WholesaleWeldingSupplies.ie gone down the toilet

case_sensitive

<rant>
I've been shopping on http://wholesaleweldingsupplies.ie for a few years, sourcing gas, filler and a few plants.

In the last 9-12 months though it seems like they have gone rapidly downhill.
It started when I wanted a simple MIG gas refill, it just didn't seem like they were too interested in taking the order. I ordered online, and I think it might have been a week a no sign of the bottle, or even an order confirmation receipt/mail.
They didn't pick up their phone and emails went unanswered. Eventually, out of the blue and unannounced, Fastway arrived to collect the empty bottle, with a promise of a filled one 'in the next few days'. 2 days later, a filled one. Grand, maybe they were busy.

Fast forward to Jan, I'm finally ready to order my TIG plant, and I've been tempted by their compelling package offers, about €1,300 for the plant, 9l bottle, lid and a few other bits. Problems again getting anyone to respond to relatively simple requests for a longer hose and a bigger bottle. Stupidly, I ordered anyway, but used Paypal so at least I had some proof.
Again, no receipt, no order confirmation.
8-9 days passed and no a peep out of them, money was debited from my account naturally. Eventually I got Joe on a mobile, and without any sense of an apology, he said it'd be with me 'in the next few days', but that it had to come from England. Turns out they weren't fulfilling the order themselves, Parweld were sending the whole lot!
So I got on to Parweld myself, who not only sorted my order out (which they had no knowledge of, I needed my paypal receipt to prove it), but told me WWS had lost a staff member and were struggling a bit. I do get increasingly unknowledgeable and unapologetic people on the phone, and a few days later, the 20l bottle. And a sense that this is absolutely the norm, no "sorry for the delay we're understaffed etc".

Last week, the bottle runs out, and having forgotten what a pain they are, ordered from them again (evening of 30/08), rods and a fill. No receipt ever comes.
Lots of phone calls ensue, speak to teenager (?) who doesn't sound pleased to have been left answering the calls, who promises to send the invoice/receipt (she doesn't) and promises that Fastway will deliver it in the new few days, collecting the empty ("usually the next day, we don't know why"). Yesterday, out of the blue, Fastway drop a filled 20L bottle and filler rods at my next-door-neighbour's house, who despite being freaked out by it, kindly takes it in. It's not propped up, just left standing free in her living room. I lie to her and tell her it's not dangerous. Must drop over a bottle of wind for risking her life and both our walls.
The package actually came direct from Stargas in Limerick which is mad, what exactly do WWS do in this transaction but take money?

Call again today, get same hapless teenager on the phone, again who has no information, but at least today I have two bottles, all I'm trying to do is get them back their empty, for which I have to wait at home all day.

</rant>

So, I dunno, maybe don't order from them, go direct to Parweld or Stargas maybe.

whippet

case_sensitive wrote: »

So, I dunno, maybe don't order from them, go direct to Parweld or Stargas maybe.

this isn't a consumer issue as it's a B2B transaction - but you've just answered your own question

case_sensitive

whippet wrote: »

this isn't a consumer issue as it's a B2B transaction - but you've just answered your own question

I would regard myself as the consumer, and I ordered from WWS, I'm not sure how this would be a B2B issue. How WWS use partners to get the stuff to me ought not really to be my concern, my contract is with WWS. Or would be if I had an invoice

A Dub in Glasgo

whippet wrote: »

this isn't a consumer issue as it's a B2B transaction - but you've just answered your own question

They sell to the public so it is a consumer issue

whippet

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

They sell to the public so it is a consumer issue

not necessarily .. if the OP is buying these supplies in the course of his business it is a B2B transaction and consumer law does not apply

Of course I don't know if the OP is just a hobby welder but i'd assume with the qty he is using it is more than just repairing his bicycle in his shed

A Dub in Glasgo

As a seller to the public, any feedback on a retailer is a consumer issue even if the specific transactions relate to business purchases unless folk think the retailer will treat members of the public differently

dudara

case_sensitive wrote: »

I would regard myself as the consumer, and I ordered from WWS, I'm not sure how this would be a B2B issue.

Are you purchasing on behalf of a business, or are you purchasing these items for personal use?

A Dub in Glasgo wrote:

As a seller to the public, any feedback on a retailer is a consumer issue even if the specific transactions relate to business purchases unless folk think the retailer will treat members of the public differently

The law treats B2B transactions differently to B2C transactions, and business may react differently. It’s worth understanding which category the OP falls into.

L1011

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

As a seller to the public, any feedback on a retailer is a consumer issue even if the specific transactions relate to business purchases unless folk think the retailer will treat members of the public differently

There is a legal definition of consumer under which consumer rights laws operate and that is the definition we used.

Purchased by, or for the course of a business means it is not a consumer purchase.

They're a customer; but not a consumer.

A Dub in Glasgo

I know what the definition is, thanks

As a consumer, I would not buy off this retailer based on how they treat their customers

case_sensitive

whippet wrote: »

not necessarily .. if the OP is buying these supplies in the course of his business it is a B2B transaction and consumer law does not apply

Of course I don't know if the OP is just a hobby welder but i'd assume with the qty he is using it is more than just repairing his bicycle in his shed

A TIG welding plant costing €1,300 is low-mid range, very much a hobbist.
The rods are the consumables, but they're sub €20 for a kg box.

case_sensitive

dudara wrote: »

Are you purchasing on behalf of a business, or are you purchasing these items for personal use?

The law treats B2B transactions differently to B2C transactions, and business may react differently. It’s worth understanding which category the OP falls into.

For me, I would assume anyone knows what welding equipment costs, but buying the machine is something you do once every 5 years or so, and even a hobbist will go through a bottle a year and a few kgs of rods. Very much an amateur with a different, unrelated day job. Definitely not B2B.

dudara

Thanks. Needed to clarify that as the advice you’d get would be completely different if you were in a B2B situation.