GreenForce Torch Missleading Advert!

[Builder_Russ]

Hi i am copying my origional post and response from my BSAC Forum page. Can anyone here offer anymore advice and views on the situation.

Original post; Greenforce torch poor advert! - BSAC Scuba Diving Forums


I have just ordered and taken delivery of my new Greenforce torch.

I ordered a GreenForce f2 torch with tristar Plus LED Head Dimmable at deep blue. The price was £345.00 and and also included a fast charger, towel, bag and umbilical. see link below for offer.

http://www.deepbluedive.com/product.aspx?id=15229

When it arrived there was no handle for the torch. i contact deep blue to question this, and was told that the handle is additional at £30.00 extra. Even tho in their advertisement in both picture the product is hsown with a handle. I querried this with a few other members of my club whole also own Greenforce torches and they all replied that theres came supplied with a handle. Whats the point in a torch with no handle? i would assume as seen in the pics this was part of the product such as battery and head which are also no depicted in the advert.

In additon to further my anger i have also realised that the head i recieved is not dimmable - as stated in the advert. Another phone call necessary in the morning i think!

has anyone else had problems with this package and had to purchase the handle seperatley?

Russ

[Builder_Russ]

Response to the above:

In response to my original post.

I re-contacted DeepBlue dive store of Newcastle this morning Re; my concerns.

They apologised for posting the non dimmable head with my torch and agreed to send me the dimmable head as advertised and ordered in replacement, and agreed to pay the postage and packaging.

With regards to the absent handle, I was informed that the greenForce torches as of 3 months ago no longer come with handles. Apparently due to the falling pound/euro situation GreenForce decided to remove the handle from the product as appose to increasing their prices. The handle now comes at a £30.00 additional extra.

As I was not made aware of this prior to purchase I asked as a gesture of good will, would they supply me a handle free of charge. Which was declined.

This is where my grievance lies;

The Handles were originally an integrated part of the hand held torch that I ordered and has in the past never been sold as an addition (unless bought separately). By removing the handle from the product, they have changed its specification.

The images used to descript the product, both showed the hand held torch featured with a handle. Nowhere in the advert did it state that these torches no longer come with a handle as they used to.

Deep blue responded by stating their images may not represent the product being sold, which is stated in their terms and conditions. I think this is also misleading to the buyer.

I was also informed that the handle was indeed removed from a so-called hand held torch as most people who purchased this product mounted it to a cylinder and used it with an umbilical. I clearly however bought a handheld torch package with the addition of a bag and umbilical - Not an umbilical torch package. The option of me using the torch as a hand held unit has now been removed.

Still Deepblue failed to see, how there product advertisement was misleading stating that the advert does not descript the handle in its product description. Of course it doesn’t its an integrated part of the hand held torch – of which the specification has now changed.

I have since taken up my grievance with Newcastle trading standards, who are looking into this matter further.

Would it have been to difficult for Deepblue to tag a line above the product, informing purchasers that the handle no longer came as part of the hand held torch as before.

I would strongly advise that anyone else purchasing products online clearly read the terms and conditions and the product description. As you may not receive what you were expecting.

I will keep you posted of any further advances.

Russ

http://www.deepbluedive.com/product.aspx?id=15229

[DIVE BUDDHA]

all ya have to do mate is drop rob lumb a pm or phone lumb brothers and he

will tell ya exactly what the torch should and shouldnt come with !

after all he is the main uk disributor for greenforce

also to add to that mate you will get exactly the same responses on y-d as you have from the bsac forum

[Gram43]

I went into this shop last Wednesday and after waiting for some time eventualy an assistant came to me and asked if he could help.

I asked if they had any other wings than the one one display (it was an Apeks), as I was interested in looking at them and possibly buying one. The reply I received from another staff member was "we don't stock many of them as we're not technical divers and don't know enough about them!"

So, why do they sell twin sets and wings on their site! Just to keep up with the Joneses?

I have bought one of the said torches recently and ordered it without a gold handle but with the £30 goodman handle and attaching pouch, but from another supplier.

[Builder_Russ]

I have Spoken to Rob at Lumb Bros and he confirmed that yes Greenforce have now decided to remove the handle from the handheld torch as appose to increaseing the price. My argument is that this is infact changing the spec and when purchasing a hand held torch a handle is a integrated parch of the torch as a whole.

My problem is this change should have clearly been stated on the website, in additon the pictures should have been ammended.

[Gary K]

did the advert say it included a handle?

[hyweldavies]

I may still have such a handle if I haven't dumped it.
If I've still got it, you can have it for postage cost
Mine's rigged as an umbilical so don't need it.

I'm talking about the l-shaped handle for using as a lantern, rather than the "goodman" handle

Hywel.

[DIVE BUDDHA]

I have Spoken to Rob at Lumb Bros and he confirmed that yes Greenforce have now decided to remove the handle from the handheld torch as appose to increaseing the price. My argument is that this is infact changing the spec and when purchasing a hand held torch a handle is a integrated parch of the torch as a whole.

My problem is this change should have clearly been stated on the website, in additon the pictures should have been ammended.

if you actualy look at the discription it doesnt say owt about the handle being part of the torch!

anyway good luck at getting a handle

[Razza]

I have Spoken to Rob at Lumb Bros and he confirmed that yes Greenforce have now decided to remove the handle from the handheld torch as appose to increaseing the price. My argument is that this is infact changing the spec and when purchasing a hand held torch a handle is a integrated parch of the torch as a whole.

My problem is this change should have clearly been stated on the website, in additon the pictures should have been ammended.

Not meaning to add insult to injury but when I bought mine it came with a handle, for which i have no requirement. Do you actually want a handle? If so and you make no progress with DeepBlue, you can have mine for a £15 donation to the RNLI.

[SML]

if you actualy look at the discription it doesnt say owt about the handle being part of the torch!

anyway good luck at getting a handle

True but from the picture you wouldn't know that the handle was a seperate part either so I would expect it to come complete

I think you have got a good chance of getting a full refund or getting the handle