Faulty furniture - no working table for serving Christmas dinner!

[Pemba]

Hi I wonder if anyone can help me with my ebay problem as a buyer?

I bought a dining set (extending table and chairs) at the end of November. It was delivered free of charge by courier. It was flat packed and when we assembled it we found that some of the pieces of wood that go underneath were split, and because of this the metal mechanism for extending it doesn't work, as the parts don't fit together properly. So 2 days after delivery I asked them to exchange it, sending them photographs of the problem. They said no problem, and their courier would be in touch asap, except they haven't, and we've now been waiting 2 and a half weeks. I wanted it for serving Christmas dinner!

I have been in touch with them a few times and last time they just said 'sorry about the delay' with no date for delivery of the replacement and removal of the faulty table. So I've now lost confidence in them and told them if they can't deliver early next week to forget it and refund me, then they can pick up their table whenever they want. I would then buy a new table somewhere else (and probably have to borrow one for Christmas Day).

The chairs are actually fine, and I would be willing to keep those - it was sold as a set but as I can see the price they are charging for additional chairs I know the value of the chairs, so just want a refund for the table.

What should I do? It is complicated by the fact that I don't want to have to pay to return it as for a large item of furniture that would be pricey.
Should I raise a dispute via ebay or Paypal or what? And should I hang on to the chairs or do I need to send them back too as I bought as a set? I am reading so much conflicting and not applicable advice on other sites. Help!

[19lottie82]

Yes raise a dispute with eBay....... NOW!

Was it under 30 days from latest estimated delivery date? If not it's too late for eBay and organise a PayPal dispute.

The former is preferable though as then the seller is responsible for the return courier costs. If you use PayPal that is your responsibility.

[19lottie82]

PS if the seller wants you to return it all then yes, you will have to return the chairs as well, unfortunately. Unless you can agree on a partial refund situation but the seller doesn't have to.

[nauticant]

Yes raise a dispute with eBay....... NOW!

Yep. If you want to avoid being stuck with a load of unuseable junk furniture you might end up paying someone to take away to the dump.

Do it today otherwise Christmas will get in the way and the deadline will pass leaving you with a bigger problem.

[Pemba]

Thanks everyone. They have just messaged me saying hopefully they can give me a date sometime today. Hmm. If the date is a long way off I will be saying no. Delivery was 28 November so I'm not too late to do the dispute thing am I?

[19lottie82]

OP.....stop messaging the seller and OPEN A DISPUTE!(yes you cans till open one).

[Pemba]

Well the courier has now rung me and given me a timeslot for Monday. I will make them wait while we examine the new table to check it's not also damaged.

If it all goes fine I will be happy with that. If not, I will then open a dispute on Monday, as I will still have time.

[nauticant]

If you're getting a replacement dining set that you can check, that can work out. However, if the plan becomes that they turn up and just collect the broken one with a promise of "we'll take this now and you'll get your money back/a replacement dining set later" you could end up without any dining set and without your money.