Our experience with Wilkinson Cameras has been appalling. We purchased an Epson V850 scanner for…read more£849, intending to digitise and preserve old family photographs (following recent family losses), only for it to arrive faulty, with loose glass, internal debris, and disengaged transportation locks. We reported these issues well within the first 48 hours of receiving it, and Wilkinson Cameras initially acknowledged the issues, and approved the return without contest.
While preparing it for return, we noticed that the already loose and clearly compromised glass had cracked.
We immediately called Wilkinson Cameras, who assured us that this was fine. Due to safety concerns, we asked if we could remove the broken glass before returning it, and they explicitly permitted this, even suggesting we wrap it up.
Despite this, once they received the return, Wilkinson Cameras completely reversed their stance, falsely implying we caused the damage somehow, questioning our original emails, and ultimately refusing a refund. Their reasoning was that we had "tampered" with the unit--by removing the very same broken glass they told us to remove. We unscrewed the unit to do this safely, rather than risking further damage by pulling the glass out from the middle. Had we not removed it:
1. The broken glass could have damaged the scanner's electronics directly beneath it (carriage, sensors, etc.).
2. The broken glass could have posed a safety risk to anyone else handling it.
Additionally, if we had returned the parcel without first separating the broken glass, we would have also been in violation of the courier's terms--the same courier Wilkinson Cameras arranged.
-It's okay, though, as Wilkinson Cameras explicitly authorised us to remove the glass during a phone call, ensuring the return complied with courier regulations. The dilemma is that if they stand by this, they must also admit they knowingly allowed us to remove the glass--completely undermining their own claim that we "tampered" with or "modified" the item.
The simple fact of the matter is that common sense dictated we wouldn't leave an almost £1,000 scanner with broken glass sitting in the middle of it, right above delicate electronics. We removed the casing that housed the glass, carefully took it out, and wrapped it separately to ensure a safe return.
Instead of dealing with our case with any level of apprehension or consistency, Wilkinson Cameras have contradicted their own advice, ignored key facts and attempted to shift liability onto us.
In short, this experience has been disgraceful. My partner, an NHS nurse, has had to take time off work because of this, which is completely unacceptable. We strongly urge caution when dealing with Wilkinson Cameras, especially if you receive a damaged item.
While they may be good in other areas, their handling of this situation has been nothing short of terrible.
