Thomann - The Good, The Bad, The Ugly - A returns saga...

[dmccombe7]

After recent delivery issues at customs and taking 4 weeks to arrive i've decided not to buy outwith UK.

Not so much the manufacturer or shop's fault but the delays and difficulties involved in returning have put me right off.

Dave

[uk_lefty]

5 hours ago, Aidan63 said:

but what if they are able to beat Andertons on price because they take Sire's 2nds or batches with more 2nds in to get a better price from Sire ? We don't know what goes on in the supply chain.

True, we don't know what goes on in the supply chain, but that's a huge assumption to make based on a few people saying they got ones with poor quality. 

 

I thought they were cheapest because they were probably Europe's largest music retailer, so buying the most scale and getting by with leaner margins. The numbers of everything they sell there will still be the odd dodgy one getting through. Not saying that it should happen or that its "ok", just that it's likely. 

 

I might be coming across like a Thomann apologist here, I don't mean to, just my perspective on it I guess. 

[abar121]

What a pain!  I only order small items from Thomann, but was tempted to try a bass.  

 

Think I'll only shop there in person, when I can.

[2pods]

Talking about GG returns further up the thread.

 

In light of the comments on here about the drop in quality of the SS Stingrays, I asked the via the online chat could they check the controls, nut and tuners of the model I was interested in. He said no. So I asked him if they could provide pics of the relevent bass (they've done this before without being asked to give me a choice Classic 60s Strats). Again no.

 

I asked what would be the returns policy would be, to be told get it back within 14 days and make my own courier arrangements to get it back to them.

Apart from how difficult it is to insure a bass with a UK courier, I'm sure they used to arrange pickup and maybe take the reasonable cost from your refund.

 

If so, this is a big change for them

[Downunderwonder]

On 08/11/2022 at 01:06, BigRedX said:

 

It's completely Thomann's fault. They have picked a delivery company, that in the UK at least, are incapable of efficiently handling returns for a lot of the size of parcels Thomann send out.

Tbf they probably don't get to make a choice of who they use in the UK. They have a choice to not use DHL at home in Germany but that would be dopey.

 

Looks like DHL UK sold them a pup with their business plan of send a van to clear out a store room when it gets full or some customer complaints their return isn't being actioned.

 

I wonder what will happen to OP's bass in the end. It sounds pretty dire with faults not economic to rectify.

 

Not so long ago Amazon were in the cart for landfilling all manner of return items instead of sorting the defective and restocking the good, or shock horror donating it to a charity who would.

[jezzaboy]

9 hours ago, 2pods said:

Talking about GG returns further up the thread.

 

In light of the comments on here about the drop in quality of the SS Stingrays, I asked the via the online chat could they check the controls, nut and tuners of the model I was interested in. He said no. So I asked him if they could provide pics of the relevent bass (they've done this before without being asked to give me a choice Classic 60s Strats). Again no.

 

I asked what would be the returns policy would be, to be told get it back within 14 days and make my own courier arrangements to get it back to them.

Apart from how difficult it is to insure a bass with a UK courier, I'm sure they used to arrange pickup and maybe take the reasonable cost from your refund.

 

If so, this is a big change for them

I returned a bass to them about a year ago. I was speaking to the guys in Newcastle and they wanted me to get a courier sorted blah, blah. I said couldn`t I just drop it off at the Glasgow shop? You could do was the reply, so I did. It might have changed now that they are owned by the employees?

[BigRedX]

12 hours ago, Downunderwonder said:

Tbf they probably don't get to make a choice of who they use in the UK. They have a choice to not use DHL at home in Germany but that would be dopey.

 

I suspect because there are no/less problems with DHL on mainland Europe they have been given the contract for deliveries and returns in the UK too.

 

Certainly pre 2021 I haven't come across any problems with DHL, it all seems to have gone wrong in the last two years. Thomann obviously regard the UK market as something to be worth bothering with, hence them including out all the VAT and import duties in the sale price for UK customers. However a supplier is only as good as their weakest link, and right now DHL in the UK appears to be a very weak link. They need to sort out their pick-up policies for returns, because a lot of what Thomann sell are large items and these seem to be the problem for the current system, or the contract needs to be given to another carrier for the UK.

 

And part of the problem may well lie with us, the consumers. If there is an issue with returning an item to Thomann because of DHL's pickup points, let both Thomann and DHL know, in writing as well as by telephone. If we don't complain about bad service nothing will get done about it.

 

And it does work. I have had problems with the pickup/drop off point for another carrier service, and on both occasions I have complained to both the carrier (UPS) and to the two companies who chose to use them. The result of this is that this particular shop is no longer part of the UPS network.

Edited November 10, 2022 by BigRedX

[spacecowboy]

If anyone wanted an update, still no good news.

 

Was told by Thomann that a courier would be collecting my parcel on the 9th, no one turned up, no email or text from Thomann, no reply to my email, there has been nobody turn up today on the 10th and no contact or reply from Thomann.

 

Tomorrow they’re getting both barrels and refunding me while I’m on the phone with them, they’re just being awful to deal with now and I don’t have the time to drag this out any further! 
 

[spacecowboy]

After alot of back and forth the useless lot at Thomann have told me a courier is coming tomorrow for the bass...

 

Yeah right, I'll believe it when I see it. They've just been absolutely terrible to deal with, really unhelpful. Still not resolved a month later. 

 

 

[dmccombe7]

Not good at all and enough to put me off buying from them now.

Dave

[BigRedX]

To the OP - have you had your refund yet? 

[spacecowboy]

2 hours ago, BigRedX said:

To the OP - have you had your refund yet? 

Nope.

 

I won’t see a sniff of my money until they’ve picked it up, sent it to their depot in the uk and then sent it back to Germany. It can take 14 working days for the bass to get back to them so I’ll be lucky if I get my money back before December.