EDIT: Sorry everyone - HN has now rung and said the frother works - apparently you must double press (or something) to make it heat, and one press makes it froths and doesn't heat. I am a bit embarrassed, but happy to admit my mistake. Also added to my knowledge about warranty situations.
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I purchased a Nespresso coffee machine and separate milk frother (two items in a bundle) from Harvey Norman Bondi Junction last Christmas. Three months later, the milk frother stops working - it froths, but won't heat the milk.
I took the frother back to the store and asked for an exchange. The girl said she couldn't do it because I also needed to bring back the coffee machine since they were sold in a bundle. I explained the coffee machine was fine and just needed the frother exchanged, but she wouldn't go further.
So next day, I return with both the frother AND the coffee machine. This time, another girl - apparently the operations manager says, no - we can't exchange the entire bundle - we have to send the frother away to the manufacturer for assessment.
By this point, I say - I would just like a total refund please. The operations manager argues that she's not in a position to judge whether the frother is faulty and thus can't give a refund. I ask to see their warranty policy, and she points to a laminated sign 'Australian Consumer Law; - which says, you can receive a refund if the service "has a major problem" - when it "is substantially unfit for its common purpose". I said, a milk frother that cannot heat milk would be regarded as a "major problem". She refused to accept that, and said it was up to the manufacturer to assess if the frother had a major problem. She said it would be a couple of weeks and I would be contacted.
Well, I've come to OZB to write my story and I find an old post with a link to the SMH article "Harvey Norman franchisees face heavy fines" https://www.smh.com.au/business/harvey-norman-franchisees-face-heavy-fines-20121120-29nr9.html Well, it seems that some HN franchisees didn't learn from their last court case and fines by the ACCC. According to this article, The ACCC alleges these stores breached consumer law by providing false and misleading information about the customer's right to a refund or replacement. Each contravention carries a potential infringement notice fine of $6600 or penalty of $1.1 million.
I will be submitting a complaint to the ACCC for HN giving misleading information about customers rights to claim a refund or replacement for faulty products and give an update here.
p.s. I can heat milk in the microwave.
I had an issue with an aircon unit years ago from HN. In the end had to insist to talk to the franchisee who ended up sorting it out and was actually very pleasant to deal with. Ymmv tho because it's a franchisee system.
This kind of stuffing around you experienced is also why I usually just go straight to manufacturer as its not worth the stress of arguing with store staff.