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John Lewis refusing to refund..help please
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kittykirsty wrote: »marlowtech: Have you heard anything back yet? Just stumbled across your post and read with interest!
Hiya - nothing yet...I'm waiting for a call from their CRM - apparently it could take up to 48 hours - it's been 24 now.
It's quite interesting hearing different opinions. Some people seem to think that JL are completely right (because they have on the product webpage that this is made to order) and others seem to think they are wrong because they are using this "made to order" excuse, when really it is a bog standard item and they are reselling it from another supplier, rather than taking it into stock themselves.
The point is, that we made a simple mistake in missing this line at the bottom of the product page. Hands up to that. I just think that the whole thing could be a lot clearer.
The question is, in what way was this made to our specifiication.
When I hear anything more from them I will post it...
thanks for your interest...0 -
Might be worth using this in your argument against JL - specifying S/M/L/XL etc is exactly the same as choosing clothes which are sized in such a way, and you certainly don't have all your clothes made to order!!0
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Dear Mr Eaton,
My apologies for the length of this email, but I have had a bit of a saga with the above order. In the interests of brevity I will try to make the points as quickly as possible.
We ordered a large canvas print from John Lewis over the internet which arrived and is not suitable. We called to arrange returning it and we were issued with an RMA number. We then received a call from the returns department last saturday saying that as it was "made to order" we could not return it.
We checked the website and it says "Please note: As this item is made to order it is non-refundable. This service is exclusive to John Lewis online." This text is at the bottom of the page in normal type. We did not see it. There is no other warning during the order process that you cannot return the
However our order confirmation states :
What happens next?
You can return your items for any reason up to 28 days after delivery. Further information can be found in the customer service section of our website and the despatch note included with your order. Please note that John Lewis Direct will bear the cost of returning the products.
There is no other mention of not being able to return the item unless it is made to the customer's specification (or underwear etc etc). There are only 3 sizes of this print available (small, medium, large) and to my own mind, this does not constitute being made to our specfication. If we had specified an exact size then I would completely agree that it was made to order.
On Monday morning we telephoned customer services and spoke to Z (no surname supplied) in Scotland - she consulted with a manager and offered us vouchers/credit note. We then asked for a refund on our credit card. She consulted with her manager again and refused to even give us the vouchers. We then spoke to X - her manager - (who refused to give us his surname) but said his reference was 26368. I have asked other members of your team about this reference and it means nothing to them. He said that he was unable to issue a credit note but would escalate it. When you examine the notes on the system you will see that there is no recording of this conversation and nothing was done.
As we heard nothing on Monday I telephoned myself. I have to say that with the exception of X, your staff have been superb. In my discussions I have spoken to :
A
B
C
D
I cannot stress enough that the team in Exeter have been brilliant.
D escalated it to the CRM team and said that I would receive a phone call within 48 hours. As I had not heard today, I called just now and had another excellent conversation with E. She confirmed that the CRM had made a note on the order, stating that we would not get a refund as it clearly states that the goods are not returnable on the website. She has again escalated the problem to the CRM and insisted that I receive a phone call.
In the meantime I have decided to contact you myself.
In summary, here are my gripes :
1) If you don't have your browser window maximised (or you happen to be in hurry) you miss the warning that this is made to order. At no point in the order process do you get a warning that you cannot return the item.
2) The order acknolwedgement states clearly that you can return the item within 28 days. The exceptions are if the goods are made to your spefication. As this print is available as s/m/l, I really cannot understand how this is made to our specification.
3) We were issued with an RMA.
4) Having taken advice, I would like someone to clarify how this is made to our specification. Apparently the retailer has to demonstrate how the goods were personalised in order to refuse to take something back under the DSR.
5) Your customer service is the best there is. Everyone's reaction has been how this is so unlike John Lewis. I cannot believe that this is good customer service/relations.
6) We feel let down that we were offered vouchers, and then because we asked for a refund to our credit card, we were refused even the vouchers.
7) X failed to do anything (according to your colleagues there is nothing on the system to indicate a conversation took place.) despite his assurances that he was going to do "everything he could".
8) D assured me that we would get a call from CRM but they decided to make a note on the system and leave it at that.
Please could you or one of your staff call me on xxxxxx as soon as possible to discuss this.
Many thanks in advance,0 -
Blinmey you must be tearing your hair out by now..............
John Lewis are a very well off company, it is a shame they are being so picky and awkward.I have found in the past that just keeping on at these companies and never giving in usually gets the right result in the end.Good luck!!0 -
This is getting beyond a joke. I had a call from CRM - a reasonable chap but at the end of the phone call he admitted that he had decided before callling that he was not going to give a refund because he'd spoken to his manager! He hadn't seen my email of yesterday.
I quoted Consumer Direct at him and he said he would talk to them himself.
I have spoken to Consumer Direct and they are clear that JL have to take the goods back as they are not personalised in anyway. I quoted some of the comments from the CRM guy (who said it was ok to quote him) :
"JL will not take this back because it was ordered from a factory who will not take the goods back from JL".
I specifically asked how the goods were made to our specification and was told :
"the canvas was not custom made but as you chose a large one (there were 3 choices, s/m/l) this constitutes it being made to your specfication"
I really cannot believe that John Lewis are digging their heels in over such a small matter. What's also amazing is that they are making me get legal with them when surely good customer relations is what counts.
I'm :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:0 -
Blimey, following this with interest. They seem to be being extremely bloody minded about this, you'd think they would offer a goodwill refund if only to get rid of you, no offence intended
, but having worked for M&S a few years back, the management often used to bend the rules where the customers made enough fuss. So keep it up!
I think you put your point across very well in your email, but just to say have you sent it in accordance with the complaints process on their website? Sure you have, but just thought I'd point out the email form they ask you to use to ensure you get it processed correctly.0 -
Incidentally, if the complaints process doesn't work, a letter to the chairman always used to work wonders at M&S. JL's chairman is a chap called Charlie Mayfield, a letter sent recorded and marked for addressee only to their registered office in Victoria Street, London, as given on the website might be fruitful.0
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I am absolutely amazed at how petty they are being over this. Perhaps they do not realise the harm they are doing to their reputation? Right or wrong, they are not doing themselves any favours.
If it comes down to it, I vote that we all ring or email them, and register our thoughts on the matter with them. Maybe 'people power' will win the day?Gone ... or have I?0 -
:mad: :mad: :mad:
He has called back and confirmed that they will not take the painting back. He says I have no further to go. I am going to follow Purplepatch's advice and send a recorded letter to the chairman.
I have spoken to Consumer Direct again (v.good service!), and advised me to write to the chairman. The lady went off to consult with her superviser and confirmed that there was nothing here to indicate that the goods were made to our specification. She stated that because the website tells you the sizes (s/m/l), I have not specified the size.
Apparently, because something is ordered in (ie not stocked) from somewhere else does not mean that it is "made to order". If it were the case, then every e-tailer who sells stock not in their warehouse would be able to refuse to take things back!
She did say however that eventually this would come down to a judges decision in the small claims court. But I feel like being the small consumer taking on the giant John Lewis.
Needless to say, JL will not be getting any of my business in the future.
Would it be too much to ask everyone to start a boycott of JL?????:rotfl:0 -
I have shopped with JL stores and online and I can say that I have had no problems and they have all been very helpful with me.
I do feel that you should have read all the details before making the order but they do cover themselves on the site by saying non refundable!!!!!
Perhaps you wont make that mistake again when shopping on line. Read all the small print but what a way to learn...0
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