Distance selling or not?

[Deleted member 37751]

I'll try and be quick:

Ordered a new settee etc to be delivered for Christmas, the same we had in our old house.

Everything comes on the 23rd, nice one.

As it's being unwrapped I notice that the storage footstool we ordered wasn't on castors as we'd been led to believe (we had the non-storage version at the old house and liked the idea of a bit more storage).

Delivery men just shrug so I said I'll just sort it after Boxing Day.

After a few (non-returned) calls, I thought I'd make a visit to the showroom to move things along, which seemed to work; they were going to get on to head office and ring me back this afternoon (which they duly did)

They're saying because I ordered the storage footstool that it's my fault, my response is that if I'd have seen a photo or been told what it was actually like I wouldn't have ordered it, we'd have ordered the same as our old one.

The problem really stems from the fact that the suite wasn't in the showroom and the salesman couldn't show me an actual photo.

So my question is; where do I stand? Is this technically "Distance Selling"? I'll be honest and say that I sense that they're going to be digging their heels in and I'm looking tonne as amicable as possible, I've got enough on at the minute without going into battle over a footstool.

Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

I don't think distance selling as you visited their trade premises by the sound of it, did you pay by credit card by any chance?

(My money's on a cash purchase)!

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Was going to pay cash then the salesman said they do a buy now pay in 12 months so I put a grand down and we (the wife) spent the money on the new house.

 

[John]

Consumer Contracts (used to be Distance Selling) only apply if you buy the item without face to face contact.

If you went and looked at it, then went home and ordered over the phone, Internet etc., they would apply.

(http://www.lawdonut.co.uk/business/marketing-and-selling/distance-and-online-selling/distance-selling)

I think you are stuffed from that perspective if you did the former.

I don't know where you stand in terms of paying how you did i.e. whether you can cancel or not.

I think a decent business would have been understanding if they didn't have pictures of what you were buying and you bought in good faith.

 

[Dryce]

As it's being unwrapped I notice that the storage footstool we ordered wasn't on castors as we'd been led to believe (we had the non-storage version at the old house and liked the idea of a bit more storage).

'led to believe'.

If this is the case then you have to assert that it was missold and ask that they fix it or refund or come to some sort of settlement.

Standard response of furniture stores IME is the fob off. That dicolouration is just normal - or the differences in shade from what you ordered are just natural manufacturing variations even though it exactly matches another different swatch in the set. That suite offered as being ex-display might even have been in somebody's house for the best part of a year while they tried to fob off the customer before taking it back after admitting it wasn't the colour ordered.

However - an additional question - can castors be fitted to the foot stool? If so would that be an acceptable remedy?

 

[Druk]

Was going to say...Screwfix sell bags of castors.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

However - an additional question - can castors be fitted to the foot stool? If so would that be an acceptable remedy?

No - and this is the point really - the storage footstool will never be able to have castors fitted because once the lid is open there's a strong possibility of it toppling over which was only brought to light (even thought about) when I spoke to head office.

So it was never an option from the beginning but because we didn't see it or see a photo of it then we couldn't have known.

 

[Palfrem]

2 x Silverline 150kg Platform Dollies Lifting Furniture Removal Trolley Dolly | eBay

These?

 

[wu56Shoozz]

Trading Standards...Misrepresentation!

 

[NOMONEYBUTAMERC]

Whenever you need it moved just get the Mrs to shift it ..............problem solved.

 

[bob6600]

2 x Silverline 150kg Platform Dollies Lifting Furniture Removal Trolley Dolly | eBay

These?

Lidl (this week) have in their offers
Sunday, 08.01. - Lidl UK
4x castors for £4.99 with 2 brakes. They hold 60kg each. No.4was in my store and I bought a set.

They also have the trolleys for £9.99 each

 

[Peter103]

Bob6600's idea just cracked me up, lol.
Is this a wind up? You wanted a footstool with storage , you've got one,had it arrived solid like your old one ,I could understand your annoyance, as it is its a storage footstool which is what you wanted, how hard can it be to slide it around on the carpet? How much weight do you expect to put in it? Sit on your new sofa , put your feet up , and get over it.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Is this a wind up?

No.

I ordered something in the belief it had castors, it's come and it hasn't, what's hard to understand?

If you ordered a new car with COMAND and it came without it, would you just say "doesn't matter, I'll just use the sat nav on my phone instead of getting something I've paid for"?

 

[Peter103]

You've got what you paid for. They don't make them with castors, you paid for storage , you have it, you may have assumed they come with wheels, they don't. If you're not satisfied, take it back and get a refund. You were mistaken in your belief of castors, we all make mistakes. Good luck.
PS my car has COMAND.

 

[bob6600]

Bob6600's idea just cracked me up, lol.
Is this a wind up? You wanted a footstool with storage , you've got one,had it arrived solid like your old one ,I could understand your annoyance, as it is its a storage footstool which is what you wanted, how hard can it be to slide it around on the carpet? How much weight do you expect to put in it? Sit on your new sofa , put your feet up , and get over it.

Wasn't my idea Just trying to help with alternatives if anyone wants to go down that route.

I would keep at them until they do something satisfactory. If the sofa wasn't instore then there are some rules. This is the reason I always get my upgrades (phones) as I can return within cooling off period but if I get it instore I can't as I have seen the handset.

Your sofa would have been made elsewhere so you didn't see it until it was delivered.

 

[Darrell]

No. I ordered something in the belief it had castors, it's come and it hasn't, what's hard to understand? If you ordered a new car with COMAND and it came without it, would you just say "doesn't matter, I'll just use the sat nav on my phone instead of getting something I've paid for"?

I think you just contradicted yourself in that post. Belief it comes with castors- ordered a car with command.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

After a frank discussion with the boss, they're going to swap it for the non-storage footstool with castors.

First world problems eh?

 

[Darrell]

After a frank discussion with the boss, they're going to swap it for the non-storage footstool with castors. First world problems eh?

Sorted.

 

[DSM10000]

After a frank discussion with the boss, they're going to swap it for the non-storage footstool with castors.

First world problems eh?

Sorted.

I would not have expected any other outcome with Lee.

 

[gr1nch]

After a frank discussion with the boss, they're going to swap it for the non-storage footstool with castors.

First world problems eh?

Well done!

Yes, you could have added castors and glued the lid down to make it the belly nearly the same as you ordered, but also there's the principle of getting exactly what you intended to be ordered. A shop usually wants to be known for its good customer service and is going to want to make you a happy customer. Sometimes it's us customers chatting with a decision-maker to show them the easiest path to do it.