Walking into a store, you find the product you are looking for at a price that whilst expensive, is within your budget.

Speaking to a salesperson you are told that you can pay on your credit card with by the month instalments.

Knowing the display product isn’t the one you will receive, you are told that one of the accessories will be delivered and installed the following week as it is out of stock. The accessory isn’t vital to the product’s operation so you agree that a one-week wait is ok.

You sign the contract and make the first payment.

A week passes. The accessory hasn’t arrived and you have had no contact from the store. You make a phone call and are told there’s been a further delay and the accessory will be a few more days. Slightly annoyed you agree this is ok as the product is useable without the accessory.

More time passes and the accessory has still not been delivered.

Meanwhile you discover there are other, unrelated issues with the product. You arrange for a repairman to come to look at the problem and take time off work. As a contractor, every hour not working is money out of your wallet, but you need to get the problem fixed.

The repairman arrives and determines that the fault is caused elsewhere, but they can arrange a resolution. Heading back to work you’re annoyed that you lost a number of hours pay with no resolution, but are glad the issue is being looked at.

A few days later you are told the cause of the issue has been rectified and a repairman now needs to come out to look at the product again. You arrange more unpaid time off work.

After a number of failed attempts to repair the issue and more time off work, it’s discovered the store caused the issue and they need to fix it, not the repairman.

After a month the issue is finally resolved. Meanwhile the accessory you were promised delivery of a week after your first payment still has not arrived and the second payment is due.

You make the payment and contact the store again, however you aren’t told a definitive date for the accessory to arrive.

A few other minor issues occur, most of which are fixed within a reasonable time.

You make the third monthly payment and the accessory still has not been delivered despite many enquiries to the store … you note that you always have to initiate contact with the store – they never give you an update unasked.

You notice that the finish on the product has started to peel off, and contact the store to arrange to have this repaired.

Days go by. In desperation you write a letter to the store informing them that you believe they falsely advertised the product as after three months it is still not what you believer you ordered or have been paying for.

Another month has past and it’s time for the fourth monthly payment, which you make. The accessory has still not been delivered and the peeling finish has not been inspected or a repair attempted.

Contact with the store – all of which you have to initiate - is getting you nowhere.

You write them a letter informing them that you intend to return the product as it is not what you were sold.

You receive a response saying that you are breaking the sales contract by returning the product and will be liable for a number of fees and charges.

You make the 5th monthly payment, however outraged at the audacity of the store to charge you for returning a faulty product, you contact consumer affairs and are currently awaiting a response from them.



This is a true story.
What would you have done?
Would you be willing to pay to return the faulty product?
Let me know in your comments.