I was moving house and decided I needed some more Tupperware containers for my new, larger pantry. I approached the Tupperware agent in the town I was moving from (I hadn’t used her before, they change frequently) and ordered and paid cash for the goods Jan 2016. I also said she could use this order as part of someone else’s party ie the host gets more points towards a gift and they are more likely to book a party, which is what they usually ask you to do. This might mean someone else is holding my order, but I have no way of finding out who. I provided both new & old addresses, phones & email.
As we were intending to return I said I would contact her to pick them up. However we were a couple of months later than expected. Calls & messages to her mobile remained unanswered and when I returned to that town the locals said she no longer dealt with Tupperware and may have even left town for good.
The agent in my new town suggested I contact Head Office, I wrote in Nov 2016 with copies of my order and the saga, but I have never received a reply.
Where do you stand if you have ordered and paid for a “party plan” company’s goods? The Company, the Regional Rep, the agent or the Party Host?
@zackarii It’s a bit like shutting the gate after the horse has bolted but I would have gone to either Coles , Woolworths or any good kitchen supply shop and purchased either Decor or Sistema containers . Have used them for years with no problems . I don’t know your circumstances in regards to locality etc , so maybe Tupperware was your only option . I sincerely hope it all turns out well for you .
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I think @ErinTurner might be able to answer this one. She’s on leave until next week but she might have a good answer when she gets back.
In the mean time keep contacting the head office. Call, email, send letters - keep records of how many times you’ve contacted them. It’ll help later on if you need to make a claim at a tribunal or other dispute resolution. If you’re a CHOICE member, feel free to get in touch with our CHOICE Help service: https://www.choice.com.au/choice-help-form
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An update on the Tupperware saga. Got a response 1 Feb to my November letter saying they would probably hand it on to the Regional Rep, then 6 Feb I rang, the person handling my case was away, 7 Feb still away, but they promised to forward my order. 1 March 2017 - it turned up in the mail! Full order, plus a couple of “extras”. There’s no mature complaints tracking process, as I had to read out my letter and explain what happened 3 times, although they knew I had an issue of some sort when they or I rang.
I am still not sure where I stand on this Party Plan type sale. From what I can gather the Regional Rep is a separate company who handle the local party plan reps, who are contractors? Fortunately Head Office obliged and filled my order, but not in any great haste.
Who is responsible to me, as an end-user and consumer of Party Plan type products? The Host (who is possibly responsible for individual deliveries & in some cases the money), the local presenter (cash and order taker), the Regional Rep (company who employs / subcontracts the presenters), the Supplier / Manufacturer / Wholesaler / Provider of products?
I come from a drought affected area with little retail, many rural families are turning to this type of “employment” to provide goods not available in the area and to earn a little extra money. That’s why I chose to buy from my old town, rather than the more affluent and urbanised area we moved to.
Tupperware has outlasted my other “plastic” ware; their basic Modular Mates are a staple which stack and I can add to at any time if I get invited to a Party. From discussions elsewhere, the manufacturing has changed and the company’s approach to customers has also changed for the the worse. For example the big selling point was that any item that split / broke etc had a lifetime replacement - bring it to a party and the Presenter would get a replacement with your order. Now it’s on-line and they are charging to replace. Purchasers are saying the new formulation doesn’t last like the original. Mr Tupper would be appalled .
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Rather than sending a letter, one can also post complaints/warranty claims on the Tupperware Australia Website
This is also the ACCC website on consumer rights. At the end of the day, I expect that those who hold a party would be classed as salesperson and ultimately Tupperware Australia would be responsible.
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