B&Q Not Interested

zaksmum

I bought a Flymo Microlite lawnmower from B&Q and used it for the first time the next day. It just totally hacked at my grass, leaving it looking chopped, patchyand uneven lengths. I realised the cutting blade is actually plastic, and the lawnmower's not at all what I expected.

I rang B&Q to ask if I could return it and exchange it against a more expensive model - this was only £40. They said no, as I'd used it.

I argued that there was no way I could test it prior to purchase, and I was most unhappy with it's inferior performance and the state my grass was left in. Tough, they said, and if you get in touch with Head Office you'll be wasting your time.

I emailed Head Office explaining the situation. They ignored me.

So is there anything I can do or am I stuck with a useless lawnmower chopping at my grass?

I'll have to buy a new one if B&Q insist on refusing to exchange, which is a waste of £40:eek:!

sabz3008

Unfortunately, because it's not faulty...You can't do much really, and for £40 - It is 'fit for purpose' as it's...Well, a cheap lawnmower, you can't expect high performance from £40 - You should have done your research first and read reviews or something....My advice is to take it into store and explain your problems, they're generally more helpful than the people over the phone and would most likely take it back and resell it as used stock...

In terms of rights...They don't have any obligations to take it back....Though one could argue you may still be able to suggest it's 'not fit for purpose' , but I don't know where you'll stand on that exactly.

zaksmum

Thaks sabz. I should definitely have done some research, more fool me. My old Black and Decker mower was great, and only around the same price, but the motor burned out.

It just seems wrong, with an item you have no opportunity to test, that it's rubbish and there's nothing you can do about it because the store couldn't care less. If I bought it on eBay it would be fair enough, but you'd think B&Q would have some standards regarding Customer Service.

jb66

Go back and say its faulty then.. they wont test it

zaksmum

I never thought of that, jb66! Brilliant.

I'll do that tomorrow and let you know the outcome.

Genius!!!

james2012_2

I got one of these as well, rubbish, but I got mine from Asda and I got my money back.

One of the good things about Asda if you are not happy with something.

visidigi

jb66 wrote: »

Go back and say its faulty then.. they wont test it

zaksmum wrote: »

I never thought of that, jb66! Brilliant.

I'll do that tomorrow and let you know the outcome.

Genius!!!

And no one wonders why they ask for you address on the bottom of a reciept in B&Q?

It will get tested centrally, eventually, if its clearly not faulty they have a right to pursue you for the cost if they so wish (they most likely won't - but the suggestion isn't as brilliant as you first think)...its just if you're willing to take the risk or not...

shandypants5

visidigi wrote: »

And no one wonders why they ask for you address on the bottom of a reciept in B&Q?

It will get tested centrally, eventually, if its clearly not faulty they have a right to pursue you for the cost if they so wish (they most likely won't - but the suggestion isn't as brilliant as you first think)...its just if you're willing to take the risk or not...

Rubbish.

Its not cost effective for them to test every returned item.

It will either be returned to the manufacturers or binned.

(and you dont have to give them you REAL address.;))

visidigi

It's not rubbish, its fact - thats why they collate the information - that and to prevent excessive returns/fraud - stores are being asked to tighten up on this process of returns and the validity to reduce overheads - its a significant problem.

Did the OP pay cash or card - if card then you can lie about the address, but they'll still find out.

shandypants5

So they have to keep all returned items in a stockroom with all the relevent purchase/return data.
Then ship it to another facility so that a qualified electritian can test for a fault that may or may not be intermittant and not show itself.

Then they need to chase up any returns that prove to be not faulty and TRY to get the customer to pay back the money they have already been refunded by now.

Yes, Yes I can see your point now, it makes perfect buisiness sense.:rotfl:

JournalGirl

No but what they will do is ship all faulty returns back to the supplier, who will often do their own research on the faults. I think it is unlikely that anything would come back to the person returning the item, but it may.

It may also end up with less favourable return terms for the rest of us (we will test it and only give your money back when we are satisfied it's faulty)