News Kef LS50 wireless speakers £1199 brand new at PeterTyson

[Longchops]

So he's lost £200 on someone ordering them and sending them back after playing with them for a few days. Who'd be a retailer these days?

I'm sure there's still margin there, but it's not a fun time to be selling anything other than online.

Excuse me digressing from the OP but online is the problem. Distance selling regs. Anyone can buy anything and back it <14 days later for any reason at all. Its basically 'free home demos, for everyone' and someone has to pay for this at the end of the day

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

I understand what you are saying, but suspect that shops without online facilities have fared rather worse in 2020 (and probably beyond) - that's all I mean.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Excuse me digressing from the OP but online is the problem. Distance selling regs. Anyone can buy anything and back it <14 days later for any reason at all. Its basically 'free home demos, for everyone' and someone has to pay for this at the end of the day

And they can always change their terms and say they must be brand new unopened if returned if they want to.

 

[Longchops]

And they can always change their terms and say they must be brand new unopened if returned if they want to.

Unfortunately they can't. For all internet sales distance selling regulations permit a return for any reason including change of mind within 14 days and a full refund, including the original price of shipping and an open box would not change this.

So not only do you have to provide a free rental service as an online retailer, you also have to pay the transport costs to do it. Who'd be a retailer these days indeed....

 

[nopiano]

Unfortunately they can't. For all internet sales distance selling regulations permit a return for any reason including change of mind within 14 days and a full refund, including the original price of shipping and an open box would not change this.

So not only do you have to provide a free rental service as an online retailer, you also have to pay the transport costs to do it. Who'd be a retailer these days indeed....

I wasn’t aware that it was so skewed to the customer’s benefit, but I’m sure online is the future, even if the bricks and mortar stores are retained for display and demo purposes.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Unfortunately they can't. For all internet sales distance selling regulations permit a return for any reason including change of mind within 14 days and a full refund, including the original price of shipping and an open box would not change this.

So not only do you have to provide a free rental service as an online retailer, you also have to pay the transport costs to do it. Who'd be a retailer these days indeed....

Not all retailers say this in their terms though.

 

[Longchops]

I wasn’t aware that it was so skewed to the customer’s benefit, but I’m sure online is the future, even if the bricks and mortar stores are retained for display and demo purposes.

I think both online/brick and mortar are still necessary tbh. Its v hard to buy certain stuff online. Expensive hifi equipment that you can't hear before it turns up on your doorstep is definitely one of them (as OP discovered, and also brings this thread nicely back on topic) but there are many others too.

Not all retailers say this in their terms though.

They can put whatever they want in their terms, but the legislation will always take priority over their T+Cs. As a customer I am perfectly entitled to return a product I bought online after 13 days because it is blue and I don't like blue things on a tuesday. The law simply doesn't care how ridiculous my reasons for return are, its so badly thought out!

In practise there's very few people that abuse return systems like this and its often a drop in the bucket for big retailers. But its a major kick in the teeth for smaller sellers. Especially for niche high value products. As you can see an open box drops the price by a lot for this sort of stuff......

 

[Deleted member 108165]

In practise there's very few people that abuse return systems like this and its often a drop in the bucket for big retailers. But its a major kick in the teeth for smaller sellers. Especially for niche high value products. As you can see an open box drops the price by a lot for this sort of stuff......

There are some on here who abuse this terribly without a second thought for the retailer.