George, Asda

Raine_E_Day

I have been treating myself to some online George sale items - well, quite a lot of them in fact due to having lost a lot of weight and in need of wardrobe overhaul. Since beginning February, I have bought (and unfortunately had to return) quite a lot. I thought everything was being handled ok until a couple of weeks ago when I found on returning items to store, the staff processed parcel differently every time and I was so concerned that I asked to speak to manager as it was clear my personal details were not being included in the parcel. If I took a sealed package to return, staff would open it. If I did not seal the parcel, the staff would, after handing me back the invoice. I queried how Asda would know it was from me but was consistenly told it was the 'new' system. At one point I was so concerned I asked to speak to manager, but was fobbed off. I have now received my credit card statement and find I have no refunds for seven returned orders. I phoned customer services and was told it was a store matter. I rang the store and was told the manager was not on duty but would phone. He has not. When you hand over a parcel, you are handed a receipt which has parcel id, but nothing else so it could be for anything and cannot be used to cross reference order. This is a new automatic system with a machine (which has never worked) hence staff being involved. I am now short of £50+ and have wasted hours trying to reconcile my online orders, which some show returned but no emails to verify and no refund to credit card. I have never come across such a useless system, nor such an unhelpful online customer service department.

sheramber

Raine_E_Day wrote: »

I have been treating myself to some online George sale items - well, quite a lot of them in fact due to having lost a lot of weight and in need of wardrobe overhaul. Since beginning February, I have bought (and unfortunately had to return) quite a lot. I thought everything was being handled ok until a couple of weeks ago when I found on returning items to store, the staff processed parcel differently every time and I was so concerned that I asked to speak to manager as it was clear my personal details were not being included in the parcel. If I took a sealed package to return, staff would open it. If I did not seal the parcel, the staff would, after handing me back the invoice. I queried how Asda would know it was from me but was consistenly told it was the 'new' system. At one point I was so concerned I asked to speak to manager, but was fobbed off. I have now received my credit card statement and find I have no refunds for seven returned orders. I phoned customer services and was told it was a store matter. I rang the store and was told the manager was not on duty but would phone. He has not. When you hand over a parcel, you are handed a receipt which has parcel id, but nothing else so it could be for anything and cannot be used to cross reference order. This is a new automatic system with a machine (which has never worked) hence staff being involved. I am now short of £50+ and have wasted hours trying to reconcile my online orders, which some show returned but no emails to verify and no refund to credit card. I have never come across such a useless system, nor such an unhelpful online customer service department.

According to this web page it takes 2-3 weeks for the return to reach the warehouse, who then send an email confirming the return and deal with the refund.

https://asda.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail_grow/a_id/1555/~/returns-and-exchanges

Is it more than 3 weeks since you returned the items.?

Raine_E_Day

sheramber wrote: »

According to this web page it takes 2-3 weeks for the return to reach the warehouse, who then send an email confirming the return and deal with the refund.

https://asda.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail_grow/a_id/1555/~/returns-and-exchanges

Is it more than 3 weeks since you returned the items.?

That is dependent on method of return used, and I imagine using Collect plus or via post does take longer, but I returned instore. The new ticket system generates a note on your online order 'returned' in red - if it is actioned properly when handed over and the paperwork is enclosed. This only takes a day or two, and works fine if processed in correct way when handed in - as is the case with a couple of things I took in last week. However, the missing refunds are where the staff did not include the paperwork, having insisted on opening the packages - despite my querying how it would be known they were from me. Other times they said the system was down but I would be refunded. Of two orders handed in at same time only one shows returned.

Some returns have just 'disappeared' (from early February). I will go back and see the manager about these as I have the invoices. Two of them have a returns receipt stapled and one has staff initials. I have some random receipt slips with parcel numbers which customer service could not trace. I hope he believes me as I am owed over £74. I would have expected to be able to deal with these sorts of queries online, and not have to go to the store, which in fact was just used to hand over the items.

I will not be collecting my three outstanding orders as I am surprised at the lack of online customer service when things go wrong. The person I spoke to did not even know about the ticket machine receipt system which is a bit like Argos with a number allocated for collection and returns (the return option has never worked properly in my store, so the staff generate from desk device).

Raine_E_Day

Several more phone calls and one visit to store have eventually resulted in success and an admittance that their system and/or employees have 'slipped up'. Customer Service at Head Office slightly improved their response to my call today, but the conversation was hard work as I had to explain everything about three times over, and although problem was at least acknowledged, the final result was down to my local store, and in particular, Jeanette. Although not the manager (whom I never did get to speak with) she couldn't have been more helpful and whose first words to me were "you are right!"

Total missing refunds now back directly on my card, plus buckets of apologies, and an admittance that staff need reminding/retraining. However, my confidence in Asda online is gone as I wasted hours trying to sort this.