Amazon Returns Policy :(

Lizbetty

Good afternoon everyone

We bought a Wahl hairdryer from Amazon in June last year. It worked ok, but within the past few days started to rattle. And then it started to smoke and cut out 10 seconds after switching it on. :eek: Bit worrying when I'm drying my daughters' hair.

My previous hairdryers have lasted far longer, I would have expected this one to last longer than just over a year.

Amazon are referring me back to the manufacturer rather than helping me out by providing a replacement/refund. A replacement would be fine, but I thought my contract was with the person who sold me the item? And also that the item had to be fit for purpose (ie last a reasonable amount of time)?

They did escalate my complaint and a more senior lady has emailed me telling me tough luck, and referring me back to the manufacturer again.

I'm surprised, I thought Amazon were a little more customer friendly than this.

Is there anything I can do? Or are they right that they can just shrug me off and pass the buck to the manufacturers?

All advice is very welcomed, thanks in advance.

Best wishes
Lucy

deanos

not sure it still applies

http://www.bitterwallet.com/amazon-know-your-rights/29102

wealdroam

Read these two articles:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/consumer-rights-refunds-exchange

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/how-to-complain

You will see that you do indeed need to complain to whoever sold the thing to you.
Was it Amazon themselves or a marketplace seller?

You will also notice that after this length of time you may well need to prove that the fault is inherent, i.e. the fault was present at the time of sale but not necessarily apparent at that time.

Do come back if you have further questions.

pinkshoes

Lucyeff wrote: »

Good afternoon everyone

We bought a Wahl hairdryer from Amazon in June last year. It worked ok, but within the past few days started to rattle. And then it started to smoke and cut out 10 seconds after switching it on. :eek: Bit worrying when I'm drying my daughters' hair.

My previous hairdryers have lasted far longer, I would have expected this one to last longer than just over a year.

Amazon are referring me back to the manufacturer rather than helping me out by providing a replacement/refund. A replacement would be fine, but I thought my contract was with the person who sold me the item? And also that the item had to be fit for purpose (ie last a reasonable amount of time)?

They did escalate my complaint and a more senior lady has emailed me telling me tough luck, and referring me back to the manufacturer again.

I'm surprised, I thought Amazon were a little more customer friendly than this.

Is there anything I can do? Or are they right that they can just shrug me off and pass the buck to the manufacturers?

All advice is very welcomed, thanks in advance.

Best wishes
Lucy

Amazon are sort of right. As it is over 6 months old, YOU will have to prove that the fault was inherent to get a refund/replacement/repair. You would need some sort of independent report to do this.

In reality, it would now be easier to go to the manufacturer to see what they say. A good manufacturer wouldn't be happy their product didn't last long, so will repair or replace. If they don't, then I guess you let people know and never buy that brand again!

deanos

Amazon are based in Luxembourg though so does soga apply ?

Lizbetty

Thanks for your advice and the really useful links.

I have emailed Amazon again in the hope that they might be willing to help, and again quoted the Sales of Goods Act to them as well as asking them to escalate my complaint.

I had read the Bitter Wallet link which states 'Even though Amazon may imply otherwise, you’ve got the right to demand a refund or repair if the goods you buy fail within two years, according to Guardian Money.' due to them being based in Luxembourg.

It seems like it will be a battle though..

I mentioned in my correspondence that I am a regular customer and have only had cause to return one item in all the years I've been with them and they were great. They've always excelled with their CS previously, this is a shocker really.

I assumed that they would great this time around as such as Argos and Sainsburys have been pretty good when I've had to return electrical items which have gone kaput within an unreasonable period.

Thanks again for your help, I'll keep you posted.

Disappointing so far but we'll see how it goes.

Best wishes
Lucy

tinkerbell28

The thing is what is unreasonable? How much did you pay, that is a pretty important point.

I had a kitchen aid which went band at 2 years. Amazon will not help out of 2 years....at all. I went to kitchen aid who did, repaired for free, too right the amount their products are!

Lizbetty

I paid around £20 in June 2012, so it's *just* out of warranty I would hope that people would expect a hairdryer to last more than 14 months, even in today's throwaway society.

It's shocking that they would not help with your Kitchenaid! It really does make me wary of using Amazon in future to be honest. We had a dishwasher which stopped working via Co-Op Electrical a while ago out of warranty and they were absolutely great with us, and arranged a repair straight away. Same with a dehumidifier I had from Argos which was a few years old (we got a refund!), and a Vax from Homebase (replaced). All returned with no quibble or worry at all.

Good news that Kitchenaid did help you, it's great that they are switched on. What a shame that you had the period of worry when Amazon put the shutters up though.

tinkerbell28

Well tbh, for £400 and 2 years, I'd have got an independent report and gone the soga route if I could..... they were flat out against helping.

Kitchenaid value their customers as these things are not cheap and said they would repair as a warranty repair, they did.

The thing is....£20 I know you'd expect it to last longer....but £20 for a hairdryer is relatively cheap, after a fair amount of use over a year. Personally I'd just replace it and think I got fair use.

This is your problem now. You'd have to get an independent report, more than the item probably, then go the small claims route. I don't know how far you'd get really. There is a big risk that for £20 the judge could decide you've had a reasonable amount of use for your money.....

I'd contact wahl first.

tinkerbell28

Amazon are fantastic in 1 year warranty period...it is out of it. We had a TV, which cost £1700....we nearly looked at Comet and Amazon, but went to JL, thank god! Who repaired it, nearly £700 all in, no questions asked.

My kitchenaid really annoyed me, I would not buy high ticket items again from them. £200 a year usage when they should last around 10 if serviced didn't sit well with me.

Luckily kitchenaid sorted it, but I would've gone small claims if necessary. After a year, they are diabolical.

neilmcl

OP, I'd say this is case of picking your battles. Of course try again with Amazon, and contact the manufacturer to see what they say, even though they have no obligation to you, but for a £20 hairdryer....I wouldn't waste too much time on it.