URGENT help requested - faulty purchase

wealdroam

OP, it is time for you to read MSE's Consumer Rights guide.

In there you will see:

Know who's responsible

When returning items, beware shops trying the oldest trick in the book: saying they're not responsible for the shoddy goods and you must call the manufacturer. This is total nonsense!

If a company fobs you off by saying “go to the maker instead”, it's wrong. It's the retailer's job to sort it.

It doesn't matter if it's an iPod from a high street shop or a designer frock from a department store. If something's broken, torn, ripped or faulty, the seller has a legal duty to put it right as your contract is with it.

Lots of other good stuff in there too.

LadyDee

wealdroam wrote: »

OP, it is time for you to read MSE's Consumer Rights guide.

In there you will see:


Lots of other good stuff in there too.

You are of course absolutely correct in law, but in many instances a friendly call to the manufacturer with a "can you help me please" enquiry has resulted in my receiving a brand new electric mixer within 2 days (broken one picked up, replacement delivered at same time); slightly faulty easel replaced by higher spec one without even the necessity of returning the other; a replacement central heating controller, again without the necessity to return the old one just giving them the serial number.

All these problems resolved with no arguing, no quoting legislation, one phone call solved the problems. Always worth trying this route first I find.

wealdroam

LadyDee wrote: »

You are of course absolutely correct in law, but in many instances a friendly call to the manufacturer with a "can you help me please" enquiry has resulted in my receiving a brand new electric mixer within 2 days (broken one picked up, replacement delivered at same time); slightly faulty easel replaced by higher spec one without even the necessity of returning the other; a replacement central heating controller, again without the necessity to return the old one just giving them the serial number.

All these problems resolved with no arguing, no quoting legislation, one phone call solved the problems. Always worth trying this route first I find.

All I've done is suggest the OP reads an MSE document.

ThumbRemote

Personally I would always deal with the retailer. There are numerous things that can go wrong if you deal with the manufacturer, and you end up with no legal protection.


For example if the manufacturer replaces it with another unit, the retailer can then refuse to deal with you any more (as it's not the unit they sold) - so you've lost all your rights under the Consumer Rights Act. Or if the manufacturer accepts it but doesn't return it you have limited rights against them.

The law is there for a reason. Stick to it.

s_b

ThumbRemote wrote: »

Personally I would always deal with the retailer. There are numerous things that can go wrong if you deal with the manufacturer, and you end up with no legal protection.


For example if the manufacturer replaces it with another unit, the retailer can then refuse to deal with you any more (as it's not the unit they sold) - so you've lost all your rights under the Consumer Rights Act. Or if the manufacturer accepts it but doesn't return it you have limited rights against them.

The law is there for a reason. Stick to it.

the retailer will just send it off to the manufacturer
remember the retailer is a retailer so it wont be his first concern
his till is his first concern
ive looked at the retailer and they are basically an end of line retailer like richersounds,the place i like for a bargain
they buy end of line make a dollar and move on
they cant replace like for like so tell customer to speak to manufacturer
this is normal in this business and is not designed to limit customers rights but to actually speed up the repair/replace process
if you want full im sorry i will fall on my knife customer services maybe go to a larger retailer with larger overheads with larger price tags

ThumbRemote

s_b wrote: »

the retailer will just send it off to the manufacturer
remember the retailer is a retailer so it wont be his first concern
his till is his first concern
ive looked at the retailer and they are basically an end of line retailer like richersounds,the place i like for a bargain
they buy end of line make a dollar and move on
they cant replace like for like so tell customer to speak to manufacturer
this is normal in this business and is not designed to limit customers rights but to actually speed up the repair/replace process
if you want full im sorry i will fall on my knife customer services maybe go to a larger retailer with larger overheads with larger price tags

"the retailer will just send it off to the manufacturer" - that's fine. That's what the process is meant to be. And if it gets damaged further while in the retailers care, the OP has legal recourse against the retailer to get their money back.

"this is normal in this business and is not designed to limit customers rights but to actually speed up the repair/replace process" - but one effect of this is that is can limit customers rights. So great for the retailer, not that great for the customer.

"if you want full im sorry i will fall on my knife customer services maybe go to a larger retailer with larger overheads with larger price tags" = nobody is asking for this, stop making things up

LadyDee

Just to add another example of some things can often be easily resolved by going direct to the manufacturer.

I purchased a vax steam mop from Amazon, received it today. I found the handle impossible to remove (for storage) due to the release button being too stiff.

I know I could have returned this to Amazon but couldn't face trying to fit all the bits back in the packaging so I phoned Vax, explained the problem. They have ordered me another handle which is on its way, and I am asked to dispose of the faulty one.

No drama, no counter-banging, no 'rights' to be demanded. Just fantastic customer service and an immediate solution.

Just saying :-)

lovinituk

Some manufacturers ask you go direct to them in the event of a problem and NOT to contact the retailer. The most recent one I have seen is Turtlebeach headphones - they include a large notice saying not to contact the retailer but to refer to them for help.