Retailer refusing refund after disputing cause of damage to item

[angrycustomerrr]

I purchased a item for my pet from an online retailer a few weeks ago. After a few weeks of normal use, I noticed that the material had become damaged. I sent the retailer photographs of the damage and they asked me to send it back to them for an 'investigation'. They received it back and said it looks like my pet has damaged it by chewing or biting it, even though my pet has never had the opportunity to do so - it is stored away from them. They suggest the dog has chewed on it even though there no obvious teeth marks (and I know 100% he hasn't), but they describe things like how there is a small indent in the material as well as the damage, which they have said is from a small tooth (?) The retailer says they have never seen damage like this before and their products are quality tested. I have reiterated that it has not been bitten. They do not believe me so have refused a refund/replacement.

Do I just need to accept their interpretation of what the damage looks like, even though it isn't true? I feel so frustrated.

No, you don't have to accept their interpretation, but it is likely you will have to go to court to resolve this. If an item is less than 6 months old, it is up to the retailer to prove that the damage was due to misuse or similar rather than an inherent defect in the product.

Soo what is the item that it has to be stored away from your pet? But the pet is using it?

A dog harness

“I noticed that the material had become damaged”.

So the item wasn’t faulty as such, but the material had become damaged, Therefore, something must have damaged it. Could it have got caught on something?

The material that holds the ring that the lead clips to on the harness had started to split. I don't think it got caught on anything but was gradual damage caused by tension from the dog lead - tension I think a dog harness should be able to withstand. My dog is a small terrier for context

Who is the retailer?

Try CA’s consumer helpline for advice.
Consumer Helpline

I don't want to say the retailer. It's a medium-small size company. I looked at their Trust Pilot and they have hundreds of 5-star reviews, but when you look at the 1-2 star reviews there are a lot of recent reviews from customers having similar experiences to me. It seems their products are usually well-regarded but not their customer service.

I'll contact CA later today and see what they say. At this point, it's not the cost of the item, but the principle of them refuting any other evidence or believing me. Their response looks like it was written by Chat GPT too.

No the item is not fit for purpose if it has worn that bad in a couple of weeks. Dog harnesses are made to last and a few
Weeks is ridiculous. Stand your ground u have rights. Like a lot of things it’s not
the cost of the item it’s the principle.

Is it the correct fit for size & weight of the dog?
That would be the only argument I would accept for not refunding.