Gear

Public expectation......do they really g'tee them for 12 months?

Don't remember getting a g'tee with any of my boots.

The printed text on the label of a pair of brasher superlights

""footwear that is made for walking-lightweight, TOUGH & comfortable"

G'tee small print.

"Brasher footwear is developed using HIGH QUALITY materials & workmanship to provide lightweight,PERFORMANCE footwear for WALKERS & travellers".

"In the unlikely event that a fault developes during normal use within 12 months of purchase the Brasher boot company will either repair or replace the product free of charge. This g'tee does not cover normal wear and tear, missuse or accidental damage and is conditional upon the care instructions being followed. to make a claim please return the product to your retailer for inspection. this does not affect your statutory rights in any way."

most manufacturers cut and paste the same disclaimer and just change and add in their name.

fair enough.

In my experience there’s is usually a good reason why manufacturers don't agree to replacement; the issue is that they often don't make it clear.

The main thing in stu's case is to kick up a huge fuss where he bought the boots from as that’s 'Where he bought the boots' not direct with brasher as once they had sold them to the shop 'the boots are the shops responsibility'.

If they have only been on the hill for 30, used for what they were designed for, looked after correctly, I would not leave the shop until I had a refund. If I’d deviated from any of these I'd give getting a refund a punt but not have high expectations.

There is an independent body you could send them to but for the life of me i can't remember it's name.

Stu what was the customer service like at the store you got them, who were they?

"The main thing in stu's case is to kick up a huge fuss where he bought the boots from as that’s 'Where he bought the boots' not direct with brasher as once they had sold them to the shop 'the boots are the shops responsibility"

Would you say the same if the boots were AKU's?

yeah, of cause i would, the contract you enter when you buy a product is with the place you purchase it from not the manufacture (unless you buy direct of course). This has been covered in many many threads on here.

The reason the shops send them back is to find out if there is a fault with them, to a degree thats the shops problem not yours. Your not looking for a refund/replacement from the manufacturer but the shop you bought them from, in turn the shop is looking to cover it's ar5e buy getting the manufacturer to agree to replacing / crediting the item to the shop, other wise its hitting the shops bottom line.

If in your opinion they have not performed as you would expect you take issue with the shop you bought them from not the manufacturer.

(the reason Glyn asks is that i am a rep for Ardblair Sport Importers - UK importers of Aku)

"shop is looking to cover it's ar5e buy getting the manufacturer to agree to replacing / crediting the item to the shop, other wise its hitting the shops bottom line".

did it never occur to you that the boots might actually BE faulty in which the shop would be fully entitled (as indeed would the customer) to a credit/replacement as opposed to (how you put it) "cover it's ar5e"?

Yes, i'm not sure what your trying to get at here! ;-)

Most shops return policy is to send items which the customer percives to be faulty to the manuracturer for their assesment. This alows for two things. 1st the items found faulty and replaced/credited, 2nd, It's not faulty and a reason given (hopefully something abit less vage than Wear & tear) is refured back to the customer. Non of which costs the store anything (postage maybe!) so is 'covering it's ar5e'.

My point is that if that latter occurs your problem lies with the shop not the manufacturer.

I personally in stu's case, where from what he's writen the boots are not up to scratch, would have argued my point stronger when i first went in and not waited for the boots to go off to the manufacturer for testing, as thats for the shop to take up with their supplier.

gonna give a retailer chance to replace a leaking pair of karrimor boots which have only done 40 miles. will post as soon as i get back tommorow hopefully with a new pair of boots. I am taking a 3ltr bottle of water with me too so if they want proof that they leak, i'll give it to them!!!! (the proof that is)

Nice one!

may i add the retailer is tk maxx and from all previous posts regarding them i am very confident that they will do the right thing

what send them back for testing!!!!!!

we will see eh!

News Flash.

The manegeress stuck her heels in about the exchange of my boots this morning, i then produced a print out of the sale of goods act and asked her to identify which parts of the law she was going to break today! she did look at it then invited me to go and choose another pair as a replacement. I now have a shiney new pair of Demon g'tex boots on my feet.

So c'mon Stu it's your turn now to go back to the shop and give them hell. May i suggest printing a few copies out of the SOG act and then while in the middle of the request for a replacement/refund start giving a few out to other customers in the shop and talking very loudly why your giving them copies!!!!!

Sounds very funny Cruxmaster. I bought them from Millets who to be fair were helpful, they sent them off without hesitation and were generally nice about the situation. The problem I imagine is that they are actually 2 years old but have only had 30 full days use.

I may go back and have a word with the manager and by the sounds of it I should take a copy of the SOG act.

I'm now wondering if I could persue this down the phone to the shop, as it is awkward for me to get into worcester?

To be honest it will be far to easy for them to fob you off on the phone

In my esperiance working in store if you've got a customer kicking up a stink you want to deal with them and get rid of them quick as it's bad for business.

Expect your up against it though.

Were do you live in Worcestershire, there are better Outdoor shops around and you might get a deal this time of year.

deleted cos forums have ears!!!!!

sorry might be being a bit dim here but you are complaing that brasher wont replace your 2 YEAR OLD boots under there 1 YEAR warranty, seems stange to me. its all right you saying they have only had 30 days us but as far as brasher know they could of been used for everyday of the last two years

double post

Ok the two main issues are the sole has worn out (that can be replaced and i'm sure that Stu would aggree that this may be Wear and tear although he is dissapointed in the speed in which this has happened)

The next point is the one that is going to get him the refund/replacement!!!! and that is that the goretex has failed!

below is the product tech' spec' and the G'tee from W.L Gore Ltd. Indecated with ***

Brashers:-

Tough and durable full grain leather upper
Suede cuff for comfort
***Gore-Tex breathable and waterproof membrane***
Anti-clogging rubber outsole offering good grip over a mix of terrains
Graded nylon insole for longitudinal and torsional support to reduce foot fatigue

W.L Gore Ltd:-

GORE-TEX® Outerwear carries our exclusive GUARANTEED TO KEEP YOU DRY® promise, and all of its superior performance characteristics are guaranteed for the useful life of the garment. When you're ready for the best, count on GORE-TEX® Outerwear to deliver.

The issue of water penetration is the main one in question and W.L Gore's product has failed ( if it had not stu would not be getting wet feet) and brasher as a manufacturer who uses G'tex will have to repair the boots so that they conform to the product description as one of waterproof and "G'teed to keep you dry" (check any G'tex label that i'm sure you all have knocking around somewhere) or they are in breach of conract and guilty of selling products that are not fit for purpose. But the retailer is Millets and the liability now rests with them to honour the G'tee.

2 years, 3 years, 4 years try upto 6 years!!!!

so there you go if you own anything with goretex in you are G'teed that the garment/shoe will keep you dry for the life of the product and if that product is in good order and fully serviceable and capable of performing the task it was designed for your arse is covered and you can demand that its sorted under your rights as a consumer.

Drew...can i take a breath now?

i knwo the boots have gore tex in them and i know what gores stance is and that is the approach he should be taking, going in to the shop saying the gore tex has failed and claiming on that rather than the following points

The sole having wearing so badly it affects the way I walk
- The whole boot (both) warping over so the inside of my foot doesn't have sole underneath it
- Sheer lack of ankle support

as this is what probably confused the poor person at millets and thats why brasher are claiming wear and tear on the sole, as i said they are two years old and brasher have no idea how many days they have been used for other than there age.

also as for kicking up a fuse, put your self in the place of the person who is doing the exchange who are you more likely to bend over backwards to help someone who is shouting at you waving bits of paper around sayign you are breaking the law, or someone who is polite and willing to be reasonable, at the end of the day the person behind the till is only being paid £5.35 an hour to be there.

and also would you just change a pair of £100 shoes on the spot if you have no idea if there really is a fault of course they are going to send them of to the "experts for testing". seems a bit of odd if you would as if the person is just pulling a fast one then you have just lost £100.(not saying the op is pulling a fast one just a general situation)