Farmers - the store, not the people

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uncmil

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#13172 25-Apr-2007 16:58

Why is it that Farmers seem to be possibly the most annoying company and store in New Zealand?

They seem to have the most draconian returns policy on the worst quality products of... anywhere.

For example, just today they tried shaft us by saying that they couldn't give us a cash refund on something we bought from there that were obviously of low quality and broke (if you need to know, it was a TV). They said that they could give us vouchers (we paid cash) or refund it to a Farmers card (which we don't have). I thought that this was ridiculous and I had it out with the person behind the counter. I never did get my cash refund - they said they'd talk to a manager (who wasn't there) and see what they could do.

What's more, is that a few months ago we were in Farmers and another person who was in front of us in the line was talking to the sales-cheater behind the counter and said that she'd bought a bra in Mount Manganui (can't remember why she brought it back - a real reason not just 'I don't like it'). Farmers said they couldn't refund, return or exchange because it hadn't been purchased at the Rotorua store. They said that the lady would have to go to Mount Manganui just to return a bra.

Is it just me or is Farmers really the most ridiculous, overpriced, underserviced, draconaian company in New Zealand? The Warehouse (which being the cheap store I might expect to have the worst service) is easier to deal with. As is Briscoes, Noel Leeming, Bond and Bond, Harvey Norman, and just about every other company.

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freitasm

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#68452 25-Apr-2007 17:51

The store doesn't have to refund on the first strike. I think they have the option of offerring to send a faulty item for a repair for example. Or ask the customer to send it to the warranty shop.

There are stores with clear return policies though. You didn't mention L.V. Martin, which is one with a good policy. And Dick Smith Electronics which accepts anything without questions.

Advice? Don't like the store, stay clear of them from now on.

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paradoxsm

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#68481 25-Apr-2007 22:51

I had a bad experience with ethem two years ago buying dress-trousers of all things.

I tried on a pair and they were perfect, I asked for 4 pairs, I wore them until discovering one pair was "shortleg"

Took em back, complete with all tags still attched including one that said "Farmers, 2 for $130" Would they swap them for a pair that were identical except regular length? Nope, Never, Not without that sales docket. Refund is different I agree you need a docket but swapping!

I just walked over to the shelf and swapped them myself and walked out and never returned.

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#68494 26-Apr-2007 00:20

The thing that irks me the most is their electronics departments.
Mainly that they have all these flash tv's on display but insist (in most cases) of having an image which is fed via bad video distribution amps (so the picture is quite noisy) or they stretch a 4:3 image to 16:9.

Other stores do this too, but Farmers seems to be the worst.

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photoman

217 posts

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#68560 26-Apr-2007 15:03

Never having dealt with Farmers, I can't comment directly on their policy. However, the Consumer Guarantees Act (http://www.consumeraffairs.govt.nz/consumerinfo/cga/faultygoods.html) is worth looking at.

In uncmil's case, the following section would be applicable:

Serious problems

If the problem is a serious one (the goods are unsafe, substantially do not meet acceptable quality, fitness for particular purpose, description or sample), you can choose to:

return (reject) the goods and get your money back, or
return the goods for a replacement of similar value and type (if the goods are reasonably available as part of the supplier's stock ), or
keep the goods and have the price reduced to make up for its drop in value.

This act applies to all traders. Individual traders cannot amend it to suit themselves, like giving a refund onto a Farmers card in this instance.

pando

235 posts

Master Geek

#68911 30-Apr-2007 10:32

I have to admit i'm a big fan of the L.V.Martin service(s), esp. the free delivery.

Harvey Norman wasn't too bad on accepting a returned laptop, but it was more over because their mail out brochures are shocking, I mean the listed laptop specs didn't even match the actual laptop! Same problem from Warehouse Stationary, said PC had sata HDD but was actually IDE...very poor.

E: Actually, on that IDE instead of SATA, only found out when, surprise surprise, my geekness opened it up and thus voided the warranty...meh

Bung

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#68914 30-Apr-2007 11:11

cjs6793968: I have to admit i'm a big fan of the L.V.Martin service(s), esp. the free delivery.

E: Actually, on that IDE instead of SATA, only found out when, surprise surprise, my geekness opened it up and thus voided the warranty...meh

L V Martin do have delivery charges, $8 small appliances & $30 large.

Warranty Voided stickers sound like a good bluff.

TinyTim

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#68927 30-Apr-2007 13:57

uncmil: Why is it that Farmers seem to be possibly the most annoying company and store in New Zealand?

They seem to have the most draconian returns policy on the worst quality products of... anywhere.

My wife bought some stuff from Farmers last month, changed her mind and returned it, and got the refund credited to her credit card (albeit she bought it with her credit card). Easy.

I don't know why they wouldn't like giving out cash though, the last place I got a refund from was Mitre 10 (faulty product) and I got cash for that. (I even got my discount voucher back too.)