Reply With QuoteFull refund or replacement
Why should you accept a watch you bought new to be sent off for "service"
I bought a new IWC Portugieser Automatic 40 from an AD last week, and it is a lovely watch. If only it would not keep stopping. It stopped overnight after I had worn it all day. So I then tried manually winding it in the evening, but it stopped again during the night. Before I make the one hour journey back to the dealer, is there anything else I should try?
The dealer will want to return it to IWC for repair, so I will be without it for several weeks, I assume. Would it be reasonable instead to ask for a completely new watch (not a repair), or a full refund? Who knows how long the watch was been knocking about in the dealer’s stock? If I had a refund I could buy direct from IWC instead.
Full refund or replacement
Why should you accept a watch you bought new to be sent off for "service"
AgreedOriginally Posted by robert75
Refund or replacement
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This
You're entitled to expect a refund, or a replacement.
Refund or replacement, nothing less.
You have a right to a full refund within 30days of purchase when returning faulty goods. Accept nothing less (or replacement if you wish) - feel free to read:
https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rig...t-aTTEK2g0YuEy
You have the law on your side.
“ Ford... you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.” HHGTTG
Agree with the above.
Don’t let them fob you off with a warranty repair as they will try. Just be clear that you want a replacement brand new watch or they can refund you.
This happened to me with a Glashütte Original Panoreserve they offered a repair, then a replacement movement and I just kept to my guns and quoted sale of goods/consumer rights and then they provided a totally new watch.
Thanks for all the advice. I am going to be firm but fair. If I did not like the watch so much I would ask for a full refund; instead I am going to insist on a new replacement. I understand the AD will need to initially send the watch to IWC for verification of the problem.
Before I went to bed last night the watch had stopped, so I wound it 20 turns. It did not last 30 minutes before it stopped again. Yikes! It is getting worst. Still, it came with an eight year warranty
Last edited by Tatters; 7th July 2021 at 08:18.
Pity, because you clearly like this design, but can you trust this watch? Have you researched the number of mechanical problems? Because the last thing you want, is more problems. You could imagine getting a replacement, which also fails.
Bit of a headache…..I dislike unreliable designs. Is this one of them?
Anyway, good luck.
No it’s not an unreliable design
There are thousands worn everyday
I think the OP has been unlucky and I am sure he will get a refund, with which he can find another example.
I will be happy with a new replacement direct from IWC - who knows how long my current one has been in stock with the AD, and what abuse it has been subjected to? I accept that a small percentage of new goods may be faulty, with no bad reflection on the manufacturer or seller; it is how they handle the situation that matters. I am about to find out...
Last edited by Tatters; 7th July 2021 at 09:29.
Note down the serial etc, to make sure you dont get the same one back (it's not unknown for dealers to try this)
Yep, this has happened to me. Promised a brand new replacement for a faulty watch and got sent back the exact same one. Luckily I took plenty of pictures of the watch to prove it was the same one.
Yes do this…photos of watch and serial numbers
I had the exact same on a Rolex before. Came back from warranty with "movement correction" on the paperwork. No parts swapped.Thanks for all the advice. I am going to be firm but fair. If I did not like the watch so much I would ask for a full refund; instead I am going to insist on a new replacement. I understand the AD will need to initially send the watch to IWC for verification of the problem.
Before I went to bed last night the watch had stopped, so I wound it 20 turns. It did not last 30 minutes before it stopped again. Yikes! It is getting worst. Still, it came with an eight year warranty
Why would you assume a faulty watch always needs replacement parts? I deal with problem watches frequently, often there’s an oiling problem or a foreign body present in a place where it can stop the watch.
I don’t buy this crap about ‘weak designs’ either, typical emotive rubbish. If there’s a weak area in a design it won’t manifest itself as a fault within a week.
Clearly there’s a fault with this watch, OP will either get a replacement or it’ll get fixed.
A new watch that’s been stripped, cleaned, re- lubricated and re- assembled is every bit as good as new, they’re not bloody virgins! A watch is a set of parts that have been carefully assembled, it’s a reversible process.
I’d be pissed off at buying an expensive watch that goes faulty within days, but it’s an example of the bathtub curve of age versus reliability. An old concept but it still holds true.
Last edited by walkerwek1958; 7th July 2021 at 21:55.
No assumption - it’s Consumer rights. Faulty goods - Within 30d the merchant must give a refund - if that’s what you want - otherwise they can be reported to trading standards and up against an ombudsman. Most retailers won’t want the fuss - or exposure on social media these days. Reference given earlier.
if this were me - I’d insist on a refund then purchase a new watch - direct from IWC. Then no chance of a “swap or fix”.
Tips for returning a faulty product
- You have 30 days from taking ownership of a product (this could be the date of purchase or the date it was delivered to you - whichever is later) to claim a refund if it is faulty
- After this time you have to give the retailer an opportunity to repair or replace it before you can claim a refund.
- In the first instance, write to the customer services department politely and objectively, so you have a written record as evidence. Then escalate if you're not happy with the response
- Quote the relevant laws. Say what you want to happen - refund, repair or replacement.
Last edited by MartynJC (UK); 8th July 2021 at 12:20.
“ Ford... you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.” HHGTTG
I returned the watch to the shop (AD) yesterday, and they are sending it off to IWC for examination - they had better bloody confirm that it is faulty, at which point I will insist on a new replacement. Who knows how long all this will take? During which I am without a watch and the money I handed over for it.
All this "We'll send it off to make sure it's faulty" rubbish hacks me off and is exactly why people prefer ordering online.
They wouldn't get a choice if you hadn't gone into the shop. They'd have had to refund you regardless and all it would have cost you was the return postage
That’s not a great situation.
Can you not tell them that you want your money back now?. You are entitled to it and they are just fobbing you off.
The watch was not fit for purpose.
Follow Martyns advice below
Failing everything you could get your credit card provider involved if you paid with one?
This situation is frustrating, if only because the store now has the power, and your money too. That’s why I tend to get a full refund, and then decide. Supposing IWC say it’s fine? These things can happen and drive you nuts, believe me, been there, done it.
Exactly this. If IWC take a 30sec glance and find nothing wrong you're in for a whole world of pain trying to get another opinion and the shop will insist there's nothing wrong and refuse to refund.
Refund, on the spot, accept no other alternative. It's not as if this is a super rare model we're talking about.
I don’t understand, I assume you confirmed you were happy with this if not why not just ask for a refund?
If you are not happy it’s been sent off why not just go back anyway and insist on a refund?
I find comments like this incredible!
The watch will be fully assessed and tested, a procedure that will highlight what’s wrong. This might take a couple of days but it’s more likely to take less than 1 hr. I can usually diagnose a fault within 5 minutes but I think 30 secs would be pushing it! Lets be realistic, why would IWC or service centre do this?
I sympathise with the OP, it’s v. disappointing, but I can’t see how the AD could simply give a refund without having the watch assessed. For all they know the owner may have dropped the watch from a great height and caused damage, this may seem unlikely but trust me it happens and sometimes there’s no cosmetic evidence. Their procedure is to send the watch to the manufacturer ( or UK service centre) for assessment. After doing this they’ll offer a replacement, a refund or return the watch after fixing it.
Given that the watch has almost certainly had a fault from new I think the OP will be offered a new replacement and that’s what I’d ask for. Getting a refund doesn’t help, OP still hasn't got the watch he wants so that’s hardly a sensible option.
Are they not legally obliged to give the customer a refund?
Yes the are. The onus is on the outlet/retailer NOT the manufacture - consumer rights act. They may (have) sent the watch to the manufacturer to check the fault. I sadly think the horse has bolted now for a refund if that’s really what you want as most likely IWC will repair the watch and return it - the info was already provided above from “which” via the relevant .gov site. It is very clear - refund is an option within 30days.
nevertheless. OP may want to use this template letter from “which” to the AD rejecting the product and requesting a refund
https://media.product.which.co.uk/pr...-template-.doc
Last edited by MartynJC (UK); 9th July 2021 at 22:59.
“ Ford... you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.” HHGTTG
If the customer has damaged it, no. If faulty as sold, yes.
This is why it needs to be assessed. The retailer might be liable but they can send to IWC for this.
That’s the reality when you buy a new watch. If you buy a car that turns out to have a fault it goes straight back to the dealer who fixes it on his premises because ge gas the capability to do so. This doesn’t happen with watches.
I’m far more interested in what’s actually wrong with the watch but I sense that I’m in a minority.
I don't really understand why everybody says get a new watch. Assuming there is no cosmetic damage, a brand new serviced watch is more likely to be free of faults than one which is coming directly from the manufacturing process.
I understand it's a perception thing, and you got the right to ask for a new one, so by all means go for it if it makes you happier.
But this goes to show the problem brick and mortar have with their business model: takes weeks to exercise your right to return, while online it would have been exactly the time it takes to ship the watch back. Difficult times for ADs ahead.
Someone who lies about the little things will lie about the big things too.
Couldn't care less what's wrong with it - not my concern. Refund or spanking new watch please, nothing else.
I'm not giving any business a 0% loan and waiting 1-2 months for my watch back.
Edited to add if it was a Daytona/LVc/Pepsi etc my view would be the complete opposite of the above. Shouldn't be, but that's life.
Last edited by wileeeeeey; 10th July 2021 at 09:19.
Raffe raises a good point, a new mass-produced watch that’s been stripped down and had the movement carefully rebuilt by a skilled individual is a better proposition than one taken from the production line. That might seem counter- intuitive but that’s my take on it.
If I was the OP I’d try to wangle some freebies by way of compensation for the hassle, then be prepared to wait a few weeks to have the watch returned in perfect condition or accept a replacement.
If it's been dropped how will they know it was the owner and not the retailer who dropped it?For all they know the owner may have dropped the watch from a great height and caused damage,
The buyer couldn't have known it was faulty and the shop wouldn't have know it was damaged. Who wins there?
Update: I got a full refund in the end and ordered the watch elsewhere for a £50 greater discount. The new order will take 6-8 weeks to fulfil because it will be coming direct from IWC, which should mean less chance of anything wrong with it.
That’s a result. I hope you enjoy the replacement
Result. Well done
“ Ford... you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.” HHGTTG
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