In reply to puppythedog:
>if it's not what it purports to be (i.e. £240 worth of coat)
Don't fall into the trap of thinking this, the only way the coat would be 'worth £240.00' was if the majority of owners of the coat actually paid £240 for it and they are happy enough with it to say they thought it worth that price. Then you'd have a bargain.
One suspects it is devious marketing and the coat never has been or never will be sold at the RRP so the consumer is mis-lead from the outset. It may be morally wrong to do this but like the 'unlimited texts and internet' deals that mobile providers advertise, it is in fact limited and somehow its legal to advertise this way!
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to put you off at all. The coat is probably a clone of something else using similar fabrics and cut. The original maker would have to fund their R&D and extensive testing and that would be reflected in the price, clone stuff is the same virtually and if similar fabrics and quality of stitching is used they should behave in a similar way to the original. We have a 'Mountain Warehouse' near us and I got a really smart soft shell bomber type jacket for £56.00. I wear it taking kids footy and general messing about and it performs really really well. I'd say it would be just as good as stuff at 3 times the price in fact when its been drenched, my body heat dries it faster than my RAB Balorto Guide coat <more fabric on the RAB granted>
I'd say go for it and keep the recipt safe, if you wear it for a month and it doesn't perform, take it back and use the 'fit for purpose' argument to make your point.