Decathlon sent me a faulty Bicycle and refuse to send a replacement.

eskbanker

cheapskate1983 said:
Solicitor fees for small claims court is most likely going to be more than the value of the bike,

The basis of the small claims process is that it shouldn't need legal assistance, although if you do choose to go down that route you might be well advised to seek guidance on here prior to submitting anything!

cheapskate1983 said:

Decathlon are pretty much ignoring all correspondence Ive sent them in the last 2 days.

If you're bombarding a company with multiple messages, especially given the tone used earlier, then you might be better to expect responses in weeks rather than days....

cheapskate1983 said:

If this is a taste of things to come I think most retail chains are going to go bust very fast.

I don't think it's realistic to assume that your experience is particularly representative.

RefluentBeans

Oh wow - you still haven’t said if that message was your first message or why they rejected the refund. 

From what I can tell - you bought a bike (ordered from the store, and then delivered to you at home?) and asked for it to be pre-assembled. The bike was pre assembled but wheel buckled. The bike had limited packaging which you believe to have caused the damage. 

You then were unsuccessful at attempting to contacting them (you tried ringing a store but didn’t get a call back), eventually liaising through WhatsApp, before finding the returns and refunds section. 

From your perspective - what happened next? I assume they sent a returns label to you, and then said that the bikes faults were from wear and tear and that doesn’t fall in the scope of their returns policy? 

Was that letter you posted the response to this decline? If so - I can see why they’re dragging their heals. I’m guessing that front line support staff refuse to deal with abusive messages, being called scammers, and the such. I’m guessing that you’re now being dealt with by a more senior customer advisor, who probably has a number of other cases open currently too. 

I think your best bet is to apologise for your outburst and ask to set the slate clean and proceed from there. It may be too late. 

FWIW - going in like this is the nuclear option, and shouldn’t be your first option. I have worked customer service jobs prior, and I promise you that behaving in this manner doesn’t get the results you want in a timely manner. You may get a refund, because they don’t want to go court (as a company), but there’s a difference going in to a situation informed of your rights and not letting retailers ‘pull the wool over your eyes’ and going in screaming. Most retailers, like most consumers, are genuine and act in good faith, but sometimes communication between customers and the company are not clear, but often is just a mistake and if you clarify the position often things get resolved. Almost all the times if you tell the company what your resolution is, and why it’s what you feel you want, then they can work with you (and even bend their own rules) to try and get a resolution both parties are happy with. Going in nuclear puts everyone’s back up, and puts the brakes on flexing the rules to work for you. 

To me, this still seems like they were unsure why the bike was returned (was it a CRA return, a cancellation of contract return, a bike that was faulty). Maybe attempt to go back - apologise, and state the reasons you believe that your return is valid. Also be clear to what you want - a refund or replacement or repair. Because you initially seemed to want a replacement but now a refund. If they refuse to engage because of the prior communications then I’m afraid you’ll have to take the further action. RetailADR don’t have Decathlon as a brand that they work with so they may not involve themselves in your ADR, so it may be small claims court. But I think you’re a distance from the LBA stage yet…

BikingBud

cheapskate1983 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

Something does seem amiss here.

I found Decathlon support to be very good. I ordered a treadmill which arrived last Wednesday. Built it on the Thursday and noticed they had sent a two pin plug. Emailed them a picture and on Monday a new cable with a 3 pin plugh arrived via Royal Mail.

If you watch the repackaging video for bikes you will see that there is a cardboard rail that keeps the bike aligned in transit. The bikes I received didn't have that. They where put in their boxes upside down and where free to move about.

So that may explain why 1 bike came with a buckle and the medium frame didnt. I guess it was just luck.

I know everyone has their consumer loyalty to their favourite brands.

I just wanted a bike that works. At this point I'll accept 50% of the value of the Bike. I just want to be clear of Decathlon. Whats worse is on every Bike ride I am going to have to stare at that medium frame and remember all this triggering story.

Sorry if I offend you but look at it from my side. I cant just forget negative experiences so easily. It ripples in my memories.
Autism etc.

So how many bikes are involved? You appear to be introducing another now.

when were they both delivered? what state were they in? what problems were evident?  
 
If there are 2 bikes then there are 2 timelines and potentially 2 discrete problem sets.

The symptoms you stated appear to be the wheel is not in the drop outs squarely but that should be spotted and rectified easily. All said, if you are able to maintain bikes, you intimate that you are but didn't stay you are competent, then just repair them and move on. 

If you cannot communicate your complaint on here effectively and have tendency for outbursts your path to resolution will be very difficult.

tightauldgit

Nope. Still completely lost. 

Feel like I've missed episode 1 of a series and trying to piece together who the guy with the bike is and why he's threatening to libel someone on the internet. 

Can you talk us slowly through the basics?

Did you buy it in the shop?
Did you take it from the shop or get it delivered?
How did you return it? 
What did retailer say when you returned it?
What are they saying to you now? What resolution is proposed?
At what point in the process did you lose the rag?

sheramber

The problem I have is if I use a charge back Decathlon will come after me for the debt of the 2nd bike, medium frame.

Where does a second bike come into the timeline?

Okell

RefluentBeans said:

... To me, this still seems like they were unsure why the bike was returned (was it a CRA return, a cancellation of contract return, a bike that was faulty). Maybe attempt to go back - apologise, and state the reasons you believe that your return is valid...

Good luck with that!  I've asked the OP twice now to tell us exactly what he said to Decathlon originally when he returned the bike and to tell us exactly what he told them was the reason for the return.  But he doesn't seem to want to say.

I think he's suggested a couple of times that Decathlon have refused to accept the return and have refused to refund him because it's "against their policy" to accept returns on goods that have been used.  So I'm wondering if he didn't make it clear that he was returning it under the CRA because when it was delivered to him it was faulty and/or damaged, and that Decathlon probably think he's just trying to return it under their own returns policy.

I agree with you though that the best bet is probably to make a sincere apology and try to start all over again, making it clear in a calm and respectful way that when the bike was delivered it didn't appear to have been packaged properly, appeared to have already been used, and one of the wheels was buckled.

Like other posters, however, I'm mystified at the sudden appearance of a second bike...

If the OP can't make it clear in this thread what happened I'm not surprised he can't persuade Decathlon to listen to him

cheapskate1983

RefluentBeans said:

Oh wow - you still haven’t said if that message was your first message or why they rejected the refund. 

From what I can tell - you bought a bike (ordered from the store, and then delivered to you at home?) and asked for it to be pre-assembled. The bike was pre assembled but wheel buckled. The bike had limited packaging which you believe to have caused the damage. 

You then were unsuccessful at attempting to contacting them (you tried ringing a store but didn’t get a call back), eventually liaising through WhatsApp, before finding the returns and refunds section. 

From your perspective - what happened next? I assume they sent a returns label to you, and then said that the bikes faults were from wear and tear and that doesn’t fall in the scope of their returns policy? 

Was that letter you posted the response to this decline? If so - I can see why they’re dragging their heals. I’m guessing that front line support staff refuse to deal with abusive messages, being called scammers, and the such. I’m guessing that you’re now being dealt with by a more senior customer advisor, who probably has a number of other cases open currently too. 

I think your best bet is to apologise for your outburst and ask to set the slate clean and proceed from there. It may be too late. 

FWIW - going in like this is the nuclear option, and shouldn’t be your first option. I have worked customer service jobs prior, and I promise you that behaving in this manner doesn’t get the results you want in a timely manner. You may get a refund, because they don’t want to go court (as a company), but there’s a difference going in to a situation informed of your rights and not letting retailers ‘pull the wool over your eyes’ and going in screaming. Most retailers, like most consumers, are genuine and act in good faith, but sometimes communication between customers and the company are not clear, but often is just a mistake and if you clarify the position often things get resolved. Almost all the times if you tell the company what your resolution is, and why it’s what you feel you want, then they can work with you (and even bend their own rules) to try and get a resolution both parties are happy with. Going in nuclear puts everyone’s back up, and puts the brakes on flexing the rules to work for you. 

To me, this still seems like they were unsure why the bike was returned (was it a CRA return, a cancellation of contract return, a bike that was faulty). Maybe attempt to go back - apologise, and state the reasons you believe that your return is valid. Also be clear to what you want - a refund or replacement or repair. Because you initially seemed to want a replacement but now a refund. If they refuse to engage because of the prior communications then I’m afraid you’ll have to take the further action. RetailADR don’t have Decathlon as a brand that they work with so they may not involve themselves in your ADR, so it may be small claims court. But I think you’re a distance from the LBA stage yet…

"From what I can tell - you bought a bike (ordered from the store, and then delivered to you at home?) "

Yes

"and asked for it to be pre-assembled."

Thats Decathlons native store policy so Yes,

"The bike was pre assembled but wheel buckled. The bike had limited packaging which you believe to have caused the damage."

Yes

"From your perspective - what happened next? I assume they sent a returns label to you, and then said that the bikes faults were from wear and tear and that doesn’t fall in the scope of their returns policy?"

I didn't receive any returns label. They arranged for their courier partner to pick up the Bike. And then they said the bike is returned as used (instead of as new) so they cant offer any replacement, return or repair and that I would have to pay to receive the faulty bike back.

Was that letter you posted the response to this decline?

Yes

cheapskate1983

BikingBud said:

cheapskate1983 said:

powerful_Rogue said:

Something does seem amiss here.

I found Decathlon support to be very good. I ordered a treadmill which arrived last Wednesday. Built it on the Thursday and noticed they had sent a two pin plug. Emailed them a picture and on Monday a new cable with a 3 pin plugh arrived via Royal Mail.

If you watch the repackaging video for bikes you will see that there is a cardboard rail that keeps the bike aligned in transit. The bikes I received didn't have that. They where put in their boxes upside down and where free to move about.

So that may explain why 1 bike came with a buckle and the medium frame didnt. I guess it was just luck.

I know everyone has their consumer loyalty to their favourite brands.

I just wanted a bike that works. At this point I'll accept 50% of the value of the Bike. I just want to be clear of Decathlon. Whats worse is on every Bike ride I am going to have to stare at that medium frame and remember all this triggering story.

Sorry if I offend you but look at it from my side. I cant just forget negative experiences so easily. It ripples in my memories.
Autism etc.

So how many bikes are involved? You appear to be introducing another now.

when were they both delivered? what state were they in? what problems were evident?  
 
If there are 2 bikes then there are 2 timelines and potentially 2 discrete problem sets.

The symptoms you stated appear to be the wheel is not in the drop outs squarely but that should be spotted and rectified easily. All said, if you are able to maintain bikes, you intimate that you are but didn't stay you are competent, then just repair them and move on. 

If you cannot communicate your complaint on here effectively and have tendency for outbursts your path to resolution will be very difficult.

So how many bikes are involved? You appear to be introducing another now.

There was another Medium frame that had nothing wrong with it. So 2.

when were they both delivered? what state were they in? what problems were evident? 

The XL Box had a massive gap at the bottom and the Medium Box had a lot of scuff marks.
I've listed all the issues with the XL frame above.
The medium frame was fine.
 
If there are 2 bikes then there are 2 timelines and potentially 2 discrete problem sets.

I don't see how? They both arrived on the same day by the same courier?

The symptoms you stated appear to be the wheel is not in the drop outs squarely but that should be spotted and rectified easily. All said, if you are able to maintain bikes, you intimate that you are but didn't stay you are competent, then just repair them and move on. 

If you cannot communicate your complaint on here effectively and have tendency for outbursts your path to resolution will be very difficult.

Ok

cheapskate1983

tightauldgit said:

Nope. Still completely lost. 

Feel like I've missed episode 1 of a series and trying to piece together who the guy with the bike is and why he's threatening to libel someone on the internet. 

Can you talk us slowly through the basics?

Did you buy it in the shop?
Did you take it from the shop or get it delivered?
How did you return it? 
What did retailer say when you returned it?
What are they saying to you now? What resolution is proposed?
At what point in the process did you lose the rag?

Did you buy it in the shop? No. It was purchased from the Decathlon website
Did you take it from the shop or get it delivered? It was delivered.
How did you return it? It was picked up by private courier.
What did retailer say when you returned it? That they could not replace, fix or refund.
What are they saying to you now? What resolution is proposed? Only resolution they offered is I pay £20 to get the faulty bike. Nothing more.
At what point in the process did you lose the rag? When they said that slack cables and ware is a result of the Bike being used. As they where implying I had used it more than 24 hours the moment it arrived.

cheapskate1983

sheramber said:

The problem I have is if I use a charge back Decathlon will come after me for the debt of the 2nd bike, medium frame.

Where does a second bike come into the timeline?

Both where delivered at the same time.