HEI HEI MITRE 10 RETURNS DESK ACCEPTS BARBECUE THAT IS, BY ANY REASONABLE DEFINITION, STILL ON FIRE
Customer says the unit is 'not fit for purpose'. The unit is venting smoke onto the carpet.
A Hei Hei hardware store's returns desk spent twenty minutes on Saturday afternoon processing a refund on a four-burner gas barbecue that was, at the time of return, still smoking.
The customer, Reuben Carmody of Yaldhurst, told staff he had used the barbecue once — for a flat-warming on Friday — and had decided it was 'rooted'. He had loaded it into a Hilux while it was, in his words, 'still a bit warm', and driven it across town with the tray-lid down.
"Sausages came out fine," Carmody said. "Steak was off. Then a knob came off in me hand. That's a faulty product, mate. I know my rights."
A staff member, who asked not to be named because she was 'already over it', confirmed the unit was smoking when it arrived on a trundler. "He wheeled it through the automatic doors and set the sensor off. We had to open the loading bay. The duty manager just stood there."
The duty manager said store policy on returns was 'generally generous' but did not extend to 'items currently on fire'. Carmody was offered a store credit on the condition he take the barbecue back outside immediately.
Carmody left with the credit and the barbecue. As of Sunday, the unit was parked on his front lawn, lid open, still going.
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Reader Letters
couchgremlin
Only in Christchurch!
Trev_Hornby
Mate, that's a fire hazard!
Garry (Halswell)
Customers like Reuben give the rest of us a bad name. Who returns a still-hot barbecue? It's bloody ridiculous. What happened to basic safety and respect? Growing up, we were taught to look after our things even if they weren't top-notch. Fix it up yourself or cop it sweet, I say!
laughing_lou
Everyone acts like they've never done something buggered before! Chill out, people. He's just testing return limits.
Sandra McKenzie
Honestly, how incompetent are Mitre 10 staff to allow such a piss-take through the door? Policies should clearly state no returns of fiery goods!
wayne1987
Mate, policies can only stop so much. Staff had no choice but to deal with it once it was inside. You can't blame them entirely.
BanterBro
Reuben sounds like a legend. Who hasn't wanted to return something just to see if you could get away with it? Proper rogue move!
tired_in_riccarton
Is that barbecue still on fire though? Won't it explode or something?