eBay item broken after 2 weeks

milliemonster

Bought a brand new vacuum cleaner from a business seller on ebay on 21st November, item was delivered a couple of days later and working fine, until last weekend when the brushes stopped rotating. Belt is intact and has not slipped but the brushes have literally wedged themselves and will not move.

So I contacted the seller on Sunday explaining the problem via email (seller offers a 1 year warranty and no quibble returns) and awaited their response. I didn't expect a reply sunday but I received an email back asking if it was the belt that had broken, I responded it wasnt and then heard nothing back.

Monday afternoon I called their customer services. They told me that they would send me a new part, that would normally be chargeable but as I'd only had the Hoover a couple of weeks there would be no charge. I accepted that. However later that afternoon the original person who had responded to my first email replied to my second email to say they would send a replacement on Wednesday and collect the broken one. I emailed back to say that they were sending me a replacement part so I was happy to try that first and if that didn't work then we could look at exchange.

Anyway, I haven't received anything yet, not even an email to say anything is being sent to me. In the meantime it's now a week before Xmas, and I have no working Hoover.

How long is reasonable to wait for a replacement part in these circumstances? Or do you think I should now be requesting replacement or even refund?

theonlywayisup

If they let you know they were sending a part on Monday, it could be it didn't leave until Tuesday. Today is Thursday and post is slow at best.

It's hard to tell from your post if the offer of an exchange of vacuum was made on Wednesday or sent on Wednesday. Either way, it is still very early in timescale to have received one or other offer.

milliemonster

Sorry for not being clear, the offer of exchange was made on Monday and they could arrange this for Wednesday, but as I'd already been told they were sending me a new part, I said I would wait for this first to see if it fixed th problem. I would just have thought they would have emailed to say the part had been sent but I've heard nothing since.

19lottie82

Mail is delayed now due to the festive period. If it's been sent by Royal Mail is expect t to take about a week.

theonlywayisup

milliemonster wrote: »

Sorry for not being clear, the offer of exchange was made on Monday and they could arrange this for Wednesday, but as I'd already been told they were sending me a new part, I said I would wait for this first to see if it fixed th problem. I would just have thought they would have emailed to say the part had been sent but I've heard nothing since.

As frustrating as it may seem, I wouldn't worry just yet. You've had two offers, a part and an exchange, so clearly they want to resolve.

Give a little time.

Pierre_De_Grenoble

Myself I'm a cynic.. business seller facing an expensive return/replace. gives total waffle about sending a new part which is normally chargeable (NOT).


FWIW, I feel you should have accepted the replacement offer as is your right.


Myself I'd be on the phone asking them just what is occurring and if you are not getting a satisfactory answer considering ebay SNID or paypal 180 day refund


It has to be said though, that if you have attempted a repair (well intentioned or not) you may have broken the terms of your guarantee.

milliemonster

Yes this is my worry, that we replace the part ourselves, it still doesn't work and then they refuse to accept a return claiming we must have damaged it.

I think what gave me alarm bells was when they said it would normally be chargeable, when we've only had a brand new Hoover for 2 weeks that develops a fault, I wouldn't expect to pay for a repair, beginning to wish I'd just paid £20 extra and bought it from argos now.

I also don't want to be stung with return costs, anyone know if we end up forking out for returning it ourselves, who we should use and how much it will cost?