John Lewis Exchange Policy

raaaaa

After being a happy & loyal JL customer for years, we've had quite an unfortunate experience with them in recent weeks with regards to their policy on exchanging purchased items. I wonder whether anyone else may have had similar issues?

Background:
I bought my other half a few items via their website for her birthday a few weeks ago (approx £120 total value). But in typical style the items i'd bought were either wrong size or not suitable, so agreed with my partner that she could take them back to the store to exchange for more suitable items, and gave her the dispatch note that came with the items.
When she got to the local Cardiff store, she was told that it wasn't possible to do an exchange without me being present - which was a new approach to us. She queried when this policy had changed, as we've always been able to do gift exchanges previously, and was basically fobbed off by a really a*sey customer service manager who just said that it was a recent change and should now be updated on their website. My other half pointed out that on the back of the despatch note it just said that items could be exchanged as long as proof of purchase was shown, but he refused.
She then went to query with another till, and was told the same info by them, although they did eventually offer to refund the value of the items - even though that wasn't what we wanted! 
Since then we've emailed their complaints team to raise this as it seems bonkers that you are no longer allowed to exchange unwanted gifts, but their complaints team have confirmed today (by phone) that the only way you can now get a gift exchange is if you've requested a gift receipt. Again - this seems nuts. 

Anyone else had similar issues in trying to get an exchange at JL, or does anyone know if this new policy sounds right?

neilmcl

I thought it was always the case that the person receiving a gift could only exchange it via the use if a gift receipt, after all they have no consumer relationship with the store as they're not party to the original contract.

raaaaa

neilmcl said:

I thought it was always the case that the person receiving a gift could only exchange it via the use if a gift receipt, after all they have no consumer relationship with the store as they're not party to the original contract.

This is the published policy on their website - mentions gift receipt or online order despatch note, which is what my partner took into the store for the exchange:-

Returning a gift

Return your gift in store using the gift receipt or despatch note and we’ll refund you with a gift card. You also have the option to exchange the item if you'd prefer.