View Full Version : argos the cash back insurer
found this :
Argos has today launched a financial services price comparison website called Argos Compare.
The site, argoscompare.co.uk, claims to be the only comparison site offering cash-back on both home and car insurance.
It covers products such as car, home, and travel insurance, through to mortgages, pensions and credit cards to utilities. Customers will get £30 worth of Argos vouchers with every car insurance purchase and £15 worth of Argos vouchers on home insurance purchases when they use the service.
It compares more than 65 car insurance providers and more than 25 home insurance providers.
Argos financial services managing director Greg Ball said: “Argos.co.uk is the UK’s leading high street internet website and that popularity means we can focus on providing the best possible deals for our consumers, rather than advertising it.
“The first of those offers is providing Argos vouchers to our car and home insurance customers, and is the first of a number of deals we will be offering. As the pure comparison sites have to continue to advertise, this means we will always offer better value to consumers and keep true to our brand position of ‘helping you live for less’.”
article can be found on :
http://www.retail-week.com/multichannel/online-retail/argos-launches-financial-services-price-comparison-site/5007947.article
What do you think ? Fingers in too many pies posssibly ???
retailworld
20-11-2009, 23:58
Argos, the shop that said "all shops should work like this!"
To which all others retailers, in unison, turned and said "Er... no"
Personally, I'd be sceptical.
that is exactly what I thought
m8internet
21-11-2009, 22:24
My car insurance is due next month
I will let you know if it is worth it
For the last two years I have used gocompare, as I get £20 commission from the sale
The best deal was from Lloyds TSB a few years ago
The commision was £100 on a home insurance policy
I renewed mine at £104, so in effect it only cost me £4
Hmmmm im a bit skeptical as well! Let us know what happens when you go for your renewal :rolleyes:
m8internet
22-12-2009, 08:32
OK, so my renewal is due tonight
I always renew just before it expires
Renewal notice :
£482.88 paid (including free MoT)
10 years NCB protected
20K miles
Class 1 business use
Nil excess, £150 compulsory
£939.40, replacement £840.31 (so told current insurer no thanks!)
gocompare :
best price £607 (including free MoT)
argoscompare :
best price £607 (including free MOT) plus the £30 Argos voucher
The cheapest started off at £466.20, but by the time I had amended to the policy to exactly the same as above it came out at £661.46
Ironically, the best prices above are with Kwik-Fit, my current insurer
It's still cheaper than my renewal, but it's quite an increase in premium given the value of my car has almost halved in the three years I have owned it!
Hmmmm how weird!
Maybe the cost of insurance is another thing that is going up at the moment!?
I need a car - but need to actually get on and pass my driving first! I am aiming for before I turn 30, gives me just over a year? Hehe!
m8internet
23-12-2009, 16:02
Bought the policy last night, same price as gocompare, so will advise when my Argos voucher arrives
However, I then ran into a problem
My car was due for a service this morning
When completing my payment the website came up "Please allow 12 hours for the insurance policy to be validated, it will commence on 23 December 2009 at 09:26"
Hold on, I've never had a message like that before!
My car was booked in for 08:00 in the morning, equally it meant I had no cover on my car from midnight to 09:26
Just to make it worse, "If you need immediate cover, you may contact our office between 09:00 and 17:30", oh yeah great!
Bought the policy last night, same price as gocompare, so will advise when my Argos voucher arrives
However, I then ran into a problem
My car was due for a service this morning
When completing my payment the website came up "Please allow 12 hours for the insurance policy to be validated, it will commence on 23 December 2009 at 09:26"
Hold on, I've never had a message like that before!
My car was booked in for 08:00 in the morning, equally it meant I had no cover on my car from midnight to 09:26
Just to make it worse, "If you need immediate cover, you may contact our office between 09:00 and 17:30", oh yeah great!
Oh how weird when I get my parents or boyf's insurance usually its immediate cover even if you do it at midnight? Do you think thats just an Argos thing?
m8internet
23-12-2009, 16:15
Most insurers usually have a two hour processing time, and this is clearly stated when you insert the date and time for the policy to commence
For my insurer (Kwik Fit) I inserted 23 December 2009 and 00:01 (about 3 hours in advance)
There was NO warning, and it wasn't until after the payment had been made the message for 12 hours appeared!
I understand why the two hour processing time is required, as policies need to be vetted manually
They are then entered in the insurance database (used by the Poilce to check insurance details)
Went back to argos to see about my voucher
https://compare.argoscompare.co.uk/capture/offers
Inserted all my details, then advised "Please wait until you have held your policy for 60 days"
Yet, the main website clearly states the vocuher must be claimed WITHIN 30 days
I am therefore going to give it 30 days
Most insurers usually have a two hour processing time, and this is clearly stated when you insert the date and time for the policy to commence
For my insurer (Kwik Fit) I inserted 23 December 2009 and 00:01 (about 3 hours in advance)
There was NO warning, and it wasn't until after the payment had been made the message for 12 hours appeared!
I understand why the two hour processing time is required, as policies need to be vetted manually
They are then entered in the insurance database (used by the Poilce to check insurance details)
Went back to argos to see about my voucher
https://compare.argoscompare.co.uk/capture/offers
Inserted all my details, then advised "Please wait until you have held your policy for 60 days"
Yet, the main website clearly states the vocuher must be claimed WITHIN 30 days
I am therefore going to give it 30 days
WHAT!!!!!! Its obviously not all its cut out to be then!!!! Let us know if it comes through or not in the end?
m8internet
23-12-2009, 20:50
I suspect it is operating as an affiliate scheme
The engine is beatmyquote.com
Argos then receive their commision on ALL sales
The customer then has to wait 60 days before CLAIMING their voucher
I suspect Argos are hoping many people won't remember...
At least when I see the first Direct Debit appear on my current account I will, as I have added a note to mine "Argos voucher"
Definitely don't let it go I wouldn't! Trying to be clever there aren't they? Grrrr!
m8internet
30-12-2009, 11:32
Received my insurance documents today (4 business days, not bad considering they wanted to charge me £20 to have them sent next day, £10within 7 days, or free within 14 days)
Went back to see if the website would now accept my policy number
No, the same message, "please wait until your policy has been active for two months"
I then noticed the Offer Terms and Conditions had been updated and are correct now :
You need to wait 60 days
You MUST claim online for the gift card within 6 months (previously 30 days)
It looks as if they have changed the t&c's hoping that some people might forget to claim the vouchers then me thinks?
m8internet
30-12-2009, 18:18
It looks as if they have changed the t&c's hoping that some people might forget to claim the vouchers then me thinks?
If you read my earlier post their T&Cs meant you would NEVER have qualified for the voucher
They obviously read my email and the penny dropped!
However. I do agree, who is really going to remember to go back and claim for the gift card between 2 and 6 months after purchase
As with all such loyalty schemes, READ THE SMALL PRINT
If you read my earlier post their T&Cs meant you would NEVER have qualified for the voucher
They obviously read my email and the penny dropped!
However. I do agree, who is really going to remember to go back and claim for the gift card between 2 and 6 months after purchase
As with all such loyalty schemes, READ THE SMALL PRINT
Sorry I must have forgotten that part of our conversation as it was a bit befpre this bit of it lol! But definately agree - reading the small print is very important!
m8internet
17-09-2010, 10:17
I renewed my home insurance through argoscompare this year, in one final attempt to see if this scheme works
Same again, I allowed 30 days to pass before submitting my claim
After 7 days I received an email that my claim had been APPROVED
3 days later and my £15 Argos Gift Vouchers arrived, one £5 and one £10
Given I only paid £50 for my home insurance, that is a net £35
Last year I paid £100 for my home insurance
m8internet
03-01-2012, 22:50
Bad news, Argos has now closed this website
I missed it by ONE day
I noted they did not send the quotes by email from the end of December
Went this evening to convert the quote into a purchase, but was met by this sad message
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