Cherry Picking and returning boards, under distance selling regs

[Safety First]

.....Is not what we are proposing to do....
But our floor layer said that while samples get chosen, when say 10 packs of boards arrive, most companies will have put some rubbish boards in each pack. I.e., boards that are way 'worse' (subjective or course) or do not match the rest in the pack (by a long way), or your expectations.

He said savvy customers he's known regularly return (only the crap boards) under distance selling regs. But you'd have to pay postage.

I can see many problems with this approach, if it is taken by customers (hence post title), and I can imagine many reasons why companies would just not have it.

We've just done one of those 'live-chat' things with a flooring company and they seem fixated on the box! I.e, they seem to say if the box is not damaged, then they can resell the boards so no worries. So providing the box is intact, then they'll have the boards, no quibble.

But, (hence title again) wouldn't that mean we are likely to get a tatty box full of crap boards?!

Can someone bring us back down to earth, please?

 

[Ian H]

Buy it locally?

 

[Safety First]

Buy it locally?

Good idea! Yes that is a solution, but I was wondering if there is really a problem.

So if there is anyone with experience of returning ind' planks I'd be interested to know.
Cheers.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

If you open a box and some of the planks are not fit for purpose they are obligated to take them back, I don't understand the problem. Opening the box is irrelevant. Your not changing your mind your saying they're faulty and presumably want replacements. But as mentioned buy locally from someone you can see face to face and speak them. Sometimes paying a bit extra is cheaper!

 

[Safety First]

If you open a box and some of the planks are not fit for purpose they are obligated to take them back, I don't understand the problem.

.....
Thanks for your reply.
The problem starts when you open your 10 boxes of 6 planks per box, for example.

You find that of the 60 planks, 15 are really not good at all; either not remotely like the (admittedly tiny) sample or they are riven with flaws of one kind or another.

Keep one plank, as you can't send back a part-full (non-re saleable?!) box. Stick the other 14 offenders into two empty boxes and send them back?

They seem to be unwilling to speak in concrete terms about sending back rejected planks that are not in a full intact box? Seems daft to me as who are they kidding that they are going to directly sell the whole box of wrong'uns to A.n.other.


And yes, go local etc, etc....unless someone knows something from personal experience and can comment?

 

[Notch7]

What boards are we talking about?

Engineered, solid?

 

[pete50]

Bottom line is if they sell you faulty goods they are obligated to take them back at their expense. The number of times that I have had this argument with Ebay sellers is unbelievable. So far they have always backed down. Stand your ground it is their fault and their responsibilty to put it right with no loss to you.

 

[big-all]

fit for purpose
of merchantable quality
as described
as said faulty goods nothing to do with the "distance selling act" or what its called now they must take them back they cannot demand any conditions like origional packs or packing
and they must pay for the returns

 

[John D v2.0]

If it's natural variation then the distance selling applies, you can return but only if you turn it intact.
If it's not up to the correct/industry standards for the item then you can reject part of the pack once you opened it. Industry standards can be lower than what you'd choose yourself, and it's easier to just stand in a wood place and go through all their planks.

 

[Safety First]

What boards are we talking about?

Engineered, solid?

Either, both.. makes no difference. What are we going to buy?..Engineered oak. Its about the experience of others who have been on one side of the divide, either trying to send back, or having stuff returned to them that I am interested in.

fit for purpose
of merchantable quality
as described
as said faulty goods nothing to do with the "distance selling act" or what its called now they must take them back they cannot demand any conditions like origional packs or packing
and they must pay for the returns

I understand that it should work like that too. We are in the middle of a battle with an online merchant, a Samsung product, and a credit card. We've been batted from pillar to post and are now embroiled in a Section 75 claim with the credit card people. The product, the merchant, the manufacturer, the engineers, it's all gone very far from how it is supposed to. Nobody behaved as they should have. I will never buy another high value item online ever again. 'They must' doesn't mean they will. And I wonder if anyone can tell me "they do".

I will go ask the fitter which firm he knows of taking back the planks from the packs that the customer did not like, and being happy about it!

 

[Safety First]

If it's natural variation then the distance selling applies, you can return but only if you turn it intact.
If it's not up to the correct/industry standards for the item then you can reject part of the pack once you opened it. Industry standards can be lower than what you'd choose yourself, and it's easier to just stand in a wood place and go through all their planks.

Hi John,
This sounds interesting. Not sure I get it 100% though. This difference between 'natural variation' and 'substandard';how do you come to know of this? I.e., which bit have you done? Are you saying two classes of rejected boards are eligible for two different return options?
When you say (re natural variation context) 'you can return but only if you turn it intact', you don't mean 'intact' as in boxes unopened? Else how can you determine a natural variation?

 

[big-all]

i personally wasnt saying iff the boards are or are not faulty as that can be subjective with timber
its more iff something IS faulty

 

[John D v2.0]

Hi John,
This sounds interesting. Not sure I get it 100% though. This difference between 'natural variation' and 'substandard';how do you come to know of this? I.e., which bit have you done? Are you saying two classes of rejected boards are eligible for two different return options?
When you say (re natural variation context) 'you can return but only if you turn it intact', you don't mean 'intact' as in boxes unopened? Else how can you determine a natural variation?

Yes you don't even need to check for natural variation to return under distance selling, you can just return for no reason.
It's meant to be a substitute for looking at it in the shop.
For the substandard there are pages of nhbc standards for house stuff, there are glazing and glass standards for that, some big suppliers will even give their own standards to remove the element of doubt. I remember lcd panels could have a few defects before being sub standard, but nowadays defects are pretty rare there.
Have a Google and see what you can find, or ask the supplier for their specifications.