Click & collect during lockdown

ac100804

I own a clothing store and am hoping to continue to offer Click & Collect to my customers during lockdown. I was wondering whether the lockdown rules will prohibit me from processing customer refunds during lockdown? For example, if a customers buys via Click & Collect, but decides they do not want the item, am I allowed to process a refund for them in my shop? Or would they have to wait until after lockdown? The guidelines are not clear as to whether this is allowed.
Any thoughts on this would be welcome as I do not want to put myself at risk of breaking the rules, but also do not want to refuse my customers a refund when they are entitled to one!

Many thanks

MattMattMattUK

The customer is not allowed into the shop but provided you created and followed adequate procedures there is no reason why a customer could not deliver the item back to you, inspect it on the other side of a window to check that it met return requirements and then refund them to the card using a card-not-present transaction refund. However it would probably be far easier to just extend your returns window until a period when the lockdown is lifted, which is what most large chains have now done. 

gary83

MattMattMattUK said:

The customer is not allowed into the shop but provided you created and followed adequate procedures there is no reason why a customer could not deliver the item back to you, inspect it on the other side of a window to check that it met return requirements and then refund them to the card using a card-not-present transaction refund. However it would probably be far easier to just extend your returns window until a period when the lockdown is lifted, which is what most large chains have now done. 

Just playing devils advocate It might be easier for the store not to refund during lockdown however It’s not easier for the customer if they can’t get a refund until at least 4 weeks has passed (possibly longer!) Not being able to return unwanted items for potentially so long and have that money tied up in December could put Some customers off buying & hit sales

adamp87

Alternatively you could do a bank transfer for the customer?

MattMattMattUK

adamp87 said:

Alternatively you could do a bank transfer for the customer?

Taking payment via card and refunding via bank transfer is not recommended.