Or is DP? Over a bloody refund

[albapunk]

A petty one but still hah!

Ordered 2.3k of items from Oak Furniture Land.
1 item arrived damaged with a 30cm crack on a side panel, not hugely noticeable but disappointing.

DP contacted them about the damage, they have replied today offering a £200 refund or replacement. DP took the call at work and (stupidly in my eyes) accepted the £200 partial refund. Whilst £200 isn't a small amount of money on its own, given its less than 10% of the order value I think it's a very poor offer.

I have asked DP to call back and negotiate a higher partial refund, and if not then to accept a replacement. DP thinks I'm being silly, and its a good deal as it saves a courier coming to take the item away.

We bought these as "lifetime" items in a timeless style. We aren't materialistic or trendy people, we like good quality things that last, hence my major disappointment in DP also!

So AIBU in thinking that DP is an absolute idiot and should call them back!?🤣

I'd ring them back and say you want it replaced. That is not fit for purpose and will annoy you for ever.

Just phone them back and tell them you want it replaced.

Oak furniture land have form for doing this, they'll send out damaged furniture that they can't otherwise sell and try to fob it off as transport damage and offer refunds once delivered. Don't stand for it.

That isn’t going to be a “lifetime” piece of furniture with that crack! I’d be looking for a replacement rather than a bigger partial refund

Just call them and say you want it replaced as long as you are within the forst 30 days then its irrelevant that you accepted the £200. If they refunded you theyd just refund the rest its no different. You will have to pay the £200 back though.

Replacement 100%

If you think the wardrobe doors will be opened say x4 times a day, 365 days a year over 5 years, that’s 7300 opens.
I’d be very concerned that the crack will not withstand that level of use.

Having looked at additional pics maybe I wouldn't be content with £200 but that wasn't your question. Originally OH thought it was fine, now you inform that he doesn't. Between the two of you you elected presumably for him to deal with it and that's why they rang your husband. I'm sure we have, as you say, all been put on the spot and made poor decisions under pressure. You're husband now admits this. I think you're unreasonable to blame your husband because if you thought you could do better, you should have done it. The trust bit is like when 'the driver' is accused of 'getting us lost' when the accuser is a passenger who's just sat there and left them to it.
Maybe your question should have been AIBU accepting £200 in lieu of this damage.
Hope he's able to degotiate better this time and you get a fair resolution.

It will bug you. I’d get him to ask for a replacement.
If you bought a wardrobe in that damaged condition it would be a lot cheaper.

Thankfully DM knew someone that works for a removal company and he popped round and put the wardrobes, single-handedly, in to the bedroom with no problems whatsoever.

I think the delivery guys were the ones that dropped the box, so just wanted to get out ASAP and not admit there was a problem.

TBH I can't blame them as you have no idea how someone is going to react to there being an issue with something. Better to deal with a bollocking from your boss alone, rather than a bollocking from a customer AND your boss!

I would definitely want a replacement. The crack goes all the way through, it isn't just a surface mark and you paid for a new item! If buying this as a 'second' because of the damage I would expect a much bigger reduction.

Replaced for sure that's going to get worse I wouldn't be happy with that.

I can't be arsed about keeping things nice, most of my stuff is pretty beat up, but that gaping crack from the inside would really annoy me everyday!

Oh, and another way to look at the crack is "would you have chosen to pay £1,200 for an item with a hole in it?"

On it's own £200 seems quite good, but you're still paying £1,200 for something that's not perfect.

Glad DH has come around and hope you get some joy out of them!

I think if you were willing to overlook the crack, I think the £200 discount is reasonable, I think if it were sold as a second it would be about what I would expect. But I would have wanted a replacement regardless and regardless of whether they were willing to increase the partial refund.

We had multiple problems with "Joke Furnitureland" as we have now named them!
I would ring them back and ask for a replacement but be prepared to wait for it to arrive and for that to be damaged too. Ours took weeks and then it turned up rife with woodworm, the delivery guy wouldn't even put it in the house it was that bad.
We had an issue with both bits of furniture we bought from them, one was a dining table that had a massive crack down the middle. They took it apart from the legs to look at it properly and somehow damaged one of the legs really badly, when we pointed that out they just shrugged. We ended up getting full replacements of everything and a partial refund as the service was that bad.
There is even a Facebook page full of disgruntled customers.

With the door being opened and closed a lot my opinion is it will probably get worse. I would want a replacement.

Long term opening the cupboard is going to break it. You'll only need one clumsy oaf to break it properly.

That's pretty shocking damage for a 1400 wardrobe! I'd want that replaced.

The way for DH to do it is to say he was at work, his wife was at home and took delivery, she only sent me the photo from the inside after I spoke to you and accepted the original offer. This is way more damage than I thought, please replace the item.

This would be me, too.

I can appreciate wanting a replacement and if you do, go for it. But I'd spend a few quid on wood filler and a stain-repair kit and call it done, and be glad for the extra money.

But you would not be unreasonable to call them, explain that your DH hadn't been fully aware that the crack extended to the interior of the door, and ask for a replacement. I wouldn't want the faff.

There are companies that do cosmetic repairs to items like this. I think a repair would cost more than your refund so you could get a quote, then go back to the company stating that the refund wasn't enough to cover a repair and you've changed your mind and would like a replacement.

That's a really bad break, it needs replacing. I think they've offered what you'd expect for like a scratch but it's properly broken

If i'd paid 5 or 6 hundred for it i might accept 200 off for a bloody great crack - but not on an item worth over a thousand pounds.

I'd look a it this way OP, if you're still dithering:

If that wardrobe had been in the '2nds' area of the local store - with the crack clearly advertised as the problem - what would you expect to pay for it?

If it was me i'd expect it to be up for about £900.
And i'd still be a bit wary to be honest as it's a big heavy item which has to hold it's own weight plus the weight of the clothes and the strain of moving parts (doors).

Quite.

You can see daylight through it! It's def not a scratch.

I would get your DH to call back and say he has reconsidered, the crack is more noticeable than he first thought and he wants a replacement. Oak furniture land has a good reputation and would want to keep a customer happy.

That is hugely damaged in my opinion and absolutely no way would I accept it 200 off it.

He was caught on the hop, fair enough, but absolutely no way would I accept it.

Let him ring and blame you if necessary! but that needs replacing IMO.

They are chancing their arms.

Take lots of photos.

I wouldn't be able to rest knowing that crack existed. I'd try and call myself if he won't do it.