So what do I do now...?

loobinator

Hello, I'm new here, and I really could use some advice on what to do next. The story so far is this:

I ordered some high heels from an online-only shop for £189 - I know this is a lot but I expected high quality. They were on a pre order basis and were very delayed, the company were always very quick to respond however, and it was usually from a mobile device.
When the shoes eventually came, I realised they were elasticated at the back, round the heel. I was concerned over how long this would last, but none the less, I wore them to the cinema that weekend. (Not much walking/standing involved). To my dismay the straps did indeed snap, and came away from the shoe.
The company said they would "review the damage" and then send me a replacement. In the mean time, I thought I would check their website to see if they still had my size, and found them to be £45 cheaper! I quickly emailed asking for a refund, and said I would just reorder the shoes for money off, unless they were willing to offer me the difference for my troubles...This time they took two days to reply, in this time the sale had ended and they said they would not be offering me any money back, but offered 20% for a future purchase! I decided I would never buy from them again after all this, so told them this offer was useless.
I was so frustrated with the way they were treating me, it was always me who sent the emails, they never followed anything up without being chased, so eventually I told them I would blog about my experience. They soon replied with legal threats.
So my replacements turned up, but I feel the same will happen again, I am petrified to step outside in them, and I don't see the point in wasting so much money on something I won't wear. Now the company have brought out a boot that zips up the back, (less likely to break) I thought maybe I could exchange my replacement shoes for these zip up boots - so my husband kindly emailed them asking if this is possible....but no reply. Now I have also emailed...no reply. I'm stuck with a pair of shoes I will never wear, and £189 worse off, and the company have gone silent. So what do I do now?

Many thanks,

wealdroam

Sorry, but I am finding it difficult to understand what you want to happen now.
You bought a pair of shoes online.
They broke.
The seller replaced them.
What more do you reasonably expect?

Now that you have upset them with your blogging threats, I think it is extremely unlikely that they will consider your request for an exchange at all.

How long have you had these replacement shoes?

loobinator

I don't think it's unreasonable to think the same fault will happen again, and ask for a different pair of shoes that don't have the weak elastic straps. They charge an arm and a leg for shoes that are of the same quality you would get from Primark, say. The shoes came on Tuesday, I haven't worn them once, and it is unlike the company to not reply, as usually they respone with 30 mins.
I am their customer and they have a s**t load of my money, and i'm getting bad service. I expect an exchange for some shoes that don't have this bad design feature but they are ignoring me, I don't see why you yould think that unreasonable.
I didn't threaten them with my blog, I said I would talk about my experience - if they had given me good service I would have written that too.

wealdroam

All they had to do when the first pair of shoes failed was to offer a repair, replacement or refund.

They offered a replacement which you seem to have accepted.

Don't you see that they have no obligation to offer a second exchange.

The only way you may be able to perhaps get your money back is by using Distance Selling Regulations.

Under DSRs you can cancel an order up to seven working days after delivery.
The seven working days start the day after delivery.
I am unsure whether that clock starts counting when the first pair of shoes were delivered or when the replacements arrived. I suspect the former.

Have a read of the OFT's guide to the DSRs.

wealdroam

loobinator wrote: »

I didn't threaten them with my blog, I said I would talk about my experience - if they had given me good service I would have written that too.

Well you told us...

loobinator wrote: »

I was so frustrated with the way they were treating me, it was always me who sent the emails, they never followed anything up without being chased, so eventually I told them I would blog about my experience. They soon replied with legal threats.

It was after several things had 'frustrated' you that you 'told them I would blog about my experience'.
Sorry but that sounds like a threat to me.

I wish you luck.

kajstring24

wealdroam wrote: »

Well you told us...

It was after several things had 'frustrated' you that you 'told them I would blog about my experience'.
Sorry but that sounds like a threat to me.

I wish you luck.

Only because you interpreted it that way. Clearly to add fuel to your already smarmy, stuck-up fire. It's the typical attitude on this forum, talk down to people who dare to make mistakes and ask for advice. I thought that's what this forum was for, how silly of me.

I see nothing wrong with people blogging their experience, and if the OP really believed she got a raw deal, she should email into Watchdog. Personally, I would tell the company I'd be onto trading standards rather than a blog, they'll take that a bit more seriously. If I've had a bad experience of a certain product I'd be wary of having the same one again. I'd probably just email the company and tell them that I don't want them, and would like a refund. If all else fails sell them on Ebay and try to get back a percentage of what you spent.

arcon5

No offense, but you knew exactly what the replacement pair would look lik and made off... why are you asking to exchange AFTER receiving the replacement?

You could have done this when you sent the damaged pair back and saved alot of hassle.

isplumm

kajstring24 wrote: »

Only because you interpreted it that way. Clearly to add fuel to your already smarmy, stuck-up fire. It's the typical attitude on this forum, talk down to people who dare to make mistakes and ask for advice. I thought that's what this forum was for, how silly of me.

I see nothing wrong with people blogging their experience, and if the OP really believed she got a raw deal, she should email into Watchdog. Personally, I would tell the company I'd be onto trading standards rather than a blog, they'll take that a bit more seriously. If I've had a bad experience of a certain product I'd be wary of having the same one again. I'd probably just email the company and tell them that I don't want them, and would like a refund. If all else fails sell them on Ebay and try to get back a percentage of what you spent.

But hold on - the OP bought an expensive pair of shoes, the company offered a replacement, she accepted, but then decided actually she wanted her money back (which she is not entitled to), then threatens to drag their name through the mud cause they took time to respond to emails ... what do you expect the company to do? Nothing?

As to going to Trading Standards - well what exactly have the company done wrong?

I would advise the OP to wear the shoes & if they break again, ask for a refund nicely.

Mark

wealdroam

kajstring24 wrote: »

<snipped most of the the carp>

I see nothing wrong with people blogging their experience, and if the OP really believed she got a raw deal, she should email into Watchdog.

And neither do I.
The OP effectively said to the company "if you don't do what I want I will tell everyone about my experience".
How can anyone pretend it is not a threat?

kajstring24 wrote: »

Personally, I would tell the company I'd be onto trading standards rather than a blog, they'll take that a bit more seriously.

Why would Trading Standards be interested?
Please tell us where the company has gone wrong.
They have replaced the faulty product.

kajstring24 wrote: »

If I've had a bad experience of a certain product I'd be wary of having the same one again.

Me too.
But that does not mean the seller has to do anything about it.

kajstring24 wrote: »

I'd probably just email the company and tell them that I don't want them, and would like a refund.

Now that is a reasonable suggestion.
The problem may now be that the company feel that they have fulfilled their obligations, and are perhaps no longer inclined to do anything further out of goodwill.

kajstring24 wrote: »

If all else fails sell them on Ebay and try to get back a percentage of what you spent.

Excellent suggestion.

loobinator

Ok, for a start I came here for advice - thanks kajstring24 - for seeing my point of view. Secondly, I never asked for the replacement pair - I was not given a choice, they just sent them, and now I don't want them. I was fully aware of the problems they had, which is why I don't want these replacements - when I tried the second pair on at home you could already hear the cheap glue cracking and giving way. I thought from the company's point of view they would rather do an exchange than a full refund, but they are ignoring me entirely. Finally, I found this shoe company through a blog, they advertise through blogs, and use other well known bloggers to wear their shoes. So I thought that by talking to them in "their language" (blogging) this would make a difference, it was never a case of "do what I say or else" I always intended to blog about my wonderful shoes - unfortunately they turned out to be cheap knock offs - in a designer disguise. I just want to know if the company are basically "allowed" to ignore me, or do I have any rights...I didn't want to be criticised. I thought this was an advice forum. Thanks.

George_Michael

I don't think it's unreasonable to think the same fault will happen again, and ask for a different pair of shoes that don't have the weak elastic straps.

The Sale of goods act (and other consumer legislation) only gives you statutory rights for faults that have occurred and not for something that may or may not happen at some undefined time in the future.

I thought this was an advice forum. Thanks.

it is, it's just that the advice given isn't always what people want to read.

The seller was legally entitled to offer a refund, repair or replacement, and the choice was theirs to make.
They decided that they would opt to send you a replacement.