Has anybody bought appliances from Biasco.co.uk?

A sensible thing to do is to assume the worst case scenarios that they will go bust after taking your payment but before delivering the goods, or that the goods arrive faulty and then they go bust immediately afterwards. You can consider anything better than that to be a bonus.

To protect your payment, if you use a credit card or credit agreement (e.g. a 6 month interest free one) then the card company or finance company has to cover any losses or problems with the product.

Certainly never pay by cash, debit card or charge card unless the latter have purchase protection and then check the small print.

It really doesn't matter how reputable an on line trader seems to be. In an increasing number of cases they are effectively no more than transaction brokers who take orders and payments on one side, place them with the manufacturer who delivers or arranges delivery and gets paid by the trader (hopefully). The trader doesn't see or touch the goods.

The whole thing then largely depends on the cash flow and margin of the trader. Many now run such tight margins that a puff of wind and they can go bust.

There's nothing wrong with buying from such a trader - just make sure that you cover yourself

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

I have used both Biasco and another similar firm

Nick.

Clearly, and unequivocally with the retailer, and if a credit agreement is used, jointly and severally with the organisation supplying credit.

They may wish to ask the manufacturer to help, or the manufacturer may offer to do so by way of a warranty, but responsibilities don't change

It's important to follow any shipping instructions as well.

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

I used them and they were a lot better than another company libel laws prevent me naming. Provided you use a credit card and the item is more than £100 you should be OK.

One point to note is that they insist you inspect the goods on arrival. The delivery people know this and mine even helped me unpack but it can mean you need to be there yourself rather than somebody acting for you.

Do tell - truth is, as I hear, an absolute defence in libel cases. Sticking to the facts and avoiding embroidery ought definitely to keep you in the clear: i.e. they've no comeback against a true, factual report of the form "when buying item X from Shyster, Shyster, Grabbit and Runne, I was told on 4 seperate occasions that the goods had been dispatched, but nothing ever arrived. When I requested a refund, I received no response for 4 weeks despite 7 phone calls, 2 letters, and multiple emails; only when I started Small Claims proceedings did a refund materialise, with a 40 pound "administrative charge" deducted". On the other hand, saying "Shyster, Shyster, Grabbit and Runne are a bunch of lying, cheating crooks" might accurately reflect your own opinion, but is a generalisation you can't reliably support...

Possibly, but the costs and time involved puts me off. Just buy from Biasco.

So *that* is why you like Screwfux?

I don't like or dislike Screwfix any more than any other supplier, Paul, neither do I anticipate that they will go bust any time soon despite your protestations, which strike me as being OTT in the context of what SF has been doing. I'm not tolerant of poor service either, but I do calibrate my intolerance to the situation..

However, like any other purchases I am not assuming that any retailer will be in business so I make sure that I am covered in other ways through consumer legislation where capital purchases are concerned.

Hence, I will look carefully at manufacturers and their ability to support their products for the longer term.

This is not quite so important for a box of screws.

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

I bought a £600 cooker hood from Biasco.co.uk. They have yet to deliver it 5 weeks after the order was placed. Seems everytime I phone them up, they have an excuse: "Sorry, manufacturer hasn't made them yet" (?!) "Our delivery company came out but you were not home - we can only deliver to you next week now"

Take my advice - if you want to spend this kind of money, stay away from Biasco. Its not worth the hassle.

Naj

Why the surprise? El cheapo mail order places are often just middlemen - the goods come straight from the factory. Who may well not have stocks.

Better mail order houses who hold their own stocks will often show those stocks on their website against each individual item - or state the approximate delay. Even Maplin. ;-)