Stupid, useless, Toolstation

[Steve Firth]

I've been using Toolstation for walk-in purchases since they opened their counter (opposite Screwfix) in Winchester. Mostly OK if you ignore the cheaper and nastier end of their range.

Never again.

Last time I was there the manager suggested that instead of walking in and spending time ordering I should pick on-line then select "collect at branch" and the good would be waiting for me.

So today I did that for some gardening tools.

Then once I got the confirmation that the order had been picked I drove down to collect them. The counter droid looked shifty when I handed him the invoice. "Ah" he said "you can't collect this today." Why not? Because the useless divots at Toolstation don't tell you that the order is picked at a remote depot and sent for collection at the store why anyone would want to do this rather than have home delivery is beyond me. Delivery also takes "up to a week" but they thought I might be able to collect it Tuesday or Wednesday.

I called the depot to cancel the order. They refused to cancel it. I've told them to stick the entire bloody order where the sun doesn't shine. And this is just a warning. Don't ever use Toolstation's "collect at branch" feature, because it's pointless.

I'll not shop there again, they are on the same list as BT and British Gas now.

[Tim Watts]

I think I noticed that "feature" - bit like the Screwfix "order in and collect later" service. I agree, it's not that obvious. Ironically, you can check the stock online at TS against a particular store, then drive over and order it with some degree of confidence (cf Screwfix where you have to ring them).

Anyway, you have distance selling regulations on your side - if it was a distance sale (it was) they have no option.

[Jim K]

erm...cos they might work for a living and aren't sat at home waiting to sign for a delivery maybe?

although the week long delivery schedule could be tricky to work with.....

Jim K

[Cash]

Tim,

DSR will not apply here as it is not a pre-paid delivery - merely a simple "the store has it and they will stick it behind the counter for a period until you attend the store, pay for the item and then walk away"

If the goods are faulty when you get them home, the the Sale of Goods Act

1979 (as amended will then apply).

As a matter of interest, if you buy anything at a store and after getting it home, you decide that you don't like for any reason and take it back for exchange or refund, the store is legally entitled to refuse the request - and you're stuck with it.

Cash

[Tim Watts]

Ah - I stand corrected.

[Jim K]

No need - toolstation website requests payment after you have chosen "collect from store" so is it DSR or not?

Jim K

[Peter Parry]

If the contract is completed at a distance and the payment taken before collection then the DSR's would apply as it is a distance contract which is defined as :-

" any contract concerning goods or services concluded between a supplier and a consumer under an organised distance sales or service provision scheme run by the supplier who, for the purpose of the contract, makes exclusive use of one or more means of distance communication up to and including the moment at which the contract is concluded;"

A contract is concluded when the consumer becomes bound to buy something and the business becomes bound to supply it.

As it happens Toolstation give what is effectively DSR rights on both collected and delivered goods for 30 days from purchase.

[Steve Firth]

Don't be, he's wrong. They take the money in advance it's not a reserve and pay on collection service.

[Cash]

If they take money in advance, then yes I agree that I am wrong.

But, I use the 'collect in store option' quite often (not Toolstation's btw [in fact, I won't go near them for anything]) for quite a few items that I buy, and not one of those ask for cash up-front - in fact, their websites state that payment is expected when the goods are actually collected - and in that case the DSR definitely *DO* *NOT* apply.

But as I said, in the case of Toolstation, I stand corrected. ;-)

Now just out of curiosity, will the DSR lawfully apply in this case, where in fact you can 'examine' the goods before you take them out of the shop (rather than delivered to your door) - and then reject them if you don't want them?

Very interesting that, I'll have to have a chat to an old Tradng Standards mate of mine and find out.

Cash

[Jim K]

so if you pay by credit card do you actually have an "account" per se?

do keep an eye on their "interesting" pricing strategies though i.e. up and up, whilst like say some stuff changes - usually for the worse...

Jim K

[D.M.Chapman]

but it wasn't surely? "the order is picked at a remote depot and sent for collection" implies it wasn't (and still isn't) at the store.

I've always built up a shopping basket of stuff at toolstation website, then go to the basket and select print. This gives you a list of the basket, together with a magic code.

You can see the stock (as of last night IIRC) that the counter has, so you have an idea if it's likely to be instock (I tend to get there at opening time so that helps).

When you get there, they type in the code and it saves them having to rekey it all.

Never noticed the "Collect this order from the store option" tbh

Darren

[Steve Walker]

Legally speaking, I haven't a clue, as most of our laws seem to be very badly drafted, but morally speaking, the DSR was surely intended to cover this situation, as someone has ordered and paid before they see the goods, it's just that delivery is to the counter in the shop rather than to your house.

SteveW

[Steve Walker]

I've been caught by that one - needed some items same day and didn't want to drive there and find they were out of stock, but it was not clear that you are not ordering from the shop's stock but that of the distribution centre. I suggested that they let me have the items from stock and replace their stock when my order came in, as it was due the next morning, but they wouldn't. I ended up buying them in the shop and cancelling the online order.

Why on earth they can't have a simple reserve and collect service like many other shops, I don't know.

SteveW

[Peter Parry]

As long as the contract is completed before you examine the goods then the DSR's apply. For example if you buy a car from Japan (a popular source of used cars) via an agent then if you pay in advance the DSR's apply and when you go to collect the car you can rescind the contract using the DSR's if you wish. If you have neither committed to buy nor paid then the DSR's do not apply but you are of course completely free not to proceed with the purchase.

[D.M.Chapman]

Just had a look - see what you mean, it's not clear :-)

Mind you, in their defense, it does seem to have a date for collection clearly displayed under the option - so it's clear it's not for immediate collection.

I'd not realised they had that option, but I'll probably use it in the future - dead handy not having to have someone in to collect the parcel!

Darren

[Bruce]

They obviously cannot stand you and they want you in their store for the absolute minimum possible time, or not at all.

If you don't go there at all in future, they will be rejoicing.

Result! ;-)

[tony sayer]

Why don't you direct your ire to their senior management, thats where that decision would be made..

Perhaps it just hasn't occurred to them?.

After all British management is the best in the world .. dontcha know;!..

[Pete Verdon]

[...]

...unlike TLC, who also let you save a basket with a magic code, but make their counter staff re-key every order when you come to pick it up.

Pete

[Man at B&Q]

But they do tell you the collection time and date when you enter the store location. Always been after 12pm next day for me, which I can usually live with.

MBQ

[Man at B&Q]

Then they be just as broken as the other shops. Like Halfords who make no attempt to reserve stock but simply take it off the shelves when you get there with the reference number.

MBQ