What would you do?

[fleetwood]

We ordered a baby thingy (a small piece of netting to display toys on the wall) from an online site (not an Actinicy).

The item weighs around 90g, and was sent rec del (total postage cost under £2).

The item cost around £4.50 - the postage was an additional £6.95!!

Personally, I wouldn't have placed the order discovering this, but the wife did!!

So I go to install the thing, and discover its faulty (its supposed to be 1mx1mx1.4m, but the 2 equal length sides differ by 10cm, making it impossible to fit correctly).

I email the site, and say I wish to return it for full refund as its faulty, and add a side note, that I think the postage charged is excessive (over 300% actual cost).

They have asked me to send it back for inspection, and have said this about the postage:

In answer to you query about carriage costs, I totally understand that you
might feel that the carriage cost seems high compared to the low cost of the
item. However, our carriage fees cover not only the postage costs, but also
administration costs, packaging, and to cover the cost of sending a member
of staff to the post office to send via post. Unfortunately all these costs
add up and we have to cover it by setting the rates as we do. We do clearly
state our postage costs, so customers do have the choice not to order from
us.

OK, we're all in business, and I understand admin costs - but to say it includes the cost of sending someone to the post office is pushing it IMO!!!

I intend to send it back, ask for a full refund, plus £6.95, being my return postage costs (incl my packaging, and the cost of my trip to the post office).

What would you do, and what do you think my legal stance is if I decide to dig my heels in?

[PJ ENG]

I would not wast my time, move on and make some more money

P+P is just that Post and Packing it all adds up.

[leehack]

I think you are a decent genuine guy Martin, so turn the decision around and make yourself the vendor and them the customer. Whatever you think is reasonable as the vendor, go for that.

Legally, the product doesn't do what it said it would, so postage should be refunded along with a full product refund, unless this is a faulty one and others are fine, in which case they should refund your postage to get it back to them and replace it accordingly.

[brian.mc]

As the product appears to be faulty, you should have no problems getting a refund or replacement.

However, regarding the postage costs, if they were clearly displayed on their site before purchase, then by placing your order you accepted these costs, just as you accepted the price of the product - after all you wouldn't expect to get that at cost, would you?

I would tend to agree with their statement regarding the carriage costs - it would seem that they have costed every aspect of their operation. Time is money, and they will have to pay the employee's wages for the time spent travelling to/from the post office, plus the time spent there. If a vehicle was used for the trip to the post office then you have the running costs of that as well.

[parklifeclothes]

Personally I would be peeved, but would put it down to experience of shopping online (especially for baby hardware items), now and again things aren't what you expect, arrive broken or don't fit.
As an expectant dad you've got it all to look forward to, baby car seat won't fit the new car, buggy wheel falls of everytime you unfold it. Just enjoy being a dad and don't spend time/energy on something you probably didn't need anyway!!!

Again with the carriage costs if they warn it will be this/that much it is up to them how much they charge as you (the wife) has agreed to it by accepting their terms and conds. If it really gets you, next time you do the take away run, pocket the wife's change , that'll show her!!

[RuralWeb]

Ahhh women and babies - the two should never be allowed a credit card. Been there done that - but as the postage was clearly stated on the site and the T&C were agreed when the order was placed then there is not much you can do. You will be able to get a refund for the faulty goods though (check thier T&C online and see what they say).

Interestingly I always say to new website owners that they should cost every aspect of shipping a product, including sending someone to the post office. Its very easy to loose your profit in shipping costs if you are not carefull - if its costing you more to send it than you are making then whats the point of having a website!

[fleetwood]

Re: the postage charge - I was more peeved at the wife not realising the postage was more than the goods, than the company making the charge, but you are all missing my point (or rather I must have phrased it badly)...

As I have to send the thing back, haven't I the implied right to also charge £6.95 for MY costs in returning it (even though it would only cost me £2 in postage, as it did them). My time going to the PO is also worth money!

ie I expect a refund of goods and postage charged to me PLUS my postage costs sending it back, calculated in the same manner as they do.

Ahhh women and babies - the two should never be allowed a credit card.

oh so true....and why a joint account is called such, I'll never know.
Surely there must be a more appropriate name for a "I'll keep topping it up, you keep emptying it" account

[george]

Take the £4.00 overcharge in postage out of Mrs ComicMan's next birthday present, that'll teach her to be more careful in future.


Threaten to name and shame the company to your mailing list of over 50,000 comicreadingtypes.


Take it back to the post office saying you didn't order it, but insert it in a very heavy box first.


George = Mr Nice Guy

[chris ashdown]

Martin
As the item did not meet its description you are right to return it as faulty and get a full refund of good and postage from them to you and the actual return postage

Unless you have agreed with the supplier to charge for your time etc then I doubt you could claim for this as its not been agreed

There is a stronger case to ask them to pick it up as its not fit for purpose, but again thats a minefield

We operate a single fixed P&P charge which reflects our charges and is the same if you order 1 item or 25 items but in some cases people buy a small accessory that is valued under the P&P charge value, what else can you do except charge the full rate

[fleetwood]

Take it back to the post office saying you didn't order it, but insert it in a very heavy box first.

I take your point, but I kind of think that's a little bit of a harsh way to treat a heavily pregnant woman

[TraceyHand]

Take the £4.00 overcharge in postage out of Mrs ComicMan's next birthday present, that'll teach her to be more careful in future.
Threaten to name and shame the company to your mailing list of over 50,000 comicreadingtypes.
Take it back to the post office saying you didn't order it, but insert it in a very heavy box first.
George = Mr Nice Guy

in a good mood this morning, George?

I'm with the general opinion here. Not really in a position to complain about the initial P+P as, overcharged as it may be (and £6.95 is hefty for mail order IMO) it was on the website.

Not sure how you could make them pay any more than "cost" for the return. I doubt any retailer would reimburse any more than cost price for return of faulty goods.

[george]

in a good mood this morning, George?

As always tiger...

[jont]

Martin - make sure you are not using the Comic email as if you annoy them sufficiently they may pull a similar stroke to get "revenge"

[fleetwood]

Its the wife's email Jont - she's the one who made the purchase (I have better things to do with my money )

In line with the consensus of opinion - even though I don't fully agree - I'll only ask for my basic costs.

I don't agree that £6.95 is a reasonable charge to make for sending what is effectively an over-sized hankie, by Royal Mail, whichever way you dress it up, which is why I wanted to make my point by claiming same on return, but wdf, I have better things to do, and I'd be stupid to fly in the face of such strong opinion!

[pnagames]

Martin

i would support you on what you said about claiming more than your postage but legally you do not stand a chance.

so you can ask for all the money that you paid them and the cost of sending the item back.

i find it ridiculous that they charge so much for p&p. and to even say that they charge for someone to walk the parcels to the post office. (i do that everyday but i dont charge my customers for that priviledge)