A vacuum cleaner deal that sucked
Dunedin father and daughter Richard and Olivia Knights have taken on vacuum cleaner company Godfreys over a deal they say sucks.
The company says the matter is successfully resolved.
‘‘Whilst they could argue that it was resolved satisfactorily … it was only because I fought tooth and nail,’’ Richard Knights said.
Earlier this month his daughter went to the Dunedin store to buy a Hoover similar to what her parents used. So far so good.
When she asked about the $50 trade-in offer, the salesman took her old Sonixx vacuum off her.
As she eyed up a $699 bagless cleaner, he told her it was already marked down by $200.
She was told the trade-in would not apply because of the $200 discount, yet the store kept the old vacuum. She paid $699.
Richard Knights was not happy when he checked the company’s website and with Godfreys’ customer service, to clarify the chosen model had no discount applied as $699 was its recommended retail price.
After that call, the store’s manager phoned and offered a $50 trade-in discount and some parts for the new Hoover.
He received another call from an area manager who said he was legally entitled to the promised $200 discount.
The pair were advised to either take the $200 discount or return the vacuum cleaner they bought.
On Friday he visited the store to get his $200 discount – and his daughter’s old vacuum.
Knights said he told the salesman he would never spend another dollar at the store.
Asked to respond, the company’s marketing manager, David Campbell, said: ‘‘The matter has been satisfactorily resolved with the customer by the local [New Zealand] Godfreys team.’’