Roger-Luc Chayer
There are sometimes good deals to be found on the web, but there are also some well-crafted shenanigans you need to be aware of! This is what happened to me on June 12th when I received, via Facebook, an advertisement from Rugs.ca with a 60% discount on beautiful rugs, in photos at least. Since I needed an area rug in my office and my checks showed it was a Canadian company with a 30-day return or exchange guarantee, I ordered one, from $ 149 all inclusive. A godsend I told myself! But now, nothing was more wrong …
Already with the delivery, Purolator kept changing the date until I decided to pick it up myself at the Dorval warehouse. When I got home and excited about my new rug, I unwrapped and unrolled it to find that it was full of crevices and the fabric had been irreparably folded under great pressure. In other words, it was good for scrapbooking (See the photo of my rug above). I then decided to immediately avail myself of the return email guarantee, no response. That’s when I went to read reviews from past buyers to find out how Rugs.ca works. After several attempts to communicate, even by telephone to customer service, nothing can be done. It was then that shortly thereafter, I decided to dispute this purchase with my credit card. By chance, I immediately started receiving emails.
First, I was sent a list of « solutions » to fix the crevice problem. I was told to put the carpet outside on the street, on the asphalt to heat it, or to walk on it ignoring the defects, it was ridiculous! When I said that I didn’t want to know anything about laying an elephant on it, I was offered to take it back, at a cost of US $ 108 for postage and that I would be given the rest once the carpet returned… In the United States! Sorry? It seemed to me that Rugs.ca was a Canadian company, right? To that, they never respond. Paying $ 150 CAD to return a rug I paid for $ 149 when there is a 30-day return guarantee sounds like a fraud.
As I persisted in objecting to the return shipping cost and demanding a refund, the company repeatedly asked me for pictures, which I complied with. I sent several photos three times, but they never followed up.
I then took a closer look at the underside of this website to find that in fact he was acting as a reseller of carpets originally from Turkey, according to what was listed on the label. Not only did he not do business in Canada, he had absolutely nothing Canadian except the use of a domain name ending in CA.
Besides, what does CIRA, the Canadian Internet Registration Authority responsible for enforcing laws and regulations, say about the use of .CA domains?
customers that … your business supports the Canadian economy, you invoice in Canadian dollars, you pay and collect taxes in Canada, delivery is cheap, easy and hassle-free. Let’s face it, we are far from that with Rugs.ca
In addition, the CIRA adds: “Individuals, organizations and businesses must be present in Canada to register a .CA domain. This is the only domain name extension that can identify a 100% Canadian website. «
Rugs.ca is a direct violation of the law by having no office or existence in Canada. So I filed a complaint for illegal use of a .CA domain with CIRA, two months later I’m still waiting for the acknowledgment! As of this writing, mid-August, I still haven’t received any news directly from Rugs.ca. As mentioned earlier, I made a chargeback to my credit card, either Mastercard Triangle (Canadian Tire) and Rugs.ca objected by forwarding the same email that said I could put the rug out on asphalt and mentioning that the 30 day return guarantee included a fee. Now, and this is what I told Triangle’s Banking and Fraud Investigation Department, to be able to charge a fee, you have to mention it first. However, on the Rugs.ca page, when you want to click on the mention of the policy and the warranty, there is no link, nothing that would not lead the customer to the information before making their purchase. This lack of prior mention and the whole file is what prompts me to speak of a commercial scheming, not to use another word …
Faced with the situation, my credit card company, which is assisting me very well in this matter, was ready to reimburse me directly for my purchase of $ 149, but that did not allow for a negative rating on Rugs’ credit report. that and by accepting this generous offer, I was not allowing other potential future customers to possibly know that the practices of this company are irregular.
Triangle therefore authorized me to ask a store that sells rugs in Montreal to write a letter to mention that the rug is defective and at that time, the withdrawal of $ 149 will be made from the Rugs.ca account, this which is the least of things.
I therefore consulted our advertiser and friend Alain Polini de l’Heureux Bouddha, who announces in these pages and who is THE specialist in the matter, since Alain himself travels in the countries producing rugs and other exotic objects that he sells in his two Montreal boutiques. He’s the man for the job. Alain examined the photos of the rug and indeed concluded that the item was not only faulty, but that it could not be used for its intended decorative use.
Triangle eventually withdrew the funds from Rugs.ca to refund my purchase. The most important thing in this case was, for Triangle and I, to make this company understand that it has responsibilities towards its customers, even if it is outside of Canada.
Even if the seller is outside the country, he is still subject to the legal guarantee of Quebec which says: « The legal guarantees allow you in particular to require that the good that you buy: can be used for the use for which it is normally intended. »The merchant must exchange free of charge or refund. This is what it is!