Refused Refund at Tesco

alarmfan

I went to my local Tescos (Taunton) at 10.30pm this evening to return an item that was faulty. I was told that customer services was closed and I would have to come back in the morning.

There was nothing on the receipt or the store's notices to say that refunds can only be given at particular times. The store was fully open and the staff were happily taking people's money at the tills.

In the end, I was assertive and got my refund but I feel other people would accept what they were told. It's bad enough to make a special journey to get a refund only to be told to come back another time.

What I'd like to know is whether Tesco are allowed to pick and choose when they apply the Sales of Goods Act?

Thanks for any advice.

wealdroam

alarmfan wrote: »

What I'd like to know is whether Tesco are allowed to pick and choose when they apply the Sales of Goods Act?

No thay cannot do that, and neither were they doing that.

If you take an item back to a retailer claiming it is faulty, they are allowed to inspect the thing to ascertain how the fault materialised.
If there is no-one available at that time, it seems perfectly reasonable to me to either ask you to leave the thing to be inspected, or to return with it, when appropriate staff are available.

somethingcorporate

It's a reasonable question.

I guess since they can choose to not serve anyone they want they can probably pick and choose when it suits them unless you are willing to get heavy with small claims etc.

Even if the answers is no, what do you plan to do with the information? If you stood your ground they would probably throw you out (happened to me at Argos before )

alarmfan

somethingcorporate wrote: »

It's a reasonable question.

I guess since they can choose to not serve anyone they want they can probably pick and choose when it suits them unless you are willing to get heavy with small claims etc.

Even if the answers is no, what do you plan to do with the information? If you stood your ground they would probably throw you out (happened to me at Argos before )

I was perfectly polite when I spoke to the member of staff and, as I say, I did get my refund. I was just intrigued that a fully-functioning store could have members of staff on hand to take people's money but not refund it. The store is either open or closed, isn't it? For someone like me who works during the day, this is the only time I get to shop there.

purple.sarah

Even shops that are open later have less staff on at night than during the day, which is why they might have tills open but not the customer service department.

madvixen

alarmfan wrote: »

I was perfectly polite when I spoke to the member of staff and, as I say, I did get my refund. I was just intrigued that a fully-functioning store could have members of staff on hand to take people's money but not refund it. The store is either open or closed, isn't it? For someone like me who works during the day, this is the only time I get to shop there.

The store won't have been fully functioning at 10:30pm. Many departments have individual opening hours (counters, pharmacy and CS desk are the ones that spring to mind) and, as staff are not multi skilled, the chances are that there was only one person in the building who could do your refund and that would have probably been the Duty Manager.
I'm not a Tesco employee by the way, at least not any more (thank god :rotfl:)

alarmfan

purple.sarah wrote: »

Even shops that are open later have less staff on at night than during the day, which is why they might have tills open but not the customer service department.

Yes, you're absolutely right. I still wonder if they can simply say 'no refunds' when it suits them.

alarmfan

madvixen wrote: »

The store won't have been fully functioning at 10:30pm. Many departments have individual opening hours (counters, pharmacy and CS desk are the ones that spring to mind) and, as staff are not multi skilled, the chances are that there was only one person in the building who could do your refund and that would have probably been the Duty Manager.
I'm not a Tesco employee by the way, at least not any more (thank god :rotfl:)

Thanks. The consensus seems to be that Tesco weren't being unreasonable. I am still genuinely interested in the legal position though - can stores decide when to process refunds?

rygon

They didnt refuse to give you a refund. They asked you to come back at another time to see about getting a refund

wealdroam

alarmfan wrote: »

I still wonder if they can simply say 'no refunds' when it suits them.

Your wonderment should've vanished after post #2.

alarmfan wrote: »

...can stores decide when to process refunds?

Yes... for the reasons given in post #2.

tescobabe69

Shop elsewhere if you dont like it.


Please.