GREAT 'WHAT SHOPS DON'T WANT US TO KNOW" HUNT

Tankgirl_3

alyssa_mae wrote:

My cousin bought a coat in gap last year. it was reduced 3 times and 3 times she took it back and got it reduced. she bought it for £80 and in the end paid £20. so don't be afraind to take things back after they have been reduced.

This is true, an acquaintance used to be a manager at Gap, and got stressed out by their easy-going returns policy. They even had people return things up to two years old (without a receipt!) and would issue a refund, only in vouchers but nonetheless a refund. They do refunds without receipts as part of their american customer service policy (I believe), so don't ever fear about taking things back there.

Also, just on the tips front:

Starbucks do 10p off each extra cup of coffee (or if you bring in your own travel mug) not much but if you drink a lot of coffee it adds up!, I think you're supposed to use the same cup, but they would give you a fresh one anyway for hygiene reasons. But staff don't generally offer it so you have to 'gently' remind them about it. Also it's at their discretion to give you a discount if you buy a few (not-specified how many) bags of coffee, my local store gives one guy a free bag (worth £3.40 upwards) when he buys 4 or more (25% disc approx).
Also, supposed to give free mini-samples if you want to try anything (drinks in particular), but don't ask a stressed out barista on a saturday when there's a queue out the door..... Sampling in general is meant to be done at least three times a day so keep your eyes peeled!
Ask the staff...this is only for those who like Starbucks though....

digp

p4psb wrote:

In addition they had a sale all year!

That it may be a criminal offense clearly did not perturb them?

digp

superhoop wrote:

Again, many MSE readers will know this...

Don't automatically assume that if an electrical item breaks after twelve months that you cannot take it back for a repair or replacement.

A retailer has to sell goods of 'reasonable' merchandisable quality. It all hangs on the word 'reasonable', but the point runs something like this:

If you buy an £800 telly and it breaks after 13 months, you would have a good case to claim that you would expect this to last longer.

You're only entitled to a full refund up to 30 days after purchase, but in this case of the telly you should be able to claim a repair or a replacement from the retailer

Mind you, if you buy a £10 walkman and try to return it after 18 months, a retailer (and a court) would likely say that the item had lasted a reasonable amount of time.

The facts can be found on the DTI (or the DPEI as its now known) website:

http://www.dti.gov.uk/ccp/topics1/facts/salegoodsact.htm

Hope this helps someone.

Steve

From memory European law on this point states up to 6 years!

lil_scrooge

hellofreebies wrote:

this might be not be applicable to this thread but do move it if need be....do you not find it annoying when your in a shop and your buying numerous items..whether it be in a clothes shop or grocers.... when they tap tap tap on the til there is no til display of what your getting charged per each item thus you only know what price you have paid (especially when the sale or reduced items hasnt been scanned at the sale price) only when you have paid got your reciept and walked away...jjb sport have no display whats so ever..there till is like its under a glass table so they can serve on goods on top.. complained about this in jjb sports and the guy said its always been this way at this store since he started working there 4 years ago... only im sure when i was once working in a shop i was trained that by law this info must be displayed for the customers view. its just time consuming when they have priced you incorrectly and you have to go queue customer service for a refund where it could of been rectified at point of sale. i wonder how much money the shop can swindle when people dont check their reciept til there home and cant be bothered to return to refund for wasting same amount in fuel?? what do you guys think?

Sainsbury's do this all the time. Every single week there is a price discrepancy on my bill, usually where they have failed to update special offers on thier pricing systems. It can be very frustrating having to queue up at customer services afterwards. Also always check your till receipts very carefully as sometimes they only partially reduce the price tricking you into thinking you have recieved the full discount!

megsykins

alyssa_mae wrote:

My cousin bought a coat in gap last year. it was reduced 3 times and 3 times she took it back and got it reduced. she bought it for £80 and in the end paid £20. so don't be afraind to take things back after they have been reduced.

I believe that Monsoon also do this - if it's reduced within 3 months they'll refund the difference, although it may just be to store card holders (but the cards free to set up, just pay any £ off monthly). Their clothes can be expensive and they often knock upto 70% of in Jan sales! I know people who've kitted out all their bridesmaids for hardly anything doing this!


Another quite obvious one, so many shops do student discount but don't advertise it - always, always ask! (and if you're no longer a student - keep your NUS card, most places don't realise it's out-of-date!) And none students, join a free computer course at your local coll, you're then entitled to NUS card (you'll sometimes pay upto £3 for the card) and you can get all the discounts for you (and the kiddies) - no age limit, my dad has one!

rogerdarts

Great point about Nectar points, I have just spent £135 on furniture in the sale. Delighted to save 20% but as stated no mention anywhere of Nectar points. Insist and produce card ?

machloop

jellyhead wrote:

depends on the mcdonalds to be honest. if it's their nasty filter coffee that's been sitting on the hotplate for a few hours then yes they will refill for free, but if they have the new machine that grinds the beans fresh for each cup then you won't get a free refill.

That is not quite true. Most macdonalds will re-fill whatever method they use to brew their coffee but I have been refused at motorway service stations, they appear to have a different franchise deal.

drstonk

lil_scrooge wrote:

Sainsbury's do this all the time. Every single week there is a price discrepancy on my bill, usually where they have failed to update special offers on thier pricing systems. It can be very frustrating having to queue up at customer services afterwards. Also always check your till receipts very carefully as sometimes they only partially reduce the price tricking you into thinking you have recieved the full discount!

Every visit i've made to sainsbury in the last month has involved going to customer services to complain about missing discounts. twice for the same thing, it's getting worse

tennismenace

I recently issued a county court summons against Dixons for my faulty 3 year old camcorder that had developed a fault that was a "manufacturing fault" according to the estimate from the repairers I instructed.

Instead of responding to the courts, Dixons kept writing letters to me saying that it was nothing to do with them, etc. I got judgement after 4 weeks and instructed bailiffs. I was paid for the cost of repair + all court costs. Dixons said that they paid me out for commercial reasons and not because I was in the right. Quite clever I thought, so they didn't set a dangerous precedent.

dan.mcl

Just remember after the first six months it is up to you to prove that it was a manufacturing fault as opposed to during the first six months where it is the retailer that has to prove that it is not a manufacturing fault.

IIRC the acceptable length of time that a product is to be repaired for is 5 years but 6 in Scotland (this may be 6 years and 7 in Scotland).

I work for an electrical retailer in Northern Ireland and to be honest I personally find that the extended guarantees worked out very well for the customer, I bought a few myself (even when I am staff).

Even if a product is a few months out of the manufacturers guarantee period, my manager will usually arrange a repair free of charge or at least contact the manufacturer to negotiate. I know in the case of philips TV's with a faulty CRT (picture tube, screen) that were out of warranty Philips (Ireland) would usually provide the CRT free of charge if the customer paid for the labour (in some older sets the customer had to pay half the cost of the CRT).

A word of warning

If you go in with a bad attitude, and are abusive/not polite towards the staff you are not likely to have a pleasant experience as how the customer behaves is a major factor in how much out of warranty the manager will fix it for free for. (i.e. be a !!!!!! and if you are 1 week out of warranty you are out of luck)