£215 Topshop coat - buttons fell off within a day - what are my rights?

Legacy_user

I never usually spend so much on clothes, but when I saw this coat in Topshop I fell in love with it and bought it in mind to make good use of it!

The coat has unique matching black leather buttons along the front, on the back, on the shoulders and pockets. The buttons match the coat design and were what made the coat so attractive.

Now I live in London, and rush hour on the Tube can be complete hell, people crammed up against you, rushing into you etc. but all of my other (cheaper) coats have managed to withstand this pressure. I got back home after the first day wearing the new coat and 4 of the buttons were missing :mad: Some of the other buttons were literally hanging on by a thread.

I went back to Topshop to complain that the buttons should have really been stitched on better, but as I had worn it, they would not give me a refund. The manager then came out and said that as it was not a manufacturer defect and he could only replace it with another coat for me 'out of goodwill'.

There were two coats left on the rail ... and they both had buttons missing :rolleyes:. He still refused to admit there was a defect and said that buttons get loose when people try the coats on and I should have knowingly checked or noticed them before I wore the coat ... again, never had to do this with my other coats.

So now I'm stuck with an expensive coat with missing buttons.

HopeAndDriftWood

Write to Topshop, or phone head office, and you might get better results.

I had the same issue with a Jane Norman coat, but head office were brilliant and even compensated me for the time I'd spent trying to negotiate with the store.

Good luck!

geri1965_2

How many buttons are there in total? Would it be a total pain to take the whole lot off and put replacements on? If not, is there any way you can find four buttons to match?

I would have thought that at the very least, they could get four replacement buttons for you as a gesture of goodwill.

Can't you go in when he's not there and snip some of the other coats? (joke!)

reehsetin

you can reject the item under the sale of goods act as it is not of satisfactory quality, only thing is the retail can choose whether or not you get a replacement/refund or repair. But considering the high likelyhood that a replacement would do the same thing I would really push for a refund, try contacting their head office, explain you've already spoken to the manager who has offered a replacement but you don't think this is appropriate as the same thing will happen again.
ps "out of goodwill" is rubbish he has to offer you a remedy under the sale of goods act

if you get no joy from head office or the manager may have to threaten/take legal action to get it resolved but I certainly wouldnt stand for it

System

geri1965 wrote: »

How many buttons are there in total? Would it be a total pain to take the whole lot off and put replacements on? If not, is there any way you can find four buttons to match?

I would have thought that at the very least, they could get four replacement buttons for you as a gesture of goodwill.

Can't you go in when he's not there and snip some of the other coats? (joke!)

12 buttons in total, they are different sizes too, and seem to be rather unique to the coat, I have already trawled through button websites trying to find similar... no luck so far. I'm considering getting alternative leather buttons - but this will cost me a lot more money, also time-consuming having to remove and stitch the new buttons on.

I have emailed Topshop customer support. So far no reply.

Littleblue_2

Just wanted to add - for the last 2 years I have bought my winter coats (the fake fur leopardprint type) from Topshop and have had this problem with the buttons.

They are never sewn on properly and come loose very quickly. I had to re-sew the buttons immediately this year as well as resewing the bottoms of the pockets which had also come undone. Then the small chain you hang it up with snapped!

So it's not just you!

Hope you manage to get a refund.

LB x

thesim

I have this problem with Dorothy Perkins...owned by the same retail group!

System

Thank you, I have emailed their customer services again with this 'sales of goods' information and will post the results.

trrk

Good luck with getting this sorted!

I have also had this problem with a coat from Dorthy Perkins but luckily I spotted it quickly and reinforced all the buttons before wearing it outside the house - still it's not what you expect to have to do when you've paid good money for something!