Purchase on debit card: what are my rights for a refund ?

ac427

I bought some tea of all things on a Barclays Connect card.

The tea doesn't seem to have the same lovely flavour as the last time i ordered it a few years back.

Can i push for a refund ?

Do i need to stump up the return delivery charge (i don't mind doing this) ?

Or am i stuck with the tea with little or no recourse ?

Lemonsqueezer78

Whilst you do have some rights and protection for purchases made on debit cards and banks can use "chargeback" rules in certain circumstances... it is highly unlikely that those chargeback rules extend to a rather subjective quality/taste issue like this one.

Chargebacks can usually only be made for obvious service or contractual breaches, fraud or clear cases of goods not being as described, or failing to arrive etc.

How much is the transaction?

The best course of action is to always go back to merchant you made the purchase from, to make a complaint to them if you don't like the quality. Is there a particular reason why you haven't/couldn't try that?

[Deleted User]

If the customer bought online then distance selling regulations mean that he can cancel and get a full refund regardless of how he paid. However, he is unlikely to get a refund of any tea he has already prepared and drunk unless the retailer agrees.

Lemonsqueezer78

I'm also not sure this is quite the best forum for this kind of question... possibly better to go take a look down at the "consumer rights" board.

ac427

Sorry for posting in the wrong section, i did look but couldn't see the 'Consumer Rights' link. [Mods please move]

The purchase was >£100

I have contacted the merchant and i am expecting a call back tomorrow morning. I just wanted to know my position incase i'm fobbed off.

Am i right in thinking that if the merchant says no i am stuck with the tea ?

Lemonsqueezer78

As moneyineptitude suggested, you can likely try the distance selling (now "Consumer Contracts Regulations") route, however you may have to argue it, if you have drunk some of the tea, and what is left is unsaleable - or accept a deduction in your refund.

See what they say - be nice and polite and explain that the flavour is different to how you remember it. Imply that you like their website and products... and give them the impression you are a customer that will spend with them again if they treat you right... you might just get a good response with no issues.

[Deleted User]

maybe your tastebuds have changed

Ebe_Scrooge

You bought some tea for more than £100 ?????? Is it made of gold leaf rather than tea leaves ?

poppasmurf_bewdley

ac427 wrote: »

I bought some tea of all things on a Barclays Connect card.

The tea doesn't seem to have the same lovely flavour as the last time i ordered it a few years back.

Can i push for a refund ?

Do i need to stump up the return delivery charge (i don't mind doing this) ?

Or am i stuck with the tea with little or no recourse ?

If it was several years since you last bought this tea, two things could have happened:

a). Your taste buds have changed over time. I know mine have. Many things I used to like I now hate.

b). The blend could have changed. Very few things stay the same, even from the same supplier. Buy from a different supplier could result in you getting a completely different taste experience. Try eating a Tandoori Chicken Masala from two neighbouring restaurants and they will likely be completely different from each other.

Maybe you should have asked for a sample first before laying out £100.

ac427

Ebe_Scrooge wrote: »

You bought some tea for more than £100 ?????? Is it made of gold leaf rather than tea leaves ?

I bought a lot of tea

ac427

poppasmurf_bewdley wrote: »

If it was several years since you last bought this tea, two things could have happened:

a). Your taste buds have changed over time. I know mine have. Many things I used to like I now hate.

b). The blend could have changed. Very few things stay the same, even from the same supplier. Buy from a different supplier could result in you getting a completely different taste experience. Try eating a Tandoori Chicken Masala from two neighbouring restaurants and they will likely be completely different from each other.

Maybe you should have asked for a sample first before laying out £100.

You may be right about the change in taste. I have had the tea before so i did not think about asking for a sample.