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Shop won't refund or exchange faulty toaster!

163 replies

AcorgicalledTiffany · 26/11/2025 22:15

So about six weeks ago I went to DC's school as they were holding an autumn fair. I bought a book of raffle tickets, £5 in total, and later found out I had won a prize. All prizes had been donated by local businesses for free advertising I suppose, not sure how they got involved but there we are.

I won a brand new four slice toaster, it said on the label it was "worth" £49 and had been donated by a local hardware shop. All was ok until last week when one side of the toaster stopped holding the bread down. So I took it back to the shop where it had originally come from. Man in the shop said there was absolutely nothing he could do as it was a gift to the school, which I really wasn't happy about. He said I could try contacting the manufacturers, so I went home and called them and they said no way could they do anything as this toaster had been out of production for almost FIVE years!!!

So back I went to the hardware shop and told this to the man, I was really cross by now as it was obviously some old stock he'd given away which he admitted it was, he said it was something he'd had in the stockroom for sometime and that he hadn't had such expensive toasters for sale for a while as nobody seemed to buy them, all of this of course is not my problem. The only thing he said he would be prepared to do for me would be to order me a new toaster and sell it to me at the cost price, he showed me the suppliers catalogue and the cheapest one he could get that is anything like this was over £30, so obviously I told him no.

I am really peed off about this as he got free advertising for his shop only its backfired now! As I will be telling people to avoid the place. But why should I lose out?

OP posts:
Politicians247UnderwearExtinguishingService · 26/11/2025 23:08

I'm amazed at the responses on here. I'm with you, OP. If it had been a genuine gift to you on the quiet, I'd say to leave it; but instead of the shop being paid for it with money from a customer, they were paid in valuable advertising within the community - which most certainly would not have been forthcoming if they'd given/advertised the prize as as 'faulty old toaster donated by Smith's Electrical Emporium of Anytown'.

And the price paid for the prizes including this one is not just OP's £1, but rather the total of every £1 that was spent on tickets, including all of the non-winning ones.

I bet nobody on here would decide to 'not make a fuss' if they'd bought a £2 ticket for the lottery and won a prize - even if only a tenner, let alone a big amount - if they were told that they couldn't have their prize because 'reasons' - but hey, at least it only cost them £2, so it's not like they've really lost any amount worth complaining about. It's the principle here, even though it's not a high value prize.

Bellavida99 · 26/11/2025 23:04

About 15 years ago I won a big snow globe at the school Christmas fair. When I got home I noticed one of the little polar bears round the edge had a leg snapped off. I shrugged it off but I’m now wondering if it’s too late to sue the school

ItsABarbecueShowdown · 26/11/2025 23:02

Politicians247UnderwearExtinguishingService · 26/11/2025 22:55

Not surprisingly if they routinely supply faulty and/or obsolete goods and then shrug their shoulders when people bring them back.

Are you on the wrong thread? One about a business routinely selling faulty goods? 👀

WonderfulSmith · 26/11/2025 22:58

Politicians247UnderwearExtinguishingService · 26/11/2025 22:55

Not surprisingly if they routinely supply faulty and/or obsolete goods and then shrug their shoulders when people bring them back.

But they don’t do that.

littleblackdress26 · 26/11/2025 22:56

Onelifeonly · 26/11/2025 22:47

Years back I won first prize in a school raffle. Brand new ipod. Ipods were rapidly becoming obsolete at the time. As I already had one anyway, I ended up throwing it away. (Probably should have sued the PTA Hmm)

Wait ,what ? You threw it away 🙈

TheFairyCaravan · 26/11/2025 22:56

You can pick up a four slice toaster for less than £20. Get a bloody grip.

Politicians247UnderwearExtinguishingService · 26/11/2025 22:55

Bigtreeesss · 26/11/2025 22:18

wow, no wonder small independent businesses can’t survive

Not surprisingly if they routinely supply faulty and/or obsolete goods and then shrug their shoulders when people bring them back.

sesquipedalian · 26/11/2025 22:53

“the cheapest one he could get that is anything like this was over £30, so obviously I told him no.”

Why obviously? You laid out a pound or two on raffle tickets. You won a prize that turned out to be faulty. The shop has no contract with you, so the shopkeeper offered to do a nice thing for you - to sell you an expensive toaster for cost, so he would incur the trouble of getting it with no benefit to him. I’m not quite sure why you “obviously” told him no - if you wanted a toaster, why not accept his offer? I know it’s disappointing that the toaster has given up, but it’s not actually anyone’s fault, and the shop owner tried to do you a good turn which you rudely rebuffed.

ItsABarbecueShowdown · 26/11/2025 22:53

I can see why you are annoyed but it’s just something that has happened. He was being supportive of the school by donating a prize. He won’t be doing that again, that’s for sure.

I don’t think he had anything to ‘admit’.

I really think you will be making a bit of a fool of yourself if you start spreading this tale around.

DontGoJasonWaterfalls · 26/11/2025 22:51

Someone will be along to tell you that four slices of toast is far too many (we've lost sight of what a normal toaster looks like) anyway.

But it's a bloody raffle prize, get a grip.

Bungle2168 · 26/11/2025 22:48

SeaShellsSanctuary1 · 26/11/2025 22:37

What a devious soul. Of course he put up a dodgy toaster for some free advertising

Next step speak to the school for your ticket money back.

Did you really go to the shop twice
Sounds like a sketch show

I mean, the raffle could have been used as a means to get rid of unsaleable stock, but that, to my way of thinking, would be incredibly short-sighted.

The only way I could see this working is if the shopkeeper were a dab hand at repairs or had a like-for-like replacement available. That way he could a) attempt to sell the OP something else while she was in the store, and/or b) by demonstrating superlative aftercare support, improve his “brand” by word of mouth.

Onelifeonly · 26/11/2025 22:47

Years back I won first prize in a school raffle. Brand new ipod. Ipods were rapidly becoming obsolete at the time. As I already had one anyway, I ended up throwing it away. (Probably should have sued the PTA Hmm)

WonderfulSmith · 26/11/2025 22:45

This reply has been deleted

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

Please don’t use the misogynistic term ‘Karen’. Dick, twat or arse will suffice.

Neveranynamesleft · 26/11/2025 22:41

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

SeaShellsSanctuary1 · 26/11/2025 22:37

What a devious soul. Of course he put up a dodgy toaster for some free advertising

Next step speak to the school for your ticket money back.

Did you really go to the shop twice
Sounds like a sketch show

SlimShandy · 26/11/2025 22:36

AcorgicalledTiffany · 26/11/2025 22:31

Thats not the point!

I rather think that is exactly the point.
You didn't purchase the toaster - you were given it as a prize for gambling.

Bungle2168 · 26/11/2025 22:33

One side is a still clasping the bread so just eat less toast…?

TheWildZebra · 26/11/2025 22:32

Tell me you’re entitled without telling me you’re entitled… 🙄

WonderfulSmith · 26/11/2025 22:32

AcorgicalledTiffany · 26/11/2025 22:31

Thats not the point!

What is the point other than making yourself and him miserable? If you want a toaster just buy a sodding toaster.

bridgetreilly · 26/11/2025 22:32

AcorgicalledTiffany · 26/11/2025 22:31

Thats not the point!

It is EXACTLY the point. Get over yourself.

FenceBooksCycle · 26/11/2025 22:32

TeaandHobnobs · 26/11/2025 22:28

Take it to your local repair cafe and see if they can fix it

This.

It cost you the £1 you spent on the raffle ticket. You don't have the right to a fully functioning toaster, you have no consumer rights as you formed no buyer/seller contract.

Ruby1985 · 26/11/2025 22:32

AcorgicalledTiffany · 26/11/2025 22:15

So about six weeks ago I went to DC's school as they were holding an autumn fair. I bought a book of raffle tickets, £5 in total, and later found out I had won a prize. All prizes had been donated by local businesses for free advertising I suppose, not sure how they got involved but there we are.

I won a brand new four slice toaster, it said on the label it was "worth" £49 and had been donated by a local hardware shop. All was ok until last week when one side of the toaster stopped holding the bread down. So I took it back to the shop where it had originally come from. Man in the shop said there was absolutely nothing he could do as it was a gift to the school, which I really wasn't happy about. He said I could try contacting the manufacturers, so I went home and called them and they said no way could they do anything as this toaster had been out of production for almost FIVE years!!!

So back I went to the hardware shop and told this to the man, I was really cross by now as it was obviously some old stock he'd given away which he admitted it was, he said it was something he'd had in the stockroom for sometime and that he hadn't had such expensive toasters for sale for a while as nobody seemed to buy them, all of this of course is not my problem. The only thing he said he would be prepared to do for me would be to order me a new toaster and sell it to me at the cost price, he showed me the suppliers catalogue and the cheapest one he could get that is anything like this was over £30, so obviously I told him no.

I am really peed off about this as he got free advertising for his shop only its backfired now! As I will be telling people to avoid the place. But why should I lose out?

How embarrassing of you! You should be ashamed

AcorgicalledTiffany · 26/11/2025 22:31

WonderfulSmith · 26/11/2025 22:29

He could give you back the cost of the one raffle ticket, given that was all you paid.

Thats not the point!

OP posts:
Wreckinball · 26/11/2025 22:30

Thank goodness you weren’t electrocuted or it set your house on fire. Tell the raffle peeps not to accept donations from that shop again

WonderfulSmith · 26/11/2025 22:29

He could give you back the cost of the one raffle ticket, given that was all you paid.

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