Not fit for purpose

leitmotif

A few days ago, I purchased some screen protectors for a new mobile phone online. The product description on Amazon says:

Due to the curved edges of this phone screen, to ensure correct adhesion, the overall length and width of this screen protector is made to be smaller than the full size of the screen and covers the perfectly flat portion of the screen only.

One might therefore expect a 1 mm gap or so around the edges. However, it turns out it's closer to 5 mm on each side! This is totally unfit for purpose.


I initiated a returns process, selecting the reason 'Incompatible or not useful for intended purpose'. It turns out that this results in the consumer having to pay for return postage (as opposed to Amazon paying the postage if the product is faulty). Surely if something is unfit for purpose then it's a consumer rights issue? I'm not cancelling simply because I've changed my mind. The description on Amazon doesn't go anywhere near far enough to adequately describe the extent of the gaps at the edges of the screen protectors. Do I have some protection under consumer rights legislation?

NCC-1707

Did you read the reviews before buying?

Carrot007

You chose the wrong option, you selected the "change of mind reason".

They could make it clearer though, try contacting amazon and explain and see if they will change the reason for you.

Fosterdog

It’s not really misdescribed, it clearly states that it covers the flat portion of the screen only, this is perfectly standard for all Mobile with curved screens if you buy the tempered glass screen protectors, you need the flimsy plastic sheets if you want full screen coverage.

I’ve been using these screen protectors for several years now, on a few different phones with curved screens and they have always done the job perfectly. The screens have always been protected.

This is more a case of you not understanding how they work/what you are buying rather than the item not being fit for purpose or misdescribed in any way.

leitmotif

So how come there are screen protectors for that phone that do cover the full screen and have excellent reviews? I did read the full description. I just disagree with its accuracy. Assuming that the description (quoted above) means it doesn't quite touch the edges is a reasonable interpretation. Otherwise where do we draw the line? What if it only covered half of the screen's total area? Would it still be defensible on the grounds that the description says it doesn't cover the full screen? I would argue that the fact of it not covering a total of 1 cm of the overall width and a total of 1 cm of the overall height crosses that line.

Fosterdog

leitmotif wrote: »

So how come there are screen protectors for that phone that do cover the full screen and have excellent reviews? I did read the full description. I just disagree with its accuracy. Assuming that the description (quoted above) means it doesn't quite touch the edges is a reasonable interpretation. Otherwise where do we draw the line? What if it only covered half of the screen's total area? Would it still be defensible on the grounds that the description says it doesn't cover the full screen? I would argue that the fact of it not covering a total of 1 cm of the overall width and a total of 1 cm of the overall height crosses that line.

I’ve already explained how some screen protectors cover the full screen, they are the flimsy plastic type, basically just slightly thick cello tape type stuff which is flexible. The rigid ones obviously are not flexible and they only cover the flat part. The around 5mm either side is standard, it’s exactly what it is like on my current phone.

You made an assumption that it just doesn’t quite touch the edges, it specifically states that it only touches the flat part of the screen, most phones, due to the curvature will have at least a 5mm gap outside the flat part, therefor it does exactly what it describes and what is completely standard in the mobile phone and screen protector industries.

Of course if it only covered half the screen but advertised itself as covering the whole thing you would be right, however if it stated that it is a half screen protector and you assumed it would cover three quarters then again it would be you in the wrong.