Buying something - not as described

[Mick F]

We've all done it, I'm sure.

I bought - an ostensibly - 5mtr tape measure today, and it cost the whopping sum of £2.50 or so.
Got it home, took the label and tab off it, and extended it so see how it worked.

Photos will explain it all.
Should I take it back or complain to the manufacturers?

[Jdsk]

I'd take it back. And check the replacement before leaving the shop.

Jonathan

[rjb]

Pull it a bit harder.

Reminds me of when we went metric. Friend was doing some building work and wanted some 13' lengths of timber. He rang the timber merchant who told him they couldn't accept the order in feet it had to be ordered in metres.
So he orders 4 metres. When it arrives it is 4 yards.
He sent it back and had a new delivery of the correct 4 metre length

Your tape measure could be 5 metres if they included the length of the tape measure body. Is it marked as 10 cm.

[simonineaston]

At that price - and being mindful of the frequency with which I measure anything between 490 & 500cm, I wouldn't... my own, ancient 5m Stanley powerlock barely manages to reveal its 480 mark.

[ANTONISH]

Should I take it back or complain to the manufacturers?

Do you think the Chinese authorities will be interested

[Mick F]

Your tape measure could be 5 metres if they included the length of the tape measure body. Is it marked as 10 cm.

Good question!

Never thought about that.
It extends to 4892mm (or thereabouts) and the body is 83mm wide.
4892 + 83 = 4975mm .................. still a bit short!

Do I care?
Not a lot, but it's an interesting subject perhaps, or maybe a pedantic subject eh?
Me?
Pedantic?

[rjb]

What's an inch between friends.

[Dingdong]

What's an inch between friends.

I suppose it depends how "friendly" you are. Could be decisive!

[simonineaston]

As an aside, my meagre experience of Rolson as a make puts them with one foot firmly in the box marked, "Buy cheap, buy twice...". Some of their products just make it into the box marked, "Slightly better than not having it with me..."!

[Mick F]

I very much doubt I'll be using this tape for even 3mtrs anyway.
I have a big wind-in tape measure that'll go up to 50mtrs. Good for outside and/or in the garden.

This cheapo is just that, but it says 5mtrs but it doesn't go that far. Not worth worrying about as far as I'm concerned, but it could be a disappointment if you wanted the full 5mtrs though.

[thirdcrank]

How do you do it, Stanley?"

It's Tankard that helps me excel. After one I do anything well.

I've just checked my Stanley and the imperial scale goes up to 16 feet and the metric to 5 metres. (Too idle to wind it out to illustrate with a pic)

[Mick F]

What's an inch between friends.

Mines, five inches too short!

[oldtimer99]

Well I can't offer anything on the tape measure, but...
Today I unwrapped the new 2023 calendar and started to put on stuff for next year....birthdays, car mot dates etc and eventually got to the bin collection days for our multiple bins.....and....why the he'll are they collecting our bins on Sundays?
A slow dawning....inside the posh 2033 cover, was a 2022 calendar.
Now that is definitely not as described and I've been really ripped off.
Cost me 50p from a local cheapo stuff shop.

[rjb]

Well I can't offer anything on the tape measure, but...
Today I unwrapped the new 2023 calendar and started to put on stuff for next year....birthdays, car mot dates etc and eventually got to the bin collection days for our multiple bins.....and....why the he'll are they collecting our bins on Sundays?
A slow dawning....inside the posh 2033 cover, was a 2022 calendar.
Now that is definitely not as described and I've been really ripped off.
Cost me 50p from a local cheapo stuff shop.

Keep it safe until 2028 then it will be right until the end of Feb. Then only a day out unless they scrap the leap year extra day.

[oldtimer99]

Good thinking. I'll be so old and demented by then I probably won't notice, and if I do it probably won't matter anyway. I'll have a word with the bin men