AIBU to expect a refund on faulty epilator?

[Butterfly98]

I bought a new rechargeable epilator in June from a well known store. From day 1 it didn't work properly after being charged fully for the specified number of hours before 1st use. It seems to have a mind of its own such as it stops bluntly during epilation after about 5 minutes, then sluggishly start again if it felt like it! Sometimes it won't start at all when the button is pressed then the next time work perfectly (btw I'm following all the instructions! 😬) I know I should have brought it back to the store before now so partly my own fault. I was reassured though as the actual receipt says it acts as a 12 month guarantee. I went into the store today and explained everything, the very grumpy manager then said she wound have to plug it in to check if it charges and suddenly stops etc to verify what I told her (company policy apparently) She then said it was fine as it worked ok during the 5 minutes she tried it and that I wasn't entitled to a refund or exchange even though I said it didn't necessarily happen every time, it's literally hit and miss! She even suggested that I could sell it!! The bottom line is I don't feel happy about using this item or charging it in my home especially if there is a wiring problem with the charger! So I ended up bringing it home again! AIBU to be thoroughly pissed off as it was quite expensive and annoyed that I wasn't believed either! 😠

That's not on at all. As someone who has worked in a large dept store, we would except goods back and would believe the customer 100%.

The key to getting your way is to kick up a shit storm fuss and refuse to leave unless they do something about it.

If they are being awkward, the very least they should offer you is store credit.

If that doesn't work, complain on Twitter, insta or FB.

Yes Rudeycrudey you're right I should have kicked up a fuss but went in assuming it would be a straight forward refund as the item is definitely faulty. She kept going on about the 28 days had lapsed (only by 4 days though!) so rights were different! I'm going to back in tomorrow as I must have some rights if an electrical item is faulty, maybe I should go to a different branch as they have another bigger store about 25 minute drive away, what do u think?

If within the first 6 months after purchase an item becomes faulty it's taken as there's an inherent fault with that item and you're entitled to a refund or exchange. They need to prove that the item isn't faulty which they think they're doing but if you've explained the problem, they would need to recreate that situation and price that it works perfectly all the time.
Read a bit on the legislation, it used to be the sake of goods act but it's called something else now..consumer rights act or something.

Yes definitely go to another store. And explain while you understand the 28 days blah blah blah, you also expect your item to work for more than 28 days. I have found these days that if you threaten to post online then they are more like to help as they don't want the complaints going public. If they are not helpful, make a point to take the managers name and say you will be posting your complaint and names on Twitter.

Knowing your consumer rights goes a long way when in discussion with reluctant retailers. It does not consistently do the job it was bought to do. You want a refund or replacement. Sometimes you need to spell out what you want.

Thanks all, good idea about mentioning Twitter and Facebook, I'm sure they would love me to write a 'review' of my customer experience! I'm just too easy going for my own good and I think the manager knew that too. She just wanted me to go away quietly and even hushed me into a side area so as not to alert other customers to a complaint I guess! But overnight I've become invigorated with gusto! I'm not leaving until I get a refund and I don't want an exchange either just incase there is a repeat performance! I will update later!

You go OP!
Being home that refund!!

Don’t ‘make a fuss’ ffs - being rude and irate will get you nowhere. You’ll have staff feel more inclined to help you if you’re reasonable when putting your complaint across instead of taking your anger out on them. Just go in a request to speak to management first.

Also the 28 days is irrelevant in the case of a faulty item, as it isn’t a return due to changing your mind.

Key word is intermittent. With intermittent issues like you describe they are unlikely to be proven in a 5min test.

Come on OP. Name and shame. This is appalling.

Being reasonable has gotten OP nowhere so far.
You can make a fuss without effing and blinding yoU know. Being firm and saying you're not leaving until they sort you out should do it.

YANBU

Don’t ‘make a fuss’ ffs - being rude and irate will get you nowhere

This ^^ It's rude and the only person you'll embarrass is yourself.

When the fault happens, record it. They have discharged their burden of proof by testing it for a reasonable period of time (the burden really is that low) so now you have to demonstrate that there is an intermittent fault.

Who is the manufacturer? Whilst your legal rights are against the retailer, it may well be easier to go to the manufacturer.

saying you're not leaving until they sort you out should do it.

Well if you do that, along with general agressive or ‘firm’ behaviour, don’t be surprised of security shows up to escort you out.

IF*

Contact local trading standards and get the right advice from them - then go back to the store and tell them "TS said..."

You can also get in touch with the manufacturer - I have had to do this in the past. I had to pay the postage to send the item/s back but got a refund of the purchase price

I have worked in a very well known dept store for many years and as sad as it is, the customers that come in all guns blazing are the ones who are accommodated unfortunately. The meek ones are just told no and managers rely on them just going away and accepting the no.
If you stand firm and maintain that you should get a refund, managers usually tend to try and come to a compromise. There doesn't have to be any aggression/security @NameChangeUni dunno what you're definition of 'firm' is

Yay, success!!! I slightly chickened out though and went to the bigger store today in nearby town.... manager was really nice and had to do the usual as in check the item by charging it etc and low and behold it malfunctioned there and then in front of him after about 5 minutes!! I got a straight forward refund and he actually said he would have refunded me anyway as he knows electrical problems can be intermittent and would have just written up a report and sent back to manufacturer, he's been there years and says this is what he's always done before but apparently newer managers take a different approach in terms of they need visual proof in the shop if something is faulty!! Btw whoever suggested I would embarrass myself by making a fuss or being rude to someone in public, I can assure you that would never happen, I meant that I would be assertive and firm, nothing more!!

Result!