The Sewing Place
Machine Talk => Sewing Machines => Topic started by: SingingSinger on December 03, 2017, 15:02:22 PM
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I seem to recall there was one particular sewing machine online retailer which got very poor reviews on TSF. Which one was it? It's annoying me that I can't remember! :sew:
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Coopers. There is also another one of his under a different name but can't recall which. Hopefully someone will.
Also Joys machines and I have a feeling they are now trading under another name. Not just bad, but downright dangerous!
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Read this
https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.sewingmachinediscount.co.uk
Joys is now ACE Apparel and Equipment Ltd, from googling they seem to be selling on ebay too. Also using JSM and Apparel Equipment Global or AEG accoring to here
https://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?130204-Just-Joined-Anyone-Here-Had-A-Run-In-With-Joys-Sewing-Machines/
although that was 2010 so may have changed yet again
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Thank you, wow those reviews are pretty damning! :o
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This is one of their businesses too.
FLC DISTRIBUTORS LTD t/a British Sewing Centre.
Best thing to do on a website is check the terms and conditions and look for the registered name of the business ( it has to be listed there) and then look on Companies House for information on the Company. You will then see that you can look at the directors who are part of the company and can easily check who the directors are. It is a free service to anyone.
Hope that helps. I think they may trade under other names too but I don't know for sure so you will need to make your own enquiries.
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Thanks all. I was searching for a good deal on a new overlocker but didn't want to get caught out buying from a dodgy dealer by mistake! If I do go for one, I'll stick to one of the companies that I know are tried and trusted. :)
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I've just been looking at a sewing machine on a site I'd never come across called Sewing UK. (https://www.sewinguk.co.uk) I was going to ask if anyone here had used them, when I noticed something very interesting. They have an online chat facility that is identical to the one on the British Sewing Centre website, even down to the name and picture of the person you are supposedly speaking to - and it appeared to be trying to continue a discussion I'd had with the British Sewing Centre earlier today (trying to get a bit of info about a machine - they gave me incorrect info, I assume they were guessing).
Another one for the list.
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Chat functions can often look the same on different websites because it's an off the shelf product added into a website. It's odd though about the previous discussion? Maybe something to do with cookies?
Not sure if they are the same people as the other lot or not, their phone number is very similar. Sewing UK is Highline Trading Ltd and is does seem to have different people than Coopers .
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There are an awful lot of similarities in what's being offered on the websites. They're both offering the machine I was looking at at the same price - and no other company is. Both are offering a 15 year guarantee, with free servicing up to once a year. Both are offering interest free credit over 3,6,9 or 12 months. Both offer discounts if you phone or chat to them. Both have the same promotional video for the machine that I haven't seen anywhere else. And, as you say, the phone numbers are very similar (only the last two digits are different) - and both are London numbers, even though only the British Sewing Centre is based in London.
There's certainly some sort of connection between them.
The address given for Sewing UK is occupied by an import company based in Japan, but there is no apparent connection between Sewing UK and the import company apart from the address. I can't find Sewing UK on the Companies House website.
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15 years guarantee is too good to be true - even houses don't get that. That's possibly the biggest clue that the dealer is dodgy.
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If you're in doubt about them, then don't use them, especially not for a sewing machine. I'm currently wondering about a website and some fabric I've ordered as I can't seem to contact them.
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Yes, I'm being good and doing nothing. It's very frustrating because the only place I can find it at a similar price is Ebay, where I certainly wouldn't be getting a guarantee.
I don't need it anyway. I don't. I don't I don't I don't.
:sew:
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@Acorn You can't leave us in suspense - do let us know what machine you don't need.
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I'm slightly embarrassed because part of me has fallen in love with its looks, although it does have a lot of features that I would like to play around with - variable width control for one. It seems to be very well equipped for the price (list is £599, dodgy sites are £349, other places £400-£450) and when I had a Toyota machine in the past I was very happy with it.
This (https://gb.home-sewing.com/en_gb/oekaki50q.html) is it.
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It does make a change from the usual boxy design of sewing machines - I was rather taken with the deep red version when that came out.
Edit: Was it the green and/or quilt version that you particularly wanted? Hobbycraft have the red, non-quilt version for £329.
https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/toyota-oekaki-renaissance-sewing-machine/634456-1000
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Ooh! :loveit: that's gorgeous! You know you need, need, need it :devil:
Please let us know how you get on. I'm having to let my vintage collection go and will be looking for a new machine fairly soon - I like very much the Janome DKS30 but that Toyota is lovely :)
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Ooo, a fire-engine red sewing machine :D
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Yes - the quilt version, and preferably in green/blue. That one comes with an extension table and other extras. The red one is much more widely available, annoyingly!
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Oh, Acorn, what have you done - I must resist, I must resist, I must resist :S
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Ooh! :loveit: that's gorgeous! You know you need, need, need it
I had that machine for many years. I did indeed love it.
These are not the sort of replies that @Acorn wants to read. The forum icon for a modern sewing machine ( :sew:) is not helping either.
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Heeeellllllppppp.... :'(
The choices are: Ebay 2nd hand, £255.
Ebay new but no guarantee (excellent feedback though), £299.
British Sewing Centre, £349
SewingUK, £349
Other places, £599
I've just been trying to persuade myself that SewingUK might be above board by looking at their Trustpilot entries... Overview isn't bad - 8.4/10. But that breaks down to Excellent 66%, Great 3%, Average 0%, Poor 8%, Bad 24%, and 58% of their reviews - all excellent - were made on May 13th and 14th. Prior to that 9/12, spaced over 21 months, were poor or bad, mostly bad. Something smells very odd there.
So it's looking as though I may have to forgo the manufacturer's guarantee, since it would effectively cost me the same again as the machine.
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I'm slightly embarrassed because part of me has fallen in love with its looks, although it does have a lot of features that I would like to play around with - variable width control for one. It seems to be very well equipped for the price (list is £599, dodgy sites are £349, other places £400-£450) and when I had a Toyota machine in the past I was very happy with it.
This (https://gb.home-sewing.com/en_gb/oekaki50q.html) is it.
There’s one for sale on FB..
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British Sewing Centre have it in lime green :sew: :loveit: oh my goodness! I do like this, and it is cheaper than the Janome which was stretching my budget too far... must sit on my hands, must sit on my hands, must sit on my hands :D
Please let us know what you decide to do :)
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@Snowgoose I'd keep well away from British Sewing Centre - it is Coopers in disguise.
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It's not on Hochanda now, although I kept finding links pointing there.
Reader, I did it. I went for Ebay. It should be here by next Tuesday.
:sew:
I'm going to have to clear it a space... somewhere. Let's see... I have one machine out in my sewing room, and another in the dining room...
BTW, Mr Acorn's contribution to the decision making was to say 'I'll buy something extravagant as well, and then it'll cancel out'. (Both things coming from our own personal money.) He is definitely an enabler!!
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@Snowgoose I'd keep well away from British Sewing Centre - it is Coopers in disguise.
Thank you very much :flower: I do love the colour but will not buy a machine from BSC. I'll have to fall in love with a different colour :) it's the stitch length embroidery function that I long to have! Plus, the shape is just so much fun - I'm easily pleased :D Still need to save the pennies a little while longer, but I think this will be the machine for me 8)
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"Reader, I did it. I went for Ebay. It should be here by next Tuesday."
:sew:
How exciting!!! You'll be glued to the window waiting for the postie :D please put pictures on when it arrives :)