Retailer processed multiple orders after they failed

truemanj

Hi all,
About a week ago my daughter tried to buy something on the Claire's website. She tried three times, but each time got an error message which clearly stated that the order had not been placed, they suggested why (high order volume etc.), suggested she way and try again, and confirmed that they won't process her payment until the order is placed successfully. We gave up and I bought it for her somewhere else. Later on that day she was checking her bank account and noticed three pending transactions - all Claire's. We assumed the funds would be released as the orders didn't exist. No, Claire's processed each attempted order, took her money, and sent out the items. Three of the same thing. She's now down to about a £1 in her account. Their returns policy is that she needs to pay upfront to send things back - and then they'll reimburse. She got in touch asking that they collect the items they sent in error (as that seems to be the situation here?). Claire's are not being very quick or helpful. I've raised a general concern with them how attempted orders that were aborted by Claire's, and therefore never completed / placed were subsequently processed and charged?.

Context done - are we on the right lines thinking this isn't a 'normal return'? As far as we were considered the orders don't exist - so the items are Claire's mistake - they just need to collect and refund.
KR

unholyangel

An offer made by you to purchase a product shall only be deemed to be accepted by us when we despatch that product to you and send you an order despatch email which includes details of the product. 

So, did they send that email? 

MattMattMattUK

truemanj said:

Hi all,
About a week ago my daughter tried to buy something on the Claire's website. She tried three times, but each time got an error message which clearly stated that the order had not been placed, they suggested why (high order volume etc.), suggested she way and try again, and confirmed that they won't process her payment until the order is placed successfully. We gave up and I bought it for her somewhere else. Later on that day she was checking her bank account and noticed three pending transactions - all Claire's. We assumed the funds would be released as the orders didn't exist. No, Claire's processed each attempted order, took her money, and sent out the items. Three of the same thing. She's now down to about a £1 in her account. Their returns policy is that she needs to pay upfront to send things back - and then they'll reimburse. She got in touch asking that they collect the items they sent in error (as that seems to be the situation here?). Claire's are not being very quick or helpful. I've raised a general concern with them how attempted orders that were aborted by Claire's, and therefore never completed / placed were subsequently processed and charged?.

Context done - are we on the right lines thinking this isn't a 'normal return'? As far as we were considered the orders don't exist - so the items are Claire's mistake - they just need to collect and refund.
KR

No, because you placed the orders, even if the process did not appear to complete properly from your side. The solution is very simple, send the stuff back, send them the receipt for the freight, they will refund you both the original orders and the cost of the return freight. Mistakes happen, they have offered a perfectly reasonable solution, if you do not accept it you will in all likelihood not get a refund.

David713

MattMattMattUK said:

No, because you placed the orders, even if the process did not appear to complete properly from your side. The solution is very simple, send the stuff back, send them the receipt for the freight, they will refund you both the original orders and the cost of the return freight. Mistakes happen, they have offered a perfectly reasonable solution, if you do not accept it you will in all likelihood not get a refund.

They attempted to place the orders but from what the OP describes, those orders were never accepted and they had confirmation that payment would not be taken so no, given the circumstances, I don't agree that the retailer has offered a reasonable solution.
The goods should never have been sent to the OP so I don't see why the retailer shouldn't arrange for them to be collected.
If it was 3 separate shipments that were delivered then to cover themselves, the OP would have to return the 3 packages separately so they have proof of shipping for each one and this may work out fairly expensive to do.