I won free double glazing and a new door.

ryan85k

I work in the double glazing industry for a market leader. I advise you to go to the local sales office asap and ask for confirmation in writing.

There IS such thing as free products from home improvement companies as part of a promotional drive, 7-8k might sound a lot but that is 3-4k to them and a hell of a lot of money in extra sales if they are genuinly going to be in a magazine with a reputation and massive distribution such as Which.

I am currently doing a planning application for my company for a competition winner (10k conservatory). The only benefit to our company being the free publicity from being published in a gardening magazine. That 10k feature is much much cheaper and more credible than a four page advert, think how much weatherseal would have to pay for a television advert. Competitions and magazine features are the single most cost effective method of marketing.

There is every chance therefore that you could be a winner, and as long as you can get that in writing then you will be fine.

As I have said, there is a massive mark up on glazed products, so 1 in 12 contracts for free is more than profitable, they could do 1 in 4 and still break even. Such is the nature within an industry with a bad stigma attached to it, good publicity is gold dust and companies have to do these promotions to gain sales.

If you cannot get it in writing then there is the possibility of a lying sales person, but the industry really is not as bad as made out. We have a 95% customer satisfaction rate for example, but do people hear the good things? no.

Please please do not cancel unless you cannot get it in writing, because a little headed and signed letter is as good as a contract in the court of law.

Hope that helps.

shelovestobuystuff

Very odd the way he got hubby to sign just the bottom 2 sheets(It was a 5x duplicate order form).It means that hubbys signature is not actually on the main copies of the order at all.Anyway,I got through to someone at the main branch in England I think who said they will get my local sales office to call me back within the hour to confirm everything as they do not have the details of the order yet.
This wasn,t the prize with the cash alternative unfortunately,its just one of the promos where you have to let them take before and after photos to use in their advertising and have an advertising board in the front garden for a couple of months.
I was really pleased to have won this,but hubby has me all worked up and I am mega stressed out now.The weatherseal surveyor is coming today,its all moving a bit fast, and once the windows are being manufactured we can,t cancel if we do find out its not free after all.
Will keep you updated.

ryan85k

Although I will point out that there is no such thing as a salaried windows salesman, that just doesnt work. However, if somebody you didnt know asked you for details on your income then you wouldnt exactly feel obliged to tell them, that to a man is like asking a middle aged woman how old they are.

shelovestobuystuff

Thanks ryan85k.That is what I thought or hoped was the case but hubby is such a pessimist.I will get something in writing as quickly as possible.
Should I put off the survey until I have the written confirmation? because like I said in my last post,once the windows are in manufacture its impossible to cancel if it turns out we have misunderstood or been misled.
I have to say the salesman was really nice,not pushy at all and was not here for hours and hours either like you hear about all the time.Less than an hour and a half from arriving to leaving with our order.
We have had double glazing done before by other companies and had quotes from many more.This weatherseal guy was easily one of the nicest and most relaxed salesman we have met.
The best guy we have dealt with was Tom Callaghan(even remember his name)who used to work for Caledonian but has his own company now under his name.He was honest and straightforward,gave us expert advice and no patter.A fair price from the outset with none of this % off for this and that or deals to reduce the initial made up price.If we were buying again we would go to him but weatherseal are good too if a bit expensve for us.Free though!!!so we would be mugs not to check it out.

mpython

Not wanting to add to your panic, but have you a friend or neighbour who could be there with you when the salesman calls again - or if you have one, can you discreetly set up a video camera on a shelf to film the conversation - so as you can ask him time & again that you really have won the prize.

Tulip

hope this is a legit win

shelovestobuystuff

I managed to get through to the local sales manager,our salesmans boss.He was really nice too.Understood we were dubious,said they have a letter drafted already for this situation as most people think the same as us(that its too good to be true)to confirm in writing what we have been told.He will get one printed off and sent to us tomorrow.
No upfront payment either as they aparantly are able to defer the initial payment for as many months as needed until the cashback payment is received by us from ge capital,we then use that to pay them.
I have postponed the survey till next week so we will have the written script by then.
The manager was very laid back and open about their advertising promos and said that with our house being in a nice area etc it will generate far more in business for them than our windows cost them to make and install.
Sounding better and better.
I will let you know what the written confirmation is like next week.
If all goes well,and I am much more optimistic now that its genuine,we will get a gorgeous new georgian style front door,new bay windows for daughters room and enormous sliding patio doors with windows above in place of our old almost full wall picture window at the side of the house.All the brickwork and plumbing to move the radiator is included for free too!!!

harassedmumof4

Hope it all works out for you.

shelovestobuystuff

My hubby called up his mum and asked her what she thought of this free win.She said that Weatherseal have a really good reputation and she could hardly find a bad word about them on the internet either.Her first instincts are usually spot on.To be safe,she is going to take our order contract and the written confirmation letter to work with her.One of the lawyers there has offered to check it all out for us.Brilliant.

Far_Side

We had the misfortune to invite a Weatherseal Rep round last week for a quote for a new door and 2 windows either side of it nothing major you would have thought.
It took him nearly 2 hours to give us a quote and took him over 20 minutes to calculate the price!!
They have a set script/routine which is very confusing and also he had to phone his manager at least 2 times through the evening and we kept having to correct the information he was relaying to him which he cmpletely ignored. It remineded me of the old Watchdog tapes of the past and didn't realise they still sold double glazing that way.
Also the pre visit phonecall the staff will tell you porkies to make sure you keep the appointment.
They are very thick skinned as well as he must have heard me calling to my wife a couple of times "has he gone yet/he has another 10 minutes before I tell him to go forth"!!
Personally if you are looking for Double Glazing I wouldn't let them over your thresh hold as the like to think they are at the top end of the market, prices as well, whereas the actual impression you get is very much the other end.

Cheers
Far Side