Home » Forums

[MSE Martin]

What's it all about?

Everyone knows that buy things at Marks & Spencer and you can return it no quibbles. However many think this is a legal right; it isn't, unless there's a problem with the goods bought in store you've no right of return (see Know your consumer rights article).

So I wanted to find out your experience of each major store to compile the info... any help especially from store staff who know the policies would be great.

How to fill out the info

Please reply in the following way...

• Store/Chain Name:
• Can you return goods without a problem? Ie you bought it and changed your mind... is this alloed
• Does it offer a full refund or credit note?
• Did you need to have your receipt/a copy of the credit-card statement?
• Is there any time limit? Is it seasonal?
• Are you a customer or employee/former employee?
• Anything else people should know...

Martin

PS THANKS IN ADVANCE

[dmg24]

I would not say that M&S is as flexible as it used to be:

• Marks and Spencer
• Goods can be returned for whatever reason
• Full refund offered by whatever means paid as long as you have your receipt
• Yes, otherwise you will only receive credit note to the current selling value of the item
• 90 days
• Customer
• They are now much stricter on the time limit. Though it is still very generous, it used to be pretty much open ended

[Ardsguy]

Argos
30 Day Money-Back Guarantee on most items (some are exempt; Mp3's, Mobiles, Digital Cameras etc). Item needs to be unused, in original packaging
Full refund available within 30 days
If a receipt is present, refund will be by the method of payment. If no receipt, refund will be in form of a gift voucher for the price at which the item is currently selling
30days - not seasonal
Current Employee
Exempt items can be returned if bought over the phone or on argos.co.uk - due to statutory Distance Selling Regulations.

[GreedIsGood]

SportsWorld
NO REFUNDS, but goods are returnable. Not sure of time limit.
Credit note offered if you want to change your mind.
Receipt is required.
I am not sure of the time limit.
I was a customer.
I rang head office and explained that there were no other items in their store which were suitable for exchange. They asked me to write in, including the credit note and they kindly sent me a cheque refund.
'No refunds' notices are by the tills (I noticed them when I returned the goods DOH!).
Hope this helps,
Thanks.

[mummyspoppets]

Toys R US
I was given a birthday present for my daughter earlier this year which I wanted to return. I had no receipt & would have been happy to accept a credit note, but they wouldn't even give me that as I had no proof that I had bought it. When you go into the shop, you go straight to the returns desk before entering the store, so obviously not stolen. I have never come across this before and will think twice before shopping there in future.

[Babbler]

Blacks!

Excellent returns policy - up to 90 days from purchase as long as its in original condition! Bought stuff online and was amazed by this

Receipt is required.

[terrorvicky]

John Lewis
you can return pretty much any item at pretty much any time!
I work for a wholesaler who supplies jewellery to almost every JL store plus JL.com. We receive customer returns which were bought a year ago, many are obviously worn and one bracelet was in three bits, looked like it had been run over! they also seem to accept pierced earrings even when they are not faulty.
definite no quibble returns policy!

[gorgeousweelovely]

• Matalan
• Accepts returns if you change your mind.
• Full refund if you have your receipt and its within 28 days from date of purchase. If you don't have the receipt its exchange or store vouchers only - and same again if you are over 28 days, regardless of whether you have receipt.
• If there are any visible signs or wearing on clothes they will not be accepted.
• Credit card statements have no affect on this policy.
• I am an employee.
• Electrical goods must be returned in original packaging for refund - even if faulty.
  Earrings not returnable at all for hygiene reasons.
  Underwear only returnable if still has original shop tags/tickets attached.

[snowbrow]

Adams Kids

Full refund by payment method if you have receipt within 28 days
After 28days can exchange but not return!
Without receipt can exchange at current selling price or get store vouchers!

[intgom]

Wow, this thread is very timely. I've just sent an email to CarpetRight Customer Services asking for refund due to mis-selling and the fact that their prices turned out to be more than double that of the competition. Latter issue was my fault for not shopping around but first issue is becoming a matter of contention with them.

Anyway, to use Martin's suggested template...

• Store/Chain Name: CarpetRight
• Can you return goods without a problem? Ie you bought it and changed your mind... absolutely not - CarpetRight are renowned for refusing to refund anything, even before they have done/delivered anything.
• Does it offer a full refund or credit note? Neither
• Did you need to have your receipt/a copy of the credit-card statement? Not applicable as they don't do refunds.
• Is there any time limit? Is it seasonal? N/A
• Are you a customer or employee/former employee? Customer, though I wish I wasn't!
• Anything else people should know... CarpetRight charge more than double the usual price for their Balterio Laminate flooring.

[whistler-alison]

Lakeland Limited. Their guarantee is that if you are not satisfied at any time (6 months approval), you get your money back. I have taken an item back to them which it didn't think did what it says it was going to do, without a receipt and some months after I bought it and they gave me my money back without comment. Also on a mail order I wasn't happy with something and they gave me a refund and told me to keep the goods. I think they are the best company ever I have dealt with for this kind of thing and as such it has made me favour them over their competitors when deciding who to buy from.

[mugwump]

Also if Lakeland send the wrong thing by post they normally don't require you to send it back as they accept that they made an error.

[cumbrialink]

Asda has a good returns policy on

practically everything.

i bought a camera last december, it packed up this week i took it back and got a full refund £130.00

i went across the road to see what offers they had on other cameras, currys, comet etc! much of a muchness.

went back to asda and spent my money there.

i dont think anyone has a fairer returns policy 10 months down the line.
__________________________________________________ __________

This week also my phone camera packed up. yes i know how lucky can one get. took it back to car phone warehouse. they want to send it back for repair takes a month. and no they wont give you a phone to use as a temp phone . B. A. S. T. A. R. D. S

all this took place in Carlisle were very hard folk up here.

[The Haggler]

I used to work at the 'high end' High St clothing store Jigsaw and they had a strict 'no returns' policy. The only time refunds were given were when goods were faulty, which is the legal obligation.

I was actually told that if customers didn't like it, I should quote the law to them and if they still insisted, I should just walk away and deal with something different! It was very embarrasing to have to deal with, and not one member of staff agreed with the policy, but as the boss said, it's what we were 'paid to do'

[Sammz]

New Look
Credit note given for item without receipt

Dororthy Perkins
Refund on to storecard for item returned 2 days after the refund date

Debenhams
Never any problems returning anything

Next
Never any problems returning anything

[ding76uk]

I know not strictly a store, but anything you purchase over the internet can be returned within 7 days of the receipt of the goods, under the distance selling regulations. This means that even a high street store who offer no returns must do if bought over the internet due to these regulations.

[karen279baboo]

i am a Cost co member and their returns policy is any item which is bought from them is faulty ,can be returned no questions and its replaced even if you bought it 5 years ago so it even past manf guarantee, i think this is within reason say if you bought something 15 yrs ago. However you have paid card, cash they always give you the cash price, never a replacement
so its up to you if you buy another one

[vixarooni]

Store/Chain Name: Debenhams

Can you return goods without a problem? Yes. If you do this within 28 days. If you dont have a reciept it is different. If you take the tags off of clothes (especially underwear) and the care labels we will often refuse to give the refund because its our little amount of proff the items havent been worn. If its faulty its a straight refund.

Does it offer a full refund or credit note? Yes. You can have a gift card if you have the reciept. If you dont have proof of purchase they only offer an exchange for the current selling price, regardless of how much you paid for it in the first place.

Did you need to have your receipt/a copy of the credit-card statement? You will do yes. Obviously if its faulty its a different matter.
Is there any time limit? Is it seasonal? 28 days. For christmas we offer gift reciepts from the middle of november, the first day of mega day is when you can buy a christmas present, get a gift reciept and then the price you payed will be guarenteed untill sometime in january, perhaps even longer. You cant get a refund with a gift reciept. You would need the master copy and the correct method of payment.

Are you a customer or employee/former employee? Im an employee

Anything else people should know... Leaves tags on! And then if all else fails get the manager because 9.9 times out of 10 they will probably waiver it and let you have the refund. Bare in mind that the sales people are doing their job and dont bring stuff back on boxing day because thats just screwy for the poor people who want to kick up a fuss about a pair of knickers they want to return when i would rather be at home with the family.

[Reese]

Originally Posted by Ardsguy

Argos
30 Day Money-Back Guarantee on most items (some are exempt; Mp3's, Mobiles, Digital Cameras etc). Item needs to be unused, in original packaging
Full refund available within 30 days
If a receipt is present, refund will be by the method of payment. If no receipt, refund will be in form of a gift voucher for the price at which the item is currently selling
30days - not seasonal
Current Employee
Exempt items can be returned if bought over the phone or on argos.co.uk - due to statutory Distance Selling Regulations.

Last week I returned a 15" telly to Argos which was an unwanted gift. The current price for this item is £149.99. However as I didn't have a receipt I was only refuned £99.99 (on a gift card), I was told that this was because the item had been in their sale for this price in May 07!In your post you state the refund will be at the price which the item is currently selling.Can anyone please clarify what their returns policy is without a receipt.Thank you.

[gaznsmith]

Store/Chain Name: GAME
Can you return goods without a problem? Ie you bought it and changed your mind... Yes, within 28 days
Does it offer a full refund or credit note? Yes, either
Did you need to have your receipt/a copy of the credit-card statement? Yes - this is required. Although if the purchase was made using a Reward Card it can be tracked using the card if the paper receipt has been lost
Is there any time limit? Is it seasonal? Available all year round
Are you a customer or employee/former employee? Employee
Anything else people should know... Software items are usually supplied to the customer in a plastic wrap, or if not, the store will place a seal over the box opening. This is due to the increasing problem of illegal piracy. Although staff are instructed to take account of exceptional circumstances, 99% of the time if there's no seal, there's no return