Shop won't deliver - can I get a refund?

CosmicFool

adocholiday wrote: »

Wow this blew up! Thanks all for the input. The end result here is that the shop agreed to deliver it for a fee afterwards and the item has been received.

Some details maybe worth clarifying for better context: When I bought the item the shop said that they would try to deliver the item but said that they didn't have their own delivery service. I said that I wasn't in a position to pick it up myself so a delivery would be required and I would pay for the delivery if necessary. Again I was told that they would try their best but because they didn't do deliveries they'd occasionally employ a courier that they have a contract with. The impression I had was that if they had a contract with a courier then surely it would be fine and there might be a charge but that was ok.

The following day (less than 24 hours later) I received a call from the shop saying that unfortunately they would not be in a position to deliver it. I felt that their 'trying' was a bit lacking and I believe that they had no intention of delivering the item when I bought it but they knew I'd walk away from the sale if they outright refused. I told them that I wanted a refund but they said no but they'd give me store credit. Useless to me if they don't deliver! That's when I opened this thread. I got some quotes from 'man in a van' outfits and priced the hiring of a van but all were much too expensive relative to the value of the item bought.

Anyway long story short after some back and forth they agreed to deliver it for a reasonable fee as I had suggested originally and all has been resolved. In such cases I think that shops should be required to explicitly state whether they provide a delivery service or not, there shouldn't be any ambiguity around it. If they told me outright that no, delivery is absolutely not an option I'd have left it there. If they had said yes I'd have paid the fee and there'd be no issue. Instead they gave me a maybe but with the expectation that something could be arranged which was not the case until I really pushed back on it.

I think that no matter what way you look at it that's a shady thing to do and a refund should be a viable option for the customer in such situations.

Glad you got it sorted. The store should of managed the sale better. Hinting at delivering the piece to close a deal is pretty shady.

Mango Joe

adocholiday wrote: »

I bought in store not online. They told me that they'd try to deliver, is that not offering delivery?

I'm with OP here - If the Salesperson involved indicated it might be delivered to make their sale then the shop bears responsibility here..... At the very least for a refund where they actually stand to lose nothing despite having behaved in a less than honourable manner.

I'd be far from impressed.

bucketybuck

adocholiday wrote: »

In such cases I think that shops should be required to explicitly state whether they provide a delivery service or not, there shouldn't be any ambiguity around it. If they told me outright that no, delivery is absolutely not an option I'd have left it there. If they had said yes I'd have paid the fee and there'd be no issue. Instead they gave me a maybe but with the expectation that something could be arranged which was not the case until I really pushed back on it.

Exactly. It is furniture, a clear and obvious candidate for needing delivery. Any professional shop would know what they can or can't do and be able to advise the customer accordingly. Anything else is, well, amateurish.

silver2020

I agree with the op after that extra info. The store should have offered a refund as the op made delivery of the furniture a condition of sale albeit not in writing.

But its all settled now. Hope the store learns a lesson.