I just wondered if anyone has had similar poor experiences as I’ve had recently.
First, a curtain pole which, although it was still in its “shop” packaging, turned out to be bent. I couldn’t face sending it back as it was so big, so had to put it up in a position where the bend didn’t show too much.
Then, a rug, which I bought my OH as a surprise for his birthday. It looked lovely in the photos- predominantly pink with blue, green, cream,etc. I waited in all day for it to come and when it did, well, it turned out to be very dark and mainly brown. It was a a pain to return and I’ve just looked at the shop and they’ve put it back in with the same pretty photos. I was going to put a review on Trustpilot to warn people, then I chickened out (because they were “nice”)
I also bought some furnishing fabric that also turned out to be brown (I really didn’t think it would be!) Returned!
No wonder some people are wary of buying online…
Always.
But only because I get really sad when the wrapper comes off something shiny and what I buy isn’t ‘new’ anymore.
I bought some solar lights on Amazon. Sent them straight back. Packet had been opened / badly restuck. They didn’t work and no spare bulbs as said in instructions.
Amazon so no problem returning them. Refunded same day I posted them.
Then I got a request for a review…couldm’t brimg myself to do it !
Clothing that turned up with a store security tag still on it (and no nearby branches to get it removed) - returned and replacement sent out. Diamonds arrived covered in black marks from lasering - company sent me a replacement carat to make up for it as I don’t have laser carbon remover chemical. Set of sporks where 2 out of 3 had damage to the tines - ordered a second set and then kept 3 good ones and sent back 3 damaged ones. A piece of gold where the price quoted online and the price charged were massively different - quoted their own T&Cs to them and got a refund of the price difference (they were not happy doing that but they hadn’t followed their own T&Cs so they had to!). I have no qualms about leaving feedback along the lines of ‘item faulty but customer services sorted it out quickly’ as I think that is a useful thing for other shoppers to know.
My shopping experience on folksy has always been exceptional by comparison.
Once I bought a lovely vintage plate one I’d been after for ages to replace a broken one.
It arrived smashed to pieces. The lady didn’t have another to replace it so I had to take photo’s so she could make a claim with royal mail and she was very nice and refunded me as soon as I sent the photos.
Another time a dress was not the as advertised yes it was white and blue flowers but it turned out to be an off the shoulder dress not a round neck dress. They didn’t answer my email and then disappeared off ebay.
I should have spoken to paypal
Your comment Joy reminds me of the time my sister-in-law was given a set of solar fairy lights, when they first became popular. She didn’t realise they were solar/didn’t understand about solar, and thought they must be broken as she couldn’t get them to work (as it was daylight) - she threw them in the bin! Even when she noticed them flash off when she later opened the bin to put more rubbish in the penny didn’t drop! It was a few weeks later that she found out about solar power lights and how they work, but by then, the rubbish bin was long gone!!
I’m relieved I did say they were solar otherwise you might have thought I’d made the same mistake,
(I did put mine in the sunshine before determining they were Dead !)
I also received a shirt with a security tag on once. There were no more in stock, so I didn’t want to send it back as I liked it. There was a store not that far away,so I wrapped the shirt up in layers of stuff so as not to set off the alarm when I went in. The staff seemed very suspicious of me, despite me having a copy of the email from customer services and a receipt, but removed the tag. Annoying! (The store was H of F, by the way )
I don’t buy clothes from eBay, but my daughter has received a lot of dross - dresses that are totally worn out, things that smell of fags, things that are actually mouldy! I don’t thing she ever returns them, just says “They were cheap”. No wonder she never has any money
Shame about the plate- hope you manage to find another.
I have a thing for skirts. I know most people want handbags and shoes but it’s skirts for me.
I buy quite a few from Ebay but only ever BNWT. Got some beauties.
Bought a couple which haven’t worked out but 95% have been good and a couple brilliant.
Which reminds me - one of the one-handed jobs I’ve planned for myself in January when I will have so much spare time as I won’t be able to glass… is sorting out my skirt wardrobe.
PS Just took delivery of a skirt from Ebay. Colour completely different from shown - just filled in a return request !
On the whole, ive had good experiences from buying online, maybe the odd little hiccup, but i did book a caravan holiday through ebay buy it now 2 years ago and when we arrived it had been double booked, we travelled 70+ miles to get there with 3 children and had to return home. I did get my money back for the holiday, but we lost our fuel csts and of cause it was very disapointing.
I bought a charger for my tablet via a company on ebay, it was supposed to be compatible for what I had but it wasn’t, I emailed them and returned item and was instantly refunded, I left a review basically saying that a mistake was made but the customer service was brilliant. x
I bought a dress from ebay last summer, but it didn’t look right on me at all. It wasn’t wasted though, the fabric was cotton, so it was cut up and used in a patchwork project.
I ordered some wooden heart buttons from an overseas supplier on ebay. It took longer to arrive than expected so I was relieved when the little package finally arrived. My relief was short-lived. I opened the package to find a brass part for repairing a tap!!! I’m now waiting for my replacement buttons to arrive 
I buy lots on line and so far have been really lucky that everything that arrived has been perfect. It’s always a nervous moment opening something to check it is as good as you had expected x