Le Creuset - Grrr!

liz545

Two years ago I bought an expensive Le Creuset stoneware lasagne dish, when I came to use it yesterday I realised it had a deep crack in it. I sent an email to customer services explaining how disappointed it was since I'd always been very careful with it as it was an expensive item, and I'd chosen it because of their reputation for quality and durability. They replied to say I should call their helpline - the upshot of which is that while they're prepared to examine it for a fault if I send it back to them (at my expense) that's about all they're prepared to do. Frankly, I don't think this is good enough - for £25 I'd expect more than two years' use! I was really hoping they'd offer a repair or exchange, but they didn't even apologise or seem vaguely bothered! Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can resolve this? I bought it through John Lewis - is it worth contacting them? The Le Creuset cookware that my parents own is still going strong, but I can only assume that now they're more concerned about producing expensive products that look good in magazines than the quality of the product! :mad:

Alexandria

Did you register it at purchase? I know when I got my pieces I got a registration card which gives you I think a 10 year guarentee IIRC. If you sent that in then they should be able to repair/replace. It is probably standard for them to want to inspect first though, have they said what will happen if they do discover a fault?

liz545

No, it's the stoneware range which doesn't have a guarantee. She didn't say what would happen if they discovered a fault; I got the feeling that she didn't expect that to happen as she didn't even bother giving me the return address, just told me to look it up on their website. I'm not sure it's worth me returning a heavy dish to them (when it could get even more damaged in the post) only to be told they're not going to do anything.

Butlers1982

the upshot of which is that while they're prepared to examine it for a fault if I send it back to them

But surely you understand that they wouldnt just accept your word for it? I mean if you have dropped the item then its your fault and they dont have to replace it for you.
The fact that they are willing to look at it for you is good enough in my opinion, the crack could have been caused several ways and thats what they need to acsertain.
They wouldnt just replace an item without inspecting it.

liz545

Butlers1982 - I see your point, but I got the feeling from the tone of the woman on the "helpline" that an inspection probably wouldn't yield anything, as if it had been a design fault it would have shown up in the first couple of uses. But to develop a crack after only a few years, given that they state on their website that the stoneware has "glazes so tough they wouldn’t crack, craze or scratch – even under the sharpest knife", seems to me to be poor value. After all, there surely can't be many people who'd try and get a replacement for a pot they dropped, surely they could manage an apology and a goodwill gesture? I'm tempted to write to them explaining why I think their customer service sucks.

Butlers1982

Ok but what if the item had been dropped? they arent to know exactly what happened, and they unfortunately cannot just take you word for it.
If your happy to send the product back and they dont replace it, maybe put a covering note in saying that you will get it independantly inspected if they dont replace it, and make them foot the charges.

surely can't be many people who'd try and get a replacement for a pot they dropped,

Believe you me i have worked in the retail industry and that really isnt a rarety for people to say "it just broke" or "it fell off in my hand" when its clearly been dropped.

How about take a picture of it first and send it? and with a covering letter explain your concern at sending it through the post(not wanting to damage it further) and see what they come back with?