Yakflyer wrote:
I don't want to get involved with the rights and wrongs of this case and I have no wish to know the retailer. But as one who imports some items from the Far East I can understand what the manufacturer is saying. To ship two items of furniture on their own would have enormous logistical and cost implications. Items like this would normally come over to the retailer or wholesaler in a full container. To ship a couple of items of furniture on their own would carry a huge risk of the furniture getting damaged in transit. Shipping the goods as they are might cost the manufacturer €500-€1,000. If they are required to be crated, even more. Added to this the Customs and Import documentation might cost €100-€200 to process. Delivering from Limassol docks to Paphos would be another €100-€150. To expect anyone (manufacturer or retailer) to do this is both unrealistic and unreasonable.
If the furniture was sent over in the next container to the retailer, any additional costs would be virtually zero and your furniture will likely arrive undamaged. The bonus is that you get brand new furniture in 6 months time instead of now. So, more life ahead of it.
I'm not sure (in fact I know) that I would not have gone about a complaint of this nature with all guns blazing, and employing a solicitor. Anyway, with the offer that has been made I would thank the manufacturer profusely for his generosity in assuming responsibility for the problem and agreeing to replace the items of furniture with the next shipment. I would cc the retailer in on the e-mail. After that I would monitor the situation from time to time to ensure that neither party overlooks what has been agreed. Then I would sit back and chill out, knowing that I've enjoyed a good result. Life's too short to get worked up - and risk a heart attack - over relatively unimportant things like this.
Sorry to disagree with part of your statement above.
Any item can be shipped as a part load. Be it in a container or boxed. I used to ship stuff all over the middle east from Uk and the cost is fractional.