from a company beginning with 'H'. One took about a week; the other about 3 weeks after a trail of incompetence unmatched by any other company I have ever met. 'Sorry, we put it on the van but the Sales Director took it off again' etc.

Both plasmas had 2-pin plugs. One had a weird snap-fit adaptor to 3-pin, the other did not. 'H' said they would send new leads; needless to say, they did not.

[C C]

So you want to waste your time and money for the sake of principles. Ranting to some bod who could not give a about you or your printer plug.

A simple adapter or plug will only cost pennies and fixed in seconds.

[monkeyhanger]

My Sony Vaio laptop came with the 2 pin to 3 pin "wrap-around" adapter and is definitely a UK model.

I'd be a bit suspicious if anything came with a plain 2-pin Euro plug though.

How about a direct call to the manufacturer's UK CS Dept to find out exactly what you should have been supplied with?

>> Edited by monkeyhanger on Wednesday 30th November 21:58

[Jonna_Rex]

Sure it works there but if you want the UK model one, send it back.

[granville]

You'd be surprised just how many officially UK supplied products come through like this, particularly smaller electronics like camcorders (where 90% of what you buy on line is imported, let me assure you) but also AV components like amps, receivers and DVD players - often it is the official UK manufacturer/supplier, desperately short of stock in the UK - rushing surplus stock from dozy European territories back to Blighty to supply our particular demand.

TVs which have the 2 pin plugs tend to be dealer imports but (no pun intended) it is a bit of a 'grey' area - all EC kite marked product is technically and legally pukka for UK punters but the actual supply of a non-adapted plug in such cases does carry the death penalty for the offending retail supplier.

Given the fact that millions of people are starving or suffering from oppression, war or vile dictatprship, I'd be tempted to take the view that I saved a few quid and just whack on a snap-on adaptor plug, so simple, I reckon even an imperial luddite like me could do it!

Chin, chin.

[miniman]

monkeyhanger said:

My Sony Vaio laptop came with the 2 pin to 3 pin "wrap-around" adapter and is definitely a UK model.

A lot of Sony stuff is like that - both my DVD player and TV have that arrangement. Suspect it's cheaper to buy 1 million power cords and 250,000 adapters than to buy 750,000 of one cord and 250,000 of the other.

[celticpilgrim]

I bought myself a new amp for my bass last xmas, and it came with a euro plug. after 2 phone calls, and no response, I thought sod it, and I nicked an extra long power cable form out IT techie's junk box.

I agree, it's an easy fix, but bloody annoying nonetheless.

[pdV6]

miniman said:

Suspect it's cheaper to buy 1 million power cords and 250,000 adapters than to buy 750,000 of one cord and 250,000 of the other.

[beanbag]

simpo two said:

Grey import. I bought two plasma screens from a company beginning with 'H'. One took about a week; the other about 3 weeks after a trail of incompetence unmatched by any other company I have ever met. 'Sorry, we put it on the van but the Sales Director took it off again' etc. Both plasmas had 2-pin plugs. One had a weird snap-fit adaptor to 3-pin, the other did not. 'H' said they would send new leads; needless to say, they did not.

lol! I work for 'H' if they also specialise in 'printing' then I can tell you it is completely standard practice with many modern items to include a European cable with a UK snap-on plug. It's so much cheaper since all of (Western), Europe uses the 2 pin plug style.