Q: Around three weeks ago I purchased a gold bracelet for my nephew who was going to be baptised within a couple of weeks. I selected the bracelet and asked if it could be engraved with my nephew’s name. The shop assistant confirmed that they can do the engraving, so I paid for the bracelet in full there and then.

The shop assistant assured me the engraving would be ready that same week. However, this was not the case and the bracelet was only ready a day before my nephew’s baptism. When I saw the bracelet, I was very disappointed as the engraving was not done well. The name on the bracelet was all messed up and I did not accept that a €105 bracelet is given to me like that.

I would like to know if I can ask for my money back as it is clear that the bracelet cannot be fixed.

A: Since the engraving on the bracelet was not done well you are undoubtedly entitled to claim a free of charge remedy from the seller.

Consumer law provides three types of remedies when goods purchased do not conform to the contract of sale. These are: repair, replacement and refund. The chosen remedy must be provided to consumers at no cost and without causing them a significant inconvenience.

In this case, if repair is not a possible option then you may request the seller to replace the ruined bracelet with a new one. If this solution is not possible, or if opted for will cause you a significant inconvenience, then you may ask for a refund.

Should you not manage to reach an agreement with the seller on an acceptable remedy, you may then lodge a complaint with the Office for Consumer Affairs so that mediation is carried out with the trader with the objective of reaching an amicable solution.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.