stan Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 I recently purchased a 10 litre weed sprayer (pulverisateur) from Bricoman, the type you can wear on your back. However after one use, I find that all the seals either fail to tighten, or leak, ie spray weedkiller all over the place, particularly down your back!The item is obviously faulty, dangerous to use and unfit for purpose. Unfortunately, I have thrown out the packaging (box). Can I still return the item to Bricoman for a refund? I am aware that returns, even for faulty goods, without the original packaging are very much dependent on store policy (or so I read on this site!)Anyone with experience of returning goods to Bricoman without original packaging? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Hah!!I too have had my back soaked by some bloomin noxious weedkiller (that I siphoned from the bidon on the communes tractor), pretty worrying isnt it especially as in my case I hadnt diluted it [:-))]Mine was a Brico-Depot chocolate teapot but I had kept it over a winter so ended up swapping all the O rings myself, I reckon these things are fine until you put anything other than water in them!!!Re BricoMan, I have found the one at Abbeville to be very very unFrench in their customer service especially in relation to returned goods, I once left something on the counter of their customer service desk by mistake including the reciept, I phoned them and they said that they would keep it for me, I said that I was travelling to the UK the next day and that I may not be back for a couple of weeks, no problem they said.To cut an already long story short I didnt get back for several months, naturlly the item and my receipt were no longer under the counter but after a discussion amongst the staff one went into the office to look through some paperwork, they found a bon d'achat dated 2 weeks after my call saying that they had put the item back in stock, so I was able to take another one without paying, the best part was the prive had reduced ever so slightly so I got a refund. Give them a try, I think you may be lucky, in my opinion the reason most retailers insist on the original packaging is so that thy ycan put the broken item straight back on the rayon, I always insert a little note to the next unwary customer explaining the fault and that it had been returned, I was priveledged enough to witness a loud argument at Brico-Depot when someone was trying in vain to return the wrongly sized velux blinds that I already had, the staff were saying that someone was doing a connerie so I intervened and showed them (again) exactly why the item would keep being returned, the customer seized the guys magic marker and wrote H/S all over the box.P.S. re the: The item is obviously faulty, dangerous to use and unfit for purpose. It is not worth even having phrases like this in your French vocabulary, they serve no purpose other than to confuse, something I quite well enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pachapapa Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 [quote user="stan"]I recently purchased a 10 litre weed sprayer (pulverisateur) from Bricoman, the type you can wear on your back. However after one use, I find that all the seals either fail to tighten, or leak, ie spray weedkiller all over the place, particularly down your back!The item is obviously faulty, dangerous to use and unfit for purpose. Unfortunately, I have thrown out the packaging (box). Can I still return the item to Bricoman for a refund? I am aware that returns, even for faulty goods, without the original packaging are very much dependent on store policy (or so I read on this site!)Anyone with experience of returning goods to Bricoman without original packaging?[/quote]Yes! You can. You know you really can. If you try hard.In french law any defect found in a product, within the first 6 months, is assumed to have existed at the time of purchase. The onus and burden of proof is on BricoHomme to prove the contrary. An uphill task indeed.I presume that the consequential damages to your back would be covered by the € 4,000 limit it at your local Tribunal de Proximity; where you can present your cast iron, water tight, case yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stan Posted April 12, 2011 Author Share Posted April 12, 2011 Bit the bullet and went to Bricoman today, unboxed faulty sprayer in hand. Explained situation to English speaking customer services lady, no questions asked and then she wrote "defecteuse" in thick felt pen on the side of the unit and gave me a credit note for the value. Simple.....2 minute transaction and no comment on the missing original packing. Full praise to Bricoman, cannot fault their Customer Service at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 Well done, Stan!You know, sometimes it's best NOT to know anything about Customer Services and such like so that you are not inhibited about asking for refunds, etc.When we first came to live in France, I was blithely returning this, that and the other with no thought or inkling that things could be different here and, you know what, I had replacements, money back, offers of repair, etc and never gave it a moment's consideration that it could be otherwise.There must be something to that famous saying, Ignorance is Bliss.Now that I know more about how "things" work, I am more nervous, more hesitant about protesting, complaining, and I don't think I am doing myself any favours.[:(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 He didn't get a refund though did he, he got a credit note. Now that annoys me as then one has to buy get something else from a shop that has sold faulty goods.I bought a skirt in a shop in France the summer before I left, when I got it home there was a big fault in it that I hadn't noticed. I took it back and they said, credit note only. I agreed, that their policy was credit notes if someone took something back that they didn't like, but this was different and that they had sold me something faulty and that they hadn't got my size in a replacement and nothing I wanted. I saw the Manager and got my money back.Also these credit notes usually have dates to be used by, on them. Cash does not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 idun, sometimes half a loaf is better than none[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 To be fair Brico-Depot and Bricoman usually ask you if you will be buying anything else with them that day and will give you a cash refund otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 Yes, it would have been if I had changed my mind, but I hadn't changed my mind, the fault was where they put that security tag, so I couldn't actually see the problem until I was home. I wanted my money back to shop elsewhere.I had two or three lots of really excellent customer service in France. And the rest of the time was a battle to get exhanges or money back or something done at all, which didn't always happen. Mental preparation was required before leaving for these skirmishes.Good for those Brico shops though if the choice is given. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 Hey Idun!I found a carroteuse very cheap in Noz, in English its a core drill, but anyway an expensive, specific and very powerfull bit of kit that if not fitted with the necessary safety clutch is capable of wrenching your arm off.I had my suspicions about my bargain buy so tried testing for presence of a safety clutch action with the core bit held securely in my workshop vice, even though I was braced for a shake up the reaction took me by surprise, I released the trigger immediately yet it still picked me off the floor and swung me around like rag doll.So I took it back the next day and like you said did some necessary mental preparation, its like preparing for a battle here in France to get what most reasonable educated people would take for granted.Anyway I went back to the shop with my elbow in a splint which I had kept from carpal tunnel surgery, it did the trick and I got a cash refund.When I got home I said to myself how bizaare that I should be feeling so pleased with myself when I had just wasted a second afternoon and 100 mile round trip on something that was just too dangerous to be sold.Only in France!, - How often do I say that to myself!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 [:)][:)][:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stan Posted April 12, 2011 Author Share Posted April 12, 2011 [quote user="idun"]He didn't get a refund though did he, he got a credit note. Now that annoys me as then one has to buy get something else from a shop that has sold faulty goods.I bought a skirt in a shop in France the summer before I left, when I got it home there was a big fault in it that I hadn't noticed. I took it back and they said, credit note only. I agreed, that their policy was credit notes if someone took something back that they didn't like, but this was different and that they had sold me something faulty and that they hadn't got my size in a replacement and nothing I wanted. I saw the Manager and got my money back.Also these credit notes usually have dates to be used by, on them. Cash does not.[/quote]Sorry idun, my fault fopr not explaining properly...I asked for a credit note as I needed other items from the store later that day. I am certain, as Chancer says, that I would have beeen offered a refund if i had specifically asked for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 I am really pleased to hear that. So many places, and if memory serves me properly, E Leclerc included, do not refund. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pachapapa Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 [quote user="idun"]I am really pleased to hear that. So many places, and if memory serves me properly, E Leclerc included, do not refund.[/quote]On termination of the statutory 7 day contract retraction period; a repair or replacement policy will be ensue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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