Big problem with Thomann returns

[NikNik]

On 27/06/2023 at 18:22, jezzaboy said:

Just a wee tip if you are sending gear back. I always take plenty of photo`s of the product, then of it back in the box and the box itself. Might not do any good if an issue comes up but it might help.

I started doing this a while back, but for sales, after reading a horror story where a buyer claimed a guitar was badly damaged, the the box showed no damage.

[Waddo Soqable]

Another update... Had email saying that aparrently the courier pick up is arranged for next Monday, lets see if they show up! 

[Waddo Soqable]

Well despite receiving no "we're collecting it today.." type confo email, which I'd foolishly expected, DHL did actually pick it up about mid-day, so it's en route..

let's see what snags occurr now.. 

[spacecowboy]

9 hours ago, Waddo Soqable said:

Well despite receiving no "we're collecting it today.." type confo email, which I'd foolishly expected, DHL did actually pick it up about mid-day, so it's en route..

let's see what snags occurr now.. 

 

Hope everything is smooth sailing for you mate! Fingers crossed!

[Waddo Soqable]

1 hour ago, spacecowboy said:

 

Hope everything is smooth sailing for you mate! Fingers crossed!

Cheers👍

I'll keep updating as to how it's going, as and when I have any news. 

 Hopefully it'll be handy intel for others buying, or thinking of buying, from Thomann 

[The Saint]

I might have just struck lucky, but when I have returned stuff to Thomann, it's always gone very smoothly.

 

All phone calls are dealt with in a professional manner and I'm very happy to buy from them again.  Andertons are the only other on-line company I deal with and they have also been excellent.

 

I haven't got a clue how many items are returned to Thomman every year but it must run into 10's of thousands and obviously mistakes will happen.

 

But all that's not much consolation when things like that happens to you...!

[2pods]

Luckily, Andertons got the guitar I wanted in this week

So I've gone to them, rather than Thomann to stop me worrying (also the price was exactly the same.) 

[Beedster]

For me, Andertons have stepped into the gap left by Thomann who now appear to be defying all cliched thinking about German efficiency. Both Thomann and DV247 appear to have developed some crazy processes since Brexit/lockdown 

[The Saint]

Slightly off topic, but I bought a SH guitar from Andertons in March. It soon developed a fault and I returned it for repair. It went off to Yamaha and I have been kept up to date by the Andertons staff ever since. Not an ideal situation for either of us, but they really have been superb throughout.

 

But Thomman have also been very helpful when needed.

 

I live in France and the problem for me has been returning items to Andertons. Not their fault at all but since that political disaster a couple of years ago, reclaiming French VAT after the return is an absolute nightmare. Obviously, buying from Thomman is a safer bet for me.

[neepheid]

Of course, it doesn't help when customs get involved and kidnap your stuff for as many days as they feel like, regardless of the direction of travel...

[tauzero]

I think Thomann may be changing their approach to returns on smaller items. I bought an HB power supply which couldn't do what I needed, so I started a return. They got back to me and said "As returning this item would not be economically or environmentally friendly, we would like to exceptionally offer to refund the value of the item onto your Thomann customer account as a store credit without taking it back.". I've said yes, as I'm bound to be using them again. I suspect B***** has something to do with this.

[neepheid]

1 minute ago, tauzero said:

I think Thomann may be changing their approach to returns on smaller items. I bought an HB power supply which couldn't do what I needed, so I started a return. They got back to me and said "As returning this item would not be economically or environmentally friendly, we would like to exceptionally offer to refund the value of the item onto your Thomann customer account as a store credit without taking it back.". I've said yes, as I'm bound to be using them again. I suspect B***** has something to do with this.

 

Money back AND keep the item?  I would have expected one or the other...

[2pods]

This also happens now and then on Amazon and Ebay.

Never to me though 

Edited July 10, 2023 by 2pods

[neepheid]

2 minutes ago, 2pods said:

This also happens now and then on Amazon and Ebay.

Never too me though 

 

I've occasionally received a duplicate of something and been told just to keep it.  It's always been something small.  I doubt Thomann will let me keep two Sire D5 basses, should the "lost" one I recently documented magically appear at a later date.

[Waddo Soqable]

20 minutes ago, neepheid said:

 

I've occasionally received a duplicate of something and been told just to keep it.  It's always been something small.  I doubt Thomann will let me keep two Sire D5 basses, should the "lost" one I recently documented magically appear at a later date.

You might be lucky and one day the courier bloke just leaves the "lost" one on your doorstep, it's bound to go missing, like, innit... 😉

[tauzero]

29 minutes ago, neepheid said:

 

Money back AND keep the item?  I would have expected one or the other...

 

Yes, but of course the money has to be spent with them.

[neepheid]

5 minutes ago, tauzero said:

 

Yes, but of course the money has to be spent with them.

 

What jolly rotten luck!

[tauzero]

8 minutes ago, neepheid said:

 

What jolly rotten luck!

 

And, of course, I have to spend enough to get free postage.

[jrixn1]

Sorry to hear of people's poor experiences, either with Thomann themselves or with DHL Parcel UK.  I have just been through the returns process myself for an expensive and bulky item, which I decided to return on the same day as this thread was started - reading it did give me the jitters!  Here's my timeline, if it helps someone else decide whether to purchase from Thomann or not:

 

Mon 19th June: I started the returns process (I took loads of photos of the item and the packing process)

 

Wed 21st June: I dropped it off at a DHL Parcel UK drop-off point, which was a cornerstore/off-licence (I took a photo here too!)

 

Thu 22nd June: Tracking update: it was collected by DHL

 

Mon 26th June: Tracking update: delivered to the address which was on the label - Century Logistics in Bury St Edmunds, I assume a logistics partner of Thomann

 

(Nearly two weeks later)
Fri 7th July: Thomman - "we received back your return and it will be processed as soon as possible."

 

Mon 10th July: Received refund from Paypal

 

So that's 20 days from when I dropped it off to when I was refunded, and fortunately in this instance the process has worked as well as it probably could.  However, I think next time I'll purchase from a UK retailer even if that means a few extra quid on the price, or waiting a few days for it to be back in stock.

 

 

Edited July 10, 2023 by jrixn1

[neepheid]

5 minutes ago, jrixn1 said:

So that's 20 days from when I dropped it off to when I was refunded, and fortunately in this instance the process has worked as well as it probably could.  However, I think next time I'll purchase from a UK retailer even if that means a few extra quid on the price, or waiting a few days for it to be back in stock.

 

Butterscotch Sire D5 @ Thomann - £369

Butterscotch Sire D5 @ Andertons - £529

 

That's a bit more than my definition of "a few extra quid", so I'll be taking my chances with the international trade.  And yes, it's been a monumental PITA so far as I have been documenting - but at least the muck ups thus far haven't been Thomann's fault.  Honestly, apart from the ache of not having my shiny thing yet, it doesn't affect me in any other way - it's not like I don't have a bass to play in the meantime...

 

Plus I'm Scottish... paying more than I strictly have to just doesn't compute!

[Baloney Balderdash]

I have never had any issues with returning stuff to Thomann and getting a full refund, whether it has been due to something not working as it was supposed to or me just getting second thoughts and regretting my purchase, and I've returned quite a few items over time.

 

And they have always provided excellent customer support whenever I have been in need of such.

 

Though it does sound like either a currier or a Thomann employee snapped the amp for themself.

 

 

Edit!:

 

Ah, just discovered your update.

 

Good that it got sorted.

 

But very strange.

 

Indeed one wonder what actually happened.

 

Might be for some reason the Thomann employee that handled the parcel for some reason forgot to register the amp, and they somehow finally found it after looking actively for it thanks to your inquiry.  

 

Things like that shouldn't happen, but wherever humans are involved mistakes are bound to happen sometimes anyway.

 

Edited July 10, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[Waddo Soqable]

I see there's another Thomann dodgy returns thread going.

To update this one for reference.. I also received the "we've got your return and will be processed.." email a couple of days ago. 

So at least it's back with them, I'll give them a prod next week if I've not seen a refund going in soon. 

[Waddo Soqable]

For reference again, I just got a PayPal msg to say the Thomann refund has been paid in.. The confo email from Thomann to say they'd received it back was on 19th and today is the 24th ( to give a time scale)

.. hopefully this info might be helpful to others awaiting similar. 

[Rosie C]

On 06/07/2023 at 20:16, tauzero said:

I think Thomann may be changing their approach to returns on smaller items. ... They got back to me and said "As returning this item would not be economically or environmentally friendly

 

I had similar - a faulty IEM amplifier, Thoman said they'd just send a replacement and to keep the faulty unit for 6 months in case the replacement developed a similar fault, then dispose of it.