Clarity needed over Argos 30 day return policy

Clare0363

Hi, yesterday (7th October) my son was trying to arrange collection of an item under Argos's 30 day return policy. The policy states 'If you've changed your mind and need to return an item, you have 30 days from the date of purchase or date of receipt if delivered, to return your item(s).He purchased the item on 7th September and was refused a collection because Argos were absolutely adamant 30 days from 7th September was 6th October and that the 7th October was 31 days. We both interpreted the word 'from' meaning counting 30 days from the 7th but they insisted we needed to count the 7th as the first day of the 30 day return window. Any thoughts on this would be very much appreciated!

user1977

They're right, 30 days would be 7 September to 6 October.

powerful_Rogue

Why did your son leave it so late to return the item?

Agree with the above, 30 days from the 7th September is the 6th October.

Manxman_in_exile

user1977 said:

They're right, 30 days would be 7 September to 6 October.

powerful_Rogue said:

Why did your son leave it so late to return the item?

Agree with the above, 30 days from the 7th September is the 6th October.

Is that correct?

By that reasoning wouldn't 8th September be two days from the day before, the 7th September?

That doesn't quite sound right.  I'd have said 8th September was one day from the 7th, not two.

(I agree it's totally daft to leave it until the last minute - or possibly even after the last minute - to arrange return.)

[Edit:  If their policy says within 30 days as opposed to 30 days from, then that might be different... ]

WhiskersTheWonderCat

Semantics aside, I think most people understand that a 30-day return policy, does include the day you received the item.

powerful_Rogue

Manxman_in_exile said:

user1977 said:

They're right, 30 days would be 7 September to 6 October.

powerful_Rogue said:

Why did your son leave it so late to return the item?

Agree with the above, 30 days from the 7th September is the 6th October.

Is that correct?

By that reasoning wouldn't 8th September be two days from the day before, the 7th September?

That doesn't quite sound right.  I'd have said 8th September was one day from the 7th, not two.

(I agree it's totally daft to leave it until the last minute - or possibly even after the last minute - to arrange return.)

[Edit:  If their policy says within 30 days as opposed to 30 days from, then that might be different... ]

If I said to you 'This item is availble from the 7th September', would you go and buy it on the 7th September or wait until the 8th?

eskbanker

Clare0363 said:

The policy states 'If you've changed your mind and need to return an item, you have 30 days from the date of purchase or date of receipt if delivered, to return your item(s).

If it had said you have one day from the date of purchase, I'd have interpreted that to mean September 8th, not on the day of purchase, so, following that logic, I'd say that 30 days from the date of purchase includes October 7th.

Manxman_in_exile

powerful_Rogue said:

Manxman_in_exile said:

user1977 said:

They're right, 30 days would be 7 September to 6 October.

powerful_Rogue said:

Why did your son leave it so late to return the item?

Agree with the above, 30 days from the 7th September is the 6th October.

Is that correct?

By that reasoning wouldn't 8th September be two days from the day before, the 7th September?

That doesn't quite sound right.  I'd have said 8th September was one day from the 7th, not two.

(I agree it's totally daft to leave it until the last minute - or possibly even after the last minute - to arrange return.)

[Edit:  If their policy says within 30 days as opposed to 30 days from, then that might be different... ]

If I said to you 'This item is availble from the 7th September', would you go and buy it on the 7th September or wait until the 8th?

I think you should have answered my question first before asking me any questions!  

But let me just try to refine my question a little in order to clarify my point:

Let's say it's 4pm on Saturday afternoon and I text you to say "I'll meet you at the Fat Cat for a pint two hours from now."

Would you expect us to meet at 5pm or 6pm?

What if my text had said "I'll meet you at the Fat Cat for a pint at 4pm two days from today"?

If "today" is still Saturday, would you expect us to meet at 4pm tomorrow (Sunday) or at 4pm on Monday?

It's nearly 4pm on Saturday right now.  Is two days from now 3:46pm on Sunday or 3:46pm on Monday?

I think the problem is that "from" can be inherently ambiguous* when used in the context of the passage of time or the passage of days.  In the question you asked me, the word "from" means starting or commencing with , in the question I'm asking it means the same as after or following.  Either use is legitimate.

Just using "from" in a returns policy without further explanation is not very sensible in my view.  It needs to be made clearer.

*It doesn't demonstrate the same ambiguity whem used in the context of distance.  

tempus_fugit

Whatever the semantics of whether it's the 6th or the 7th, I think Argos are being very stingy with their refusal to accept the return. One of the reasons I rarely use Argos any more.

dil1976

tempus_fugit said:

Whatever the semantics of whether it's the 6th or the 7th, I think Argos are being very stingy with their refusal to accept the return. One of the reasons I rarely use Argos any more.

Its not stingy, given it is above and beyond what the are obliged to give you by law. Given the mentality you have on returns you cant shop at many independent stores then due them only giving you basic rights for returns!

Manxman_in_exile

eskbanker said:

Clare0363 said:

The policy states 'If you've changed your mind and need to return an item, you have 30 days from the date of purchase or date of receipt if delivered, to return your item(s).

If it had said you have one day from the date of purchase, I'd have interpreted that to mean September 8th, not on the day of purchase, so, following that logic, I'd say that 30 days from the date of purchase includes October 7th.

... must be the right answer!

Otherwise tomorrow would be two days from today rather than just one day from today.