John Lewis or Richersound

[Beardy]

TV selected, purchase agreed in principle, just need to present the shiny colours to Dr Beardy and all should be good. (Until she decides it needs a new stand, but that’s another topic!).

Both JL and RS have the item in stock and at the same price, so the decision seems to come down to the customer service. I have only had follow up customer service dealings with RS and it was beyond excellent, but their closest shop to us is Norwich or Cambridge, whereas we have a JL in Ipswich. Are JL as good as everyone says? And are JS as good as my experience suggests?

Any further grist to the mill happily taken on board.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Experience of JL is that they are very good at home deliveries.

Do check AppliancesDirect for prices, before you buy.

[Tim Hall]

Don't JL do extended warranties as standard? If so, go for them.

[Beardy]

JL offering 5 year warranty, RS offering 6 years!

[Jurek]

I'd go with RS - although, habitually,  I'm a regular JLP customer - in (a large) part on account of their extended warranties.
Julian Richer is a sound guy (no pun intended) who looks after his staff.
Having put a several of £Ks his way over the years, the one time I had an issue with anything was with a 3 head tape deck (anyone remember those?) RS offered to buy it back off me as they reckoned that they could easily sell it again.
They ended up fixing it out of warranty, gratis.

[toontra]

I had an issue with a (rather expensive) OLED tv 3 years after buying from RS.  I rang their warranty dept, explained the issue & they said they would send someone to collect the next day.  No need for me to box it up - the driver would bring suitable packaging.  Turn around time for re-delivery was a couple of weeks.

Very impressed.  As it turned out the issue resolved itself that evening so I cancelled the collection.  And yes - they confirmed it was covered for 6 years.

[rafletcher]

Another vote for RS. A company sold by the owner to his staff, a real example of partnership. And excellent customer service without quibble.

[CommuteTooFar]

I have decided never to use John Lewis again.  Last year I visited the John Lewis to buy an induction hob. The sales assistant said the installation I bought required a 15Amp  (cooker) circuit within 2m. I had that.  The installer turned up looked at the gas hob I paid to remove said he could not do that.  In between I realise I could not share the oven circuit and contacted a local electrician who installed a switch 1m from the hob location. I contact John Lewis for a second time again they turn up without a gas approved installer.  I phone John Lewis for a third time this time the customer service booked two days one for the gas man and one for the installer.  The gas man comes removes the old hob and leaves.  The next day the "electrical" installer turns up with the new hob.  I point at the hole, "Install it there please". Can't do it I haven't got a cable.   This time I insist he leave the hob.

I enlarged the hole marginally, most induction hobs are slightly larger than gas hobs.  I emailed my local electrician commenting surely a kitchen installer would have a drum of  cooker cable.  The electrician said he didn't, too expensive, but he had around ten metres of it.  He turns up and attaches the hob in less than half an hour. 

So I like local services but John Lewis is no good.  On the other hand TVs are easy.

[Kim]

I suspect that anyone whose job is delivering and installing appliances is going to be a fairly low grade of minimally qualified electrician/gasman/plumber, on the basis that otherwise they'd be doing electrics or gaswork all day for a much higher wage.  Factor in employers who don't give them the time or the tools and materials to use their initiative^[1], even if they don't outright ban them from doing so, and you're basically doomed.

None of which really has any bearing on how good the retailer is if you aren't using these services.


_{[1] A friend had a washing machine 'installer' refuse to do the job because the isolation valves required a screwdriver to operate.
 Don't think that was JL, thoguh.}

[Cudzoziemiec]

I have decided never to use John Lewis again.  Last year I visited the John Lewis to buy an induction hob. The sales assistant said the installation I bought required a 15Amp  (cooker) circuit within 2m. I had that.  The installer turned up looked at the gas hob I paid to remove said he could not do that.  In between I realise I could not share the oven circuit and contacted a local electrician who installed a switch 1m from the hob location. I contact John Lewis for a second time again they turn up without a gas approved installer.  I phone John Lewis for a third time this time the customer service booked two days one for the gas man and one for the installer.  The gas man comes removes the old hob and leaves.  The next day the "electrical" installer turns up with the new hob.  I point at the hole, "Install it there please". Can't do it I haven't got a cable.   This time I insist he leave the hob.

I enlarged the hole marginally, most induction hobs are slightly larger than gas hobs.  I emailed my local electrician commenting surely a kitchen installer would have a drum of  cooker cable.  The electrician said he didn't, too expensive, but he had around ten metres of it.  He turns up and attaches the hob in less than half an hour. 

So I like local services but John Lewis is no good.  On the other hand TVs are easy.

A friend had a very similar experience with a fridge from JL. First they delivered the wrong fridge. Second time they got the right fridge but for some reason were unable to install it. Took until the third time to get it put in and wired up.

[rogerzilla]

Sadly the RS in Swindon only lasted a few years (Swindon never keeps nice shops as the average income isn't high and the town centre is a stabby hellhole) but they were impeccable when I bought stuff from them.  I had to swap some Mission speakers for Mordaunt-Short ones because they turned out to sound muddy with my amp.

[Hot Flatus]

Should have tried new leads first. Expensive ones. Would have improved the 'timing' and given a better 'soundstage'   

[rogerzilla]

Should have tried new leads first. Expensive ones. Would have improved the 'timing' and given a better 'soundstage'   

Nah, audiophile 3-pin mains plugs are where it's at.

[Hot Flatus]

The hi-fi press equivalent of feeling carbon wheels "holding their speed"

[Polar Bear]

When it comes to proper gas or electrical installations I never trust myself or the "van driver".  I'd rather pay a few quid to tradespeople who are properly qualified and whom I trust.  Sometimes the job looks easy but I hold the view that a qualified and skilled person doing the job properly might well have that effect.

As for televisions, fridges, etc.  I'd go with the best included warranty.  Never had an issue yet with JL or RS and have used both over the years.

[fruitcake]

I've heard good things about RicherSounds, and I like that they still have shops where you can go and poke the goods and turn the knobs, and go 'ooh, that's nice', while a staff member who might actually know about these products lurks nervously hoping you don't snap any bits off.

Conversely, we had a poor experience with JL here a few years back. They led us to believe gas connection was included in the price of a hob, then tried to charge us. Then when it became apparent they'd supplied damaged goods, they wouldn't disconnect it so we funded that before they would collect. We also funded connection of their replacement. Our letters of complaint were met with a dismissive replies from JL or ignored. I won't buy from them again because their comms were appalling. Honestly, I'm amazed they have a reputation for good service since we saw anything but.

[Hot Flatus]

A JL insider warned me off buying white goods from JL because they don't have the capacity for decent after-sales service.

[Beardy]

The tales of JL woe seem to be to do with white goods, and in particular the installation thereof. They appear to be using delivery plus bods rather than tradesmen which is fine if it’s a bog standard install. Any curveballs and these poor folk are out of their depth and for some reason, JL do not seem to want to address this. The moral appears to be, as per the Flatus, don’t buy white goods from JL.

Anyhoos, I’ve made my decision and will be visiting RS in Norwich on Tuesday to poke a knob or two and let Dr Beardy see the object of my desires in operation. I’ll hopefully be placing an order with them thereafter.

Thanks for everyone’s input, it’s been really helpful.

[hellymedic]

A JL insider warned me off buying white goods from JL because they don't have the capacity for decent after-sales service.

[OT]ish
Makes me feel happier waiting 6 weeks in mid-lockdown heatwave for trusty local supplier to obtain & fit my new Miele washing machine...

[Jaded]

2 JLP Whitegoods.

2 Failures a month or so after the end of warranty.

[Jurek]

2 JLP Whitegoods.

2 Failures a month or so after the end of warranty.

Their own brand? or a 3rd party?

[Hot Flatus]

2 JLP Whitegoods.

2 Failures a month or so after the end of warranty.

Their own brand? or a 3rd party?

Same difference.

Their brand-labelled white goods are Electrolux

[De Sisti]

Richer Sounds were great when I told them I wanted a gizmo that would take the audio output
from my tv =>  hi-fi amplifier => hi-fi speakers (as I didn't want to splash out on a tv soundbar).

I drew a very basic diagram of what I wanted, and they had the very same thing in a backroom
cupboard. The item was less than £30.

I also bought some Kef Koda speakers* and an Ariston Q-Deck* from them in the 90s. Their staff
were super-helpful.

* Both still in use.

[Jaded]

Their own brand.

The 2nd item was a freezer, and we used a local (Gloucester) company to get the replacement from. Their comment was Electrolux and crap, and they were collecting a lot of dead JLP branded items.

[Jurek]

2 JLP Whitegoods.

2 Failures a month or so after the end of warranty.

Their own brand? or a 3rd party?

Same difference.

Their brand-labelled white goods are Electrolux

I've been told Zanussi - but better made than Zanussi.
Both Zanussi and Electrolux come out of the same factory anyway.
ETA - As does Flymo.
Only I've found that Flymo is a bit shit  on the number 5 cycle.