who should I go to?

007Mole

I bought a child's easel on the internet in Nov 2012 for a Christmas presents. Since Christmas, it has hardly been used, but has now developed a couple of defects that make it dangerous and liable to collapse, but also irreparable.

The easel is made by a company in the Netherlands, but was bought from a company in the UK. When I phoned the retailer today, they said that they had been taken over in April and therefore had no responsibility for the item, and that I should go to the manufacturer (which would be a real nuisance given they are in Holland!). This despite their website stating that:

'We’ve been successfully trading online since 2006 and are now one of the UK's fastest growing specialist retailers, with more than 40,000 customers who have bought from us!'

Who has the responsibility to deal with my complaint?

Grateful for any advice!

wealdroam

Whoever sold the thing to you has responsibility for the quality of goods purchased.

If the company that sold it no longer exists, then you'll obviously have a bit of a problem seeking a remedy from them.

With that in mind, you only option appears to be to see if the manufacturer can help you, but if there is no guarantee/warranty then they have no obligation to do so.

007Mole

ah, that's where I am confused! The company does still exist, just under new ownership! In taking over the company, so they take over the responsibility for previous sales?

wealdroam

007Mole wrote: »

In taking over the company, so they take over the responsibility for previous sales?

Not necessarily.

It is possible that the company that sold the item to you now no longer exists, and any responsibility to you vanished with them.

You say the company still exists, but are you just saying that a company with a very similar name trading from the same premises exists?

It could be an entirely different company with the same staff, same premises and same stock.

Without more detail it is not possible to say accurately what is going on here.

007Mole

well, I bough the easel from https://www.kidsplaystore.com, and https://www.kisdplaystore.com is what is still available on the website, and claiming 'We’ve been successfully trading online since 2006 and are now one of the UK's fastest growing specialist retailers, with more than 40,000 customers who have bought from us!', which to me implies it is exactly the same company, just different owners!

007Mole

007Mole wrote: »

ah, that's where I am confused! The company does still exist, just under new ownership! In taking over the company, so they take over the responsibility for previous sales?

sorry, that should have read 'do they take over the responsibility for previous sales?'

wealdroam

007Mole wrote: »

well, I bough the easel from https://www.kidsplaystore.com, and https://www.kisdplaystore.com is what is still available on the website, and claiming 'We’ve been successfully trading online since 2006 and are now one of the UK's fastest growing specialist retailers, with more than 40,000 customers who have bought from us!', which to me implies it is exactly the same company, just different owners!

Interesting stuff.

If there are so well established, you'd think they would know that they should have their address on their website.
I couldn't find one, can you?

They actually say on their website:

Kids Playstore is a family run business. We’ve been successfully trading online since 2006 and are now one of the UK's fastest growing specialist retailers.

They do not say that the family run business has been running kidsplaystore since 2006.

They also say:

Warranty
Every order placed at Kids Playstore will receive a FREE 1 year extended warranty! That means you will receive 2 years FREE warranty on any orders placed.

Also note that there is a kidsplaystore.co.uk which is different, but has the same phone number.

Puzzling.

Both the .com and .co.uk websites are registered to the same address in Doncaster.

Coopdivi

In fact there is an address on there but they've hidden it away in the FAQs. It is:

Value Comparison Ltd, Unit 4, The Mills Business Centre, Gringley on the Hill, Doncaster, DN10 4RA

The website was registered on 9th of March 2009.

http://whois.domaintools.com/kidsplaystore.com

007Mole

Mmm, the plot thickens! Do they have any responsibility to help me?

arcon5

Value Comparison Limited was also registered in 2008 so certainly isn't a new company.

Does it have a company name on your original invoice?

wealdroam

007Mole wrote: »

Mmm, the plot thickens! Do they have any responsibility to help me?

Only if Value Comparisons Ltd were running the kidsplaystore.com website when you made your purchase.

WaybackMachine shows that on 22June 2012 that address that Coopdivi pointed out looked like:

Q What's your Head Office address?

A Our Head Office address is:
Kids Playstore, Unit 4, The Mills Business Centre, Gringley on the Hill, Doncaster, DN10 4RA

It appears to show that sometime between last June and today Value Comparisons Ltd took over the running of kidsplaystore.com.

Not sure how that helps though.