Security Tag on M and S coat

ponymad_3

My Mum bought a jacket from M and S specially for her holiday in Spain. When we were in the departure lounge, I noticed that there was a security tag still firmly in place on the back of the jacket. we joked with the lady sitting next to us and I went to the duty free to see if they could help us remove. Their machine was the wrong fit ... So my Mum had to manage to do without the jacket on her holiday. She took it straight off, totally embarassed in case someone thought she had pinched it. When we boarded the plane a longish walk out at 7.30 am she was pretty frozen. She has managed to find that she bought the jacket on her M and S card, so thankfully we have proof of purchase.

I am going to write to M and S... what does anyone think .Should they offer compensation.. Thank goodness we were nt shopping in Zara and got stopped.

We have decided that we can t just walk into the store as the door may well ping ... though why it did nt when she left I don t know.

The jacket was reduced.

bobajob_1966

You want compensation because she didn't notice the security tag before she wore it? How much do you want - cost of the holiday, bit more for emotional trauma?

wealdroam

ponymad wrote: »

My Mum bought a jacket from M and S specially for her holiday in Spain. When we were in the departure lounge, I noticed that there was a security tag still firmly in place on the back of the jacket. we joked with the lady sitting next to us and I went to the duty free to see if they could help us remove. Their machine was the wrong fit ... So my Mum had to manage to do without the jacket on her holiday. She took it straight off, totally embarassed in case someone thought she had pinched it. When we boarded the plane a longish walk out at 7.30 am she was pretty frozen. She has managed to find that she bought the jacket on her M and S card, so thankfully we have proof of purchase.

I am going to write to M and S... what does anyone think .Should they offer compensation.. Thank goodness we were nt shopping in Zara and got stopped.

We have decided that we can t just walk into the store as the door may well ping ... though why it did nt when she left I don t know.

The jacket was reduced.

Why not just go into into your nearest M&S with your proof of purchase and ask them to remove the tag?

Ok, it probably will trigger the alarm on entry, but so what?
No-one will arrest you for taking a coat into the store, will they?

I'll leave someone else to help you calculate how much compensation you deserve.

Edited to add: I see you are already getting advice on the compensation issue.

Fishingtime

But if you have proof that you bought it then why not take it back.

If when you enter the store and the alarm goes off,do you not think the security would expect the person to be going out and not coming in?
Take it back and no refund I don't think

ponymad_3

The proof will be her M and S staement... BTW my Mum is 77 and this was not a good experience for her... Did nt expect snide comments... I m usually helping and answering on foums not asking for advice, it is really starting to bug me that people get sarcastic - why bother replying if you don t want to help!

arcon5

wealdroam's post has solved the coat issue..

so now to the compensation --- are you serious????????????

I don't understand why she allowed herself to be cold simply because the jacket had a tag on which she didn't even notice until somebody pointed it out.

jennijenjen

Apparently there are different types of tag remover, so she had to ask her daughter to go back to the original store (not her local one) during the following weekend and sort it out.

It was annoying for them, but what else would you do?

If I desperately needed a jacket, I'd just buy another one and return the M&S one back in UK to get a refund. I wouldn't suffer in cold weather?

Other than getting an apology from the salesperson, I don't think you could expect much from M&S I'm afraid...

texranger

the same thing happened to me last year on a pair of jeans, i noticed the tag when i got home. the shop i purchased these from was 20 miles away, so i was going to take them back next time i visited that town, but while in my own town i spotted another store (not the same store group) were using the same tag system so being cheeky i told them about this and if they would be able to remove the tag foir me, they said they would try if i took the jeans to them alkong with proof of purchase to prove that i had not just stolen them and want them to remove the tag.
i did this and the tag was removed, the store got a free tag and it saved me a 40 mile round trip

fluffnutter

It's irritating but mistakes happen. And it was her choice to not wear the coat and hence get cold. I'd have worn it, tag or not. Who cares what other people think?

You have proof of purchase; it will be easy to ask M&S to remove the tag.

PZH

ponymad wrote: »

I am going to write to M and S... what does anyone think. Should they offer compensation....

By all means write a polite and factual letter to M&S - or even speak directly to the store manager. I would hope that they see it as a chance to address a customer issue and maybe advise the till staff to check items more carefully. It may also address an issue with their security as I assume the alarm did not trigger on the way out when the coat was originally purchased.

I think the term "Compensation" causes people to get upset on these forums. There is nothing wrong with asking for a gift voucher or reduction as a result of the inconvenience caused. However, it would be totally at the discretion of M&S ( unless you could actually prove a monetary loss or pain and suffering, etc) and would be classed as a "goodwill" gesture.

NeilF3485

texranger wrote: »

the same thing happened to me last year on a pair of jeans, i noticed the tag when i got home. the shop i purchased these from was 20 miles away, so i was going to take them back next time i visited that town, but while in my own town i spotted another store (not the same store group) were using the same tag system so being cheeky i told them about this and if they would be able to remove the tag foir me, they said they would try if i took the jeans to them alkong with proof of purchase to prove that i had not just stolen them and want them to remove the tag.
i did this and the tag was removed, the store got a free tag and it saved me a 40 mile round trip

I did a similar thing but was too lazy to even go a couple of miles into town, so I smashed it off using a hammer and pliers. Item undamaged, job done.