Direct Vacuums - Supplied Used Item when advertising as 'Brand New'

weby72

I bought a vacuum from Direct Vacuums via their website (www.directvacuums.co.uk). 

It was advertised as 'Brand new item that may have suffered from slight packaging damage'

The item arrived in just a plain cardboard box with no original packaging. There was no instruction booklet and all but one of the tool attachments were missing. The vacuum had extensive scuffing/gouging on the plastic brush head housing, and a damaged/worn handle grip. The item is obviously used and not brand new. In addition, it's doesn't even work (doesn't switch on)

The product is not as advertised, is incomplete, and is not fit for purpose as it doesn't work.

I tried to call Direct Vacuums, but they're still hiding behind the Covid excuse and have closed all their phone lines, telling you to contact them via their customer support email address. I detailed my complaint - accompanied by pictures - and requested a full refund. After almost a week (and after me chasing them), they apologised but only offered a partial refund or exchange (an exchange is no good as we needed a vacuum, so went and bought one from Argos). I replied to reject this and repeat my request for a full refund.

They didn't respond. Because I paid via PayPal, I opened a case with them. I repeated all that I'd said to Direct Vacuums and provided copies of all correspondence.

Direct vacuums responded almost a week later to ask me to raise this with them via their customer support email. I replied that I'd already done this previously and got no success, so wanted this resolved through PayPal.

After another week they responded to ask me to raise this with them via their customer support email.

I've now escalated this to PayPal.


My question here is that, whilst I'm pretty confident of being legally entitled to a full refund, I'm just after confirmation from you good and knowledgeable people that this is the case (and if anyone can suggest anything I could additionally do to get a successful outcome here)

I'll also add that there are now many reviews on different review sites that mentioning that they've been sent used/faulty/not working items that were advertised as brand new, and also that Direct Vacuums are horrendous to get refunds out of (someone says they are having to resort to the Small Claims Court)

Sandtree

The problem for now is that you still have the goods. 

You can raise a PayPal dispute as the goods arent as advertised and so as you say you can reject them; presumably you did say thats what you were doing in the email to them as there are time limits. PayPal however will want evidence that you have returned the goods before returning the funds to you.

weby72

For an update:

I provided evidence to PayPal (photos, the email chain to Direct Vacuums) and they gave me a full refund as Direct Vacuums didn't respond to them.

I contacted Direct Vacuums to advise them they had 14 days to collect the item, or I would dispose of it. They didn't respond.

I took the vacuum to a vacuum repari place. It's an older chap who has it, and it's a real old-fashioned place. When our Shark broke (hair got into the motor mechanism inside the housing), he took a look, explained it wasn't really possible to fix it fully, but did at least make the bar spin again. He wouldn't take any payment for it. That only lasted a few weeks, hence buying the Vax. I gave him the vacuum as a good turn in return for him doing us a good turn. He told me he'd fix it up and get it to someone 'without much' who was looking for a cheap hoover. I felt good about it 

Aylesbury_Duck

weby72 said:

For an update:

I provided evidence to PayPal (photos, the email chain to Direct Vacuums) and they gave me a full refund as Direct Vacuums didn't respond to them.

I contacted Direct Vacuums to advise them they had 14 days to collect the item, or I would dispose of it. They didn't respond.

I took the vacuum to a vacuum repari place. It's an older chap who has it, and it's a real old-fashioned place. When our Shark broke (hair got into the motor mechanism inside the housing), he took a look, explained it wasn't really possible to fix it fully, but did at least make the bar spin again. He wouldn't take any payment for it. That only lasted a few weeks, hence buying the Vax. I gave him the vacuum as a good turn in return for him doing us a good turn. He told me he'd fix it up and get it to someone 'without much' who was looking for a cheap hoover. I felt good about it 

Excellent outcome.  Much better than it just gathering dust.  Or not.