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AIBU?

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Original poster

Or wouldn't you want payment first for a £700 sofa?

48 replies

pookamoo · 10/03/2014 12:22

Trying to order a new sofa but the company selling it doesn't seem to want payment until after it's delivered.

All seems a bit fishy but I can't put my finger on it, especially as it seems to be in my favour!

Here's the tale: Saw a sofa online that we liked, decided to order. Telephone orders only, so rang them up. The man said he'd get a price for delivery for me as we're not local to them. All ok.

So he rings back, confirms price, and I say ok, I'd like to order. He won't take payment then, saying he will check when it will be available for delivery.

A few days later he calls me to ask if the couriers have been in touch to confirm when they are delivering to me... I say no (they hadn't) and he goes off to sort it out, but STILL hasn't taken payment.

So today I had a call from the courier company (not a big name one, sounded more like it would be a man with a van) to confirm delivery tomorrow between 3.30 and 5. Fine for me (perfect in fact!)

So I rang the sofa company back, expecting to pay, but he says he doesn't want payment until after delivery. He said he "knows he can trust me!!" Hmm

All seems too good to be true, and I can't quite work out why.

I don't really want to name the company on here as it could out me in a google search, but they are based in Manchester, and trade under two names, which they are totally open about as one is a leather furniture shop, and one specialises in "classic" kind of furniture.

Any thoughts?

Oh and I will NOT be giving them my bank card details. This one's for DH's credit card, with protection.

OP posts:
BirthdayMuppet · 10/03/2014 12:27

Does seem a bit odd I agree, but I can't work out what's in it for them doing it this way.

Original poster
pookamoo · 10/03/2014 12:31

Exactly birthday

It's odd but seems to be odd in my favour, so I'm not sure why I feel worried!

OP posts:
jacks365 · 10/03/2014 12:36

You're worrying because the only time you don't tend to pay up front is when it's being put on credit for an astronomic interest rate. Do you actually have written details confirming price delivery cost and how you are paying, if not insist they confirm it on an email.

PeterParkerSays · 10/03/2014 12:39

I would ask them to e-mail a copy of the invoice to you, or you have a price in black and white; if you're only on the phone, he can amend the price once the sofa is in situ and you'll struggle to send it back.

PeterParkerSays · 10/03/2014 12:39

Cross post!

MoominsYonisAreScary · 10/03/2014 12:46

We paid for ours in cash on delivery

ISeeYouShiverWithAntici · 10/03/2014 12:47

yes, I'd get written proof of the total amount of the sofa before allowing it through the door.

That's the only danger I can see of them doing it this way.

Jacking up the price once you've signed for it.

Original poster
pookamoo · 10/03/2014 12:52

Maybe that's it!

The price is on the website, though. I'll ask them to send me the total amount due, thanks.

Cash on delivery has not been mentioned.

I just text DH, who said it could be the case that they don't usually sell to general members of the public, more like wholesalers perhaps, and that they would usually invoice their customers after delivery.

If it came down to it we would just put it in DH's mate's van and take it back there!!

OP posts:
BigPawsBrown · 10/03/2014 12:53

I think it's because if you pay after a 'reasonable inspection' of the goods i.e. on delivery you waive some of your rights to return it if you later see something you don't like i.e. massive hole in the back or something.

jennyl131 · 10/03/2014 12:59

We had a carpet fitted by a small local company.
Chap didn't want paying until after fitting and until we were 100% happy.
IIRC we had to chase him for an invoice after the carpet was fitted, as we just wanted it paid for.
Maybe just an old fashioned way of doing things?
We did have a written quote though.

TheWickerWoman · 10/03/2014 14:24

Google reviews on the company

SometimesLonely · 10/03/2014 15:14

Do you know what the delivery cost will be yet?

I'd like to see something as expensive as that in advance - in person, not a picture on the internet.

thepurplepenguin · 10/03/2014 16:54

When we bought our chicken coop (£350ish) the seller wouldn't take payment until after delivery. I was confused, but he was just old-school...

Original poster
pookamoo · 10/03/2014 17:35

Yes, have googled. No reviews, no mention apart from own website and yellow pages type listings.

OP posts:
Original poster
pookamoo · 10/03/2014 17:37

Oh and delivery is £65. Apparently it would have been more if it needed 2 people. Again only over the phone though.

OP posts:
enriquetheringbearinglizard · 10/03/2014 19:26

Hope everything's good OP, bear in mind that having ordered over the phone and not seeing the goods or dealing face to face, you also have cover from the Distance Selling Regulations.

zipzap · 10/03/2014 19:48

It's a good idea, if you're asked to sign on delivery, where you sign and before you put your name, that you haven't checked the sofa fully. And check the invoice/delivery note to see if it says anything about agreeing that the sofa was delivered in perfect condition - initial it and write not checked in there too.

It's not a perfect solution but if there is a problem that wasn't immediately obvious on delivery they won't be able to turn around and say that you accepted it as being fine. There is a formal sentence I think that you're supposed to use but I can't remember it. But I figure that putting something has to help!

Hopefully that will just be a formality and you'll have a great sofa Grin

Original poster
pookamoo · 10/03/2014 22:05

Thanks everyone. It's now coming first thing in the morning as they have had to reverse their delivery route Hmm

I'll let you know how we get on!

OP posts:
Pipbin · 10/03/2014 23:28

Did you pay in a credit card? That way you are covered if it costs over £100.

Lj8893 · 10/03/2014 23:35

pipbin she hasent paid yet, that's the whole point of the thread!!

Very weird OP, but perhaps they are just a bit old fashioned!

breatheslowly · 10/03/2014 23:35

On the plus side, they can't go bust with your money and you with no sofa. And they know where you live, so unless you are running a very odd sofa scam, they can find you for payment.

Pipbin · 11/03/2014 07:08

Oh yeah. Sorry I was being dense.

Original poster
pookamoo · 11/03/2014 14:11

And the plot thickens even more...

This morning I had a text at 8am saying sorry, back to the original plan, we'll be with you between 3.30 and 5pm.

Weirder and weirder, and also just beginning to get a bit annoying, too!

OP posts:
LadyMaryLikesCake · 11/03/2014 14:13

Have you done a google search on the company and found some reviews? Are they 'well known'?

Rooners · 11/03/2014 14:17

This would freak me out too.

Let us know how you get on this afternoon.