To not buy new kitchen over a tap

[Kubricklayer]

DW and I are close to pulling the trigger on a £30K kitchen. Spent last month back and forth agreeing specifics.

A few days ago DW saw on their FB page a deal for new customers in Feb to get a free £1K Quooker tap if they spend min £15K on a kitchen.

We then sent an email to chase up our kitchen stuff and asked if we’d get the tap since the sale will likely go through in Feb.

They said it’s for new inquiries and as we inquired late Dec we wouldn’t qualify for the tap.

At this point in time we’ve not paid a deposit, or signed anything and they’ve spent significant time designing our kitchen. All that effort will be for nothing if we decide to walk away.

Surely it’d be worth throwing this tap in so not to risk losing the sale? I’m not fussed about the tap tbh but part of me is a bit annoyed because we’re spending over double the money needed to qualify for the free tap and the sale will now be finalised in Feb, the qualifying month.

would you push back and insist on getting the tap if you were in my position?

No it’s a smaller company in Central belt of Scotland. They have a great rep and reviews and only 1 showroom. So again not like they’re a field dominating company

I did this! Wren messed us about and were pushing us to sign the contract before confirming the price for some electrical work to replace our fuse box (which was very old and needed an upgrade). So we took the design to B&Q and they did it for us instead.

Are you happy with the kitchen? Did you care about the tap before it was free? Will you USE the tap? Are you happy with the price for what you've got? Are you willing to start again elsewhere as you haven't got the plans (although presumably you know what you asked for and could replicate this?).

Offers and sales change all the time. If you are happy with something you've got, and weren't bothered about the freebie in the first place, I would just crack on. If it's something you wanted but couldn't afford to add on, that's different.

I don’t really want one but almost see this as a challenge to myself to be more assertive or to feel like I should prove that I can gain ground on them.

its all moot as I’ll buy the kitchen most likely. Only becuase the quality really is good (German kitchen).

other thing is the sales assistant it’s actually pretty lovely. Super friendly, very knowledgeable. I’m like come on we all get along great , give me the tap dammit 😂

I didn’t want the tap and we’re happy with the kitchen. I think it’s just reminded me that they’ve not really budged or incentivised in anything. We’re going to hand over £30K and the sales assistant won’t have broken a sweat.

That’s a huge amount of savings and I just feel that okay be they should work a little harder to earn this sale. Give us something nobody else would get. A slight reduction, a crappy appliance. Instead of getting what took us years to save up without any real deal or sweetener

I get that. I like to get the most I can for money and I hate spending large amounts.

I would, however, focus on whether you're happy with what you are getting for the money rather than what you aren't. It's your money, your home and you have to live with it. Anything outside of that doesn't really matter.

I’d pull out. I’d be annoyed

Yeah that’s good advice.

I tend to be a pragmatic thinker and have always thought a few grand here and there matters not in the grand scheme of things.

We’re Never pushy on anything and always happy to pay only if the quality is right which is our top criteria.

it would just be nice this once to feel like I got a win. Like I wouldn’t have got xyz if I hadn’t insisted on it.

but again in the current climate we’re in a fortunate position when so many are struggling so really I should just tuck my ego away and get on with it. 😂

Go and pop to the DIY kitchen showroom, it's a great day out and great value as they don't have designers. You do have to design it yourself (it's like you're playing the sims) but you can hire an independent designer if you need to.
Our joiners said the quality was fantastic and it was so easy to put together.

It wouldn't hurt to look elsewhere, see if you can get the same/equivalent for a better deal and then present them with it to see if they'll match it. If you have the time and energy (these things are worth more than money to me).

But I'd still stay with something that meets all my requirements for quality and practicality even if they wouldn't give me a free tap I'm not that fussed about.

I avoid anywhere that offers 'deals', means it was overpriced/paying for fancy showrooms etc anyway. A local installer is doing mine for £12k incl installation and quartz worktops, admittedly I am north east but the kitchen is 5x5m, and I have never yet found a differencce in the basic materials used by kitchen installers.

We walked off from Howdens nonsense and got a better spec for less at DIY kitchens. All took some time but I'm not feeling cheated anymore.

Do you say the company is German? There’s traditionally a slightly different attitude to “deals” in Germany, especially for premium quality. It’s more like offering individual discounts would be a sign that they’re overcharging in the first place. You’re paying for the quality, including for the quality of the service.

However, I can see how it might feel galling to just miss out on a special offer. Personally I wouldn’t want a Quooker tab if you paid me for it - sounds like a recipe for scalding accidents, especially for children.

why don't you go to one other company and see what they would offer? then you can go back and say xxx will do this deal, will you match or offer something?

This is such poor customer service. Yes tell them you’re going elsewhere. It would annoy me as well.

Can you actually be bothered to pull out and start again with another company? If you threaten and they don’t give way, what are you going to do?

I'd take the emotion out of it a bit and get another few quotes from other companies. It's good practice to do that anyway. Then you'll see if you're getting ripped off or whether £30k (plus the tap) is average for what you want.

You won't regret getting a Quooker tap, we love ours.

Maybe you’ll get the tap then hate it! A bargain isn’t a bargain if you don’t actually want, use or enjoy it.

yes it would really annoy me. I would push back and say you feel it's poor customer service.

It reminds me of my experience with Virgin media. I had been with them for 19 years. Most recently, they wouldn't let me have internet only I had to have TV and phone as well which I no longer wanted. Then I learned that my two new neighbours, as a new offer deal, had signed up on internet only. When I asked why I couldn't have this, Virgin said this was only for new customers only. Neighbours were paying £50 a month and I was on £95 per month. they would not let me just have internet even after 19 years of loyalty, they would prefer me to leave. So I did and got Plusnet .

No one knows whether they will budge on the tap (despite people ‘guaranteeing’ you they won’t 🙄)

All you can do is tell them you are really disappointed that you are not getting the tap given the amount of money you are spending and it’s making you question the decision. Then decide how much you want the tap and if you will walk away.

I have moved a few times in the last ten years and had a boiling water tap in each house, various makes. Currently have a Quooker and it is by far the best and would not be without it.

In your circumstances, this would annoy me too much and I would walk away. The strong likelihood is that they will not want to lose your business and will back down. Good luck.

It's annoying but is it worth walking away and starting again with another company?
A couple of people I know were really disappointed with their quooker.....and have gone back to kettles due to safety concerns

What foes @Flueton keep saying that's being deleted. Are you the kitchen designer🤔?