Consumer rights advice please

Any advice on consumer rights?


HI just before xmas we ordered our boys a childrens quad bike from an online supplier who had a distribution centre in Paris, we thought being based in France should anything go wrong it would be easier, how wrong could I be!


The quad arrived just before xmas, the other half duely tightened bolts and added fuel, xmas arrived and we had two excited boys, they tried the quad and it would not work, basically, engine starts, when you lift the wheel off the floor wheels turn, put a 5 year old child on, won't go, or very slowly on a flat tramac surface, restrictor is fully open I must add.


I have rang, e-mailed, rang, e-mailed the offices with little response, I must have tried to contact them 50 times, I have actually spoken to someone 4 times, last time over a week ago they said sent me an e-mail with what is wrong and we will send the bits to fix it, I asked who would fix it and they said they would have to sort that out. I said I wanted them to collect the quad and give a refund, nothing in response since this date, I try at least twice a day to ring, but no joy.


What next?


I am particularly angry as this was the boys present, they want to ride it and can't.


I've skimmed a bit, so, cheating, i know, but, yes, in short, as has been said, if it does not do as "it says on the tin", you are entitled to either replacement, or refund.

hound these shysters, and let them know you will stop at nothing, and go legal if you get no hearing.

I have been using this web supplier for the past 3 years and I cannot fault them. Service, quality and every thing else has been OK. http://www.rueducommerce.fr/home/index.htm

I blogged about this a while back on one of my sites - the links should still be valid try - http://www.twiku.com/consumer-protection/

Hi Leeanne, Whatever people may tell you, France is governed by the same Trading Standards Laws as in the UK, as a member of the european union the same laws apply, the problem is that no one has told the French. You may find some help by contacting the UFC Que Choisir, the consumers association. It may also help to send a registered letter/ claim from an Advocat claiming your right to a full refund - it should only cost around 20-25€ and certainly will have more effect than just a letter or telephone call. Good Luck

did you buy with an English credit card - maybe contact them and see if they can help?

Before buying anything on-line I just check the physical state of it in a store, check the on-line sites and their references and order with them. Never been disappointed, neither by the product itself, nor by the vendor in times of service, delivery, after-market parts etc.

Best thing is usually a price (including transport / postage) that's about 80% of the traditional retail one. But also not necessarily the cheapest one amongst the on-line stores. A bit of research will disqualify some of them.

Well Catherine and Co ....we seem to be getting back to the'busy life' syndrome.

If we want and expect this French life which is 80% stress free we have to take the time

to attend to purchases and cut out all those possabiliities. The ones which we had in UK.

Have you ever bought from Argos? A quick fix phone or coffee machine or something? Hopeless.

All that time and trouble TAKING THINGS BACK.
Well trebble trouble via on line shopping.

Perhaps a short shopping trip with a car TO uK could be great fun...

Visiting a few fav regions of France before you reach your UK shopping destination.

From here I would stop off in Saumur as I enjoy the atmoshere of this town.

Then I would drive on to Normandy to Barneville Carteret to Hotel La Marine which

sits nicely with GREAT views of the sea. A really comforting place to be especially if you

enjoy a Micheline star meal displaying true expertise. Then on to London on the Cherbourge crossing.

Here I would venture to Indian Zing in Hammersmith and Royal China in Queensway or Baker

street. Nothing better than the very best of Indian and Chinese cuisine ....Never have I expperienced true Indian or Chinese cooking in France. The French defy their interest...but a good chinese restaurant would work wonders.

The shopping can take place in Westlife...Westfield which has taken up residence in

the great West of London once terribly graceful and chic in the days when it was dressed by Barbara

Heleniki and Ossie Clerk and shopping was a delight....

Unique and twinky little shops which brightened up even the dullest day with their individual

presentation of style have beome an impssabilty due to the abnormal greed of the landlord society. Now west London is a cluster of samey shops with pods and peas.Handbags for 6 pounds and 6.000pounds spot the difference ..oh it is purely the lable.

The survival of the small shop in uk seems to be beyond a dream.

And hence blue-water and Westlife.

They do deliver here now but at the moment the delivery charges are steep. I now buy at JL, get it delivered to a UK address and then shipped by Parcels please. At least that way I know that if anything goes wrong........

Good luck - we never got anywhere with our oven despite the door exploding six months into the guarantee. xx

@ Barbara - that is simply not true. We bought a smeg oven from a retailer rather than online for that precise reason and the customer service was pants. It depends on the individual and the corporate policy. I would rather buy online from John Lewis than almost anywhere else.

If it doesn't work as advertised (how fast is it meant to go?) then you have a right to a refund, a repair or a replacement. If you can't get a response from the suppliers try contacting UFC Que Choisir, the consumers association.

http://www.quechoisir.org/?utm_source=nlh&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nlh120207

or the makers.

Sorry to say this but not sure who you can trust all suppliers with their

quality of service.

On line PURCHASING can be great but can present trouble.

Nothing is better than seeing the goods...Getting a receipt and

being able to have customer relations with a person who can not

riggle out of contact.

Old fashioned...BUT it works.