Screwfix Problem

[Usenet Nutter]

I placed an order yesterday which included a 600 x 900 double panel radiator . The end panel was damaged an I tried calling the 0870 777 xxxx number which was on the enclosed leaflet and it was constantly engaged.. I telephoned Screwfix to ask about that and they gave me an alternative number which they said was for Kudos Rads but the lady ,who could hardly speak English ,said they had only been supplying rads to Screwfix for one week which didn't sound like they had supplied my rad as it was the same model as one I got months ago ( says FIX on the end panel).

I then called Screwfix again and was told the rad was supplied by Valiant and gave me another number and ,unconvinced by this ,I called them to be told that they did not supply panels and to contact Screwfix to have to explain the whole friggin' story again to be told " Oh we willl just send you another rad out " which was just what I did not want to be told and I tried to speak to a supervisor but after several minutes of silence I had to put the phone down and redial

This time ,still with no supervisor,the girl offered again to have a new rad sent out ...clearly my explanation that it was the end panel that was the problem and there was no guarantee the replacement rad would be anyy different ...didn't strike home .She also said I could take the rad to a local branch ....(but she did admit she had never lifted a double radiator ).

What she did say was that they knew of the problem with the 0870 number I had been trying to call and they were trying to get that resolved .. I said I would attempt to get in touch with the company meantime ..Her reply was that I had 30 days to get an exchange rad.

Not good enough Screwfix...

[pcb1962]

What's wrong with letting them send you a new rad, swapping the end panels and letting them take back the new rad with the damaged end panel? They probably can't send you just an end panel because they don't have a part number for it.

[John]

What's wrong with letting them send you a new rad, swapping the end panels and letting them take back the new rad with the damaged end panel? They probably can't send you just an end panel because they don't have a part number for it.

The obligation is on the retailer to replace the item - not to try and send you bits!

[Usenet Nutter]

I thought I had covered that .The end and top panels are the most vulnerable part within the box .The last rad I got had 2 damaged end panels , this one just one .Who is to say the next rad won't have the same problem ...what do I do then ...wait on a third one coming with perhaps the same problem . Also it comes in a huge box and is also wrapped in bubble wrap and polythene and HD cardboard ...u expect the driver to wait while I unwrap and rewrap it ???

Apart from getting duff gen from Screwfix when I phone the problem is the phone number of the manfrs being engaged . Last time all it took was one quick phone call and the replacement panels arrived next day . I'm not asking Screwfix to send them out ..I know they don't do that .

I guess you haven't ordered rads from Screwfix ? :-)

[Owain]

I thought by now we all knew not to order rads and fluro tubes by mail order from anywhere :-)

Owain

[Dave Liquorice]

Are Screwfix covering this loss themselves or are they going to claim on the couriers? They really ought to be claiming off the couriers otherwise there is no incentive to the courier to take any care at all of the goods they are carrying.

Many places are now saying that signing "unchecked" is not good enough and you should inspect the goods before signing or (fraudulently) sign "damaged". If the driver has to wait for your signature after you have checked the goods then they damn well have to wait. It's the couriers rules they have to take the consequences of those rules.

[Usenet Nutter]

I've no idea what arrangements are between Screwix/Couriers/Manfrs and anyway how does anyone know where the damage was caused . I have just looked at the box it came in and there is no evidence of any damage ...however after I saw the damaged panel I had a look at the cardboard caps covering the ends of the rads and one of them had a split which suggests the damage was done before it was boxed .

[dom]

Screwfix is drones selling boxes - that's why they're cheap(ish). They have no understanding of the product. Even if you make a tech support call, chances are someone will just read the leaflet to you (there are rare exceptions, where I've spoken to someone that understands the product - but it's rare)

Screwfix's business model revolves around low-ish prices, quick delivery and no quibbles about returns and exchanges.

That's the way it works. You're not happy with it - refund or exchange. Exchanges still crap - get yer money back.

That's how they're set up - they ain't going to change it for you, because it works for them.

Don't like it - then go elsewhere.

[Usenet Nutter]

Yeah well if you say so ......Can't say I have had much reason to complain about SF and what happened today wasn't so much about the product as the hoops I had to go through to get a small problem sorted . That's all.

[Bob Eager]

In my earlier, naive dealings with CPC I ordered five fluorescent tubes. They taped them together and put loads of bubble wrap all round.

The couriers appeared to have folded them in two to get them in the van...

[The Natural Philosopher]

Of course. Or sat on them.

[js.b1]

The problem is idiot manufacturers & retailers not packaging properly.

Something like fluorescent tubes need to go out in a thickwall cardboard tube, typically with inserts permitting one-to-several tubes somewhat akin to an old locomotive boiler. Minor flexing then presents no hazard with a suitable "look you thick bastard these are glass and break if you miss-handle and you get the mercury & obnoxious smell" on the outside.

Something like a radiator must be set in a polyethylene spaceframe (not piggin polystyrene), then in a box, then in another double-wall box separated from the first by polyethylene corner pieces linked by compressed paper L-angle edge bracing.

The latter is almost how Tesco Direct ship a solid oak assembled with glass side table. It even has a false bottom with polystyrene under chipboard blocks to act as a crumple zone if dropped heavily. Ordered many, all perfect condition.

I have a suspicion the big retailers just pick up the bill rather than claim. They ship 1M items a year, they get a cheaper no-insurance- except-loss saving =A30.80 per shipment so it covers =A3800,000 of trashed deliveries re self-insurance. The problem is the end-purchaser gets stiffed because some goods are virtually un-mail-order-able. Now consider the activity based costing and the =A3800,000 is eaten up not just by the goods, but the processing & admin of damaged goods (=A325/ time?), plus collection & redelivery (=A34+4). Then there is the cheesed off customer where a competitor is just a click away.

[Usenet Nutter]

After spending hours trying to contact the Rad Manfr on an enaged 0870 number I discovered it was DD Heating who are now Heatline in Bedford and contacted them on another number and the girl I spoke to said that I had to go back to Screwfix to sort it as it was their couriers who had damaged the rad ....Questioning her found that the company has changed it's policy so reading between the lines I'm guessing they get hacked off having to replace damaged panels or rads....not half as hacked off as this customer is becoming ...I am still awaiting a reply from SF to an e-mail I sent them yesterday ..... .....I wonder what the chances are of getting them to tell the local branch to open up one of the 5 rads they have and swap out the panel from it to give to me ???

[geraldthehamster]

Why are you dealing with the manufacturer? You bought it from Screwfix so your contract is with them. If it's damaged then Screwfix are liable to refund your money, unless you choose to accept a replacement. A signature saying you accepted it in good condition, when you didn't have opportunity properly to inspect it, has no legal force and doesn't remove those rights.

Cheers Richard

[Usenet Nutter]

Why am I dealing with the Manfr you ask.... Because in previous dealings with this sort of problem Screwfix said to call the company and they would send out the replacement panel ( which they did) so I believed that arrangement still stood....in fact someone from Screwfix's Resolution Centre has just told me on the 'phone that arrangement should,to her knowledge ,still be in operation and she is now going off to clarify things further up Screwfix's chain cos clearly there is a problem with comms between SF and the Manfrs ......THAT is why I was trying to get the manfr to resolve things .

The simplest way would either be for SF to keep a stock of replacement panels which they could send out if required or to get the Manfr to send them out ( as before) and SF pay the company the costs .or is that just too simple???

I just want a friggin' replacement panel...I did suggest that the local SF open up a rad ( they have 5) and I swap it over and she is going to see if that can be done ..the other suggestion was to send out another rad and I swap the panel over and they collect it the next day .

[Usenet Nutter]

Following up from last message the SF lady was true to her word and 'phoned me back .Arrangements had been made with the Glasgow Counter for them to look out a rad and I have just been down and swapped my bent panel with one out of the box ..I was in and out in 2 minutes ..I hope nobody else gets that radiator ..but I suspect they will.

[Pete Verdon]

Well, all credit in this department to the company I've just bought some custom-cut sheets of glass from. Each sheet bubblewrapped, the whole stack put into a specially-cut-out block of polystyrene (like a cartoon cut-out book), extra blocks of polystyrene on each face, then the whole thing wrapped in tape. Then they build a tight-fitting plywood box around it and wrapped that in tape for good measure.

The courier probably could have driven the van over it without damage :-)

Pete