Buyer beware of CPC in the UK - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: gerenis
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 28, 2019, 05:42:39 pm
content: I have ordered speakers from the company named CPC. I received many speakers in damaged condition (see some of them in the images), because they were packed very negligently. The tweeters were heaped on one another without even bubble package, so the sharp edges of the magnets did what they are supposed to do to the plastics and grilles.I notified the carrier, they sent the package to the inspection clerk then shipped back the package to CPC. I e-mailed the sales person at CPC that I wanted a refund.Today I got the refund, only 65 GBP (about 85 USD) less than what I sent for the order, with a message totally ridiculing me: "Refund as requested. Kind regards CPC Accounts". The 65 GBP was the shipping cost. I also tried to reach the carrier (UPS) but they shift the responsibility to CPC saying "Contact the sender".So here I am robbed of almost 100 USD, which is not negligible for me because I'm not rich.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2019, 06:54:41 pm
content: CPC is usually OK. I think a problem with this order is that you were dealing with the shipper. I don't know about where you come from by here in the UK the shipper is contracted by the vendor, so any issue is raised by the vendor. The purchaser only has a contract with the vendor and doesn't usually deal direct with the shipper. The usual way to handle a problem like this is to tell the vendor there's a problem and arrange with them to return the goods. Usually there would be a returns number involved so the vendor knows what the thing is that turns up on their doorstep.Where something is damaged, as in this case, it would be the vendors responsibility to arrange the return shipment (which may just extend to agreeing to pay the costs). It is really bad form to ship the stuff back and then demand a refund of the shipping cost since that costs the vendor hard cash that he otherwise may not have had to pay (perhaps he has an account with a shipper and gets a discount).I think you need to explain in detail to CPC what's gone wrong and how you expected to to go, and ask them to put it right. If you don't get anywhere and you paid by credit card then do a chargeback.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2019, 07:22:31 pm
content: CPC are a turd of a company. One of my threads:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/cpc-in-the-uk-are-a-disaster-of-a-company/msg2599527/Did you pay on credit card? If so chargeback the fuckers.If I lived closer to them I’d hand delivery some of my own excrement on your behalf.

author: Towger
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2019, 11:04:43 am
content: Agreed. Nothing to do with the carrier. From past experience CPC would probably just reship or refund. They have no interest in getting stuff back. I have has incorrect items sent and they just resent the correct one and told me to keep the other random item.

author: xmetal
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2019, 11:14:07 am
content: I generally find CPC are very good. On the rare occasion I'd had an item damaged due to poor packaging, they send out a replacement free of charge. Ironically, I've just received some items from CPC today and they were well packaged.

author: AVGresponding
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2019, 11:49:11 am
content: Must depend on who picks and packs it...I've been using Rapid a lot recently, they're pretty good, JPR too

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2019, 12:03:48 pm
content: It does indeed depend who packs it. Anyone who can work that out can get a better job in Preston I suspect.Yeah had precisely zero problems with Rapid over the years.

author: dmills
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2019, 12:43:14 pm
content: Only problem with Rapid is that in my experience they are not (Rapid that is).Usually a Mouser order shipped to the UK turns up more quickly!Regards, Dan.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2019, 12:46:53 pm
content: Only if you pay economy delivery or take the free delivery over £40. If you choose next day and order before about 6pm it turns up next day.

author: DenzilPenberthy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2019, 01:19:29 pm
content: I'm currently chasing them as well for supplying what appears to be non CE marked stuff.

author: Towger
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2019, 05:35:57 pm
content: One of CPCs managers used to frequent the Blue Room technical forum. He was good at sorting out any issues.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2019, 06:15:53 pm
content: IME CPC have always been bad at packaging. I once got two UPS batteries rattling around loose in a flimsy single-wall cardboard box.

author: ralphrmartin
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2019, 06:29:41 pm
content: Well, perhaps a bit off topic, but I have had wrong items delivered by Rapid, then when they sent me the right ones, they charged me extra as in the meantime they had put the price up (a lot, as they were on deep discount before). I had quite a few emails back and forth trying to get them to understand what had gone wrong, and in the end gave up, making a mental note not to deal with them again.

author: Astrodev
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2019, 11:31:42 pm
content: I have been using CPC for over 25 years and in general have not had to many problems, but in saying that I have learnt a few lessons I you are ordering something heavy such as cable reels and also need to order something potentially fragile as well, put it on a separate order as there is a fair chance it will not be packed well enough to arrive undamaged.In the past I have had orders for cable delivered 20 plus reels and they will try to pack as many as they can in an outer box, this has 2 results an unhappy UPS driver and a box that is held together with additional tape with rounded off corners. I now think very carefully when placing orders to anticipate what can go wrong.But in saying all this when things do go wrong contacting them by email gets things sorted usually without to many problems.

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 30, 2019, 09:30:45 pm
content: I always cross check prices against the main Farnell site. There are often significant savings to be made on the CPC site if it's an item they (still) stock. Definitely worth it for general light weight components and robust items.EDIT: ...and of course there's lots of stuff that CPC stocks that the Farnell never will.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 30, 2019, 09:58:55 pm
content: yeah like this pile of craphttps://cpc.farnell.com/premier/lv191672/55cm-led-acrylic-unicorn-80-leds/dp/LP12135

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 30, 2019, 10:03:16 pm
content: Quote from: gerenis on October 28, 2019, 05:42:39 pmDispute with credit card company, fairly clear here as they did not refund the original payment.

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 30, 2019, 10:19:49 pm
content: Quote from: bd139 on October 30, 2019, 09:58:55 pmAhhh, that's quite tasteful!

author: HwAoRrDk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2019, 02:30:25 pm
content: CPC must have at least one employee who knows how to package things - a little too well, even.I once ordered some relays from them and each one had its pins inserted into an individual piece of foam, precisely trimmed to the size of the relay, and the whole thing then wrapped in tape with the corners very neatly folded down, like it was a tiny gift-wrapped present. I took me about half an hour just to unwrap the damn things! Must have been a slow day in the warehouse.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2019, 03:12:03 pm
content: If you think that’s bad try ordering 100 diodes. I got one per little bag all neatly packaged in a cardboard box (usual white ones). But there were three empty bags!They had one job.....

author: stevelup
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2019, 01:12:18 pm
content: We use CPC literally daily. Have one problem every 100 orders if that...

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2019, 01:26:46 pm
content: Something else to note - they regularly post out min catalogues, special offers etc., and these often have lower prices than the website, with a different order code, so worth looking through these if you're doing a larger purchase. Different flyers sometimes have different prices as wellI think they are downloadable from the website.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2019, 02:57:38 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on November 02, 2019, 01:26:46 pmIt's also quite easy to just script fetching product codes with the additional digits and see if offers are available. All they do is add two digits between 00 and 99 to the end of the code.My last order was about half price after doing that..

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2019, 03:03:19 pm
content: Hahaha going to try that. Good call.