Cancelling DFS order if delivery takes too long?

Flipped27

Hi, I am not sure if this is the right place to post this so apologies if it isn't!

I ordered a sofa from dfs 8 weeks ago on the understanding and subject to it being all in cream - I had a phone call 2 weeks ago telling me they couldn't do it all in cream but could in brown and cream, did i still want it? I asked how long it would take and was told 1.5 - 2 weeks......
So i call today and am told that i will be another 6 weeks due to it having to be reordered when salesman called! :eek:

So salemsan is calling back tomorrow as he isn't in today but the woman i spoke to said that I couldn't cancel as delivery time is approx?!

BUT my order actually states "Subject to special instructions" so in theory then i have only agreed to new order verbally? We signed nothing to agree to the new order....just as he only verbally told us it would be 2 weeks MAX!

Sorry so long winded - what do you all think?

Flipped

sarahg1969

This is the suite you really want, though, isn't it? And if you cancel it, won't you then have to go to the bother of finding, and waiting for, another suite?

Always_Harassed

As far as I know you have to write to them making the delivery time part of the contract ie to be delivered by 22/4 or the order is cancelled. Check with trading standards. I have never bought from them so don't know what their customer service is like but I'm sure all retailers will try to make you think again when cancelling an order just now.

TehJumpingJawa

Did you place the original order over the phone?

If so, you should be able to cancel anytime upto 7 days after receipt of the sofa, regardless of their T&C. (unless the sofa is in some way being personalised specifically for you)

Flipped27

Thanks all - no we ordered in store but on the order form it says *Subject to all beng in cream* which they are unable to do - I agreed to have the brown and cream over the phone as they said it would be 2 weeks maximum.

I do want the sofa but I am not willing to wait until the end of March when we were promised it would be 2 weeks..

Seeing as my contract actually specifies it should be in cream I think i can cancel it as they are unable to supply that and there was no new order form signed?

underlay_guru

Hi,

At the end of the day, they arent supplying you with what you originally wanted.....
In my opinion, they are calling your bluff and the spotty salesman is biting his nails in case he loses his commission. Tell them abruptly to cancel your order. If they don't, then speak to the manager, he should do something about it. Some larger companies seem to make up the rules as they go along, knowing that the customer is too soft and embrassed to ask for what they really want.

12 weeks is ridiculous, and not considered to be a 'reasonable amount of waiting time'. If you don't get your money back, complain to the highest order, then go down to an independent retailer, where you will be served by the owner, and will be in good hands.

Places like DFS are just full of jumped-up teenage 'Salesmen', who think they are gods gift to the sales world after a 1 hour training course on selling techniques.

Flipped27

I am going to cancel unless they can promise me it will be here by the end of this week - I have signed nothing to say they can order the new one so as far as I can see they won't be able to say anything....

If they can deliver and the woman i spoke to today was wrong (as well as rude! "No you can't cancel it"....Ahem, i think you'll find I can.....) then we will still take it.

Its been 8 weeks instead of the quoted 6 already! And the woman said that was an "Approximate delivery date" Yes but 6 to 14 weeks?! I don't think so...

Starting to wish i hadn't ever gone looking for a new sofa now!!

underlay_guru

Let us know how you get on, and don't get sucked-in by sales technique (Mainly open-ended questions - a question that cannot be answered with yes or no).

Eg :

"What colour are you looking for?", rather than "Are you looking for something imparticular?"
"How will you be paying for this?", rather than "Do you want to buy this?".

From experience in the home adornment retail trade, the salesmen don't give a toss after the sales docket is signed: that is the guarantee their BEER MONEY will be in their wage packet at the end of the month. If you try to cancel, they panic, and simply tell customers they can't do it, relying on customers' stupidity to keep the order going...

Ps: their is also a rumour that DFS's display sofas are larger than the supplied ones, to make them appear more luxurious and VFM. Unsure if its true or not!

Flipped27

Well how bizarre is that? Just had a phonecall saying that sofa will be here on Wednesday and that they just got the months muddled up?!

Now all I have to worry about is whether the damn thing will fit through the door, in the living room, will it be the correct colour...oh i could go on and on!

underlay_guru

...Watch the lads turn up with a blue sofa!

bubblegumcola

I hope the sofa turns up in the right colour!!

We were told 12 weeks to wait for our sofa and then it turned into 16, but we were prepared to wait as we really wanted a new sofa. We never measured before ordering but I strongly urge that you do. Our sofa fitted in fine but it did really fill the room and a couple of inches bigger would have meant changing doors round so we could get in the room!! I've heard horror stories about door frames and windows being taken off just to get sofas in the door, all sorts. One word of warning don't take any nonsense from the delivery men, the ones that delivered our sofa really moaned about stuff being in their way even though I had made a real effort to have the space clear and about it being very big for the room. If they don't deliver the correct sofa in the correct colour they have broken their contract and you should refuse it at delivery.