Zavvi order placed by a 3rd party - unable to cancel

m1ckr1ck

I was one of the former Zavvi customers wo received an email last May, stating I had won their Champions League Final competition, only to be later told that I wasn't and offered a 15% discount voucher as recompense for my disappointment. Sure.



I decided to vote with my wallet and rather than use the 15% off voucher, I instead vowed never to use Zavvi again.



So imagine my surprise this morning, at receiving a PayPal receipt for a payment of £19.98 made to The Hut Group. I knew I hadn't placed an order with The Hut in some years, so after quite a bit of detective work, I discovered the payment was in fact made to Zavvi. And it was for an item I certainly wouldn't have ordered.



So I tried contacting Zavvi to cancel the order, which was still showing as pending. First I tried their online chat, which turned out to be a series of automated questions and replies. I then tried messaging them, the link to which doesn't even link to anywhere. And there is no email address. So this basically leaves the option of phoning them. On an 0844 number @ 5p a minute. And I'm sure those 5ps being nibbled from your bank account while stuck in a queue certainly add up.



Then I had a look at their returns policy. It states that you can return any item to them within 14 days, and receive a full refund including postage. But in order to do this, you need to get permission from their customer services. Which means phoning them on an 0844 number, which means... well you get the picture.



So how are companies like this allowed to get away with making the only viable way of contacting them, a cash-grabbing telephone system? Is there no rule which states that customers must be able to contact them by a "free" method, such email or proper online chat. Or if they must call, the call is free?

Hasbeen

Have you tried if the 01606 336169 number is working?

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

I would be more concerned by the use of your Paypal account without your knowledge.

Do you know the delivery address on the Paypal transaction? Has a family member purchased something?

If not report the transaction to Paypal as unauthorised and change your passwords would be best.


Just to add you don't have to phone them to exercise your right to cancel:


https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/3134/regulation/32/made

Exercise of the right to withdraw or cancel
32.—(1) To withdraw an offer to enter into a distance or off-premises contract, the consumer must inform the trader of the decision to withdraw it.

(2) To cancel a contract under regulation 29(1), the consumer must inform the trader of the decision to cancel it.

(3) To inform the trader under paragraph (2) the consumer may either—

(a)use a form following the model cancellation form in part B of Schedule 3, or
(b)make any other clear statement setting out the decision to cancel the contract.
(4) If the trader gives the consumer the option of filling in and submitting such a form or other statement on the trader’s website—

(a)the consumer need not use it, but
(b)if the consumer does, the trader must communicate to the consumer an acknowledgement of receipt of the cancellation on a durable medium without delay.
(5) Where the consumer informs the trader under paragraph (2) by sending a communication, the consumer is to be treated as having cancelled the contract in the cancellation period if the communication is sent before the end of the period.

(6) In case of dispute it is for the consumer to show that the contract was cancelled in the cancellation period in accordance with this regulation.

davidmcn

m1ckr1ck wrote: »

Is there no rule which states that customers must be able to contact them by a "free" method, such email or proper online chat. Or if they must call, the call is free?

I'm not aware of any general obligation to provide freephone or email contact facilities. You have their registered office address if you want to send them anything formal in writing - though it will cost you a stamp.

As above though I would think it better to contact Paypal first.

m1ckr1ck

Thanks for the replies folks. I had one-touch ordering enabled on my PayPal account, so the order went through without having to enter login details. It has since been turned off. The item was apparently ordered in November last year but just fulfilled today. As I said earlier, I have no intention of ever using zavvi again. But given their past record on making cockups is it reasonable to expect an error on their behalf again?

[Deleted User]

m1ckr1ck wrote: »

Thanks for the replies folks. I had one-touch ordering enabled on my PayPal account, so the order went through without having to enter login details. It has since been turned off. The item was apparently ordered in November last year but just fulfilled today. As I said earlier, I have no intention of ever using zavvi again. But given their past record on making cockups is it reasonable to expect an error on their behalf again?

You don't seem at all concerned that someone accessed your device to use PP. Just contact PP and tell them it was a fraudulent transaction and they will cancel it.

born_again

Sounds like a pre-order.

eddddy

m1ckr1ck wrote: »

Thanks for the replies folks. I had one-touch ordering enabled on my PayPal account, so the order went through without having to enter login details. It has since been turned off. The item was apparently ordered in November last year but just fulfilled today. As I said earlier, I have no intention of ever using zavvi again. But given their past record on making cockups is it reasonable to expect an error on their behalf again?

You're being a bit vague.

So are you saying that somebody you know ordered something from Zavvi using your pc and your Paypal account - so neither Zavvi or Paypal have done anything wrong, so far?

If so, I think I'd be tempted to take the hit and spend, say, 25p on a phone call to arrange a return and refund. (Or tell the purchaser to pay you back the cost of the item, if they want to keep it.)


Perhaps the law says you shouldn't have to pay that 25p, but is it worth the time and hassle of trying to do it another way?

(Maybe you can tell whoever used your Paypal account without your consent to pay you back the 25p!)

Ian011

m1ckr1ck wrote: »

So this basically leaves the option of phoning them. On an 0844 number @ 5p a minute. And I'm sure those 5ps being nibbled from your bank account while stuck in a queue certainly add up.

It's not 5p per minute. In addition to the Service Charge, which, for all 084, 087, 09 and 118 numbers, must be declared immediately alongside the number, there's also an Access Charge of up to 65p per minute. These are premium rate numbers.

m1ckr1ck wrote: »

Then I had a look at their returns policy. It states that you can return any item to them within 14 days, and receive a full refund including postage. But in order to do this, you need to get permission from their customer services. Which means phoning them on an 0844 number, which means... well you get the picture.

It is illegal for a premium rate 084, 087 or 09 number to be in operation for contact by customers. This has been the case since 13 June 2014. This is when the EU Consumer Rights Directive came into force. This rule alone saves callers many hundreds of millions of pounds per year.

m1ckr1ck wrote: »

So how are companies like this allowed to get away with making the only viable way of contacting them, a cash-grabbing telephone system? Is there no rule which states that customers must be able to contact them by a "free" method, such email or proper online chat. Or if they must call, the call is free?

They are not allowed to do this. Where a telephone number is offered, Regulation 41 of the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 requires an inclusive 01, 02 or 03 number or a free 080 number. Where this has not been done, Regulation 41(2) requires the call charges to be refunded.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/3134/regulation/41/made

born_again

Telephone +44 (0)1606 811863
Is the hut group tel no...

As well as they have live chat as do Zavvi