Skipping Stitches

[SkoutSews]

The CAB consumer helpline might be useful. 03454 04 05 06.

I really hope you can get this sorted.

[Surest1tch]

I have contacted Ebay directly.

 

Hope you used paypal, if you did you'll be ok

[Acorn]

I did use Paypal - I always do if it is available.

Because I had had it for more than 30 days when I raised the issue (34 days, I think it was) the seller is legally entitled to have one attempt to have it repaired, so if he chooses that route I will have no option but to accept it.  I don't think he will though, because the cost of getting it couriered somewhere to be assessed, the risk of it being unrepairable (or very expensive to repair) and the cost of couriering it back to me could make that a very expensive option for him.

If he had it repaired and it failed again he would then be required to give me a full refund with no further opportunity to repair it.

[Acorn]

Ebay have replied and said that it is outside their Money Back Guarantee period (which is 30 days from delivery), but have advised me to file a dispute with Paypal, where it is still covered.  PayPal Buyer Protection lasts for 180 days (and covers the simple 'wasn't as described', which includes this situation, as a new item shouldn't be faulty).

I have contacted the seller and told them that, as a courtesy, I am giving them the opportunity to resolve this themselves, but that I will file a dispute on Tuesday if I haven't heard from them. 

[arrow]

There are sellers that will give you 5 years guarantee on this model. It's mostly factory fault, some kind of defect that turns up with intended use of the product and can be shown not to be carelessness or other accidental damages. Some machines are flimsy though, and it's just the way they are. Ebay isn't the same as a regular store with dependable customer relations. Up fron they appear to do their best for seller and buyer, but it's simplified and they have largely set up their own game. In general the same rules apply for all sale and guarantees, but it depens very upon seller and how much work you are willing to put into it when you need them.

[Lizzy777]

Ebay have replied and said that it is outside their Money Back Guarantee period (which is 30 days from delivery), but have advised me to file a dispute with Paypal, where it is still covered.  PayPal Buyer Protection lasts for 180 days (and covers the simple 'wasn't as described', which includes this situation, as a new item shouldn't be faulty).

I have contacted the seller and told them that, as a courtesy, I am giving them the opportunity to resolve this themselves, but that I will file a dispute on Tuesday if I haven't heard from them.

I'm sorry you are having problems with your new machine, as I know how happy you were when you first ordered it. I just wanted to say I use PAYPAL mostly when buying online, not only on ebay. I like the added protection it gives you. I haven't been let down once by PAYPAL when I have had a dispute. i have noticed when you tell the Seller you are going to mark it as a complaint to PAYPAL, they soon come back to you to sort it out. I would never ever buy off ebay unless it was using PAYPAL.

Am hoping you get a speedy resolution to this very soon.

lizzy

[Acorn]

Thanks @Lizzy777 - I also use Paypal whenever it's offered partly because of the protection, but also because it dramatically reduces the number of places that have my credit card details!  Mr Acorn has used the resolution service a few times and has had such a fast result that he almost felt sorry for the sellers!

@arrow Fortunately Paypal (and Ebay if it is less than 30 days since the item was delivered) will deal with any issues without the seller having to co-operate.  I did get this machine at a very good price - £299 - and at that price I had a choice of this Ebay shop or the British Sewing Centre.  As the Ebay shop had excellent feedback, unlike the BSC, I chose them.  I wouldn't do so again!  The BSC appear to be the representatives for this machine in the UK - they run the helpline - and they do offer an excellent guarantee.  Unfortunately their price for it has now gone up to £399.   

[Lizzy777]

Isn't the BSC (British Sewing Centre) part of Mr.Coopers empire? e.g. Coopers Sewing Machines.

Would be interesting to know who has this Ebay shop but I wouldn't post this information online until you get your complaint resolved to your satisfaction.

Always such a relief when you know you have used PAYPAL if there are any queries 

lizzy

[Acorn]

Yes, I think so.  There seems to be quite a spider's web of companies that are linked together once you start digging.

I am quite sure that the Ebay shop isn't in that web - they sell a lot of things apart from sewing machines - and I think they genuinely don't understand that the manufacturer can't give a price over the phone for repairing a machine that's skipping stitches.

[Celia]

You can get this machine from Hobbycraft but only by mail order it is not in their shops

[Acorn]

Only the red one, unfortunately.  Mine is the turquoise one, which is aimed at quilters and has some differences to the others, and a lot of extra accessories.

Looks like a good price at Hobbycraft, too.   

[Celia]

I didn’t realise there was a difference, I am just intrigued by this machine but have been rather put off by your experience

[Acorn]

I have to say that I googled and googled and googled and I couldn't find any other instances of this problem, so I am happy to assume that it is an unusual and untypical fault.  It has crossed my mind that it might have been dropped in transit. 

The machine itself is lovely - very solid, much less rattle-y than either of my two (much more expensive) machines, and the unskipped stitches were very nice indeed.

@Francesca worked for Toyota and had a lot to do with the Oekaki machine - I know she thinks well of it.

[Acorn]

Yay!  The seller has just agreed to give me a full refund. 

I got as far as initiating the Paypal resolution, having sent the first message saying that if I didn't get a proper response quickly I was going straight for the Paypal claim.  The Paypal case will stay open until August 5th, so if he hasn't sent me the refund by then Paypal will deal with it (and him).

[SkoutSews]

Great news!