Buying tyres and refunds

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Sat 14 Dec 2019 08:19
Buying tyres and refunds - Leif

On December 5 I paid Asda Tyres via the online web site about £300 for 4 tyres to be fitted on Sunday. The next day they rang and said they could not fulfil the order until Tuesday. Not being able to get to the garage during the week I cancelled. Over a week later and I still have not received a refund. Today I received an email saying they have approved a refund and it will reach me within 14 days. I am sure this is not unique to Asda Tyres, but how can it be right to keep someone’s money for so long? I have the fortune that this does not inconvenience me, but I could imagine someone on a low income needing tyres could be in serious trouble.

Does anyone know if any laws apply to refunds and the time to process? Obviously they took the money electronically overnight, and the slow refund is a way to improve their cash flow. I am surprised such a well known brand behaves like this.

Avant: I am sure you will edit out the company name if you think that is appropriate. :)

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Sat 14 Dec 2019 08:41
Buying tyres and refunds - catsdad
Ridiculous but you might find it comes a lot quicker and that the 14 days is quoted just to reduce queries.

On a related topic I had to return a faulty phone to Amazon recently and it was,slick. There were several return options and I used the one where you print off a label and take it to a PO. Amazon issued the refund the same day that I raised the case and it was in my credit card online account the next day. This was therefore refunded before they'd physically received the phone. Of course they reserved the right to reinstate the charge if the phone isn't received. A great system though.
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Sat 14 Dec 2019 09:49
Buying tyres and refunds - Bolt
Ridiculous but you might find it comes a lot quicker and that the 14 days is quoted just to reduce queries. On a related topic I had to return a faulty phone to Amazon recently and it was,slick. There were several return options and I used the one where you print off a label and take it to a PO. Amazon issued the refund the same day that I raised the case and it was in my credit card online account the next day. This was therefore refunded before they'd physically received the phone. Of course they reserved the right to reinstate the charge if the phone isn't received. A great system though.

Some companies that use a different department often wait for proof the item wasn't picked up/returned before they issue a refund and they can be the ones that hold it up

but apparently there is no reason why you cannot get the refund within 3 days, it depends how slow they wish to be

In Amazon case the PO informs Amazon the item has posted and they rely on the PO to get it there, once they have done that you usualy are issued with either refund to card used or given vouchers(on the account if you have one)

I had a refund problem with a 3rd party company that advertises through Amazon, so I complained to Amazon and they refunded and said they would deal with the company, they were removed from Amazon in days so yes good service imo

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Sat 14 Dec 2019 10:19
Buying tyres and refunds - gordonbennet

There's a reason Amazon are growing so fast, it isn't just the ease the price or the convenience of not having to face modern town centre or retail park hell, its the customer service is really well sorted considering how vast the company is.

I'm not surprised Asda or whoever handles the tyre sales for them is apparently so careful with refunds, these days there is so much fraud tried by members of the public i imagine refunds have to be double and triple checked by actual people with some nous, ie one example, i bought a set of expensive platinum spark plugs from ECP a while ago, when they arrived there was a set of well used plugs in the boxes, probably returned to them for refund by some unscrupulous buyer, ECP sorted it out instantly.

Difference between Asda tyres and Amazon is the chances are you will already have built up an online history with Amazon, and its highly likely the refund is for a more modest sum anyway, where with the tyre people this is probably a first or even once only purchase so they don't have any history of your custom to quickly scan.

I've got an issue with Tyreleader at the moment, didn't spot when they first arrived but one of the new tyres received last week from them is the wrong size, no big deal mistakes happen but its the first time after probably 20 sets from various suppliers that i've had any issue with an online tyre purchase, i have a history of purchases from the company in my online account so it will be interesting to see how efficiently they deal, or don't deal, with it., watch this space i shall report back but won't hear from them till at least Monday as i sent the email and pics Friday late afternoon.

Edited by gordonbennet on 14/12/2019 at 10:20

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Sat 14 Dec 2019 12:49
Buying tyres and refunds - bathtub tom

I used Amazon for the first time earlier this week and now I'm getting loads of spam mainly from 'opensubscribe.club'. Tell me it's not a coincidence.

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Sat 14 Dec 2019 13:18
Buying tyres and refunds - Bolt

I used Amazon for the first time earlier this week and now I'm getting loads of spam mainly from 'opensubscribe.club'. Tell me it's not a coincidence.

I did when I first used them years ago but you can stop them, just use marketing preferences and untick the boxes, I only get Amazon messages now, much better

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Sat 14 Dec 2019 14:21
Buying tyres and refunds - bathtub tom

Thanks. I've found that and just changed it. Let's see if that stops them.

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Sat 14 Dec 2019 17:06
Buying tyres and refunds - Leif

These tyres were to be fitted by the company in their garage, there was nothing to return as I’d received noth8ng. So there’s no reason for not doing an immediate refund.

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Sat 14 Dec 2019 17:27
Buying tyres and refunds - Terry W

Couple of years ago I booked some tyres at Halfords - Michelins I think at a good price.

When I picked the car up I found they had fitted a different tyre - quality tyre but not a Michelin.

When I asked what they could do they said they would change them (good). When I asked what they would do with the tyres they would remove they said screwdriver through the sidewall as they would no longer be new!

Seemed wasteful behaviour to me so I asked for some compensation if they just left the new tyres on the car. Can't do that sir they said, but we can give you a free service.

I assume that whilst tyres are carefully controlled by head office - there is no real control over labour costs or access to bulk oil supplies!!

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Sat 14 Dec 2019 20:43
Buying tyres and refunds - Chris M

Please do report back GB. I fell out with Tyreleader on my third transaction. Very poor customer service and slow. Haven't used them since despite them usually being very competitive on price. Tend not to use companies once they have let me down. Good luck.

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Sat 14 Dec 2019 23:08
Buying tyres and refunds - gordonbennet

Please do report back GB. . Good luck.

Certainly will and thankyou, it's a simple and easy enough error on their behalf considering just how many tyres they must handle, no issues with the tyres themselves so it shouldn't be a problem to put right, the delivery was a little slower than usual but in the lead up to Christmas with the higher number of parcels moving around no more than i would expect, still got here from the warehouse in Germany in 4 or 5 working days from ordering.

I don't need them as such because they are the new summer set anyway, just happened to be a real bargain price and daughter is having very good results with the Falkens we tried on her Civic (Tyreleader supplied) so trying a set out on the Forester, hopefully will cut the noise down and soften the harsh rideof the current Fuldas, though can't complain about the grip of the Fulda set they don't budge no matter how wet the road.

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Wed 18 Dec 2019 16:22
Buying tyres and refunds - gordonbennet

As requested by ChrisM, upate on the wrong delivered tyre.

First email from TL asked if the tyre had been fitted? .....it hadn't don't know what the score would have been had the tyre been fitted or attempted fitting.

2nd email, complaint fowarded to warehouse for verification and confirmation....fair comment.

3rd email, confirming collection of wrong tyre with replacement with correct size arranged and apologies all round....parcel carrier was collecting the wrong one when i arrived home from work today.

So, i have no complaints with their customer service, the replacement will be a few days delayed obviously with Christmas and New Year, but it's been sorted in decent time and the delay time is obvious as i'm dealing with Germany, can't expect instant gratification over this distance.

Simple mistake, which is being put right, i shall continue to deal with them with confidence, but it shows you shouldn't leave such things till the last minute in case something like this goes wrong.

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Wed 18 Dec 2019 16:32
Buying tyres and refunds - Chris M

Glad they appear to have sorted it out GB. My gripe with them was they wouldn't refund me until the courier had refunded them for the lost tyres. They were lost immediately following collection from the Netherlands. I couldn't wait weeks for the tyres so went to Kwik Fit and got the same tyres for £10 the pair more (fitted) and without the hassle.

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Wed 18 Dec 2019 23:53
Buying tyres and refunds - gordonbennet

Glad they appear to have sorted it out GB. My gripe with them was they wouldn't refund me until the courier had refunded them for the lost tyres. They were lost immediately following collection from the Netherlands. I couldn't wait weeks for the tyres so went to Kwik Fit and got the same tyres for £10 the pair more (fitted) and without the hassle.

Whilst not trying to defend them, and yes they should take into account the actual account history of customers, in fairness not everyone out there is as straight and honourable as the vast majority of members of this forum and fraud by members of the great unwashed is rife, so its understandable if they leave refunds till confirmed (in your case by courier refunding them), or in my case probably until the wrong tyre turns up at their place intact before they send on the replacement.

No it isn't perfect but i imagine fraud is a big problem for internet sellers and like shoplifting something we all pay for indirectly, if you know people who sell even only rarely online via the usual auction sites the number of buyers 'trying it on' is a sad indictment of the depths vast swathes of our society has plumbed, pity there isn't some method where those of us who stubbornly refuse to confirm to the new normal and behave honourably could be issued with some magic code number to prove we aren't as they, but that wouldn't please the PC police, so instead one size will fit all based on the lowest form.

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Thu 19 Dec 2019 08:22
Buying tyres and refunds - Chris M

Got to agree with you there GB.

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Thu 19 Dec 2019 11:09
Buying tyres and refunds - gordonbennet

Tyre handed over to GLS parcel transporter, tracking number issued so no they haven't waited until return of the errant one.

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Thu 19 Dec 2019 13:17
Buying tyres and refunds - alan1302

Glad they appear to have sorted it out GB. My gripe with them was they wouldn't refund me until the courier had refunded them for the lost tyres. They were lost immediately following collection from the Netherlands. I couldn't wait weeks for the tyres so went to Kwik Fit and got the same tyres for £10 the pair more (fitted) and without the hassle.

Whilst not trying to defend them, and yes they should take into account the actual account history of customers, in fairness not everyone out there is as straight and honourable as the vast majority of members of this forum and fraud by members of the great unwashed is rife, so its understandable if they leave refunds till confirmed (in your case by courier refunding them), or in my case probably until the wrong tyre turns up at their place intact before they send on the replacement.

No it isn't perfect but i imagine fraud is a big problem for internet sellers and like shoplifting something we all pay for indirectly, if you know people who sell even only rarely online via the usual auction sites the number of buyers 'trying it on' is a sad indictment of the depths vast swathes of our society has plumbed, pity there isn't some method where those of us who stubbornly refuse to confirm to the new normal and behave honourably could be issued with some magic code number to prove we aren't as they, but that wouldn't please the PC police, so instead one size will fit all based on the lowest form.

How will you deceide if someone is honourbale or not?

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Mon 23 Dec 2019 10:54
Buying tyres and refunds - gordonbennet

Correct tyre turned up this morning.

Full marks to Tyreleader, i'm not going to mark them down for the error of one wrong tyre sent, the thousands they sell it's bound to happen now and again.

They sorted the problem out in decent time, that's what counts and i shall buy from them again and am happy to recommend them.

The only previous issue, and it was nothing to do with the supplier (mytyres), was with a mobile fitter from Mytyres' website fitter search several years ago, the fitter charged me considerably more than was quoted on Mytyres website.

I paid up and emailed Mytyres to let them know the figures on the site were wrong, never expected a reply as arguably nothing to do with them but very shortly they came back asking me to email a copy of the receipt which i duly did, received an apology from them and an unexpected refund of the difference, they also corrected the website.

So, my experience of online tyre sellers, still 100% satisfied.

As for Alan 1302's question about honour, it has to be earned, sadly i still try to give people the benefit of the doubt despite an increasing regularity of many one comes into contact with proving their word means absolutely nothing...politicians of all parties and other public figures have provided fine examples of the fish rotting from the head down.

Edited by gordonbennet on 23/12/2019 at 10:59

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Mon 23 Dec 2019 13:22
Buying tyres and refunds - KB.

Would have to say my one and only purchase of tyres from an overseas tyre site was 100% positive.

In this case it was Oponeo. The girl on the phone spoke perfect English (admittedly you wouldn't normally need to ring, but I thought I'd check they were really there, in the flesh, as it were) and they arrived in good time and a local fella fitted them .... no complaints.

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Mon 23 Dec 2019 14:05
Buying tyres and refunds - RT

Would have to say my one and only purchase of tyres from an overseas tyre site was 100% positive.

In this case it was Oponeo. The girl on the phone spoke perfect English (admittedly you wouldn't normally need to ring, but I thought I'd check they were really there, in the flesh, as it were) and they arrived in good time and a local fella fitted them .... no complaints.

I too had no issues with Oponeo - under 48 hours to deliver from "somewhere in mainland Europe" - fitted by my local, trusted, workshop - and Oponeo were the cheapest I could find on the internet.

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