Returning Semi Solid Flooring

RoubX

Hi,

I recently got some semi-solid oak flooring and because the room was just on the edge I ended up with a box left over. I wanted to return it to the shop but they won't take it back. It's sealed, unopened etc.

The person I spoke to said that the wood would have expanded to the temperature in my house. That doesn't seem right to me because it's just plywood with a thin enough surface of solid.

Then they said the batches produced have different variations in how the boards fit together. I didn't really buy that one either because these are heavily engineered products (aren't they?), but they are adamant they will not take it back.

Are these reasons valid? The multitude of reasons are making me think they might not be. Is it like mixed paint where variations make it impossible to take back or mix batches?

chris445

The wood may have expanded to due to the MC in your house but this shouldn't be a problem in returning. When the wood expands/contracts it doesn't just do it once and get somehow "saved" in that state. If it's returned and sold on the next customer would just have to leave it in the room for a few days before laying it so it adapts to the MC of their house. This practise should be followed by all people laying solid/semi-solid floors so it's not even putting the next customer out. The only reason I can see for you not getting a refund is if the batch has been discontinued and a newer product brought out by the manufacturing company. In this case it may be possible that the boards wouldn't fit together properly but if its the same type of flooring it shouldn't be a problem. Anytime I've fitted a floor and had any leftover boxes the builders providers took them back no problem and because I'm a regular customer never asked for a cash refund but always got credit on my account instead. Maybe if there is something else you need you could try this route.

mickdw

They sound like jokers to me.
The expand / contract excuse is nonsense as the wood will return to the warehouse state (likely quite damp) again when returned.
The batching doesnt make a huge amount of sense either unless you literally got the last box at the end of a run of product. If that was the case, that should have been a reduced price deal and it should surely have been made clear to you that there was no more of the product should you have run short when fitting the floor. If it is an end of line product and they have even a couple of boxes left, then they should take it back.
Its terribly bad business regardless not to take something like this back.

Wils110

The excuses are ridiculous TBH but hat box could come in handy in the future if the floor gets damaged in anyway

jameshayes

the excuses may be stupid but unfortunately there is nothing wrong with the product so you're rights are near 0. You're stuck with it unfortunately, keep them as spares maybe? or they make good firewood?

RoubX

Thanks for the responses, pretty much as I thought.

Tubs and Tiles, Ballysimon Road, Limerick, was the shop.

I will hang on to it for spares as I've both dogs and kids. Good luck to them surviving the recession with customer service like that. I don't mind being told up front, or at least having a bit of straightforward honesty, but that stuff gets on my goat.

TPM

A lot of places have brought in stricter returns policies lately particularly in relation to timber products (claiming they cant be sure it was stored correctly while the customer had it) and products that they normally dont hold in that particular shop even if its stocked in their warehouse or in other stores