To be irritated with Aldi over this?

[aldiannoyance]

Generally I am a supporter of Aldi, I shop there regularly and buy stuff online.

At the start of last year I bought something from them online. Not massively expensive, about £40. It was for a room where we were having work done, so I left it in the box until we were ready to use it. Last month we finally got the work completed...only to open the box and find that a crucial part (to connect the 2 parts of the item together) was missing.

It's not just a simple screw or anything that I could easily source a replacement for - indeed oddly although it is referred to in the instructions (use A which is attached to B to join B and C together) it;s not on the parts inventory. But clearly should be included, I assume should have been fitted onto B but has been missed off at manufacturing stage.

The item came with a 3 year guarantee, I emailed both Aldi and the manufacturer on the same email with all the details. That was nearly a month ago.

No response at all from the manufacturer.

Aldi have so far sent me 3 different emails.
The first asked me to provide photos of the item (these were attached to my original email but I resent them anyway).
The second asked me for my order number (also sent - I attached to that reply a copy of my email order confirmation which had both the order no on and is proof of purchase).
The third email (and this is the one I'm annoyed about) enclosed a link telling me I needed to phone a customer service line. The link didn't take me to a page with a number, just a random part of the Aldi website. Plus I prefer not to phone, we get appalling mobile signal here and calls drop all the time, hence emailing. And why do I need to call customer services when that's who I've been emailing!

The email also asked me to obtain a receipt from the store. Which of course I can't because it was an online purchase, and I've already provided evidence of purchase!

I have emailed back and queried the above which is clearly a cut and paste response but AIBU to be irritated? I don't think I am!

I didn’t think you were being that unreasonable but now you’re coming across very difficult for no reason at all. Was it something from Aldi’s special buys section? It’s common sense really that those things are there and gone within weeks if you’re lucky that they haven’t sold out. Unlikely they’ll have the item to replace a part, that’s down to the company of the product, not aldi themself as a third party seller.

Ring the general enquiry number for the company tomorrow during their open hours and they will most likely give you a more specific number or will forward your call. Isn’t aldi’s problem at this point.

It's most bizarre that @aldiannoyance won't tell us what the item is.

It's really irritating when posters post a 'dilemma' expecting help and advice, but then are very vague and ambiguous.

And it's baffling too! An electrical item that comes in 2 parts?!

Aldi usually will give you a refund. The manufacturer will have an agreement in place with Aldi not to replace any faulty goods. The product was brought from Aldi therefore they are the ones who need to refund you. Aldi wouldn't keep any stock of this unless they were running it on special buys.

I bought a teepee from Aldi online and some parts were missing so I couldn’t assemble it.

Aldi referred me to the manufacturer who quickly sent me the replacement parts, no proof of purchase needed.

It's most bizarre that OP won't tell us what the item is.

I’m guessing it’s a vibrator that can be attached to a life-size model of Nigel Farage, if you have the little (missing) attachment. Without the piece, you have to just prop him in the corner like he’s watching. Which is still hot, but just not as hot.