Monsoon refusing return on faulty item

nat_80

cannot begin to explain how appalled I am with Monsoon. I have shopped with them for years and love their clothes shoes bags the lot.

Bought a pair of leather black ballet pumps from them and they stained my feet. Not a little - they stained by feet jet black.

I took them back to be told very abruptly that they would not take a "used" item back. (worn once only for a few hours and barely scuffed on soles and no damage at all to the shoes). I had with me the photographs and they laughed at me and dismissed it.

It was beyond rude the way I was treated in store.

I then lodged a complaint with customer services who came back and told me to send them back via the store - barely read my email and the email back was stating they were out of the office on 27th August when it was in fact now September.

I wrote back, was told I could return the item to the technical department at my own cost but only if, after rigorous test did they deem it be a "serious manufacturing fault" would they refund my postage and / or the cost of the item. At this point I wonder if it is even worth sending them back at my own cost to incur yet more cost and inconvenience.

I ask them to arrange for a return to take place in store - Manager of customer services tells me she cannot do this.

I am outraged and feel like they are accusing me of lying and definitely not taking me seriously. They have also stated that the photos could relate to other shoes - it is disgusting the way I am being treated and today they have told me if I don't like it to raise it with Trading Standards. Trading standards directed me to CAB and CAB are not taking a "mere pair of shoes" seriously so I am now at a complete loss as to how I resolve this.

Lots of blogs online saying items returned never got postage refunded or refund for item or indeed a response. I think it is outrageous that they offer such poor customer service and advertise in their own returns policy that you can return an item for free but you in fact cannot. you get better customer service in asda and aldi

wealdroam

Instead of being so outraged and appalled, why not read MSE's Consumer Rights article?

In there you will find that the Sale of Goods Act means that if the goods are found to be inherently faulty then you are entitled to a remedy and that remedy must include any postage costs.

Surely you understand that they are entitled to see the goods to determine how the fault occurred?
And to do that it might be considered reasonable for you to pay the postage in the first place, to be refunded if appropriate.

You also might like to read MSE's How to Complain article.
There are sample letters in there, and other good stuff.

nat_80 wrote: »

...you get better customer service in asda and aldi

Thanks for the tip. Well worth knowing.

pink_pirlie

nat_80 - I have sympathy with your issue. I had a pair of shoes where after wearing them to work (sat at a desk) four or five times the sole literally disintegrated. The store I first took them to were not interested, claimed it was "normal wear and tear" and refused a remedy. Customer services gave me the same advice as you got.

In the end I took them back to a different store and they refunded them no problem. I went in all smiles and didn't mention the issue at the previous store, or the call to customer service as I felt this could affect how the second store dealt with the return.

Maybe try this first, and if you fail again then send them back as per the suggestion by Monsoon's customer service.

nat_80

thanks. will try and get to another store. Just think its ridiculous that they are so unco-operative when they state that you can return via the store. Its not great customer service when something is faulty. thanks for your comment

pink_pirlie wrote: »

nat_80 - I have sympathy with your issue. I had a pair of shoes where after wearing them to work (sat at a desk) four or five times the sole literally disintegrated. The store I first took them to were not interested, claimed it was "normal wear and tear" and refused a remedy. Customer services gave me the same advice as you got.

In the end I took them back to a different store and they refunded them no problem. I went in all smiles and didn't mention the issue at the previous store, or the call to customer service as I felt this could affect how the second store dealt with the return.

Maybe try this first, and if you fail again then send them back as per the suggestion by Monsoon's customer service.

nat_80

@wealdroam

Think you have totally missed the point in this and hastily sent a sarcastic response

I fully understand the right for them to have the shoes - I took them in remember. What I do not understand is how they can say verbally and in writing in emails and in their terms that you can take them into store and then not accept them and then a manager not assist.

Seems that many hundreds of people have returned items by post at their own cost never to receive a penny was my concern from reading a huge number of posts online. Seems a little too convenient to refuse to help unless I do for it more than likely to disappear into a black hole.

terra_ferma

nat_80 wrote: »

@wealdroam

Think you have totally missed the point in this and hastily sent a sarcastic response

I fully understand the right for them to have the shoes - I took them in remember. What I do not understand is how they can say verbally and in writing in emails and in their terms that you can take them into store and then not accept them and then a manager not assist.

Seems that many hundreds of people have returned items by post at their own cost never to receive a penny was my concern from reading a huge number of posts online. Seems a little too convenient to refuse to help unless I do for it more than likely to disappear into a black hole.

agree with OP
some people sit on their axx, do nothing about the problem and just come here expecting posters to do the legwork for them.
You on the other hand have tried to get a resolution, gone to everybody you could think of, got stuck and are asking for help.
If you already knew all about consumer rights you'd be here answering questions, not asking them