Friday, 31 August 2007

Catalogue Rip Offs!


Dear Mr Hancox,

I write to you regarding a matter concerning Freemans of London home shopping, which, amongst other companies forming part of The Otto group, I felt came under your jurisdiction.
I shall be as brief as I can whilst outlining the outrageous, bordering on fraudulent, practice by this group which I had the misfortune to become involved with.
The facts are as follows: - during the month of March 2007, I received, through the post, an introductory Freemans catalogue.
I placed an initial order, and received also the promised free gift of a Morgan pyjama set.
Being satisfied with the goods I received, upon the delivery of the full Freemans catalogue, I made the decision to place another order and claim the free gift promised, a “multifunction electric coffee maker”,
worth I was informed, by way of a full colour brochure, £39.99, with the written option to order more of these utensils at the stated price.
My order subsequently arrived, with a free gift, not the one promised however, but a cheap shoddy “replacement bearing no resemblance whatsoever to the advertised item, and worth £6.99 through another retail outlet!
To say I was outraged would be an understatement; I immediately telephoned Freemans customer service, (which quite patently isn’t), only to speak to an operator who was so unhelpful as to be obstructive, with a penchant for speaking over me, attempting to block any recourse to higher echelons of management within Freemans, telling me that as it was a “free gift” I would just have to put up with it. I don’t think so!
This “free gift” was part of the inducement to order from Freemans, and I am fully entitled, both morally and legally, to the promised item, especially as there was no disclaimer on the brochure, regarding the right of Freemans to substitute this “gift”.
We therefore have two points here; firstly Freemans failure to honour an agreement made in writing, and secondly, their to say the least, sharp practice, in replacing the promised article with one which does not, and could never, carry out the same functions as the one advertised!
I requested an immediate collection of this shoddy item, which I photographed against the brochure of the “genuine article”, (enclosed),before return and made clear my intentions of taking this matter as far as I need, to obtain the satisfaction of my legal and moral rights,
Being extremely conversant with media publicity in many areas, I discovered that my own grievance with Freemans is by no means the first received, and I am sure, unless this appalling practice is “nipped in the bud”, will certainly not be the last!
I fully intend to exact what I am due from Freemans, and will not hesitate to publish this disgusting, distasteful tale through every area of the media, if this is not forthcoming forthwith.
As you will understand, I am extremely reluctant, to say the least, to ever again deal with this company, or recommend them to anyone else.

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