Cancellation charge after 24 hrs now that's a new on on me. I would challenge them about that one. Is the charge in any small print, if not they do not have a leg to stand on
Mattress is about ten years old, looked in three bed shops, all very samie so stupidly bought a Slumberland mattress from Bensons, sales guy said I won't find it at a lower price etc etc, got home and checked, found out that Bensons are owned by the same Company as Slumberland and that mattress by that name is exclusive to them yet I could buy the same mattress by a different name much cheaper elsewhere, then to rub it in 48 hours later bensons dropped the price by £400, I called them to cancel my order and they are saying that they have a 20% cancellation charge after 24 hours, the mattress is on a four week lead time,
Usually I never buy anything impulsively, believing in due diligence, feeling pretty stupid now.
The sales guy at no time mentioned cancellation charges.
Anyone else wish they hadn't bought from then? Was it a good experience?
Cancellation charge after 24 hrs now that's a new on on me. I would challenge them about that one. Is the charge in any small print, if not they do not have a leg to stand on
Last edited by hilly10; 21st May 2017 at 06:54.
Did you pay by credit card?
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
I'm sure there is a cooling off period in your consumer rights and, as much as it may or may not be 14 days, i'm Damned sure it's more than 24 hrs.
It's 14 days for any contract signed I think. I assume that's what you've done as you didn't leave with the mattress. Tell them to do one.
Last edited by Kingstepper; 21st May 2017 at 08:12.
I don't think you have the same rights in store as online/over the phone as already mentioned.
Also I'm sure some flight bookings carry a 24 hour cancellation policy so maybe he's right in what he's saying.
If it was me I'd contact them with all forms of social media messaging to get their attention. I've done this a couple of times recently and it works. This hashtag # stuff on twitter really does reach a wide audience and businesses would rather address the situation.
The salesman at no time said there was a cancellation charge, as the item isn't exactly made just for me it's a con.
As a matter of principle I'll probably take the hit and buy somewhere else, my girlfriend just reminded me that I said "there's a bank holiday coming up, have you got a sale on then" he only replied when pushed and said " they never tell us"
If the 20% cancellation charge is less than £400 then it makes sense to do it.
Don't think I've ever been told about a cancellation charge when buying anything in store. I just assume I've bought it and, unless faulty, end of.
As consumers we are perhaps spoilt and used to 28 day returns and the like but these are not a right.
Why should they get involved - B for B have done nothing illegal.
Seems to me that the only person at fault here for paying too much is the op. He has already stated it was an impulse purchase and he didn't do his normal due diligence.
Places like Bensons have sales all the time and especially on bank holiday weekends so that was always on the cards.
I fail to see what the credit card company has to do with it. Does that mean every time someone buys something and finds it cheaper elsewhere afterwards they can just phone up Bob at MasterCard and get a refund?
Es aich one t happens...move on.
I didn't find it cheaper elsewhere, it was in the same shop a couple of days later, having asked the salesman directly if they were going to have a sale and if that matress would be in it.
At no time did he tell me there was a cancellation charge, the Credit card company has now read the terms and conditions and are happy to do a chargeback, the shop gave an undertaking to call me first thing today, they haven't called, the lady at the credit card company told me to remind them that if there is a chargeback there will be a £500 fee
Their T&C's
cant see anything about 20% cancellation, only skimmed over it though.
http://www.bensonsforbeds.co.uk/terms-and-conditions/
To be fair, I have never seen sales staff or even store managers informed of a promotion/sale in advance.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
I will cut and paste a letter later when I am at home which we used to cancel a kitchen in case you need it. There are some legal protections (for both sides) re cancellation charges which help protect you I think.
20 odd years ago I worked for BFBs and can assure you that all the pos for reductions/sale would have already been delivered ready to go out. These sales are very strategically planned in advance as the pricing reductions and savings involved are all worked out way in advance.
They only apply for Telesales and online if you look at the first line.
Interesting that the 14 day protection is not applicable if you have viewed in-store first.
4.8 The provisions of clause 4.2 (14 day cancellation) will not apply to any Goods which:
(a) you have bought either online or by telephone which you have previously viewed at one of our stores;
Irrespective of legal rights etc, I personally think OP has been hard done by here.
Seems like Bensons take a "short term profit first" approach. That's fine it's their prerogative, just means I'm not going to be buying a mattress from them.
I have to buy 2 mattresses and was awaiting summer sales. I'll give these guys a wide berth.
Thanks for sharing ur experience and potentially helping others avoid the same!
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To me shops like Bensons are like the currys etc I wouldn't buy from them as they don't care about you they just want sales, our new mattress was from John Lewis it cost about £1000 it is handmade in Yorkshire and is superb you do spend a lot of time on your mattress so you might as well get a good one 👍
They didn't call me so I called them, the salesman said oh yes it was a mistake we will give you the offer price, yet yesterday he was iabsilutly sure.
Oh well
Bought a bed from them years ago, I got the same....we will match lower price on same bed sales patter.... I also found out they have them exclusively made for Bensons.
Went back and asked the sales chap about this promise who was rude to the point I nearly punched him right there in the shop! I didn't (but still wish I had) and made a formal complaint about his conduct instead, Bensons were not interested even when it transpired he had given me a false name.
I was also told there was a cancellation fee which I believed and allowed the order to go through.
On day of delivery the delivery men smashed my porch light carrying the mattress in, I phoned customer services and was told it was nothing to do with them as the drivers we subcontractors and didn't work for Bensons! But they would ring and check what had happened, Bensons rang back and said that it didn't happen, I told them I was a witness and also two other people and I understood that by law my contract is with Bensons which included the delivery and as such Bensons are liable for the damage and I am willing to take them to court over it.....they paid up in full!
So if you like being lied to by rude/aggressive salespeople and don't want any kind of customer service back up then go ahead and buy from Bensons, me, .....I would rather stick needles in my eyes!
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I buy most things nowadays from firms John Lewis, Laura Ashley or even QVC. Sometimes you pay a bit more (though JL will price match I believe) bit more often than not it's similar pricing, better quality and if ever I have a problem they sort it out properly. We had a coffee table from LA in the sale and on inspection, after being in our lounge a few hours, there was a small crack. The way they dealt with it was fantastic.
After 24 hours, they should just refund it despite terms and conditions. All furniture shops have similar cancellation charges, but rarely enforce them a few days after the sale. I can ask a friend at Bensons what the best way to proceed and let you know.
I work at furniture village, and we would never enforce the cancellation charge after 24 hrs.
Here is a cut & paste of a letter I used which got an instant refund from Wren Kitchens.
"Due to personal circumstances the kitchen was cancelled less than an hour after the order was placed (on Sunday the 20th of July). The only genuine losses Wren have suffered is the salesman’s time in matching the Homebase quote which is clearly not £380.
I therefore ask you to arrange a full refund immediately to my credit card.
If I do not receive a response by the end of next week I will send the same letter to (look up director's names at company house & insert here), if that does not receive a response I will start a small claims proceeding for the deposit without further notice citing UCTA (1999):
“Where customers cancel...and the supplier suffers loss as a result, they [the customer] cannot expect a full refund of all prepayments. But a term under which they always lose everything they have paid in advance, regardless of the amount of any costs and losses caused by the cancellation, is at clear risk of being considered an unfair penalty.”
Spoke to my friend at Bensons. He said there should be no issue cancelling within 24 hrs. If the manager refuses contact customer services with the details and when you first tried to cancel.