YorkshireMartin
Established Member
Some things, like tools and wood, are presumably a joy for all of us here to buy. I've often wondered if people get as frustrated as me when trying to buy certain other items.
Here is my list and reasons why:
Used cars - total and utter minefield, dodgy sales practices, misleading ads, the list goes on.
Beds - The likes of DFS and Harveys change their pricing virtually daily, the sales staff look half dead, follow you around in a creepy fashion and the products are at best, of questionable quality. Products are also impossible to compare against other retailers due to the dodgy custom naming and lack of transparency as to who the manufacturers are.
Mattresses - See above. I last bought a mattress 6 months ago and noticed today whilst looking at John Lewis' web site that virtually ever product we looked at has now ceased to exist, at least in name. Hard to find reviews of products when they cycle so fast....could that, perhaps, be intentional? I wonder.
Utilities - Nope. Just nope. Digging through the old bills to find out how many kwH you used and then trying to work out the standing charge vs all inclusive. What a crock. Let's not even mention mobile phone or TV/internet packages.
Insurance of all types - The comparison sites seemed to have made it easier for many insurance types, until you realise that you pay a fair old premium, pardon the pun, above the policy price for the privilege of using them. The coverage of varies so wildly that it can't usually be compared, requires wading through 100's of pages just to find out what you're actually covered for, which in some cases is very little, if anything.
Other Furniture - It almost invariably arrives damaged and often, despite retailers conveniently blaming the couriers, it's just not been QC checked properly at the retailer or manufacturer. I had an interesting experience with a not entirely inexpensive vanity unit last year, which upon unboxing, promptly scattered itself into component parts all over the kitchen floor. Retailer said that I could send it back, but that I must use not one, but two original boxes which it was shipped in. Thats an inner and an outer box. The outer of which was 5ft high by 3ft wide and thus had been taken away by the courier as a favour. Took two weeks and much explaining about the law to the Leicester based retailer, to solve that little problem. Also had a new sofa that was dispatched, then wasn't, then was lost, then was found, then was lost again and finally turned up 8 weeks late after 4 delivery advisory texts and corresponding days off work.
Since it is the season of good will, I shall forgive all the above retailing half wits for their transgressions.
So, what grinds your gears ladies and gents?
Merry Christmas to one and all.
Here is my list and reasons why:
Used cars - total and utter minefield, dodgy sales practices, misleading ads, the list goes on.
Beds - The likes of DFS and Harveys change their pricing virtually daily, the sales staff look half dead, follow you around in a creepy fashion and the products are at best, of questionable quality. Products are also impossible to compare against other retailers due to the dodgy custom naming and lack of transparency as to who the manufacturers are.
Mattresses - See above. I last bought a mattress 6 months ago and noticed today whilst looking at John Lewis' web site that virtually ever product we looked at has now ceased to exist, at least in name. Hard to find reviews of products when they cycle so fast....could that, perhaps, be intentional? I wonder.
Utilities - Nope. Just nope. Digging through the old bills to find out how many kwH you used and then trying to work out the standing charge vs all inclusive. What a crock. Let's not even mention mobile phone or TV/internet packages.
Insurance of all types - The comparison sites seemed to have made it easier for many insurance types, until you realise that you pay a fair old premium, pardon the pun, above the policy price for the privilege of using them. The coverage of varies so wildly that it can't usually be compared, requires wading through 100's of pages just to find out what you're actually covered for, which in some cases is very little, if anything.
Other Furniture - It almost invariably arrives damaged and often, despite retailers conveniently blaming the couriers, it's just not been QC checked properly at the retailer or manufacturer. I had an interesting experience with a not entirely inexpensive vanity unit last year, which upon unboxing, promptly scattered itself into component parts all over the kitchen floor. Retailer said that I could send it back, but that I must use not one, but two original boxes which it was shipped in. Thats an inner and an outer box. The outer of which was 5ft high by 3ft wide and thus had been taken away by the courier as a favour. Took two weeks and much explaining about the law to the Leicester based retailer, to solve that little problem. Also had a new sofa that was dispatched, then wasn't, then was lost, then was found, then was lost again and finally turned up 8 weeks late after 4 delivery advisory texts and corresponding days off work.
Since it is the season of good will, I shall forgive all the above retailing half wits for their transgressions.
So, what grinds your gears ladies and gents?
Merry Christmas to one and all.
