Tapi Carpets selling products under a different name.

Aylesbury_Duck

If Westerham is a different product to Krono then I can’t see how they can charge a restocking fee. Are they different though, or just interchangeable names for the same product, like Marathon and Snickers?

EricWhite

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

If Westerham is a different product to Krono then I can’t see how they can charge a restocking fee. Are they different though, or just interchangeable names for the same product, like Marathon and Snickers?

The thing with Marathon / Snickers is that Mars made it quite clear publicly that they were rebranding and because of this I can make an informed decision about what I buy. If I see a Snickers advertised at 65p, but then I see a Marathon for 50p I can choose to buy the cheaper Marathon because I know it's exactly the same product. My problem with Tapi (and by the looks of it from what Lip_Stick has said about other flooring companies ) is that they can just rename a product, which reduces the transparency to me, the consumer, and reduces my ability to make an informed decision about what I purchase.

powerful_Rogue

You're getting to caught up with this different name.
The product is exactly the same. It's the product you saw, liked and purchased. You can either enjoy the flooring you purchased, or take it back, pay the restocking fee and purchase elsewhere.

EricWhite

powerful_Rogue wrote: »

You were happy with the flooring, you were happy with the price.

The company has done nothing wrong.

I was happy with the price of the Westerham flooring I believed I had purchased, but not with the Krono flooring I actually received 5 days later and found out I could have purchased for less than half the price. Would you be happy paying top price for an Audi only to receive a Skoda that you could have bought much cheaper elsewhere? After all they're made by the same manufacturer!

davidmcn

EricWhite wrote: »

The thing with Marathon / Snickers is that Mars made it quite clear publicly that they were rebranding and because of this I can make an informed decision about what I buy. If I see a Snickers advertised at 65p, but then I see a Marathon for 50p I can choose to buy the cheaper Marathon because I know it's exactly the same product.

Let's say there's a very similar (but even cheaper) product labelled "Asda Chewy Peanut Choco Bar". Do you think Asda or Mars have a legal duty to disclose that it's made on the same production line as Snickers? Because that sort of thing happens all the time with own-brand products, and you get other examples like electrical products made with subtly different model numbers depending on which retailer they're going to.

My problem with Tapi (and by the looks of it from what Lip_Stick has said about other flooring companies ) is that they can just rename a product, which reduces the transparency to me, the consumer, and reduces my ability to make an informed decision about what I purchase.

I can't see that you have any legal right to enforce the transparency you'd like.

eddddy

EricWhite wrote: »

The thing with Marathon / Snickers is that Mars made it quite clear publicly that they were rebranding and because of this I can make an informed decision about what I buy. If I see a Snickers advertised at 65p, but then I see a Marathon for 50p I can choose to buy the cheaper Marathon because I know it's exactly the same product. My problem with Tapi (and by the looks of it from what Lip_Stick has said about other flooring companies ) is that they can just rename a product, which reduces the transparency to me, the consumer, and reduces my ability to make an informed decision about what I purchase.

They've probably used a different name specifically to stop you Googling the name, and finding it cheaper elsewhere.

Retailers are very conscious of people coming into store, examining a product, asking lots of questions - then going home and ordering the same product from a cheap online competitor.

Using a different name for the product is one way of trying to stop this.

EricWhite

powerful_Rogue wrote: »

You're getting to caught up with this different name.
The product is exactly the same. It's the product you saw, liked and purchased. You can either enjoy the flooring you purchased, or take it back, pay the restocking fee and purchase elsewhere.

You're absolutely right I am getting caught up with the name, as the change of name has negated my ability to make an informed decision about the price I pay for a product.
I'd also like to point out that there is nothing about a 20% restocking fee in the terms and conditions I received with the order confirmation and I was only made aware of this when I phoned the store to complain. Does that sound right to you PR?

davidmcn

EricWhite wrote: »

I'd also like to point out that there is nothing about a 20% restocking fee in the terms and conditions I received with the order confirmation and I was only made aware of this when I phoned the store to complain.

What do the terms say about returns? You don't have a statutory right to return for a change of mind if it isn't a distance sale.

eddddy

EricWhite wrote: »

Does that sound right to you PR?

Do you mean from a legal perspective or from a customer service perspective?

From a legal perspective, as you purchased in-store, you probably have no right whatsoever to return the goods, and get any money back - unless they told you that you could, before you agreed to purchase them. So getting 80% of your money back is a bonus.


Obviously, from a customer service perspective - it's not great. You'll probably never buy from them again, and you'll probably tell all your friends not to buy from them.

EricWhite

eddddy wrote: »

They've probably used a different name specifically to stop you Googling the name, and finding it cheaper elsewhere.

Retailers are very conscious of people coming into store, examining a product, asking lots of questions - then going home and ordering the same product from a cheap online competitor.

Using a different name for the product is one way of trying to stop this.

I don't doubt that, but as a consumer I don't understand how this is fair practice, which is why I was asking if anyone could enlighten me as to the legality of it.