Returning items abroad

bustylil

Hello,
I have bought some stuff from Fashion Mia, and I want to return it.
The clothes are ok, but their size guide doesn't seem to be correct, and one item is not as described, its a jumper, rather than a zip up top.
Anyway, the point is, I want to return the clothes.

However, it is proving very difficult. It says on the website that you can return or exchange, but you need to email them first. I did that, twice and got no reply. So I contacted someone on their facebook page, who firstly told me to email, when I explained it had been ignored they offered me a voucher code for money off my next order if I kept the items.

I explained that I didn't want the clothes as the sizing was wrong and they were not as described, they said if I insisted on returning them I could do it but they won't accept it from TNT, DHL, FedEx and any other expedite shipping methods - it doesn't say anything like this on their website.

Can they do that? Also, to get this all back to china its going to cost about £45! They are making returning it all very difficult. Considering the cost of the items is about £150 it is worth it but if they won't accept parcels from couriers I am not sure what to do.

Also, as this is coming from China (which naively I didn't realise when I ordered, I thought it was the US), do any of our consumer rights even apply?

Thanks in advance

agrinnall

They are reasonably clear that their operation is in Hong Kong and China, with only a couple of references to UK addresses for specific purposes. I don't think in this case UK consumer law will be of any help to you, you'll be bound by Chinese and/or Hong Kong law and the T&Cs of the seller. If it's going to cost you £45 to return then that's the cost you'll have to bear, although I might consider whether just selling the clothes on ebay would be a better option.

RBS_Sucks

EU Consumer Laws won't help you here. There is pretty much not a lot you can do and even on the occasions there might be something you can do with purchases outwith the EU, the courier costs are too expensive for it to be worthwhile. The chinese in particular can post parcels from China to the UK cheaper than you can post something to someone in the same street as you live (using a courier of course rather than doing it yourself).

People like the low costs and buy further afield however when things go wrong that's when you find it's best sticking certainly within the EU and even better within the UK.

If at all you order from abroad in the future you might wish to consider only purchasing where you can use some form of escrow payment such as Paypal. Even there you're limited but it at least offers some form of protection.

soolin

Depending on who delivered the parcel you might still have import duty and tax to pay as well .