GAP won't refund missing package help

nelbows

Gap are going to charge me £220 for a package that never arrived. Have looked through the FAQs but please can I call on the MSE collective brain for advice on what to do?

I ordered clothes from Gap online. They said it would arrive by 6 July.
They sent confirmation of my order on the 29 July and shipment on 30 July. A previous package from Gap took well over a week to arrive, so I wasn't too worried. I gave them the grace of an extra weekend and then emailed on 11 July to ask what had happened to my order.

They emailed back to say it had been signed for on 3 July. I had been out of the house all day and it was empty, but I duly checked with neighbours and there was no sign of the package.

We've never had problems with packages being delivered here by any other retailer. Unfortunately I paid on a debit card rather than credit or PayPal.

I asked Gap to refund or resend the missing parcel. They said they wouldn't and just told me to contact my bank about a reimbursement. They won't provide any other information on the delivery or the supposed signature - which can't be mine.

This seems very at odds with other retailers' policies. Amazon have always been extremely helpful and completely refunded a package that didn't arrive at my mother-in-law's address. Gap also take nearly 2 days to reply to emails.

What can I do? Will contact the bank, and hope that it's covered by Chargeback (as per the MSE article). Are there sensible things I can tweet or Facebook to Gap. Do I have any consumer rights if the signature isn't mine? I really feel Gap's customer service is very poor.

Thanks in advance for any advice

hollydays

Post publicly on Facebook. Keep it short eg parcel didn't arrive refuse to give copy of signature etc

nelbows

Thanks Hollydays, I'll try that.

naedanger

nelbows wrote: »

Gap are going to charge me £220 for a package that never arrived. Have looked through the FAQs but please can I call on the MSE collective brain for advice on what to do?

I ordered clothes from Gap online. They said it would arrive by 6 July.
They sent confirmation of my order on the 29 July and shipment on 30 July. A previous package from Gap took well over a week to arrive, so I wasn't too worried. I gave them the grace of an extra weekend and then emailed on 11 July to ask what had happened to my order.

They emailed back to say it had been signed for on 3 July. I had been out of the house all day and it was empty, but I duly checked with neighbours and there was no sign of the package.

We've never had problems with packages being delivered here by any other retailer. Unfortunately I paid on a debit card rather than credit or PayPal.

I asked Gap to refund or resend the missing parcel. They said they wouldn't and just told me to contact my bank about a reimbursement. They won't provide any other information on the delivery or the supposed signature - which can't be mine.

This seems very at odds with other retailers' policies. Amazon have always been extremely helpful and completely refunded a package that didn't arrive at my mother-in-law's address. Gap also take nearly 2 days to reply to emails.

What can I do? Will contact the bank, and hope that it's covered by Chargeback (as per the MSE article). Are there sensible things I can tweet or Facebook to Gap. Do I have any consumer rights if the signature isn't mine? I really feel Gap's customer service is very poor.

Thanks in advance for any advice

Make a chargeback claim against your bank with the reason "the goods were not received as promised".

If you have any problems then ask the bank for a copy of their complaints process and follow it to the end (i.e. to the Financial Ombudsman Service) if necessary.

The bank should only refuse your claim if they can prove you (or someone acting on your behalf) received the package (and obviously a scribbled name that anyone could have written, and that does not match your writing, is not proof of delivery).

nelbows

Thanks, naedanger, I've sent a message to my bank. I've also sent a message to gap asking them to rethink their approach.

unholyangel

nelbows wrote: »

Thanks, naedanger, I've sent a message to my bank. I've also sent a message to gap asking them to rethink their approach.

If they have refused to deal with it, report them to trading standards (they wont act on a single complaint however).

Their approach is idiotic to say the least. For a start ,chargeback can only be done in certain circumstances and none of those circumstances really comply with a consumers legal rights. Furthermore, any chargeback attempt will be your bank saying to their bank "can our customer please have their money back?". Their bank will ask them and then GAP could very well turn around and say "we have a signature saying it was delivered, so no they cant have a refund".

It is up to GAP to prove that you (or someone identified by you) took possession of the goods though. Risk (ie liability if something happens to the goods) doesn't pass until you come into physical possession of the goods so they need to prove that happened if they want to disclaim liability.

Try a chargeback, GAP may let it go through without defending it but if they do, come back here and let us know and we'll advise you further.

z1a

Have they got a time machine?


"They sent confirmation of my order on the 29 July and shipment on 30 July"

angryparcel

nelbows wrote: »

They sent confirmation of my order on the 29 July and shipment on 30 July.

WOW, considering today is on 15 July

nelbows

Very useful to know, unholyangel - thanks. Will report back.

And, oops yes, that should have been 29 and 30 of June. Small baby = no sleep = typo prone :-)

nelbows

Hurrah! Gap have agreed to a refund.

I'm not entirely sure this is in response to my strongly worded email of yesterday about their customer service, as it was technically sent in reply to an earlier message. But am hoping something got through.
They have also agreed to escalate concerns about delivery with management and Hermes.
I've let my bank know not to chase further.

Thanks so much for your support, guys. Let's hope Gap aren't browbeating too many other people in such situations. And yay for the MSE forum.