Thomann Issue - Euro plug on amp

ShriekingSheet

I sent them the below. Pretty annoyed that this wasn't high-lighted and is instead, buried at the bottom of the FAQs. What do you guys think?


Hi Ed,



My customer number is XXX

Having recently purchased a Fender Hotrod Deluxe from Thomann I was disappointed to find that it was delivered with a European plug.

After a look through the site, I did find an "Important Notice for UK & Ireland customers" which was inconveniently placed at the bottom of your FAQ page.

This notice did state clearly that a European plug would be supplied but am I to believe that at no point of the sales process is this fact mentioned? Having clicked the Irish flag, other local specifics such as VAT are communicated. Given that a European plug is of no use to 99% of Irish/UK musicians is it not fair to assume that this could be communicated at this point too?

A second opportunity to communicate this was your confirmation mail, detailing the order to confirm there were no mistakes. Again, no mention of the plug was made.

Let me be clear. I do not feel that Thomann have in any way breached Consumer Law. However, I do feel that the product was knowingly sold to a country in which it could not be used without adaptation. This is a very poor customer experience, especially given the fact that your FAQ states that if I now rectify this situation, having the correct plug fitted, I am no longer covered under warranty. I would have gladly paid extra to have the correct plug fitted but this opportunity was not presented to me. This makes the situation all the more frustrating.

I expect a satisfactory resolution to this issue. I will not accept having to use a euro/irish plug adaptor.

Regards,

Savman

Talk about an overreaction. You're ordering from German site ffs. Sure they should've highlighted this anomaly, there should also be buyer beware.

It's not hard to do a job on the plug and change it to UK/Irl, it more than makes up for the low prices offered by Thomann and Music Store.

ShriekingSheet

Savman wrote: »

Talk about an overreaction. You're ordering from German site ffs. Sure they should've highlighted this anomaly, there should also be buyer beware.

It's not hard to do a job on the plug and change it to UK/Irl, it more than makes up for the low prices offered by Thomann and Music Store.

Part of the site is specifially set up to sell to Ireland. How hard would it be to say on the Amps home page "If you actually want to use your amp in Ireland you'll need a different plug or adaptor."

Also, the three year warranty is forfeit as soon as you change the plug.

Savman

Ok so even with the €5 converter from Maplin's you're still saving hundreds over an Irish store. They make no secret about being a German store, and Germany use 2-pin Shulko plugs. There's an element of buyer beware there.

I doubt if you order from a US site they are gonna send you an Irish plug.

I'm saying you have a point, but the formal email complaint is totally over the top for something so trivial.

ShriekingSheet

Savman wrote: »

Ok so even with the €5 converter from Maplin's you're still saving hundreds over an Irish store. They make no secret about being a German store, and Germany use 2-pin Shulko plugs. There's an element of buyer beware there.

I doubt if you order from a US site they are gonna send you an Irish plug.

I'm saying you have a point, but the formal email complaint is totally over the top for something so trivial.

The above is true but away from the point. My frustration is that they purposely don't clarify the plug spec.

They bury the fact at the bottom of their FAQ list and then hope that punters will shrug and get it sorted themselves.

I'm frustrated because the fix to this is simply to clearly state the problem (that you won't be able to play your amp on delivery) and give the customer the option of paying extra (I've no issue with doing so whatsoever) to have it come with an Irish plug or an adaptor.

Instead, they allow the amp to arrive and then it's up to people to get it sorted themselves - many of which will forfeit their warranty in doing so.

Savman

ShriekingSheet wrote: »

Instead, they allow the amp to arrive and then it's up to people to get it sorted themselves - many of which will forfeit their warranty in doing so.

If you don't want to take the original plug off, like I say the external converter is about €5 in Maplins or any DIY store which shouldn't invalidate your warranty.

Frankiestylee

If you're buying something from Germany then expect it to have German plugs....


but... I've ordered loads of stuff off them over the years and only once have they left the two pin plug on. Out of about 6 orders that contained things with plugs, only one order came with two pin plugs.

Laserface

shrieking sheet...i think you are totally overreacting...and i highly doubt anyone will agree with you.

thomann is a german shop. germany is in europe. europe use 2-pin plugs.
its not exactly rocket science.
no offence meant

for example..i run a business selling (some) electrical products to some USA customers.
They always email in advance to find out if they can get the correct US fittings.

I have never ever had a complaint..especially when adapters are cheap as chips.

Now...face it..if the Americans can have that **** sorted....and you can't...
you don't have a hope.

It is the customers responsibility to make sure the item is exactly what they want before placing an order.
If they do not...like yourself...then its tough-tittie-tuesday

nij

I think, considering the massive saving you make buying from thomann, you could overlook this minor detail. I bought 2 amps from them, and in both cases I just got a standard 3 way adapter (lying around the house), used a screwdriver in the 3rd prong to open the safety gates and shoved the European plug right in. No biggie.

highlydebased

What else would be expected of a continental European site.

-regarding the warrenty void if plug is removed. Would this be so, if the product used a kettle lead? Dont think so.

Woodies sell Irish plugs for 99cent.

Full.Duck

Buy and adapter, they are cheap.

DerKaiser

Yeah sorry man, you should realise coming from Germany or any continental european country it would have a different plug, it's up to you to know these things when you buy, you're lucky it was Thomann in Germany where it's 220V mains, if you had ordered from the States you'd have to but a step up transformer to change the volts from 110 to 220, just buy a travel adaptor from Peats or the like, sorted