Business vs personal sales question

ChumpusRex

I, against my better judgement, recently bought a laptop from a large electronics/electrical retailer.

I wouldn't normally have done this, but the manufacturer had a special cashback deal only on this and a few other retailers, making the purchase price the lowest available (after cashback), and I also needed it urgently and as I wouldn't be home, couldn't order it for delivery.

I had initially attempted to buy from my local store. Had been told it was in stock, but it wasn't. So, I was directed to the store in the next town, and pre-ordered it for collection. It also wasn't in stock when I went to collect it. The sales rep agreed to order it in, and was very keen to offer a business deal and various business contracts, but I made it very clear that I was buying this personally, and suggested we leave the business sales office, for the general tills. He confirmed the order, and I paid by credit card. I got a reference number to come back and collect the laptop the next day.

Anyway, the laptop did not arrive in store until 3 days later. Moreover, no one in the store was expecting it or knew what had happened to it - my reference number was "meaningless". I only got the laptop when I went back to the store in person and made a huge fuss - they found it in their "post room" in the misdelivered items pile.

Then having found the laptop, they couldn't find any paperwork for it. Finally, head office were able to find the invoice. It had been written up as a business transaction, from the business division of the retailer to "Fred Bloggs trading as Fred Bloggs" at premises address "Unit A1, XXX retail park". There was then a big problem, in that they couldn't find any proof of payment. I never got a credit card receipt when I paid, but the transaction had gone through on the card, as I could see it on the online statement.

Am I likely to run into any issues with rights given that:
1) this transaction was incorrectly written as a business transaction?
2) I don't have a credit card receipt for the transaction, as the retailer were unable to provide one

Short version:
Try to buy laptop from retailer
Not in stock despite reserving it and having stock confirmed online and by phone.
Ask for laptop to be ordered in to store
The store do this by making a business order creating a fictional business for me, and having it delivered to "my" premises at their store address.

tykesi

Bit pointless putting the 'short version' at the bottom of the long one, eh?

vuvuzela

tykesi wrote: »

Bit pointless putting the 'short version' at the bottom of the long one, eh?

Online, short versions tend to be at the bottom of long posts. Maybe you could wind your neck in a bit if you've not got anything constructive to say ?

As for the OP, yes you can be setting yourself up for issues here. You don't have anywhere near the same rights as a business purchaser as a consumer would have. I would certainly try and get the transaction voided and buy as a consumer, then put a formal complaint in to the head office about the way the samesman tried to decieve you.

Jakg

If this is the retailer I think it is...

The retailers terms and conditions of sale (warranty etc) are different for products bought through the business department - but they cannot override statutory rights. These wouldn't apply in a business to business sale, but irrespective of how the transaction was processed you aren't a business so you do have consumer rights.

The store have (if it's who I think it is) done this for one of two reasons - one, it's not available in store or even to order (i.e. it's not listed on their website), as their business "arm" have different stocks - or two, to try to hit business targets - which is not on.

They can fix this by (if it's case 2!) refunding the product so it comes back into the store and then selling it "properly" - but they may not be willing to do this. It's highly likely that if they were found out the store would get a bollocking from an area manager etc for attempting to fudge their way around the targets.

I was "encouraged" to push customers in the same way several times but always refused.