Online Shopping Postage Refund

blossom224

I purchased some sandals online but they were too small so I returned them and bought the next size up (they do not not exchange, had to return and re-buy). I have been asking the retailer to refund the original postage but they are refusing to do so; firstly they said because the goods weren't faulty, now they're telling me because I didn't 'cancel' the order they won't refund the postage.
Are they right?
Do I need to write to the retailer first everytime I need to return goods and cancel the order?

Aylesbury_Duck

They are right. The sandals weren't faulty so you had no technical right to return them. The fact that they let you is good customer service on their part, but the responsibility for the costs of postage fall on you.

marliepanda

Do their terms and conditions state that you are responsible for return postage costs for change of mind returns?

PragmaticMoneySaver

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

They are right. The sandals weren't faulty so you had no technical right to return them. The fact that they let you is good customer service on their part, but the responsibility for the costs of postage fall on you.

The OP is talking about the original outbound postage costs so under the CCR there is every right for standard postage to be refunded but I suppose technically they are correct you should 'cancel' the contract. No they're being a bit pedantic in my view. What do their durable terms and conditions say about cancellation?

DoaM

Tazer wrote: »

OP purchased wrong size and is expecting the seller to be penalized which is totally unfair.
The seller will not be able to resell the shoes as they have been worn.

That's just tough ... if you sell online then you need to factor such events into your pricing model. OP is legally entitled to return online purchases - as long as they follow the rules set by legislation. OP is thus entitled to a refund of the initial delivery charges (at standard delivery level .. not any extra costs for next day or whatever - unless that is the standard offered by the seller) provided that they have notified the seller. (I'll need to check the CRA for how such notification may be made - it's feasible that returning the goods constitutes notification).

The seller is entitled to require the buyer to cover the returns costs ... provided that they've covered this in their T&Cs as supplied to the buyer before they became bound by the contract. If the T&Cs are silent on this matter then legislation says that the seller also covers the returns costs.

If a seller doesn't like this - don't trade online.

OlliesDad

Tazer wrote: »

The seller will not be able to resell the shoes as they have been worn.

Why not? If I go to a shop and try on a pair of shoes they definitely put them back into stock. I think you are trying garments on incorrectly if you soil them.

[Deleted User]

Tazer wrote: »

The seller will not be able to resell the shoes as they have been worn.

That's like saying shoes tried on in a shop are no longer saleable!

The OP states the shoes were simply too small and I would expect her to have ascertained without actually wearing them for an extended period and certainly not having worn them outside.

As long as the OP has returned the shoes in unused condition, then they will of course be put back on sale..

blossom224

OP purchased wrong size and is expecting the seller to be penalized which is totally unfair. The seller will not be able to resell the shoes as they have been worn.

FYI I ordered my usual size but this brand of shoe seems to be on the smaller side. I tried them on, indoors on carpet so they are in no way worn, soiled and unsaleable. The goods were returned in exactly the same condition as I received them.

Thank you everyone else for your advice/input.

Hermione_Granger

Tazer wrote: »

OP purchased wrong size and is expecting the seller to be penalized which is totally unfair.
The seller will not be able to resell the shoes as they have been worn.
OP try putting yourself in there "shoes" and seeing it from there side.
To me this looks like another case of using the CCR to BUY, TRY and Return soiled goods.

If you are going to post on a consumer rights forum, don't you think it would make sense to base your posts on a consumer's legal rights rather than on what you consider to be fair or unfair?

Carrot007

DoaM wrote: »

OP is legally entitled to return online purchases - as long as they follow the rules set by legislation. OP is thus entitled to a refund of the initial delivery charges

As long as they notified the company they were canceling under CCR before returning. Otherwise they will take it you are just returning and happy to have paid the delivery ;-).


All "catalogue" companies do this. They usually have a specific email/form to fill in for a CCR return. So OP, sorry no refund.

shaun_from_Africa

Tazer wrote: »

If i was a running an online shoe store I would make it policy that shoes are non returnable if worn.

Luckily for the UK consumers, you are not running an online shoe store then.
Even if you did have this policy, it would be totally non-enforceable so if you wouldn't voluntarily refund, you would be getting chargebacks, Paypal refunds and possible S75 claims to deal with.