I wonder if someone can explain this to me?

How about suggesting that you would take a new bench - and offer them 10% for the other bench with missing parts. Assuming they come up with an acceptable counter offer, I'm sure your local hardware store will have the correct Allen bolt (or similar size-different head)
Do you fancy 2 benches? - there's always Freesale or Ebay

 

I can understand it.
They want you (The customer) to be happy with your purchase, but you are not happy because of an incorrect part. (The hex bolt)

As they don't actually make anything themselves all products are brought in "ready made / ready to assemble" To obtain one single bolt (The one you require) they would have to contact the manufacturer and have them send over 1 bolt, this not only takes time, but costs money, and not to mention the time you will have to wait for the one bolt. So for them to keep you (The customer) happy it is easier and quicker for them to let you have a single bolt from a set they already have.
The fact that by giving you a bolt from a new set makes the new set unsaleable is irrelevant since it is better customer service to give you a part you need "there and then" which keeps you happy. The now unsaleable item can be used again for other spares should they be required, if not it can be sold off later as an "as is" item.

In short its all down to providing good customer service, which inturn keeps your loyalty.

OR would you rather wait a couple of week while they order you 1 bolt?

 

They sold it to you, so they could keep selling it until somebody doesn't want the hassle of sorting it out and simply gets a spare screw from their shed. Just my suspicious mind and that I've seen stores put stuff like that straight back on the shelves after I've taken them back for refund/replacement

 

Take the allen headed bolt to a fixings shop. Get an identical item then take the reciept to Homebase with all paperwork collected so far. Cheers, Tony.

 

Why?
If loofah goes direct to Homebase the part is already there, no need to find fixings shop and no need to travel there, and even if you did, what good would receipts do you?
As I said, its called good customer service.

 

They won't do that,

Basically they will take the part you want from the same shed that they have in stock and then they will package the now incomplete item up and damage it off and it will then eventually find it's way back to the supplier, Homebase a have a system setup-up where by faulty items will be returned to the manufacturer for credit on future purchases from them.

source: I work for Home Retail Group

 

But it doesn't cope with human error/forgetfulness, because when the same thing happened to me they took a part from a box on the shelf (the last one left) I said they should remove that box immediately before somebody buys it and has the trouble of bringing it back, but they said it would be done "later". It was still there several days later when I checked the box and as I suspected it was the one I had taken back, still with the torn packet inside with the part missing they had taken out for me.

 

I think they make so much profit on items like these that they can afford to take one screw out of the set - they will sell it later "as seen" at a reduced price which will probably cover their basic cost anyway.

If you just want to buy one new fixing try Melton Ironmongers of Leicester - the sort of place that will sell you a single nail with a choice of 50 different types.

 

Some of them just disengage their brains and don't follow any sort of procedure. Just how can a Homebase operative put a £999.99 price tag on a £60 Flymo strimmer, and to compound their error they put it a flipping Bosch strimmer that obviously looks nothing like the illustration

.

 

I think I'd be the one that after the initial grumbling, would then go out and buy a new bolt, unless I could find a suitable one in my odds and sods drawer. Then I'd make a point of not shopping at the bad shop ever, ever again ever, or at least until such a time as it happened to be the most convenient place to shop at for whatever I was after.

 

That is someone who isn't paying attention Scrungee, a number of items will come into store and have a price of £999.99 as it is then up to one of the managers to change the price on the computer system

I don't know about every Argos/Homebase store but I can tell you that the store I work at you would never sell and item if it is known to be faulty as the store will actually loose money selling stock at a reduced price where as sending it back as faulty is seen more positively overall on the stores statistics

if you see errors or problem staff then you need to report them! ask for the duty manager or approach a team leader (there the ones in a shirt and tie) and the same for the flip side, staff are rewarded for positive feedback so if you have had particularly good service from a member of staff then make their day and go and have a 10 second chat to a senior looking member of staff and tell them how well your were treated

it works both ways folks a shop can't improve if their not told about problems! (also tell the right people!)

 

I'd probably have taken a hacksaw and cut a slot in the top of the bolt .

 

Or mole grips