Argos - Wrong order sent, nightmare

Taxlala

Hi.

I fancied a gas BBQ. As it's coming towards the end of summer, I checked the Clearance deals on the Argos website, and low and behold, a 'Deluxe' 6-burner BBQ was on sale.

I bought it paying just under £200. The confirmation email lists the correct item, clicking on the link in that confirmation email brings up the correct item on the website which matches the item I wanted and paid for.

The problem is they sent me the model down! It's essentially the same 'base' BBQ but with none of the extras of the Deluxe version, so no electric start, no weather cover, no chef's bottle opener, no cabinet doors and so on. As it still looks similar at a glance to the one I ordered, I didn't realise until I'd assembled it.

They admitted it's their mistake. They said it would be an estimated 19 days before they could deliver me the BBQ I actually ordered (summer's over by then, and she said the 19 days isn't guaranteed either, so I declined that). I asked if they wanted to make me an offer of a partial refund so that I kept the BBQ and was compensated for the missing features, and the maximum they would offer was £20, which is just enough to pay for the cover that it should have come with, so that leaves me with nothing to compensate me for the other missing features. I said that wasn't acceptable and to come and get it.

She told me I would have to dismantle it and pack it all up ready for the driver to collect. I told her I'd spent 2 hours assembling it all for nothing, and I won't waste another hour dismantling it, and besides, I tidied as I went so all the boxes once empty got ripped and folded and placed in pink sacks ready for recycling. I still have them but they're not fit to house anything. She said I should've kept them, I said you're right but you should've sent me the right BBQ in the first place. As a compromise due to the box situation I did offer to drop the assembled BBQ off at a local Argos store but she declined that offer, it has to be done through their delivery drivers apparently.

Based on the above, am I entitled to a refund without dismantling the BBQ and putting it all in boxes? If Argos refuse my refund am I entitled to claim via my bank? I feel I've been inconvenienced enough without having to try and tape all the original boxes back together, that will probably take me another hour on top of the dismantling time! I just want to buy another BBQ from a place that knows what they're doing and get cooking :mad:

pinkshoes

You are entitled to a refund once have unassembled it, as they have offered. (Many would say assembling it would be acceptance...)

They may have sent the wrong product, but you needed to check before assembling it. Surely it must have looked a little light on parts??

photome

They aren't refusing you a refund, it's just you have to send it back in same condition you received it.

I find it hard to believe you didn't realise parts were missing until after you had finished assembling.

Taxlala

You ought to believe it as that's exactly what happened, it's not like I ordered a BBQ and they sent me a horse, I ordered a 6-burner BBQ and they sent me a 6-burner BBQ, the only indication the electric start isn't present is the lack of a small black button on an otherwise identical panel, bottle opener is a tiny object easily forgotten about, yes the front cabinet is different but overall it doesn't look a million miles apart from what I was expecting so no alarm was raised.

Regardless it's now a case of "can't" put it back in the boxes as they are too far gone to use. The main box had to be ripped open anyway as the item is too heavy to physically lift out of it. Think lifting a washing machine out of the box that comes in without damaging the box, it's not going to happen.

I had to wait in a day for the wrong item to be sent, I have to wait in a day for the wrong item to be collected, I have to dismantle it, I have to repack it, why do I have to do everything when it's their mistake then? The item I ordered was out of stock with a 19 day wait, so they sent me a cheaper version thinking that would be fine and that's caused all the problems.

I don't see why I can't drag it to the local store and be done with it.

NotRichAtAll

I had to wait in a day for the wrong item to be sent

then wasted a further 2 hours assembling the said "wrong item"

http://www.simpsoncrazy.com/content/pictures/homer/homer-doh.png

Taxlala

They probably sent it hoping I wouldn't notice the difference.

cono1717

Taxlala wrote: »

I have to dismantle it, I have to repack it, why do I have to do everything when it's their mistake then?

Because you mistakenly assembled it. They have to reap the cost of coming out and collecting it so you have to reap the cost for your mistake

Taxlala wrote: »

The item I ordered was out of stock with a 19 day wait, so they sent me a cheaper version thinking that would be fine and that's caused all the problems.

If you made a mistake in viewing it and freely admit they look similar is it too far to assume that someone at Argos did the same thing? Either the box has to be too similar that it excuses you from making the mistake of assembling and excuses their mistake of the confusion.

Or the box has to be so different that Argos couldn't possibly get the confused in which case - neither could you.

Taxlala wrote: »

I don't see why I can't drag it to the local store and be done with it.

Because you can't. You have been told the process by the call center. If you don't want to disassemble it and arrange for Argos to collect it accept the refund.

Taxlala

cono1717 wrote: »

Or the box has to be so different that Argos couldn't possibly get the confused in which case - neither could you.

Twaddle, the box is a plain brown box with a barcode sent directly from a warehouse, not a store. Items are ID'd by scanners in every modern warehouse.

cono1717 wrote: »

If you don't want to disassemble it and arrange for Argos to collect it accept the refund.

The refund is a con job, the Deluxe version was £190 on a deal (normally much more), the standard version is £170 full RRP, I paid £190 and got the £170 BBQ, the £20 refund offer just gets me to the point where I've bought the standard BBQ at full retail price - no thank you.

I am going to test out my banks refund policy if they don't collect it on the 6th and I will let you know how that works out one way or the other.

Rainbowgirl84

Taxlala wrote: »

They probably sent it hoping I wouldn't notice the difference.

You didn't until you ripped the packaging apart and assembled it apparently.

photome

Taxlala wrote: »

Twaddle, the box is a plain brown box with a barcode sent directly from a warehouse, not a store. Items are ID'd by scanners in every modern warehouse.


The refund is a con job, the Deluxe version was £190 on a deal (normally much more), the standard version is £170 full RRP, I paid £190 and got the £170 BBQ, the £20 refund offer just gets me to the point where I've bought the standard BBQ at full retail price - no thank you.

I am going to test out my banks refund policy if they don't collect it on the 6th and I will let you know how that works out one way or the other.

why do you think your bank will refund you

[Deleted User]

Taxlala wrote: »

why do I have to do everything when it's their mistake then? The item I ordered was out of stock with a 19 day wait,

Even if you waited the " 19 days" for the correct model of barbecue, you'd still have to carefully package up the original in order to exchange it.

If I were you, I'd simply accept the £20 difference in value. It's the end of the season and you doubtless bought at a reduced price to begin with.

You've assembled the item and thrown away the packaging, do you really expect your local store to accept your "return"?

Taxlala wrote: »

I am going to test out my banks refund policy .

If you do, the refund will simply be reversed when Argos contest the Chargeback.

Have you actually used this barbecue?