Please do a Google search before buying anything from Coopers Sewing Machines.. I have had the misfortune to have dealings with Coopers Sewing Machines Ltd this very day. It all started last week when I spoke with their sales staff who seemed very helpful and friendly at the time, they offered me a 30 day money back trial period which I felt was fair and worked for me as I wasn't sure if the machine was right for my needs.
So, I paid as I always do with a credit card and proceeded to buy a sewing machine from Coopers. I felt happy with their promise of after sales and awaited my machine. Having been assured the machine I had purchased was right for the intended job I looked forward to it's arrival.
The machine arrived last Thursday as promised and I eagerly un-packed it to try it out.. I immediately knew it was not suitable because it bounced around when I applied speed. I emailed Coopers and asked who I should address the return too and spotted the change in their manner. I then did my research and found all the horror stories about this Company.
I decided to take a deep breath and start the returns process and was pointed to their returns policy, no help just, look at the policy. I emailed again and was told I needed a returns number which I had to get from the returns dept. I phoned the returns dept and politely said "Hello, can I have a returns number please?" The chap asked am I returning for repair or refund, I said refund, he replied "5629" and put the phone down! I was shocked
I sent the parcel with UPS and 3 days pasted without contact - I checked the tracking and the parcel was accepted by Coopers and signed for with no notes so I assumed all was well. Got a phone call this morning from Mr D Henderson informing me the machine had arrived and it was damaged and required repair at my expense and that I had to claim this cost from UPS. This man was so rude and obnoxious, I asked, why was the package accepted if it was so badly damaged and why didn't the reciever note this on UPS's paperwork. He said they can't do that as they have so many machines in daily.
Stop there I said, this is consistent with the threads I've read on the internet about Coopers Sewing Machines and I'm not about to get involved in this. I said I'll speak with trading standards, my credit card company and then set up a small claims in the County Courts. This didn't bother him, he told my point blank I was not getting my money back and that he would send pictures of the box.
He put the phone down and I contacted trading standards who were very clear that Coopers had to prove the box and machine they spoke of was mine and that it was damaged by me or my transport providers. TS stated very clearly, Coopers are now making a claim against me and UPS, the onus is on Coopers to prove it.
The pictures arrived by email of a machine on a work bench which could have belonged to anyone.
I went back to Coopers and was told they would repair the machine and deduct the cost from my refund - My response was very clear that I did not accept any responsibility for this without proof and that I expect a full refund without and deduction. I quoted the conversation with TS and informed Coopers I would be sending a letter shortly once TS had emailed the copy to me.
Within 1.5 hours they refunded me the full amount.
I spoke with Jay Cooper and D Henderson, both of whom are very un-professional, rude and aggressive people. It's clear that this company have certain tactics to prevent people returning items and having a refund.
These people should be held to account and writen complaints need to be sent in the event of issues arriving from Coopers Sewing Machines and they need to be investigated.
I made a complaint to the Police, who in turn pointed me in the direction of the Action Fraud, we need to make complaints, even if we only get a crime number.
Remember, you don't have to deal with Coopers aggressive tactics on the phone, refuse to speak to them and put everything in writing, but do tack action. I think they do this with everyone in the hope the customer accepts what they say and keep the machine. I'm not qualified in consumer law, but this is my experience from today. read more
