Online Trader

Chalky87

Hello everyone,

I recently bought a bulk set of items for eBay...I got them and decided I no longer wanted them as the eBay market seemed to be dying...(only 2 days ago since received). I e-mailed today and asked how I should return them and whether they will refund postage costs originally paid.

I got the response back...

"we do not offer this service"

Now am I under the false impression that all business selling online have to allow a 7 day 'cooling off period' where goods can be returned for a refund.

This company is a large UK wholesaler, they're VAT registered and I have landline contact numbers and address.

I contacted them again and got a message back immediately saying "bob" was out of the office! The company is VideoTechUK if anyone has dealt with them before.

I'm appauled that they're apparently breaking the law..

Can anyone shed some light and give advice...

Cheers

p.s for a company that supplies "90,000 customers" to have one man called Bob off on holiday and suddenly thats the end of operations seems a little strange!

mcwarre

whitey1987 wrote:

I got them and decided I no longer wanted them as the eBay market seemed to be dying...

What planet are you from??????

If the goods are as advertised then, quite frankly, tough. It is people like you that cause problems on eBay......................

Sorry for being so forthright

withabix

They have no reason to allow you to return the goods. Why the hell should they??

motorguy

Have to agree - if i sell an item, unless its faulty i expect never to see it again. Hardly in the spirit of ebay to be returning it just because you've mis judged the market?

Chalky87

What!?

I'm sorry but that has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with it! You have the right to return items by law! I didn't buy the item from eBay, I bought it from a sepearate website. Quite frankly I don't give a hoot if its not in the "spirit" of things! I have the right to return and they're in the exact same condition as when sent, even still in the boxes, I am dismayed at your responses.

I am sorry though....you have obviouslly never returned anything in your life.

motorguy

Putting this in the "Ebay and other AUCTIONS" board might have been a bum steer for us?

tuffkat

OP, looks like you are possibly correct as to your legal position.

http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCES&itemId=1073792577

mcwarre

whitey1987 wrote:

You have the right to return items by law! I didn't buy the item from eBay, I bought it from a sepearate website.

Maybe you should have clarified that initially. If you bought it from a registered trader off of their website then you do have the right to return under distance selling regulations.

I think people are someone astounded at the cheeky-ness of it....

soolin

mcwarre wrote:

Maybe you should have clarified that initially. If you bought it from a registered trader off of their website then you do have the right to return under distance selling regulations.

Whilst I do not know the answer to this one the OP was quite clear in his post that he bought these 'for' ebay not 'from' ebay and that they came from a VAT registered wholesaler.

The one thing I would ask though is whether it makes a difference under UK law if you are buying as a trader and not as an individual. The website makes it quite clear they do not sell 'retail' and I think that might get them round any distance selling regulations.

Te website does go on to say this though which might help:

"2. Videotech will only accept unwanted products for refund within 14 days of delivery, provided that the goods are in an unopened and re-saleable condition, and will be subject to a minimum handling fee of £20 or 15% of goods value which ever is the greater.

3. As Videotech does not sell products on a trial basis customers are strongly advised to check suitability and specifications of products before ordering"

http://www.videotechuk.com/code/main.asp?sitepages=TermsPage

It might be that they do offer a refund less restocking fee and are trying to get you to wait until you are outside their 14 day return period?


Soo

withabix

whitey1987 wrote:

What!?

I'm sorry but that has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with it! You have the right to return items by law! I didn't buy the item from eBay, I bought it from a sepearate website. Quite frankly I don't give a hoot if its not in the "spirit" of things! I have the right to return and they're in the exact same condition as when sent, even still in the boxes, I am dismayed at your responses.

I am sorry though....you have obviouslly never returned anything in your life.

You have purchased from a WHOLESALER as a TRADER via their online website. You do not have the same rights as a private buyer under the Distance Selling Regulations.

The supplier is quite within their rights to charge a re-stocking fee and also to refuse to re-stock if you have not complied with the Terms and Conditions which you agreed to by placing your order in the first place.

Toon

I'm quite sure that they're not allowed to charge a restocking fee either. I'm a retailer and wholesaler of clothes and remember seeing that on one of the governement websites. Basically though, my opinion is that you should be able to return them unless the T&C's state otherwise. I offer returns on all of my goods apart from a few including underwear, jewellery, swimwear and mixed lots. I offer mixed lots usually to people starting out and refuse to accept returns for these because people can complain that they don't like what's in the mixed lot - well, that's not my fault - so I don't offer a returns policy on these goods.