DFS SCAMS 19 September 2003 at 10:53PM edited 30 November -1 at 1:00AM in Praise, Vent & Warnings 203 replies 263.4K views

Legacy_user

Hi, I would like to start a topic of on these scams that a large majority of company’s seem to pull with there 50% off sales.

My partner and I were taken in by DFS's amazing offers, (don’t they always have a sale on !!) these look to good to be true a £2500 sofa for under £1000, well to cut a long story short what they don’t tell you is that they can legally put a sofa up in one of there Kensington stores for a week at full price then sell it as half price in the rest of the UK for half price, unfortunately DFS's amazing adverts may be great at getting your sofa but the quality is another aspect, ours was absolutely awful, when we tried to complain they would not exchange or refund, the sofa isn’t worth £50 never mind £1000, [glow=red,2,300]I WOULD NOT RECOMEND [/glow]this company at all, there 0% finance is a con as you need to have protection which costs an arm and a leg, get a sofa from somewhere decent and don’t give these cowboys your cash, e-mail me for more details and let me know your views here....

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mini

I haven't known of anyone who has boughta sofa from DFS & been happy/pleased with it for long, often the finance agreements outlive the sofa, I think their marketing tactics are very tempting though.

I think it's worth pointing out that most major sofa shops ofer a 5 year guarantee (I tink it's around 5 years) & this only related to the frame so if the upholstery looks tatty after a year you have no comeback & still have to keep paying for a few more years, I would agree to stay well clear.

Nickynoo1

I think it's a case of youse gets whats you pay for. I bought2 sofa's from there last year£700 odd each, nice leather. Theyr'e fab and still good as new. I should think so, I haven't started paying yet. I took the 0% interest over 3 years - No payment protection needed, and no early settlement fee should i wish to pay off.

Sorry you had a bum deal

Nickers

System

Another company notorious for this was Courts, who also routinely double the price for a few weeks so they can claim a massive reduction. They were actually fined for doing this a few years ago.

markedgar

All I would like to add here, on behalf of my wife and myself, is that James and mini are absolutely right (judging by the problems we have with our not-so-old DFS suite).

BIG TIP: Use your local furniture retailer; my older sister bought a suite from Laura Ashley (within Homebase) and also had mountains of problems. Eventually the suite was collected (not without many letters, tel. calls and conversations taking place and a great deal of hassle with her taking time off work, etc., etc.)...

...her replacement suite from a local furniture store is excellent. Less expensive, far better quality and without doubt a better deal all together.

Wish we'd done the same, but the hype pulls you in sometimes...

;)Mark E

garethe175

Hi

As a furniture salesperson for several years I was surprised to read the first post and find that there are still people out there that believe you will get furniture worth £2500 for half price.
Of course it's all marketing to get you in the store. There isn't a large furniture retailer who doesn't do it.
And as for the 0% finance - there is no such thing in this business. The retailer has to pay the interest on the loan so it is accounted for in the sale price. As for payment protection - it is optional and don't be told otherwise.

As a conclusion the best advise I can give is forget the huge 'saving' on offer - is the furniture worth the price being asked to you personally. If it is then you have a bargain - if it's not then buy elsewhere.

See ya

dazzyjay

We purchased two sofas from MFI 4 years ago with extra covers so bearing in mind two sets, they are now totally worn out, rung MFI last week for replacements, they want £800 for one set, it’s £150 just for a cover for the footstool.

DON'T BUY ANY SOFAS WITH LOOSE COVERS

IN FACT GO AND BUY SOMEWHERE ELSE

More Fool I

Jay

markedgar

Maybe garethe175 can point us in the right direction in future?

I have to say, that local stores and tradespeople seem to becoming more popular again these days.

Any wonder at this rate?

;)Mark E

mistral_2

I have brought Marks and Spencers sofas ect and been pleased but I do get a 20% discount .
They sell a lot and most people seem happy never seem to hear any complaints?

Lewis_Gerolemou

You get what you pay for

DFS = Dog's First Sofa

He did'nt like it, he wants his old blanket back.

Lewis Gerolemou

System

I hate to tell you this, but I have bought 3 sofas from DFS and they've all been absolutely wonderful (and I'm the type that will complain at the drop of a hat, and I will only settle for the best)

I have bought two regular sofas from them, as well as a sofa bed. I paid cash for them all so had no interest worries, but I was so impressed with the first that the other two followed within a month.

I knew about their Kensington scam, because one of their sales advisors whispered it to me, and I find it highly annoying that their sales last 364 days a year, but I've got to say that I'm as pleased as I could be with my furniture. The total cost of them came to about £3200 and they were worth every penny, although I guess I could have just been very lucky!

Normally* I buy that kind of thing from John Lewis or Selfridges but I found the DFS quality to be better and the prices a lot lower.

Allan

*not that I buy a sofa every week...