House of Fraser returns

Simmers26

Really fuming, can anyone help? Unwittingly ordered from HOF clothes worth over £200 without realising the ramifications. Sadly not much of it any good. Paid a fiver for delivery,  last time I ordered returns were free. Stupidly didn't check. No prompt at point of purchase and now I find they expect customer to pay postage and to send by registered Royal Mail. To do so insured this one parcel will cost £27. I am appalled. Customer support non existent,  just points to the policy. No option to return to store or cheaper carriage suggestion. Paid by PayPal. I feel totally shafted and would never have ordered had I realised.  Who in their right mind would? Please can anyone suggest anything helpful.  Have emailed and tweeted them, really rubbish response.  Not even addressed the cost issue. So fed up!

Sandtree

Have you priced up other options to Royal Mail?

You dont say if you were shopping the sales or party frocks to know if you are returning an item or two or a massive box to say if £27 is reasonable or not.

Simmers26

Thanks. They said Royal Mail registered,  I looked online at the weight and size of the parcel. It's 3.7 kg and the size of a carrier bag. £200 worth to go back. Some shoes and clothes. That bumps it up to £500 insurance on Royal Mail's site, that's 48 hrs tracked. Couldn't see a cheaper alternative without reducing insurance to £100....

Simmers26

The only things I can think of: split up parcels (can't find out if that's acceptable) or use another carrier (not much cheaper) or risk lower insurance or 'try' to return to store (suspect they will refuse). Any suggestions?

Manxman_in_exile

You say:

Simmers26 said:

...  last time I ordered returns were free. Stupidly didn't check. No prompt at point of purchase and now I find they expect customer to pay postage and to send by registered Royal Mail. ...

but did their T&Cs clearly tell you (if you had looked) that you would have to pay to return them and that you would have to use regd RM?  (I'm assuming this is a "change of mind" distance sale?)

cx6

You don't have to send registered - that is simply to protect you if they go missing in the post.

You can send them in a £3.20 second class small parcel if under 2kg - although of course if they go missing you can only claim £20 from RM. An extra £1 signed-for will give you up to £50.

Other couriers may have different prices but I would avoid Hermes.

Simmers26

Manxman - yes their t&cs say you pay to return,  they recommend you use registered Royal Mail. Forgot to double check and simply realised when I actually looked at the return instructions.  Seems they promote free returns when available  etc (they did in lockdown hence my oversight)  but don't flag it up when policy changes. So yes my bad. But still...Ordered items that don't fit, not just changed my mind. But appear to have fewer rights than when buying from a shop! Esp as I am forced to also keep a swimsuit that doesn't fit (another oversight re their exclusion policy by me) leaving me further out of pocket. Kind of negates the benefits of buying in a  sale, it's costing so much. It would cost less for me to drive to a shop...

Simmers26

Thanks cx6. Weighs too much I'm afraid. Was thinking that splitting the package would reduce cost of insurance via RM,  what do you think? Or any carrier recommendations? If they went missing in the post and weren't adequately insured, that might just finish me off!

jon81uk

Simmers26 said:

Manxman - yes their t&cs say you pay to return,  they recommend you use registered Royal Mail. Forgot to double check and simply realised when I actually looked at the return instructions.  Seems they promote free returns when available  etc (they did in lockdown hence my oversight)  but don't flag it up when policy changes. So yes my bad. But still...Ordered items that don't fit, not just changed my mind. But appear to have fewer rights than when buying from a shop! Esp as I am forced to also keep a swimsuit that doesn't fit (another oversight re their exclusion policy by me) leaving me further out of pocket. Kind of negates the benefits of buying in a  sale, it's costing so much. It would cost less for me to drive to a shop...

You still have more rights that buying from a shop. If you'd bought in-store and it doesn't fit they don't have to accept the return at all. At least buying online they have to accept the return, even if you have to pay to get the items back to you.
Also it is fairly standard for most retailers not to accept swimwear and underwear returns for hygiene reasons.

Sandtree

jon81uk said:
Also it is fairly standard for most retailers not to accept swimwear and underwear returns for hygiene reasons.

However the law doesnt support this for distance sales. For an exemption to apply there must be a hygiene seal and the OP must have removed/damaged that seal... if there was no seal then they cannot be exempt

born_again

Simmers26 said:

Thanks cx6. Weighs too much I'm afraid. Was thinking that splitting the package would reduce cost of insurance via RM,  what do you think? Or any carrier recommendations? If they went missing in the post and weren't adequately insured, that might just finish me off!

I would not be looking at splitting package. Can cause all sorts of problems at return end. Such as 1st package gets reported that goods are missing, so you do not get full refund. 2nd parcel they can not trace return details as already returned so just gets thrown in corner or just put back into stock...