This is why I hate buying things..

[wafter]

With the flat situation I find myself in the unenviable position of needing to buy a lot of stuff. While not overwhelmingly negative, I've had problems with seemingly the majority of stuff I've tried to buy recently; unnecessarily turning many purchase into disappointing, anxiety-laced time-thieves...

Bed frame: Apparently new through a reseller. Messaged asking for confirmation that it was new and unmarked.. despite affirmative response it turned up marked / damaged. Got a partial refund but I'd rather have had something that wasn't damaged, thanks.

Mattress: New from a large national seller; delivered with a large hole abraded through the protective plastic cover with corresponding stains / damage to the mattress below. Yet to reach a resolution.

Crankset: Used from a private seller; looked good but arrived only partially complete and with a load of marks as it'd been appallinglly packaged with bits just rattling around loose in the box - that's going back for a refund.

Toaster: Used from a private seller - drove a fair distance after being assured that marks just visible in photo (due to angle of shot) would clean off; when I arrived it looked like it'd been down the side of a cliff. Told them to keep it.

Another crankset: "New" from a business seller - another that arrived abysmally packaged with corresponding damage cosmetically ruining one of the crank arms. A real shame and totally avoidable; yet to do battle..


Utterly, utterly sick of this shite - nearly all of which could have been avoided had people been more observant / truthful / careful... and it's not just my precious time an energy wasted but also otherwise good quality, potentially expensive items - that have taken finite resources and energy to to produce - ruined for absolutely no good reason.

I'm utterly exhausted from having to constantly deal with this fallout from others' shortcomings

 

[presta]

I've had so much crappy quality stuff that I've stopped sending it back for fear that I'll get my Amazon account closed for returning too much.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

People all have very different perceptions of damage to items, one person's minor scratch is another's horrendous scrape.

Same with quality of work by tradesmen, etc. By way of recommendation I have looked at interior carpentry, upvc window fitment, wall tiling, laminate flooring, etc and it has been horrific despite the house owner rating it brilliant.

Worst ever, a friend had some dents and scrapes 'removed' from a car he was selling and he said the work was top-notch. From a dozen feet away it actually looked appalling, colour mismatches, primer visible & dents still visible. I pointed these things out to my friend and he still thought the guy had done a great job. Bizzarre!

 

[Electric_Andy]

Yes it's appalling. People (employed or not) just don't care. I had the same problem with a TV. I now sometimes pay extra to buy in a physical shop so at least I can see the item or go back with a receipt to complain. That said, I've found most FB sellers fairly honest so far. But I do use prejudice when buying; if their FB profile is chavvy then I don't even try contacting them

 

[gbb]

It is disappointing, very, if your expectations are high. You've communicated your expectations as best you can but as above, different people's ideas of 'good' are really quite different.
But it's the way of the world...that's the trouble with distance buying.

Sorry, doesn't add much if anything to what you already know...

 

[wafter]

Thanks folks; I'm aware that I have high standards and any of the nebulous terms used to describe items can be enormously subjective... which is why I always ask specific questions with unambiguous answers.

The toaster was a case in point - thankfully for the (young, female) seller I happened to be in a good mood and had combined the trip with another errand and a little walk in nice surroundings on a gloriously sunny day. Had circumstances been different I think I might have been more explicit about what the seller might do with the bloody thing...

I also struggle to get my head around the senseless waste - such as an otherwise perfect, "new" £200+ crankset ruined because somebody couldn't be bothered to pack it properly, or the £1k+ mattress knackered because some imbecile saw fit to drag it across the floor instead of carrying it.

On the up-side I have just scored a posh toaster for not a lot of money, and am writing this from a pub garden in a very nice part of the country... although am painfully aware I have an evening of documenting damage and abusing sellers ahead of me

 

[Smokin Joe]

I ate buying used online. Two recent experiences, a camera where the display on the screen froze when I entered the settings menu and a chess computer with one white pawn failing to display and totally hit and miss whether the thing would respond to any moves. The sellers must have been aware with both items.

Both returned for refunds.

 

[Drago]

I feel your pain. It is increasingly difficult these days to be able to simply hand over your money and receive the goods or services we pay for without any **** ups or angst. Why this should be I do not know but it is serious headache.

 

[Gunk]

Buying/ordering any large item on line is an absolute world of pain. But unless you have a van to pick it yourself you’re at the mercy of “it’ll be delivered between 8.00am and 8.00pm” and then they don’t turn up.

 

[sevenfourate]

Thanks folks; I'm aware that I have high standards and any of the nebulous terms used to describe items can be enormously subjective... which is why I always ask specific questions with unambiguous answers.

The toaster was a case in point - thankfully for the (young, female) seller I happened to be in a good mood and had combined the trip with another errand and a little walk in nice surroundings on a gloriously sunny day. Had circumstances been different I think I might have been more explicit about what the seller might do with the bloody thing...

I also struggle to get my head around the senseless waste - such as an otherwise perfect, "new" £200+ crankset ruined because somebody couldn't be bothered to pack it properly, or the £1k+ mattress knackered because some imbecile saw fit to drag it across the floor instead of carrying it.

On the up-side I have just scored a posh toaster for not a lot of money, and am writing this from a pub garden in a very nice part of the country... although am painfully aware I have an evening of documenting damage and abusing sellers ahead of me

Online buying gets worse / harder / more time consuming……inc returning faulty / damaged / poorly described items - for sure.

I’m also extremely fussy. And probably scare some sellers off with my pre purchase questions. Which probably suits both of us. I try to avoid used if I can. If it’s second hand I would normally try to wait for the best, clearly described and well pictured item if I can…..

And while different folks have different ideas over condition: There is only one type of “Mint, Immaculate, Unmarked” etc

And most certainly only one type of Brand New ! 😡

 

[Kingfisher101]

Buy cheap buy twice Wafter. Try and get things new from an actual shop. I know is much harder now, but it so worth it not having the hassle of rubbish things or sending stuff back.

 

[stephec]

Do any of you ever peruse Vinted?

If you don't I'd advise that you keep it that way. 😂