Unreasonable terms for online order??

[Branches1]

Are they being unreasonable?


I ordered some frames from an online optician to try on at home. I returned them and now the company claims that I have damaged them, and is charging me for two of them. I strongly dispute this, as I only briefly tried them on at home and promptly returned them, but that aside, they are charging me the full price INCLUDING PRESCRIPTION LENSES (which they re not going to supply) for these frames. Not just for the damaged frames, they are charging the full price of a pair of glasses including prescription lenses. Needless to say I would not have ordered this trial service had I known.

My concern is that they actually don't make you aware of what you are risking when you order this trial service. They encourage you to take the frames out and about to get people's opinions etc so it all sounded very easy and straightforward, and they don't mention what they charge for damage as there is no mention of this at any stage of ordering, or in the emails following the order, nor was there a tick box for T&Cs at checkout. You have to fine the T&Cs in the footer and go through a lot of fine print before you find it.

So are they being unreasonable charging this much for the damage?

...and finally, they are giving me exactly one day to pay their invoice before the matter gets handed over to a collection agency.

[greyspottedgoose]

Hopefully someone will be along with some knowledge but I'm sure it's not legal to give you one day to pay before passing to a collection agency that's ridiculous. Is it a legitimate company it sounds like a scam

[Branches1]

Thanks greyspottedgoose. I think they look legitimate, it is a rather new business and they are trying to be competitive on price and design.

For anyone else reading this, I would strongly advise against these try at home services unless it's from a brick and mortar optician. I feel like an idiot but I didn't even think to check the frames before I tried them on! I literally tried them in on front of a mirror at home and packaged them up again so I know I didn't cause the damage (some scratches to the inside of the temple tips)

[Minniee]

That's awful. I sent my trial back to glasses direct last week and had notification they'd received them this morning.

I'd be disputing that if you literally only tried them on, how could they be damaged?

[Branches1]

They are claiming that there are bite marks? I don't own a pet! And they were out of the box for all but 15 minutes!

[slashlover]

Can you link to the site or name them? Is it in the T&Cs about the lenses?

[DontTouchTheMoustache]

This sounds like some kind of scam. I'd be requesting evidence of damage for a start and absolutely wouldn't be paying for the prescription lenses

[vanillandhoney]

A new business? Are you sure they're legit?

[Minniee]

I wouldn't be paying either. Have they got a social media presence? I'd be spamming the hell out of them warning people off.

[CorianderLord]

Ask for photos first of all.

[Ohtherewearethen]

This does seem very fishy. Have you looked them up on trustpilot or something similar? They can't charge you more than the value of the frames (ie for prescription lenses) as presumably the glasses you tried on didn't include prescription lenses? Am I correct in assuming that they send out frames with window glass in them for anyone to try on?
Have you asked them to provide proof that the glasses were in perfect condition before they sent them to you? Surely it's up to them to prove you did it not for you to prove you didn't. This has scam written all over it I'm afraid.

[Branches1]

Yes, window glass only. I did ask for photos and they show some absolutely minuscule scratches, less than half a mm on the tips.

About the condition, they say that I should have checked them over before I tried them on and notified them of any damage.

The problem is that even if I had checked them over I would never in a million years thought of those tiny scratches as 'damage'! I can barely see them! And for a company that makes a big deal out of how you should really take your glasses out to give them a try, I kind of expected my trial frames to not be brand new straight out of the box. I assumed they would have been used by others, so iI wouldn't have given these minuscule scratches any thought

[Branches1]

These are the 'bite marks' I am being charged £195 for

[Branches1]

Honestly if I am being unreasonable I'll pay it. It's just that I was shocked when they got back to me with this, as the T&Cs were not made available via a check box at checkout, or a mention of how placing an order means you have accepted the terms and so on.

[Waffles80]

Name the company!

[Nottherealslimshady]

30 says is legal minimum.
I'd refuse to pay and tell them to take me to court for it.

[Ohtherewearethen]

They're really trying it on here I fear. They're saying you should have checked them for damage but they're clearly saying they check them for damage too? So which is it? Can they provide dated photos of the glasses before they sent them to you? They can't even prove the damage is on the same pair of glasses you tried on! Telling you you have one day to pay up proves they are not a reputable company. Do they hold any payment details of yours? They can't just take money from you, can they?

[Nottherealslimshady]

In future, always inspect anything you are borrowing or renting for damages and take pictures

[Minniee]

I can't see anything on them!

[vanillandhoney]

They do look like they've been bitten or something I have to say.

[DubiousGoals]

*I assumed they would have been used by others
*
Makes you wonder how many they've tried to scam £195 from ...

[Clymene]

The sounds like a complete scan. How can they charge you for lenses they haven't even made?

[Khione]

If they try and enforce this I would a) get in touch with MSE. Post on MSE and slate them all over social media.

[Branches1]

@Nottherealslimshady

In future, always inspect anything you are borrowing or renting for damages and take pictures

Couldn't agree more.

I guess I have been lucky with my prior dealings with this type of company e.g. startup with a decent business idea and great marketing, so I didn't have my guard up with this order at all. Not great.

[Atinytrolley]

I don't think they can legally charge that and saying a day to pay sounds like a scam. Try contacting Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline (used to be called Consumer Direct) you can find number online. I contacted Consumer Direct a few years ago and they were very helpful. They're experts and should be able to advise you.

[slashlover]

Can you name them OP? Agee with PP about posting on MSE, they have a specific part of the forum for it.

forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/praise-vent-warnings