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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To not pay for these boxes?

18 replies

MrsKoala · 17/10/2013 06:49

We are moving and needed some boxes. We called a box company who said they didn't have the size we needed but could get them from another branch. We said great, our exact words to the guy was 'how much will that all be' he said $30. We thought that's pretty steep for 3 standard 2ftx2ftx2ft boxes, but needed them so said fine and left our number to call us when the boxes arrived.

Anyway, it turns out the shipping company totally misquoted us and what was meant to be £210 was actually £1100 for 3 2ft boxes (of ds's toys). So we decided it was cheaper to just buy new stuff when home.

The box shop then call to say the 3 boxes are there to collect and pay for. So we say we don't need them anymore but appreciate the effort so will pay the $30. They then say we owe $110. The $30 they quoted was for each box (cardboard plain box - not glittered or anything) plus taxes.

If they had quoted us that in the first place we would never had agreed and now we don't even need them i feel it's a lot of money for nothing. BUT they are saying they ordered them in especially from their other branch (it's an international company so not a one man band type thing) and we have to pay.

I feel ambiguous morally. I am irritated they purposely misled us on price (pet hate of mine - that and adding VAT after the quote) but i feel bad they ordered them in specially - altho as a massive company i'm thinking they must have movement of stock pretty regularly.

So AIBU to not pay?

OP posts:

rainbow26 · 17/10/2013 07:01

You are not BU...I wouldn't pay them,they misled you on price and who in the right mind would pay that for three cardboard boxes.Stick to your guns and tell them you don't want them and were misquoted on the phone,you are under no obligation to pay for them.

WeAreEternal · 17/10/2013 07:02

Do they have any details other than your phone number?

I would just send a letter (with no return address) stating that you appreciate them taking the time to give you a quote but are no longer interested in buying any products from them. Send it registered post and be done with it.

You didn't sign a contract or verbally agree to one, it's annoying that they had the boxes shipped to the store and you now don't want them but that kind of thing happens very often.

Original poster

MrsKoala · 17/10/2013 07:19

Yes rainbow, we thought 'wtf' when they even said $30, which we thought was for all 3. But a $110 for 3 frigging boxes. TBH we are at the whole thing. We got a shipping quote and told them the box dimensions and they sent us a quote for £210. We thought well, ds likes his toys but that's probably about equal to the value but hey ho, type thing. But then when we contacted the shipping co they said they'd misunderstood and not 'cubed' the dimensions and now the quote was £1100. Which with the box cost would be £1170 for about £200 of toys. We decided no way was it worth it.

They have my email and keep mailing and calling saying they need the money and we owe it. :(

OP posts:

NudeRevengeWiggle · 17/10/2013 07:30

I wouldn't pay, I'd probably have paid it if it was $30 but $110 is ridiculous! YANBU. Send a final email and then just block their email address.

PRBunny · 17/10/2013 07:39

You mention that the company have supplied you with a quote that states £210? Is this quote in writing?

If it is, and you have taken up the quote based on £210, the shipping company should not be able to increase costs because of their mistake. I am not a lawyer but I think you have entered into a contract based on the original quote. I don't think the shipping company can now turn round and increase costs because you have given the go-ahead based on a legal quote.

I'm having issues with shippers myself (loooong story) and the people they employ are not the brightest.

I would raise this with the branch manager / managing director, stating that they made the mistake in the original quote, you entered into the deal based on this document and they need to suck up their mistake.

If you don't want the toys shipped, you need to retrieve the box from the shippers now or you will be in for a lot more grief trying to retrieve it in the future.

Original poster

MrsKoala · 17/10/2013 07:49

PRBunny, the shippers don't have anything. They gave us a quote based on 3 boxes. Then we thought okay so started looking for the boxes from different local companies - as the shippers are in the UK and we are in Canada and they couldn't provide boxes to us. We then contacted them today to arrange for when they would be able to collect based on their quote and they corrected it. The manager just kept saying it was a 'communication breakdown' between me and the lady who generated the quote email. So we said, based on the revised quote, that we wouldn't need the shipping. Then the box shop called to say our 'order had arrived' and my heart sank. So i said we didn't need them anymore but i'd be willing as a goodwill gesture to pay the $30 and the guy said 'okay great, that'll be $30...for each box...so $90...plus taxes...' ummmm no i don't think so...

OP posts:

PRBunny · 17/10/2013 07:56

Ahh ok, sorry I understand now.

The quote for the shipping seems rather a lot, especially as I am expecting a shipping company to come back to me with a quote in the region of £3,000 to send heavy truck parts to Africa via a container ship.

I don't know the shipper that gave you the quote, but I could pass on the details of another shipper in the UK who might be able to help you out if you mention my name. I can PM you if you require?

CaptainBinker · 17/10/2013 08:05

Now I may have got the wrong end of the stick here but when you are dealing with boxes and their volume, all measurements have to be cubed so the excuse of not cubing the measurements is absolute rubbish as it would have meant that they were originally under the impression that you wanted a 2-dimensional box...which does not exist! Boxes always have to be 3-dimensional to get anything in them so if they've got an eejit working for them and quoting people for flat 'boxes' then that's their problem.

Original poster

MrsKoala · 17/10/2013 08:05

Oh thanks that's so kind but not to worry. We have sorted it. Air canada are letting us take 2 extra suitcases for an extra $100 each.

I think the guy we spoke to didn't understand maths tbh. He kept geyying feet and inches mixed up and saying the original quote was for a box of 4.5inches - i was trying to explain the calculations of cubic feet and he was coming up with some crazy numbers. In the end we decided to call the airline and see what extra bags would cost - way less it turns out. I don't know why anyone would pay that. On the move out here we were quoted £2k for a sofa, a bed, a dining table and chairs, a chest of drawers and 5 boxes of kitchen stuff!

OP posts:

CaptainBinker · 17/10/2013 08:06

And anything 3-dimensional, whatever the unit of measurement is always expressed in cubed measurements, like cm cubed etc.

CaptainBinker · 17/10/2013 08:07

Wow...x-posted. Bit worrying on the company's part that the person whose job it is to take measurements and make calculations cannot understand neither measurements nor how to calculate them!!

Original poster

MrsKoala · 17/10/2013 08:10

Yeah, DH and i backed out of the phone call slowly after trying to explain the concept of measurements. We had him on speaker phone and each took a turn trying to explain, then eventually said...'ummm okay then we'll let you know...'

OP posts:

CaptainBinker · 17/10/2013 08:31

I think that was a good move Mrs!

I wouldn't bank on the measurements being right even now...

PrimalLass · 17/10/2013 10:18

Tell the box company to get lost. They made the mistake, not you.

maras2 · 17/10/2013 10:33

Are you coming home for good Mrs.K? Was Canada not all you hoped it would be? < nosey >

Original poster

MrsKoala · 17/10/2013 18:44

Well that's the plan Maras. Vancouver is lovely, but DH couldn't get enough work and it's eye wateringly expensive. The people i've met are friendly enough, but very self absorbed and not interested at all in anything political/international (their news here is a joke - a cat stuck up a tree type thing). Their sense of humour is very different and we are struggling to be understood as our accent seems to totally baffle them (London/RP so nothing too extreme). The education system is not what we want for the dc's anyway so had thought we'd go home before they started school...ANd don't even get me started on the shite they have on the tele!

As i said, the place is really nice but not for me. DH got head hunted for a job back in London and we decided to take it. The amount of money we would need here to live a lifestyle like we could at home is astronomical. It was a no brainer. Oh yes, and the rain has now started, i can't face 9 months of grey and walking round in what looks like plastic sheeting - everyone looks like they escaped from a crime scene.

OP posts:

DIYapprentice · 17/10/2013 18:47

Do you have any distance selling regulations in Canada? A lot of countries have introduced them, and they have cooling off periods etc.

maras2 · 17/10/2013 19:08

Aww at least you gave it a go.Hope you're keeping well and good luck for the future.Oh, and congrats on DS,bet he's lovely.

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