Net World Sports - Terrible company. How to recover refund?

Flipjango

I ordered a cricket net as a gift for a relative and was sent one that was dirty with leaves in the net and mud on the poles like it had already been used and in a torn box. As it was for a gift and wasn’t fit to give to the recipient, I emailed Net-world Sports and asked to return it assuming that would be fairly straightforward- I’d been sent items unfit for sale so should be able to get a refund. 

I was asked to send photos but as it had already taken about an hour to repackage it (it was massive and squeezed into a tiny box) and had wrapped it it about half a roll of tape, I was reluctant to unpack again as the box had been badly torn when it arrived and I didn’t think it would survive being opened again. So they told me they would accept it back but I’d have to cover return shipping as they hadn’t seen photos - fair enough. 

I shipped it back assuming they’d therefore check it when it arrived with them- there’s been nothing in their messages to suggest otherwise. But then once they had it back, they did nothing, I didn’t get any acknowledgment they’d received the item back even though I had tracking to say they’d received it. So I pestered and pestered, sending several emails until eventually I received a partial refund with some funds missing. I pestered some more and several emails later, a bit more refund trickled thought. But now there is still some money missing from the refund for the purchase price. They are refusing to refund the outbound shipping costs because I ‘didn’t send photos’. This is crazy- they now have the actual physical item and can open and check the condition of it like any other retailer would. They didn’t tell me this would be what would happen because I didn’t send photos.

 The customer services experience has been woeful - really the worst I’ve even experienced. They’ve don’t reply to messages unless you threaten something, then when they do they have made me feel like somehow I’m in the wrong for asking for a refund when I’ve been sent a used and dirty product not fit for sale. As I foolishly paid with Klarna it seems I have no way of forcing them to give me my money back as there is no chargeback procedure. I’ve asked several times for contact details for their CEO Alex Loven, so I can write to him and complain but they never reply. I am considering a small claims court claim as I’m so furious but the amount it only for about £29 so it doesn’t seem worth it. But it’s still MY money and I’d like to get it back. I know this is covered by my consumer rights but there doesn’t actually seem to be any way to enforce my rights other than court. Is there anything else I can do? 

Aylesbury_Duck

Send a letter before action, threatening small claims.  It might stir some action.  

RefluentBeans

Fwiw I don’t actually think emailing CEO’s is that useful. If a big company, they’ll just forward to a customer service email to investigate (which they already will have done), and if a small company (like a 5 person operation) then the CEO probably is already involved or has knowledge of the situation. 

Seem to find it more hit or miss than a chargeback, and that’s very hit and miss! 

I would remind them of the law. They can’t just withhold payment of outbound or return postage. 

Then, as above, if that doesn’t work, letter before action and hope they pay. If you take them to court, you’ll probably win, but it may not be worth it for £29.