Masters and their slavesI’m not one to generally bag a company in public on the grounds that in most circumstances no one really benefits particularly a firm that employs many young staff but in this instance my recent experience deserves sharing so that others don’t fall for the same trap.
Two years ago I purchased a 5.4 X 3.6 meter heavy duty tarpaulin from Supercheap Auto down here in Melbourne, the tarp was to be used as a boat cover which is located under a carport and not directly exposed to sunlight, the tarpaulin from Supercheap lasted 11 months and after a few successive hot days it started to go brittle and fall apart, I packed it up and pulled out the original purchase receipt and took it back to Supercheap. They were extremely helpful and offered me a full refund, I asked if I could simply grab another tarp as a replacement and the manager said that because of this products failure they would remove the item from sale until it was established with the manufacturer that the product is fit for purpose and would last for at least the warranty period which in this case was twelve months.
I had previously done my homework in relation to tarpaulins and been around to other suppliers such as Bunnings, Masters, Rays Outdoors and obviously Supercheap to inspect and compare their products and at the time the Supercheap tarp seemed like the most suitable so that was the one we went for. Anyway Supercheap gave me a full refund and I now needed to find another tarp so I called into a Masters store which for you overseas people is a large Home Depot style hardware store as is Bunnings and it was on the way back home anyway, I inspected their collection of tarps and found a super heavy duty industrial strength model that had a long 48 months warranty label on the front and on the rear the terms and conditions of the warranty which clearly stated that should the product fail within the 48 month warranty period then it was to be returned to the place of purchase for refund or replacement.
Satisfied with the particular tarpaulin and in particular with the offering of 48 months warranty I went ahead and purchased it and as I had never dealt with Masters before I did specifically ask the cashier at the time what their policy was should there be any problems and he replied that we should simply bring it back with the receipt.
So that was twelve months ago almost to the day and I noticed a few days ago a gaping hole in the tarpaulin where it had turned brittle and was starting to fall apart exactly as the Supercheap tarp had done a year before, like Groundhog Day I packed it up and pulled out the receipt and went on my merry way down to the Masters store where it was purchased, I get to the service desk and plonk the folded tarp now back in it’s original packaging down on the counter and handed over the receipt to the service manager and explained the history behind the tarpaulin expecting that it would be easily resolved one way or another, boy was I in for a surprise and after their initial ill informed, deceptive and misconstrued response they were about to get a lesson in common courtesy, good business practice and Australian Consumer Law.
The young lady behind the counter stated that the item was to be returned to the manufacturer who was based in Queensland and who's contact details were indicated on the rear of the label so I then pointed out that same label clearly declares that the product is to be returned to the place of purchase, she wanted to argue the point and then pulled the imaginary Masters 30 day warranty return policy card out of her arse and told me to contact the tarp company in Queensland, I asked where it shows on the purchase receipt or anywhere for that matter a 30 day warranty return policy so then she says it’s clearly displayed on the sign mounted on the wall behind the service counter, let's see I said so she leads me over to the sign in question and we both read it and nowhere on the sign does it declare anything about warranty returns or a bullshit made up 30 day waiver.
She now looks like an incompetent fool and starts waffling on about their companies strictly 30 day returns policy in a rather demeaning and insulting manner, It was a bit much to swallow and I wasn’t buying any of it, not good enough I’m afraid you will need to do better than that I expressed, she then explains that her area manager will sort it out so she gets on the phone to call for backup and after a few minutes she comes back to the counter where I am frustratingly waiting and again declares that they cannot help us and that we need to send the tarpaulin back to Queensland, I told her that it’s not going to happen and it would cost a fortune to sent it anywhere and by the way Supercheap Auto in a similar circumstance didn’t argue the point nor did they make up the rules on the fly and they happily resolved the situation in a courteous and professional manner.
Her wanker sidekicks now entered the conversation sticking their ill informed noses in where they didn’t belong so I promptly responded by putting them back in their place with a few stern words, rudely she then addressed another customer who was waiting behind me and perhaps she thought that I would take what she says as gospel and simply walk away, this wasn’t my style nor would it ever be so I politely interrupted her and said we are not done here yet by any means, I turned and apologised to the fellow behind and he was ok and appeared to be returning something else so was obviously interested to bear witness to the outcome of this debacle.
I then informed her that I had been running a successful business for over 25 years and am fully aware of both my obligations and rights under consumer law in addition to mentioning a few other choice mobs such as Consumer Affairs, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and social media sites, I then asked to see her manager to take the matter further so she then gets back on the hot line to her conveniently inconspicuous area manager and after a few minutes of me listening into the conversation in which she relayed all the cards that I had played including social media their return policy suddenly and miraculously changed to one of a full refund with no questions asked, she was clearly pissed off and her nosy parker wank buddies behind the counter had quietly departed the scene looking like idiots and leaving her embarrassed and for dead in front of a small crowd that was now gathering.
Now with the money in hand I went to town on these morons declaring that I would never again in my lifetime return to their stores and that I would expose this unnecessary episode in both public media and a formal letter of complaint and disgust to their head office, furthermore that they themselves need to read and comprehend the consumer law act regardless of what the plonker upstairs tells them, whom by the way conveniently never showed his or her face.
I did not set out on the day to upset anybody nor did I expect to be insulted, disrespected and made a mug of, I treat people as I myself like to be treated, pleasant, patient and courteous at all times but these arseholes tried to put one over on me and were not only extremely rude but deceitful and incompetent from the get go, they will never see my money nor that of my friends an colleagues ever again, this I promise you.
After exiting Masters and only a few hundred meters up the road I stopped at Bunning’s to get another tarpaulin for the boat and don’t know what I was thinking by ever going to Masters, Bunning’s have always been a pretty good mob to deal with and we have never had an issue with returning a product, they even threw in a free fluoro work vest for both myself and the neighbour.
Anyway people sorry for making this a three part trilogy, I was hoping for a short sweat stab into Masters chest but I do find it difficult at times to give the full picture in a few words.
Big thumbs up to both Supercheap Auto and Bunning’s Warehouse……
Big thumbs down, face palm and bullshit to Masters Hardware……
And just to finish, if anybody has a spare nuke hanging around to drop on to Masters PM me for the coordinates, but if possible please avoid causing collateral damage to the other fine businesses which are in close proximity.
Masters Warranty (they need to read this policy and those of the links below)
https://www.masters.com.au/diy-projects-ideas/support-help/returns-policy Consumer Affairs
https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/businesses/fair-trading Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
https://www.accc.gov.au/
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