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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think she's being a bu about this toy?

42 replies

bubbleymummy · 17/08/2010 10:59

My friend orders a lot online and she recently ordered a birthday present for her nephew. The toy arrived but it was slightly damaged and she emailed the company to let them know. They emailed back and apologised and said if she returned the toy they would reimburse her for the postage and send out a new toy. She has been ranting about this because she says she doesn't have time to pack it up and go to the post office to return it and she could have gone into town to get the present if she did have that sort of time etc. She has emailed the company back saying this and has asked them to send out the replacement toy right away because her nephew's bday is this weekend and she will send back the toy when she gets a chance. She thinks this is terrible customer service and says she will never order from them again.

I think they're being perfectly reasonable but I haven't said this to her! :) they've offered to pay for the cost of her returning it and if she sent it back now she would have it before the weekend. You couldn't walk into a shop and just tell them you had bought a faulty toy from them without returning it for a replacement so I don't see how this is any different!

Is she bu and should I say anything?! :)

OP posts:
SilveryMoon · 17/08/2010 11:02

Lol Yes, she is BU without a doubt.
If it were my friend, I'd tell her to get a grip and laugh at her, but my friends all expect me to laugh at them most of the time! Wink

That is a little bit shocking really that she thinks she can have 2 items for the price of 1.
the company are being more than reasonable in their response

AMumInScotland · 17/08/2010 11:17

You're right she is being VU - you could try pointing out to her that the online shop may be able to get a refund from their supplier if they can return the damaged toy, so of course they need it returned to them before they can commit to sending out another, or they'll be out of pocket. But she probably just won't get it!

The firm are probably not unhappy about her never doing business with them again, if she is this much of a pain!

StealthPolarBear · 17/08/2010 11:22

i can kind of see where she's coming from, I struggle to find te time to pack something up and if you work FT it can be a struggle to get to a post office when it's open. She ordeered the toy in plenty of time, and the fact it is damaged is now causing her a load of hassle - as she says she now has to make timme to go to the post office, time where she could have just bought the toy in the first place!

Morloth · 17/08/2010 11:24

I think she isn't being unreasonable. The times I have had a faulty good delivered the company has sent a courier to pick it up, as they should it is their problem.

GeekOfTheWeek · 17/08/2010 11:29

I think she is NOT unreasonable.

Agree with spb and morloth.

Original poster
bubbleymummy · 17/08/2010 11:39

So for those of you who think she isn't being unreasonable. Why is it different to an ordinary shop? I mean, anyone could SAY they had received a faulty item and end up with 2 for 1 as silverymoon said. I don't think it was delivered by courier. It just came in the post afaik.

OP posts:
StealthPolarBear · 17/08/2010 11:41

because they sell to a different market - people who can't or choose not to go to a real shop
what if she was housebound? or a jr dr working 16hr days? advice would be - shop online

Morloth · 17/08/2010 11:43

Because she arranged for it to be delivered to her home and paid a delivery charge for her convenience, if she now has to go to the post office it is no longer convenient.

The seller is at fault because they sent a damaged item, therefore it is on them to sort it out, i.e. they should be inconvenienced (sending a courier) not your friend.

Original poster
bubbleymummy · 17/08/2010 11:46

True spb. I guess I would be more understanding if she was housebound but she just seems to be on her high horse about it whereas I would see it more from the company's point of view and think they would need to be sure the item really was faulty.

OP posts:
Morloth · 17/08/2010 11:48

Doesn't matter if she is housebound or not, she is not getting what she paid for.

A toy in new/undamaged condition delivered to her home.

YellowDaffodil · 17/08/2010 11:49

They should send out a courier to pick it up. She is not being unreasonable imo.

Original poster
bubbleymummy · 17/08/2010 11:51

It wasn't sent by courier.

OP posts:
Original poster
bubbleymummy · 17/08/2010 11:55

Hmm. I'm not arguing that she shouldn't be disatisfied. It's obviously a big inconvenience but I don't think a company should have to take a risk on sending out new items without knowing whether or not the originals were genuinely damaged. I would never expect that!

OP posts:
Morloth · 17/08/2010 11:55

No but it needs to be collected from her house and the replacement delivered to her house. This is just good practice.

Postman don't collect so it has to be a courier.

If I was her, I would cancel the order, demand a refund for faulty goods and go buy the toy somewhere else and yes, I wouldn't buy from them again.

Mistakes happen, it us what happens after the mistake that is important. Good customer service pays off with customer loyalty.

Original poster
bubbleymummy · 17/08/2010 12:02

Morloth, afaik companies are under no obligation to refund a damaged item unless you can prove it is damaged so why should they replace it without the same proof? I will be very surprised if they sent out another one and if she does want a refund she will have to send it back anyway!

How could any company monitor returns if they just sent out replacements every time someone emailed them! Everyone would be doing it! I think you are all bu :) (except for silvery moon and mum in Scotland of course :) )

OP posts:
StealthPolarBear · 17/08/2010 12:02

yes good point morloith, was just imagining the situation of someone housebound posting on here, they'd be toild to shop online

GeekOfTheWeek · 17/08/2010 12:06

Some things are only available online.

My friend had a problem with a birth pool bought from Boots. They sent a new one within 24 hours, refunded her money and have told her they will collect the faulty one at her convenience. That is good customer service imo.

Morloth · 17/08/2010 12:10

I am not saying they should send a replacement without retrieving the original. I am saying they should either collect the original via courier and send a replacement ASAP or preferably the courier who is collecting the faulty toy can deliver the new one at the same time. If they can't send a replacement with the courier, then providing a refund when the toy has been retrieved via courier (so your friend does not need to inconvenience herself) should be an option.

Every time I have had faulty goods delivered via online ordering this is what has happened.

Your friend paid money for something she has not got (a toy, undamaged, delivered to her home, by a certain date). It is up to the company to rectify that as quickly as possible. If they choose not to do so then she would be silly to ever use them again.

I wouldn't. There are plenty of online retailers who don't stuff about.

Business is business, if you are going to fuck around you are going to lose custom.

Original poster
bubbleymummy · 17/08/2010 12:12

But that's a big chain.(and a big item which wouldn't be easy to send back) You can't expect a small online toy shop to just send out replacement items willy nilly!

Moving away from the courier collection thing-why should they be expected to send out a new item before they've seen the faulty one. (whether it's been returned by post or collected by courier) friend is demanding that they send one out now. I think that is vu.

OP posts:
Deliaskis · 17/08/2010 12:14

SHe is BU to expect them to send a replacement without having the orignal back, but she is not BU in not having time to package it all up and go to post office. The company should send a courier to collect it as many other companies do.

It does annoy me when a company gets something wrong but the onus is on the customer to take action to put it right.

D

Original poster
bubbleymummy · 17/08/2010 12:16

I have had large or expensive items collected but I have sent back others myself and been reimbursed so I guess our different experiences have just given us different expectations.

OP posts:
Original poster
bubbleymummy · 17/08/2010 12:18

I'm also not sure we can blame the shop for the faulty item either. It was damaged so it could have happened in the post!

OP posts:
GeekOfTheWeek · 17/08/2010 12:46

It shouldn't matter whether it is a large chain or small independent store.

Customer service is customer service regardless.

Original poster
bubbleymummy · 17/08/2010 13:02

I disagree Geek. A large chain can more afford to take the risk on a customer not returning a faulty item when they have replaced it. I think it is unfair to expect a small independent company to take the same risk. If customers do not understand that then it's no wonder small businesses are closing because they just can't compete with the larger chains who can afford to do that. IMO the company have been very fair and considerate, have answered emails and offered a solution so they are offering good customer service. If they are a small company that don't use a courier then what else can they do?!

OP posts:
Firawla · 17/08/2010 13:05

Agree with morloth, your friend is not BU to be annoyed with this.
I had something similar before, a totally wrong book sent to me and I had to send it back to france for the company to look at it before they would refund or anything else, tbh I was so p'd off because I was about 41 weeks at the time, huge inconvenience and that other places like amazon just send you the replacement with all this time wasting, so totally get where your friend is coming from. I do think it is very bad customer service.