Repackaged items being sold as new

rainbow12

I dont know if it is just me being unlucky but a number of items I have bought recently seem to be repackaged / returned items.
I have bought things from various stores and various items and found at least 3 things appear to have been opened and then repackaged and sold without any warning that this is the case.
It is obvious when an item has been re-packaged because of how electrical cords are folded, how plastic bits are put back on and how the box appears (if the stickybits have been opened).
Ive only ever noticed this once before a few years ago when I bought a kettle. But it seems to be happening a lot, so I wonder if Im having bad luck or whether the retailers are trying to flog stuff at full price which would normally go as an outlet price.
Has anyone else nticed this?

xanthe

I got a coffee machine from Argos for hubby's Xmas present. I noticed the box seem to have been opened before. Inside the box there's a code which you can register on their website to get a free box of coffee and it'd been used.

I emailed the company and they gave me a new code. I checked the machine it doesn't look like it's been used so I kept it.

southerly

I bought an epilator from Superdrug online in their sale last January, it was months before I got round to taking it out of the box (still have not used it!) but I found a tiny bit of a hair on it! On the box was a sticker abut 90 days money back guarantee so it made we wonder if someone had used it and returned it. The power lead was shrink wrapped in plastic though, and because I had ripped open the plastic, and it was months since I had bought it, I decided not to complain (they probably would have thought I had used it). The ironic thing is, I had earlier bought one on ebay described as BNIB, on which I also found a hair (it was a very old model as well, hardly brand new! I complained and sent it back, but never got my return postage back although I asked for it, so left them a negative, they then wrecked an auction of mine!:mad:

Nephew bought a lilo from a shop in Portugal on holiday, it did not leak but we found it had a patch on it! Sold as new in a bag.

maggiann

I think I can better that! We bought a car radio from Argos and when we opened the box there was an old car radio inside. Obviously someone had bought a new one, put their old one in the box and taken it back. I assume the staff don't check returned items. We had no problems when we returned it so perhaps that has happened before!

maggiann

Just one thought, always check the box before you take it home.

Always_Harassed

Got a small jewellery box within the packaging meant for a large jewellery box once in Argos. Think there might be a theme developing. Bought a sofa from SCS once and there were crumbs down the side of it.

rainbow12

Yet another repackaged item!
I bought an xbox from Morrisons this week and when I got it home I noticed the main seal popped open too easily. When I looked inside I saw the console itself wasnt wrapped properly, plastic bags that contained leads had been ripped open and the box itself was torn.
Took it back and got hardly any apology.
It is really peeing me off that this is happening so often!

superflygal

I waited months for a baby cot to come into stock in John Lewis. I was so excited when it arrived. Only to find some wood split on one panel, and some of the wooden dowels had been knocked in already! I was not happy! They collected it and refunded after a slight dispute.

We bought one from IKEA in the end!

SFG x

jenniewb

I bought a pair of Emu boots from Javari last year, opened them to find...a different pair inside! The box itself was battered and as much as Javari were totally fine in replacing them, it was my time wasted and me having to queue at the post office for 20 mins. I would rate them on their customer service but not pleased that no one thought to check these on the way out!

I think the repackaging thing is commonplace in many stores- items sold on as new but had been taken out of the box. It doesn't worry me unless I can see they have been used, then I'm contacting the company to look at a partial refund and I'm generally not in a good mood when I do this! (I would say the latter would be of more of an interest to a company then the refund if they've ever spoken to me in a bad mood before).

I don't even know if its worth naming and shaming on here as so many brands do this, not just electrical items but clothes and shoes. I don't think its an issue unless things have been used and so you gotta ask why they were returned in the first place.

icecreamdogpark

Sorry slighty off thread but the boots reminded me.i was looking after a 2 year old and when i put his start rite wellies on ,one was different size from the other, Shoe shop that sold them where R and Bromley,Lesson is to check every thing before you leave shop if possible leave nothing to chance

Beenie

We bought a cooker hood and had to wait ages for delivery as it was a Which? best buy and had a waiting list (we were told).

When we opened the box it looked OK at first but when we came to install it it was obvious that someone had tried to fit it previously. The fitting diagram, the screw fixings and the vent pipe (needed to remove the steam etc. from your kitchen) were all missing.

Like another poster, I was annoyed that no-one had checked this at the warehouse before despatch. I originally rang the manufacturer to ask for replacement parts but they weren't having it, and said that this happens all the time with on-line retailers and that I should go back to them and get my money back. Which I did.