[jambutty]

Happy to be of amusing service MUMMIBOO.

The point of the tabard was as an absolute last resort and it never came to that. Had it done so it would have been about publicity of my complaint, namely that Currys were not obeying the law relating to the Sale of Goods Act. Not only not obeying but pointedly refusing to do so.

I have no idea what the effect would have been other than the shop security or police being called and I was prepared for that and anything that would follow. As for the customers most of them would have been embarrassed by the situation and would distance themselves to some other part of the store. I doubt very much if it would have affected their shopping habits. In any case I wasn’t looking to damage their trade just to get the refund that I was entitled to claim under the SoGA terms. Sometimes you have to go to extreme lengths to get your rights. But it is not being childish – just determined. But if you think it was childish who am I to argue with you.

I wouldn’t dare to presume what category busman falls into or even if he falls into any category. I don’t know the person other than by reading his contributions to this forum and that is not enough to form an opinion by on this issue.

It isn’t about the store manager’s perspective but about the LAW relating to the Sale of Goods Act but the actual law itself. However different people interpret the law in their own way to enhance their own case and store managers are no different. Even customers come in with a pack of half truths and even outright lies in an attempt to get a refund, replacement or repair without cost to themselves.

One thing that I do know is that most people, particularly older ones, will accept what the returns person states without question because of the authoritative position s/he represents and they are not thoroughly familiar with the SoGA. What I call wimps. Some stores, particularly electrical goods stores display a sign that states something to the effect of “no refunds after 28 days”. That is a load of baloney and has no legal standing whatsoever, yet they still try to enforce it and because it is an official looking notice customers accept it without question.

I have no idea where you work but from all accounts you do your job as I envisage it should be done which is fine but another person in another store may not be so conscientious. Indeed previous dealings with Currys over many years were satisfactory but then it was a different store with different staff.

It is a moot point if a defective item is returned to the manufacturer and repaired can be sent out again as new. I take the view that it would depend on the repair and how old it is. If it is replacing the defective part with a factory new one then it can be classed as new but if the defective part was repaired then it makes it second hand and to sell it as new is fraud. Sorry that is getting off topic a bit.

The point of all this is that both the seller and buyer have rights and not only should we buyers become familiar with our rights we should also become familiar with the seller’s rights.