I do hope this isn’t opening a can of worms, but is anyone else having problems getting their money back from Our Price? James Robertson, who runs JR’s Filling Station in Fife, sent back 15 DVDs to Our Price in September and was promised his money (£112.50) back. He has been pursuing the company for the money ever since.

A bit of history is required here. DVD supplier Our Price started trading in 2003 shortly after Deal Direct and Price Slasher – same market, a lot of the same customers – ceased trading, owing retailers money. I know this because over 70 rang me up during the course of last year to complain about Deal Direct. The man behind these companies – and their forerunner Crazy Eddy’s – was Lee Skinner so there are similarities even if legally one company cannot be held responsible for the debts of the others.

And if you have not dealt with Our Price, yet its name seems familiar, that is because it was once a high street chain which was sold to Virgin Express which subsequently sold it to Sanity for £1. It ceased trading but was then taken up by Lee Skinner and became a specialist distributor to the retail sector.

Getting back to our retailer’s current problem, James says he was persuaded to stock supplies of DVDs from Our Price in the first place because the rep told him, “You know we’re part of the Virgin Group.”

He paid by Barclaycard and thought this would cover him if anything went wrong. This is true provided you haven’t cleared the debt. If you buy something by credit card, the credit card company owns the debt until it is cleared by you. After that you really have to push. James has been doing this but Barclaycard has told him that they can’t chase it without a refund slip from Our Price which he can’t get.

I have spoken to the Virgin Group which confirms that Our Price has no connection with them. The two numbers I have for Our Price are 0870 777 5001 and 0870 224 0232. If anyone has managed to contact the company recently could they please let me know?

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