Stupid milletts

[the.fee.fairy]

Argh!

I've been in email contact with Millets Customer Services all day! I've got the tepee tent, which i love dearly, but it has a design fault - where the doors are, the flysheet is not attached to the groundsheet, so it leaks.

I explained this to them, and they said they didn't do modifications. So, i asked if they knew anywhere that did. Nope. So, i explained that the tent is not a very good advert for them blah blah blah, so they gave me details of a tent repairer that might be able to out zips in the doors for me.

Its going to cost me around £80!!!! That's more than the thing was in the first place!

So, i emailed Milletts again and asked them whether they'd like to go halves on the cost, seeing as its not my fault that the thing leaks. They don't think they can do that.

Its irritated the hell out of me - what's the point in having a tent that leaks? why doesn't customer service mean customer service anymore? It just means 'fob the customer off with a load of excuses'.

I#ll be taking the tepee to BGG, but i'll be taking a couple of ponchos to put under the doors too...

[Cassiepod]

A teepee from Millets seems a bit odd they tend to deal more in your standard camping gear.

It might be worth reading the small print to see if it says something along the lines of 'not guaranteed waterproof' or better 'showerproof' in which case they're right.

If it's marketed as being a full blown waterproof, weatherproof tent then you can argue the case for misrepresentation and good unfit for purpose (keeping you dry).

It's sad but true; companies that try to branch put generally don't do it very well and you should stick to their core products otherwise you'll be continually disappointed (like I constantly am in restaurants)

[the.fee.fairy]

its marketed as a festival tent - and has a 2drop waterproof rating.

The tent itself is waterprrof, its the design thats at fault. If they'd put zips at the bottom of the doors, or they'd made the groundsheet lip like you get in other tents, then it would be great! but it shte doors that let it down.

[Jarmara]

contact trading standards if your not getting any where with milletts and send them copies of all corrospondence with milletts also i would inform Milletts that you will be doing this .

[vixnpips]

fee how long have you had the teepee??

[the.fee.fairy]

I got it just before solstice. It leaked then...

[vixnpips]

okay so you had it UNDER 90 days then.. I was looking at the millets website on the customer service bit.. and although the following is about purchases via the web..... I'm wondering it might be an advantage for you to send an e-mail to the head office..followed by a snail mail letter quoting this... along with you complaint about the product.. as well as how useless their customer service team have been.

I have found in the past that it worked for me with a different high street shop.. particluarly when I googled who the chairman was of that company and then addressed it to his PA... within 2 days we had a phone call from the guy... then another phone call from the area manager who wanted to meet us.. wait for it... to take us round the problem shop to buy anything of our choice.
Now go a little careful that you keep the letter clear and very polite.. stating what your problems where with both the product and the customer service team...oh and if it leaked the first time you used it.. it's always helpful to add that you have resorted to writing to him/her as you have been trying to sort the problem out since then.
and good luck.

here is the millets bit.

We hope you will be satisfied with any product purchased on our website or from our catalogues. If you wish to return or exchange a product to us for any reason you may do so within 90 days of the date of dispatch. We will refund the price of the product, providing it is in a saleable condition and is in its original, undamaged packaging. The delivery charge is non-refundable except where the goods are faulty. This does not affect your statutory rights.

[Martin]

I'd have thought it pretty clear cut - "goods must be of merchantable quality", and should merit a complete and instant refund!
If it isn't forthcoming, just call trading standards (or sit outside with a fruitily worded banner!)

[Millymollymandy]

Are Millets a French company?

Seriously this is what everyone has to go through in France all the time - non-existant customer service.

[red]

should be able to get a full refund as it is not fit for the purpose for which it was sold

however you might have trouble having waterproofed it.. they might argue you have altered it or summat

[Cassiepod]

Fee how did youget on at BGG did you manage to keep dry despite the teepee?

[the.fee.fairy]

It did ok actually! The waterproofing helped - i decided to rewaterprrof it because of the hammering it took at Solstice - no tent could have stood up to that, no matter how good it was!!

Dad (Ex-scoutmaster) also had some fantastic ideas - we bulldog clipped the doors to the groundsheet, and when it rained a lot, we put rocks on the sides so that the water could escape to the ground rather than pooling.

I'm going to take it to the nearest shop and ask them what they can suggest. If that doesn't work, then i'll be sending an email to the head bloke! I did ask for them to pay to have the tent altered, but i've got to wait until the 11th August for the manager to come back before i find out whether they will.

[Annpan]

I really don't think you have much chance in getting them to pay for repairs/ modifications, as that would admit that there was a design flaw (which I guess that they don't want to)

You have much more chance in just getting your money back for it - and even if you do get that, millets will call it a 'good-will gesture' (so still not admitting fault)

I did work in customer service and we had so many people returning goods that they had bought to use once, and return it. These were accompanied by long stories either blaming the company or a sob story. If you want a refund I would steer clear of those tactics tell them that you did use it, but it needed altering to keep you dry and that it isn't what you were paying for, I mean you bought a tent thinking that it would keep you dry... and it didn't. Don't get into arguements, don't start shouting, always explain to the shop-assistant,if you don't get the answer you get, ask for the manager and try to stay calm.

If you are still adamant on getting some kind of admitance of fault or compensation, you could be waiting and arguong with them for years.

Good-luck

[the.fee.fairy]

I'm not really after a refund, or any kind of massive admission from them - just some of the costs to get it altered would be good!

I love the design - really love it, and i love the tent, its just the flooding doors that there's a problem with. There was another one at BGG - the Cath Kidston one, and they had the same problem, so we gave them paperclips. Don't know if they're going to take it up with Milletts as well.

I'll wait til the 11th August and see what the manager has to say.