Is this becoming a normal business practice?

[Scoboblio]

***This is not aimed at any one company and is not an attempt to put people off of a trader on this forum, it is merely an observation***

 

I've seen an example recently on the forum of a company who offer a checkup service, to essentially check that a product they're selling to you has been manufactured correctly and will therefore be fit for purpose before it's despatched.

 

I recently bought a laptop from an online shop and again, they offered to charge me £40 to "check" that everything worked before they sent it to me.

 

Has this always been a normal business practice or is it something new? As far as I'm concerned if I'm paying for something then it should turn up in full working order. I don't expect to pay extra to ensure it hasn't come off the production line with bits hanging off it. I know that checking things like engine blocks / laptops must be a long job but surely it's up to the seller to do this and customers should not be made to feel that they're risking their money if they refuse to pay extra for the privilege.

 

I wouldn't pay Comet £50 extra for a TV to ensure I get a working one.... why should it be acceptable at all?

[Supragal]

I agree. If I purchase something I expect it to work, chances of it not working are slim surely therefore if it was faulty it would go back anyway!!

[penguin]

never come across this ... pass to trading standards

[Snooze]

On the flip side, think of it like this:

 

The shop may have actually reduced the price of all it's products by £50 (or increased its profit margin, more likely, to be honest!).

 

Now - they are giving you the option:

 

- pay £50 for them to check it before sending it out. They are providing the same service you would normally expect at the same price.

 

OR

 

- you can just whip one straight of their warehouse, but if it happens to be a faulty one, you'll have to go through the whole replacement procedure.

 

So they're giving you the choice, really. You don't get anything for free, you know - the "checking" step is just included in the regular price at other shops.....

 

I bet you went to this shop because it was cheaper than other suppliers, yes? Well now you know why!

I would say the only problem is if the company in question is hiding the fact that they do not perform the check by default - then there may be a trading standards issue.

 

 

As for other businesses, it's kind of the same as low-cost airlines not providing meals on flights and limiting baggage and stuff (odd example, but its the industry that I know!)? When they first announce these things, everyone complains, saying that they expected to get meals on flights, be allowed more luggage, etc. so they started selling "extras" (not that sort of extras!) to let people pay for these services - it brings the price back up, but also improves the overall service. The airlines give you the choice of whether you want to pay for the add-ons or not......

[mr lover]

i would suggest things would not be checked even though you paid for it as the majority of items will arrive working anyway, a chance to make a few more quid and just sort the faulty ones and take the flack when it happens

[Scoboblio]

Good points Snooze, but to be honest I'd rather have the peace of mind that the product would turn up fit for purpose rather than the attitude of "if you don't pay us extra then what do you expect" approach. If the seller doesn't have confidence in the quality and finish of the product then they should take this up with the manufacturer, not pass on the risk to the customer.

[downimpact]

under that sale of goods act 1979 ? it states it had to be 'fit for purpose' in other words if it says it works in the description, then you can take it back within a reasonable amount of time if it doesn't.

 

Applying this to parts is a little harder, because they may not be used correctly, i believe.

[Snooze]

To be honest, I would too, Scob. I'd always pay for that sort of check to be done given the option, and if that made the final price more expensive, I'd go somewhere else, and if you feel that a vendor was trying to hide the fact that they didn't do the check from you, then you have every right to feel defrauded IMO.

 

Warning - essay alert!.....

 

I think this sort of practice has actually been emphasized by the abundance of internet shopping. When you used to go to shops to buy stuff, you really noticed the service, support and other stuff that you were paying for by shopping there. Shops differentiated themselves from eachother using that sort of add-on service.

 

With the internet flooded with online shops where first-time customers have no gauge of the real service quality being provided, the only thing the shops have to differentiate from eachother is the price. That's the first thing you look at when you compare one on-line shop to another. So shops, trying to present themselves as having the lowest price, are stripping their services down to the absolute shitty minimum. To be honest, I hadn't even heard of the issue you raised when I first read your post, but I can see how it's come about.

 

As with all these things - when it goes fine, you'll be chuffed with the low price, but when it goes wrong, all hell breaks loose: it's not until you turn up at the airport and Easyjet tell you they're running late and you'll miss your connection and f**k up your entire holiday and they won't even compensate for the extra night in the hotel that you realise why they were so much damn cheaper than everyone else in the first place!

 

...phew....sorry!

[Scoboblio]

Haha that sounds like the voice of experience.

[Pete]

We check laptops for free, install any software you've bought from us etc... but then we don't sell them for peanuts.