3263 Returning malfunctioning goods...

I'm afraid our experiences have not been good, when it comes to taking defective goods back. Shop owners seem to wash their hands of them and suggest that you take the issue up with the manufacturer.

The only thing I can suggest is that people take the opportunity to unpack and test the goods in the shop, as much as possible.

You were treated very well Glen - the shop might have suggested you took the faulty ladder back to the ladder factory for a repair!!
Italian shops really are dreadful about faulty goods, which is why many of them have a "banca prova" just beside the exit door with sockets and lampholders so you can find out if your purchase actually works before leaving the shop.
There are some European chains (OBI and Mediaworld, and probably more) which will treat you more civilly, but not to the level of UK consumer protectionism by any means.
Caveat emptor - and if (as happened to me once) a check out girl makes a mistake and overcharges you, it becomes YOUR problem to accept a credit note rather than get the correct change....the excuse is always that "lo scontrino has been printed and the Law prevents us rom being reasonable". Load of poppycock I am sure, but I can't count the number of times I have heard it.

We have been luck; the only thing we needed to take back is some Ikea furniture that had warped (not good in a wardrobe!)

Ikea seemed closer to the UK model & all we needed to do was to turn up & in pidgeon Italian tell them "c'ay rotta, non-funck-shioneeee" & they gave us a credit note.

....that's the only benefit from buying at a major store chain!

By law the shop should exchange the goods or give you your money back. But my girlfriend says that part of being Italian is knowing when to ague and when to plead. I had not been here long when I was at the checkout of a supermarket, the assistant knocked a bottle off the counter when she reached for something else. When I got the bill I found I had been charged for the broken one as well. She told me that it was my responsibility as soon as I took it off the shelve, after a few minutes of complaining I gave up as it did not seem worth it for a couple of Euro. I can remember thinking that this would never happen at Sainsbury's :(

[QUOTE=Markcarter].... But my girlfriend says that part of being Italian is knowing when to ague and when to plead.......[/QUOTE]

The mind boggles! Sounds just like marriage to me ;)

Tuscanhills not if you're married to an Italian!!!! No is no------yeh right!!!
I must admit I do miss the customer care from the UK.
What I cann't stand is the shop assistants chewing gum and holding a conversation with all and sundry while they serve you!!!
I cann't help myself butting in and asking more than I need to "quanto hai detto"? or some other useless question just to break their thread. They wouldn't last 10 minutes in M&S!!!!
You're lucky they had what you wanted in stock----I hate the 30 giorni bit when you need to order something.
No phoning another branch here lark!!!
Oh well we cann't have it all I suppose.

Disappointed that you have all had such bad experiences with Customer care! We have had a few problems with goods purchased since we first arrived. In every instance we have received excellent aftercare customer service both in small stores in Vetralla and larger chains in Viterbo. Sounds like we have just been lucky! We think the store assistants here are much friendlier and more helpful than those in the UK!

As so many of the stores are family run businesses, it really depends on their attitude towards you. I have been treated in our small town as a valued customer & on the whole, have no problems. I found the same at Upim in Perugia. I've several times returned spoiled vegetables to the supermarket & found them far better than in London. They quickly bring me the new goods or return the money, with no fuss or bother, nor do I have to produce the receipt. Try that 1 in London.

On the minus side, I tried to return a balcony flower pot holder that was too shallow, to a store that didn't give me a reciept in the first place & got the Oh My God, you can't do that, take it to the Fabro who will make it fit, sort of treatment from the shop owner. I just left the unused goods on the floor & walked out. Couldn't be bothered.

I'm rather surprised that the consumer laws are not the same throughout the European Community.

Lavender Field

In my experience, sympathetic as small shopkeepers might be to hear of faulty goods that they sold you they will rarely refund or replace the goods immediately. I believe this is because the money would come straight out of their pockets and that's where they want to keep it.
Three examples that we have experiencd: a malfunctioning DVD player returned on the day of purchase, a bottle of expensive Amarone wine that was corked, an HP printer cartridge that did not produce any ink.
In all three cases the retailer took back the goods but wouldn't refund me and wouldn't replace until they had cleared it with their supplier. This is in stark contrast to the UK where sales assistants at Dixons, Oddbins or Staples would reverse the transaction immediately - I suppose because those retailers have the muscle to impose terms on their suppliers and sales assistants don't want the hassle of defending the indefensible.
This isn't supposed to sound like a pommie whine and, frustrating as their approach is, I do have sympathy with the small retailers' reluctance to get caught with faulty goods for fear that their suppliers might not do the right thing by them.