Refund on faulty product?

[Hairyfriend]

The handle on a sandwich toaster broke after a week. I returned it with the receipt to swap for the same item. They charged me more- because THEIR price had gone up.

AIBU to think it should have been swapped, rather than charging me more for a faulty product?

YABU- they can do that, despite it being faulty
YANBU- they shouldn't charge for their price increase

Where was this?

No. Check out Martin Lewis' website. He uses the acronym SADFART for faulty goods. I can't remember exactly what it stands for but goods should be sold as described, fit for purpose and last a reasonable time. Yours didn't. A reasonable person would expect it to last more than a week. They are trying it on. If they want more money, inform Trading Standards.

Not at all. They have to replace it. If you had asked for a refund they would not have refunded the higher price would they?

Go back and ask them to refund the extra they charged you. Ask gently to speak to the manager and explain situation. I am sure they will sort it out.
If it is a chain then escalate it but give the manager a chance to do the right thing.

YANBU. It's not fit for purpose - you should be entitled to an exchange or a refund.

@Cuntness- This was in ASDA- England.

I queried it at the time to be told no, they were right!

If you return a faulty item within 30 days, you have the right to a full refund (you don't have the right to a replacement).
After 30 days and less than 6 months, you have the right to a refund, a free replacement, or a free repair but the choice of these three options is the seller's.
A seller's returns policy can give you more rights than this (such as a free replacement within 30 days) but not less.

@jcyclops- so in my situation, returning the faulty item 1 week after purchase, I could have a full refund, but not exchange without paying the additional difference?

This happened to me in IKEA. They refunded me and told me to go back into the shop no buy another. When I realised the price had gone up, I complained at the till. They called over a supervisor who looked at my receipt from the refund and sorted it.
I have no idea about the legal situation though. I worked in a shop years ago and we would have just done a simple exchange at the till.

Im surprised at this normally Asda will exchange. Contact customer service online or on the phone they will probably give you a gift card for the difference.

I too am surprised at Asda treating you like this. Did you ask to speak to a manager or someone more Senior? Maybe the person at the customer service desk made a mistake.

Sounds a bit off. If you had bought the item, and the item had gone down in price (by say a tenner,) would they have given you a replacement item AND a tenner too, to reflect the new 'lower' price? Bet they wouldn't have!

Sounds wrong to have charged you more. They should have honoured the old price @Hairyfriend

I work in a supermarket on customer services - if someone returns a faulty item and exchanges it for exactly the same item (ie not a different model/colour etc) then we will price match the replacement like for like as long as it is done in the same transaction.

If someone brought a faulty item back and requested a refund and not an exchange then we are not obliged to honour the original price if they then change their mind and want to re-purchase the same item. So if you come to the CSD and get a refund, then go into the store and want to buy the same item then it is as if the original transaction never happened and you just have to pay the price we are selling the item for that day. If customers are polite and come back to enquire if I can price match as they still want the item but didn't realise the price had changed then I might do so as a one off as a goodwill gesture, but if they come and start being rude and demanding a price match then I definitely will not change the price.

Additionally, if there is any difference in the original and replacement (eg if you bought an ABC kettle in grey and when it broke you wanted to exchange it for an ABC kettle in white or you bought an XYZ toaster and when it broke you decided you didn't want to buy the same brand again so want to exchange it for an ABC toaster) then we won't price match - if the new one is cheaper we will refund the difference, if it's more expensive then you have to pay the difference as it isn't a like for like exchange.

Thanks everyone. I called ASDA customer services, and even the women on the phone had to check with her supervisor! Yes, I shouldn't have been charged more, due to it being a faulty item! I now have to return to the store for the refund though!