Larger items ordered online always arrive broken
Discussion
Anyone else suffering with this?
Dunelm sent me three blinds which were snapped in the middle and just gave up in the end.
Asda sent me a sofa with a rip in it, which 18 months later they conceded they couldn't repair and no longer dealt with the supplier so they'd collect; which they failed to do multiple times and eventually we decided it would be best if they just left it.
I've got a large sideboard in pieces (wouldn't have ordered it anyway if I'd realised it was flat pack), which took about two months to arrive and the bottom piece is snapped in two so the bits are strewn over the lounge.
I've just had a bed arrive which the wife ordered me to sign for as 'damaged' but as my name isn't damaged and I hadn't seen any damage taking it in from the delivery driver I couldn't bring myself to do it. Naturally, I now find it's damaged.
I live in a house full of slightly broken stuff, which at least I haven't paid a lot for other than in time dealing with woefully inept customer service departments, but sometimes it would be nice for something to arrive as new.
Is it just me?
Dunelm sent me three blinds which were snapped in the middle and just gave up in the end.
Asda sent me a sofa with a rip in it, which 18 months later they conceded they couldn't repair and no longer dealt with the supplier so they'd collect; which they failed to do multiple times and eventually we decided it would be best if they just left it.
I've got a large sideboard in pieces (wouldn't have ordered it anyway if I'd realised it was flat pack), which took about two months to arrive and the bottom piece is snapped in two so the bits are strewn over the lounge.
I've just had a bed arrive which the wife ordered me to sign for as 'damaged' but as my name isn't damaged and I hadn't seen any damage taking it in from the delivery driver I couldn't bring myself to do it. Naturally, I now find it's damaged.
I live in a house full of slightly broken stuff, which at least I haven't paid a lot for other than in time dealing with woefully inept customer service departments, but sometimes it would be nice for something to arrive as new.
Is it just me?
This'll sound dreadfully PH, but have you considered that it might be that when you order cheap s
te, it's cheap and ste for a reason?
Order the equivalent from John Lewis. Yes, you'll pay double, but then you'll actually have the thing you wanted. At the moment you're paying for nothing, whereas with proper retailers you pay more but at least get something.
My girlfriend is, proportionally, a significant chunk younger than me. One of the things I am passing on to her is the choice between lots of cheap tat or fewer genuinely quality items. This is a motoring website: you'll much prefer driving one BMW than you will two Kias.
te, it's cheap and ste for a reason?Order the equivalent from John Lewis. Yes, you'll pay double, but then you'll actually have the thing you wanted. At the moment you're paying for nothing, whereas with proper retailers you pay more but at least get something.
My girlfriend is, proportionally, a significant chunk younger than me. One of the things I am passing on to her is the choice between lots of cheap tat or fewer genuinely quality items. This is a motoring website: you'll much prefer driving one BMW than you will two Kias.
In the recent past I've had new sofa, couple of guitars, various amazon orders all without issue. The only ones that rattled on arrival were lego sets, and that kind of goes with the territory.
As one of the guitars was only a cheap one so came in a cardboard box rather than a case, maybe it's just you... Have you tried Ikea for furniture, so that you transport it yourself ;P
As one of the guitars was only a cheap one so came in a cardboard box rather than a case, maybe it's just you... Have you tried Ikea for furniture, so that you transport it yourself ;P
daddy cool said:
Was it a massive lightbulb?
I'd say relatively normal sized. Turns out it's not just larger stuff they break.Tom_C76 said:
Have you tried Ikea for furniture, so that you transport it yourself ;P
Not a fan of their stuff in general. Do have a few bookcases from them that survived my own delivery.I ordered an oven online some years ago and the delivery firm dropped it in the road outside and broke the glass door.
Interesting article recently about a Dutch bicycle manufacturer who've started sending out their bikes in boxes that make it look like they're flat screen TV's instead of bikes, they reckon they've had a 75% drop in damages.
Interesting article recently about a Dutch bicycle manufacturer who've started sending out their bikes in boxes that make it look like they're flat screen TV's instead of bikes, they reckon they've had a 75% drop in damages.
Only had two large items delivered in the past 2 years.... a Sofa from Barker & Stonehouse, which whilst it arrived undamaged, did arrive with different amounts of padding/sponge/stuffing in the seat cushions. One looked like a blimp, the other looked like an elephant had sat on it. It took them weeks and weeks to sort out. They sent us replacement cushions, which were the same thickness this time, but had clearly been used to mop the shop floor with. They were filthy and had leaves and moss all caught up in them
The other was a large double fridge thing (samsung) and whilst that too didn't arrive damaged, it was damaged by the delivery men getting it into the house.They used some lifting harness that attaches at the waist and they sling it under the fridge and then a guy either side ties on and they lift it. Fairly neat effort, but the big metal clasp/buckle thing is too easily pushed into the thing they're lifting.
He denied it of course, but a huge scrape and dent at hip level that was about the size of the metal clasp was clearly done by him manhandling it in a hurry.
The other was a large double fridge thing (samsung) and whilst that too didn't arrive damaged, it was damaged by the delivery men getting it into the house.They used some lifting harness that attaches at the waist and they sling it under the fridge and then a guy either side ties on and they lift it. Fairly neat effort, but the big metal clasp/buckle thing is too easily pushed into the thing they're lifting.
He denied it of course, but a huge scrape and dent at hip level that was about the size of the metal clasp was clearly done by him manhandling it in a hurry.
ferrariF50lover said:
This'll sound dreadfully PH, but have you considered that it might be that when you order cheap ste, it's cheap and ste for a reason?
Order the equivalent from John Lewis. Yes, you'll pay double, but then you'll actually have the thing you wanted. At the moment you're paying for nothing, whereas with proper retailers you pay more but at least get something.
My girlfriend is, proportionally, a significant chunk younger than me. One of the things I am passing on to her is the choice between lots of cheap tat or fewer genuinely quality items. This is a motoring website: you'll much prefer driving one BMW than you will two Kias.
Buy cheap, buy twice. My OH doesn't understand this yet either. though given my above examples, its not always true! The sofa certainly wasn't cheap!te, it's cheap and ste for a reason?Order the equivalent from John Lewis. Yes, you'll pay double, but then you'll actually have the thing you wanted. At the moment you're paying for nothing, whereas with proper retailers you pay more but at least get something.
My girlfriend is, proportionally, a significant chunk younger than me. One of the things I am passing on to her is the choice between lots of cheap tat or fewer genuinely quality items. This is a motoring website: you'll much prefer driving one BMW than you will two Kias.
Mother in law ordered a new, expensive fridge and had to pay extra for delivery to her upstairs kitchen. Not only did the first delivery driver from some crap-tastic sub contract refuse to carry it upstairs, when they did then bring it back later that afternoon, there was a huge dent in the front of it, where it had pretty obviously had something with a protruding bolt/handle or something hit into it quite hard. Still trying to get them to resolve that, which is pretty poor 6 months later.
However, I have had no issues with the delivery of our new fridge or tumble dryer, or the new sofa, or anything of late.
However, I have had no issues with the delivery of our new fridge or tumble dryer, or the new sofa, or anything of late.
Long time ago but I bought my Sony Trinitron (CRT) 32" Wide Screen TV of the Internet. It must have weighed over 50kg.
First one, picture ok, sound not so good, replacement, dead on arrival. I gave up at this point as for each one delivered I had to have the day off work and then needed to get a mate round to lift it onto the stand. Ordered the same TV from the local Apollo with installation, cost more but the delivered on Saturday and there was no way they were going to leave me with a duff telly.
More recently we had a bed frame delivered which was fine until I came to put it together only to realise several of the plastic slat clips had been smashed during shipping and no spares. Quick phone call and some new ones were on their way to me first class so can't fault that.
First one, picture ok, sound not so good, replacement, dead on arrival. I gave up at this point as for each one delivered I had to have the day off work and then needed to get a mate round to lift it onto the stand. Ordered the same TV from the local Apollo with installation, cost more but the delivered on Saturday and there was no way they were going to leave me with a duff telly.
More recently we had a bed frame delivered which was fine until I came to put it together only to realise several of the plastic slat clips had been smashed during shipping and no spares. Quick phone call and some new ones were on their way to me first class so can't fault that.
ferrariF50lover said:
This'll sound dreadfully PH, but have you considered that it might be that when you order cheap ste, it's cheap and ste for a reason?
Order the equivalent from John Lewis. Yes, you'll pay double, but then you'll actually have the thing you wanted. At the moment you're paying for nothing, whereas with proper retailers you pay more but at least get something.
My girlfriend is, proportionally, a significant chunk younger than me. One of the things I am passing on to her is the choice between lots of cheap tat or fewer genuinely quality items. This is a motoring website: you'll much prefer driving one BMW than you will two Kias.
What you saying,the couriers smash it up to punush him for buying cheap?te, it's cheap and ste for a reason?Order the equivalent from John Lewis. Yes, you'll pay double, but then you'll actually have the thing you wanted. At the moment you're paying for nothing, whereas with proper retailers you pay more but at least get something.
My girlfriend is, proportionally, a significant chunk younger than me. One of the things I am passing on to her is the choice between lots of cheap tat or fewer genuinely quality items. This is a motoring website: you'll much prefer driving one BMW than you will two Kias.
Had a number of damaged stuff turn up in the last year or so, everything from a shower door to circulon (I dont know if thats expensively branded enough?) fry pan, dunno how these places are making profit, everything should get to your door unsmashed be it one of your rolexes or some $1 ebay tatt from china.
Sadly it's the World we live in, pile it high, sell it cheap and quick. If it gets broken no problem, they either write it off (because the margins are so huge) or claim on the insurance. No-one gives a fk.
If one person was sat in a workshop making large items and sending them out it wouldn't happen, but delivery would be a bit steep....
k.If one person was sat in a workshop making large items and sending them out it wouldn't happen, but delivery would be a bit steep....
Yep, seems to be happening more often.
Recent purchases:
Hand made bedroom furniture (not cheap) - one chest of drawers and one bedside cabinet were fine. Other bedside cabinet had numerous issues including bearings falling out of runners. Replacement arrived with a huge split in it, 2nd replacement had same issues as original item, 3rd replacement had drawers out of line (no adjustment and they couldn't send replacement drawers as they were all "bespoke"). 4th replacement was fine.
Oak TV cabinet - had a big dent in the back, which we accepted as it would be hidden by TV.
Composite sink - original and replacement both had splits. Had money back for those.
Recent purchases:
Hand made bedroom furniture (not cheap) - one chest of drawers and one bedside cabinet were fine. Other bedside cabinet had numerous issues including bearings falling out of runners. Replacement arrived with a huge split in it, 2nd replacement had same issues as original item, 3rd replacement had drawers out of line (no adjustment and they couldn't send replacement drawers as they were all "bespoke"). 4th replacement was fine.
Oak TV cabinet - had a big dent in the back, which we accepted as it would be hidden by TV.
Composite sink - original and replacement both had splits. Had money back for those.
hairyben said:
What you saying,the couriers smash it up to punush him for buying cheap?
Of course not, why on Earth would you presume such a thing? Things are cheap for a reason. The materials and methods used in construction are cheaper and less rigorous. The QC likewise. Less packaging. Staff recruited for their willingness to work very hard for very little rather than their suitability for the job. Less training overall. Less employee engagement and a consequent failure to give a toss. Faster turnaround of low margin items so things are treated with less care.
The priorty for these people is volume. They get lots of things done very quickly, so they're done badly.
Rolls Royce spend longer polishing the windscreen of a Phantom than Kia do in building an entire Rio from scratch.
I know a chap who runs the warehouse for a posh drinks supplier. Mostly, the stuff is packaged in a certain way and shipped by a certain courier and most of the time everything is fine.
They deal with Harrods. Harrods have their own processes and demands and then enforce them strictly. The standards, even for juice drinks, is much higher for Harrods than anywhere else. If you're going to get a chipped bottle from anywhere, it won't be Harrods because they make it impossible for that to happen. That required level of detail is only possible because they charge £8 or whatever for a bottle of juice which trades at less than £1 and ordinarily retails somewhere around £3.
It's not a great example, but I have no other experience, so it'll have to do.
Too many people today recognise the price of everything and the value of nothing.
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