Argos refund method.

Robbo66

freezin76 said:

Robbo66 said:

freezin76 said:

Wonka_2 said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Otherwise, your buy-and-refund situation just looks like a deliberate way of quickly converting gift card funds to 'cash'.

It's exactly this - easy way for a less than honest person to convert a gift card into cash. And because of this they're always likely to take gift cards as the first paid/first refunded element of the transaction. If I could be bothered to read through them I suspect it'd be buried deep in the small print to cover them.

Even if they'd not given it all back to the gift card the next option would have been to apportion the refund as per the original payment breakdown so you'd still have had £6.67 on your gift card

I think you may have misunderstood.
I have actually bought (and kept) goods over the value of the gift card. 

Argos had a surplus cash payment of £39.98

The refund I was expecting was £29.99.
Nobody told me how it would be refunded nor asked if I still had the gift card. The first I was aware of it was a refund of £9.99 from PayPal 

Which you got, £20 to the gift card and 9.99 to paypal., I'm sure if you speak to Argos and tell them you cant find the gift card they will send out as a digital one

But I've already redeemed that £20 giftcard against the game I bought and kept at £29.99. (having paid £20 GC & £9.99 cash)

I'm looking for a refund of the other £29.99 cash. 

No you bought 2 games for a total of £whatever paid by a mix of gift card and paypal, one of which you returned so Argos have refunded for that one game the same way you paid, £20 to gift card balance to paypal. They were not separate purchases, 2 items in a single purchase which required a partial refund and this you got. 

freezin76

Manxman_in_exile said:

freezin76 said:

Manxman_in_exile said:

I think the problem here is that the OP wants to get to choose how the refund is processed, but he's not entitled to make that choice.

It sounds as if the OP returned the unwanted item under Argos's own returns policy and not under any consumer legislation rights.  I don't know for certain, but I suspect that the terms of use of the gift card and/or the terms of Argos's own returns policy will say that where a purchase has been made - either wholly or partly - with a gift card, then any refund payable will first be credited back to the gift card before any cash is refunded

It's precisely because £20 on a gift card represents less value than £20 in cash that Argos chooses to refund to the card and not by way of cash.  But that's a choice Argos is almost certainly legally entitled to make under their T&Cs and the OP isn't.  And I don't think there's anything in consumer law to say that Argos can't do that.

As I said earlier, I try to steer clear of gift cards and gift vouchers as much as I can because their use is just too restricted in so many ways.

As I'd mentioned in a previous post, if I'd made 2 separate transactions

Item 1 @ 1 x £20 GC and £9.99
Item 2 @ £29.99

I would fully expect to be refunded by GC and £ if I returned item 1 

I'm not naive in that sense, it's absolutely fair.

Conversely I would also expect to be refunded in £ for returning just item 2...

Well, of course.  But you didn't make two separate transactions and you therefore don't have a separate receipt for the one bought on the gift card, do you?

You don't have any legal statutory consumer right to a refund.  You aren't entitled to one under the law.  You are relying on Argos's own returns policy.  If they want to refund by first applying a credit to your gift card (that you used to make the purchase in the first place) and then refunding any remaining balance in cash, they can do so.  There is nothing wrong in them doing that.

You haven't explained why you bought two games and decided to return one of them. It's unfortunate if the circumstances didn't allow you to cancel both orders under The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 (legislation.gov.uk) because this transaction almost certainly qualifies as a distance contract that you could have cancelled.  You could then have re-purchased the one you wanted to keep and used the gift card to buy it.

freezin76 said:

...The takeaway lesson here is if you've got a giftcard try to spend it in a separate transaction against a single item. Do not redeem it against multiple purchases...

No.  Not necessarily.

The lesson is that if you use a giftcard as partial payment for a transaction of greater value than the the gift card itself, and you pay the balance in cash (or credit card etc etc) then if you become eligible for a refund, that refund will almost certainly be processed by first applying a credit to your gift card before you get back any cash (or a refund to your credit card etc etc).

So long as you realise that (and I think more people know it than you might appreciate) there's no reason not to use a credit card for multiple purchases.

My advice to anyone who holds a gift card or gift voucher is to get it spent ASAP, whether on a single or multiple purchase - just spend it!

Thank you for pointing out what I'd already pointed out... Helpful.

I don't see what explaining why I kept part of the order and returned part of it will bring to the table but I'll indulge you nevertheless.

I saw a reduction on 2 games. One that was definitely wanted (Splatoon 3) and one that was a punt (Mario Strikers)... Stop me if I'm going into too much detail. I gifted Splatoon to my daughter who opened it and played it. I held off opening Mario strikers as I heard some unfavorable reviews. I decided to download the demo and my fears were confirmed... It was garbage. With this in mind I took the SEALED and unblemished Mario Strikers back to Argos. 

I appreciate you taking the time and effort to respond - not so appreciative of the condescending undertones of the responses though. 

jon81uk

freezin76 said:

Manxman_in_exile said:

freezin76 said:

Manxman_in_exile said:

I think the problem here is that the OP wants to get to choose how the refund is processed, but he's not entitled to make that choice.

It sounds as if the OP returned the unwanted item under Argos's own returns policy and not under any consumer legislation rights.  I don't know for certain, but I suspect that the terms of use of the gift card and/or the terms of Argos's own returns policy will say that where a purchase has been made - either wholly or partly - with a gift card, then any refund payable will first be credited back to the gift card before any cash is refunded

It's precisely because £20 on a gift card represents less value than £20 in cash that Argos chooses to refund to the card and not by way of cash.  But that's a choice Argos is almost certainly legally entitled to make under their T&Cs and the OP isn't.  And I don't think there's anything in consumer law to say that Argos can't do that.

As I said earlier, I try to steer clear of gift cards and gift vouchers as much as I can because their use is just too restricted in so many ways.

As I'd mentioned in a previous post, if I'd made 2 separate transactions

Item 1 @ 1 x £20 GC and £9.99
Item 2 @ £29.99

I would fully expect to be refunded by GC and £ if I returned item 1 

I'm not naive in that sense, it's absolutely fair.

Conversely I would also expect to be refunded in £ for returning just item 2...

Well, of course.  But you didn't make two separate transactions and you therefore don't have a separate receipt for the one bought on the gift card, do you?

You don't have any legal statutory consumer right to a refund.  You aren't entitled to one under the law.  You are relying on Argos's own returns policy.  If they want to refund by first applying a credit to your gift card (that you used to make the purchase in the first place) and then refunding any remaining balance in cash, they can do so.  There is nothing wrong in them doing that.

You haven't explained why you bought two games and decided to return one of them. It's unfortunate if the circumstances didn't allow you to cancel both orders under The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 (legislation.gov.uk) because this transaction almost certainly qualifies as a distance contract that you could have cancelled.  You could then have re-purchased the one you wanted to keep and used the gift card to buy it.

freezin76 said:

...The takeaway lesson here is if you've got a giftcard try to spend it in a separate transaction against a single item. Do not redeem it against multiple purchases...

No.  Not necessarily.

The lesson is that if you use a giftcard as partial payment for a transaction of greater value than the the gift card itself, and you pay the balance in cash (or credit card etc etc) then if you become eligible for a refund, that refund will almost certainly be processed by first applying a credit to your gift card before you get back any cash (or a refund to your credit card etc etc).

So long as you realise that (and I think more people know it than you might appreciate) there's no reason not to use a credit card for multiple purchases.

My advice to anyone who holds a gift card or gift voucher is to get it spent ASAP, whether on a single or multiple purchase - just spend it!

Thank you for pointing out what I'd already pointed out... Helpful.

I don't see what explaining why I kept part of the order and returned part of it will bring to the table but I'll indulge you nevertheless.

I saw a reduction on 2 games. One that was definitely wanted (Splatoon 3) and one that was a punt (Mario Strikers)... Stop me if I'm going into too much detail. I gifted Splatoon to my daughter who opened it and played it. I held off opening Mario strikers as I heard some unfavorable reviews. I decided to download the demo and my fears were confirmed... It was garbage. With this in mind I took the SEALED and unblemished Mario Strikers back to Argos. 

I appreciate you taking the time and effort to respond - not so appreciative of the condescending undertones of the responses though. 

and you received a refund as per the terms and conditions.
"9.18 If any product purchased with a Gift Card or eGift Card is subsequently returned or exchanged for product of a lower price or a refund, any money owing will be returned to the original Gift Card or eGift Card. If you do not have the original Gift Card, a new Gift Card will be issued for in-store refunds or a new eGift Card will be issued."

So the refund was returned to the original gift card, as stated in the terms and conditions.

freezin76

jon81uk said:

freezin76 said:

Manxman_in_exile said:

freezin76 said:

Manxman_in_exile said:

I think the problem here is that the OP wants to get to choose how the refund is processed, but he's not entitled to make that choice.

It sounds as if the OP returned the unwanted item under Argos's own returns policy and not under any consumer legislation rights.  I don't know for certain, but I suspect that the terms of use of the gift card and/or the terms of Argos's own returns policy will say that where a purchase has been made - either wholly or partly - with a gift card, then any refund payable will first be credited back to the gift card before any cash is refunded

It's precisely because £20 on a gift card represents less value than £20 in cash that Argos chooses to refund to the card and not by way of cash.  But that's a choice Argos is almost certainly legally entitled to make under their T&Cs and the OP isn't.  And I don't think there's anything in consumer law to say that Argos can't do that.

As I said earlier, I try to steer clear of gift cards and gift vouchers as much as I can because their use is just too restricted in so many ways.

As I'd mentioned in a previous post, if I'd made 2 separate transactions

Item 1 @ 1 x £20 GC and £9.99
Item 2 @ £29.99

I would fully expect to be refunded by GC and £ if I returned item 1 

I'm not naive in that sense, it's absolutely fair.

Conversely I would also expect to be refunded in £ for returning just item 2...

Well, of course.  But you didn't make two separate transactions and you therefore don't have a separate receipt for the one bought on the gift card, do you?

You don't have any legal statutory consumer right to a refund.  You aren't entitled to one under the law.  You are relying on Argos's own returns policy.  If they want to refund by first applying a credit to your gift card (that you used to make the purchase in the first place) and then refunding any remaining balance in cash, they can do so.  There is nothing wrong in them doing that.

You haven't explained why you bought two games and decided to return one of them. It's unfortunate if the circumstances didn't allow you to cancel both orders under The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 (legislation.gov.uk) because this transaction almost certainly qualifies as a distance contract that you could have cancelled.  You could then have re-purchased the one you wanted to keep and used the gift card to buy it.

freezin76 said:

...The takeaway lesson here is if you've got a giftcard try to spend it in a separate transaction against a single item. Do not redeem it against multiple purchases...

No.  Not necessarily.

The lesson is that if you use a giftcard as partial payment for a transaction of greater value than the the gift card itself, and you pay the balance in cash (or credit card etc etc) then if you become eligible for a refund, that refund will almost certainly be processed by first applying a credit to your gift card before you get back any cash (or a refund to your credit card etc etc).

So long as you realise that (and I think more people know it than you might appreciate) there's no reason not to use a credit card for multiple purchases.

My advice to anyone who holds a gift card or gift voucher is to get it spent ASAP, whether on a single or multiple purchase - just spend it!

Thank you for pointing out what I'd already pointed out... Helpful.

I don't see what explaining why I kept part of the order and returned part of it will bring to the table but I'll indulge you nevertheless.

I saw a reduction on 2 games. One that was definitely wanted (Splatoon 3) and one that was a punt (Mario Strikers)... Stop me if I'm going into too much detail. I gifted Splatoon to my daughter who opened it and played it. I held off opening Mario strikers as I heard some unfavorable reviews. I decided to download the demo and my fears were confirmed... It was garbage. With this in mind I took the SEALED and unblemished Mario Strikers back to Argos. 

I appreciate you taking the time and effort to respond - not so appreciative of the condescending undertones of the responses though. 

and you received a refund as per the terms and conditions.
"9.18 If any product purchased with a Gift Card or eGift Card is subsequently returned or exchanged for product of a lower price or a refund, any money owing will be returned to the original Gift Card or eGift Card. If you do not have the original Gift Card, a new Gift Card will be issued for in-store refunds or a new eGift Card will be issued."

So the refund was returned to the original gift card, as stated in the terms and conditions.

I've come to accept this, hence my previous posts about lessons learnt. 

However none of this refund policy was articulated in the store. I wasn't asked if I still had (or had access to) the gift card. I only found out when the cash refund manifested (when I got home) as a £9.99 PayPal credit.

Alderbank

freezin76 said:

jon81uk said:

freezin76 said:

Manxman_in_exile said:

freezin76 said:

Manxman_in_exile said:

I think the problem here is that the OP wants to get to choose how the refund is processed, but he's not entitled to make that choice.

It sounds as if the OP returned the unwanted item under Argos's own returns policy and not under any consumer legislation rights.  I don't know for certain, but I suspect that the terms of use of the gift card and/or the terms of Argos's own returns policy will say that where a purchase has been made - either wholly or partly - with a gift card, then any refund payable will first be credited back to the gift card before any cash is refunded

It's precisely because £20 on a gift card represents less value than £20 in cash that Argos chooses to refund to the card and not by way of cash.  But that's a choice Argos is almost certainly legally entitled to make under their T&Cs and the OP isn't.  And I don't think there's anything in consumer law to say that Argos can't do that.

As I said earlier, I try to steer clear of gift cards and gift vouchers as much as I can because their use is just too restricted in so many ways.

As I'd mentioned in a previous post, if I'd made 2 separate transactions

Item 1 @ 1 x £20 GC and £9.99
Item 2 @ £29.99

I would fully expect to be refunded by GC and £ if I returned item 1 

I'm not naive in that sense, it's absolutely fair.

Conversely I would also expect to be refunded in £ for returning just item 2...

Well, of course.  But you didn't make two separate transactions and you therefore don't have a separate receipt for the one bought on the gift card, do you?

You don't have any legal statutory consumer right to a refund.  You aren't entitled to one under the law.  You are relying on Argos's own returns policy.  If they want to refund by first applying a credit to your gift card (that you used to make the purchase in the first place) and then refunding any remaining balance in cash, they can do so.  There is nothing wrong in them doing that.

You haven't explained why you bought two games and decided to return one of them. It's unfortunate if the circumstances didn't allow you to cancel both orders under The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 (legislation.gov.uk) because this transaction almost certainly qualifies as a distance contract that you could have cancelled.  You could then have re-purchased the one you wanted to keep and used the gift card to buy it.

freezin76 said:

...The takeaway lesson here is if you've got a giftcard try to spend it in a separate transaction against a single item. Do not redeem it against multiple purchases...

No.  Not necessarily.

The lesson is that if you use a giftcard as partial payment for a transaction of greater value than the the gift card itself, and you pay the balance in cash (or credit card etc etc) then if you become eligible for a refund, that refund will almost certainly be processed by first applying a credit to your gift card before you get back any cash (or a refund to your credit card etc etc).

So long as you realise that (and I think more people know it than you might appreciate) there's no reason not to use a credit card for multiple purchases.

My advice to anyone who holds a gift card or gift voucher is to get it spent ASAP, whether on a single or multiple purchase - just spend it!

Thank you for pointing out what I'd already pointed out... Helpful.

I don't see what explaining why I kept part of the order and returned part of it will bring to the table but I'll indulge you nevertheless.

I saw a reduction on 2 games. One that was definitely wanted (Splatoon 3) and one that was a punt (Mario Strikers)... Stop me if I'm going into too much detail. I gifted Splatoon to my daughter who opened it and played it. I held off opening Mario strikers as I heard some unfavorable reviews. I decided to download the demo and my fears were confirmed... It was garbage. With this in mind I took the SEALED and unblemished Mario Strikers back to Argos. 

I appreciate you taking the time and effort to respond - not so appreciative of the condescending undertones of the responses though. 

and you received a refund as per the terms and conditions.
"9.18 If any product purchased with a Gift Card or eGift Card is subsequently returned or exchanged for product of a lower price or a refund, any money owing will be returned to the original Gift Card or eGift Card. If you do not have the original Gift Card, a new Gift Card will be issued for in-store refunds or a new eGift Card will be issued."

So the refund was returned to the original gift card, as stated in the terms and conditions.

I've come to accept this, hence my previous posts about lessons learnt. 

However none of this refund policy was articulated in the store. I wasn't asked if I still had (or had access to) the gift card. I only found out when the cash refund manifested (when I got home) as a £9.99 PayPal credit.

The legal requirement is for this information (and any other T&Cs which form part of the contract) to have been available to the original purchaser of the giftcard at the point of sale.

Did you buy the giftcard as a present for yourself?

freezin76

Alderbank said:

freezin76 said:

jon81uk said:

freezin76 said:

Manxman_in_exile said:

freezin76 said:

Manxman_in_exile said:

I think the problem here is that the OP wants to get to choose how the refund is processed, but he's not entitled to make that choice.

It sounds as if the OP returned the unwanted item under Argos's own returns policy and not under any consumer legislation rights.  I don't know for certain, but I suspect that the terms of use of the gift card and/or the terms of Argos's own returns policy will say that where a purchase has been made - either wholly or partly - with a gift card, then any refund payable will first be credited back to the gift card before any cash is refunded

It's precisely because £20 on a gift card represents less value than £20 in cash that Argos chooses to refund to the card and not by way of cash.  But that's a choice Argos is almost certainly legally entitled to make under their T&Cs and the OP isn't.  And I don't think there's anything in consumer law to say that Argos can't do that.

As I said earlier, I try to steer clear of gift cards and gift vouchers as much as I can because their use is just too restricted in so many ways.

As I'd mentioned in a previous post, if I'd made 2 separate transactions

Item 1 @ 1 x £20 GC and £9.99
Item 2 @ £29.99

I would fully expect to be refunded by GC and £ if I returned item 1 

I'm not naive in that sense, it's absolutely fair.

Conversely I would also expect to be refunded in £ for returning just item 2...

Well, of course.  But you didn't make two separate transactions and you therefore don't have a separate receipt for the one bought on the gift card, do you?

You don't have any legal statutory consumer right to a refund.  You aren't entitled to one under the law.  You are relying on Argos's own returns policy.  If they want to refund by first applying a credit to your gift card (that you used to make the purchase in the first place) and then refunding any remaining balance in cash, they can do so.  There is nothing wrong in them doing that.

You haven't explained why you bought two games and decided to return one of them. It's unfortunate if the circumstances didn't allow you to cancel both orders under The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 (legislation.gov.uk) because this transaction almost certainly qualifies as a distance contract that you could have cancelled.  You could then have re-purchased the one you wanted to keep and used the gift card to buy it.

freezin76 said:

...The takeaway lesson here is if you've got a giftcard try to spend it in a separate transaction against a single item. Do not redeem it against multiple purchases...

No.  Not necessarily.

The lesson is that if you use a giftcard as partial payment for a transaction of greater value than the the gift card itself, and you pay the balance in cash (or credit card etc etc) then if you become eligible for a refund, that refund will almost certainly be processed by first applying a credit to your gift card before you get back any cash (or a refund to your credit card etc etc).

So long as you realise that (and I think more people know it than you might appreciate) there's no reason not to use a credit card for multiple purchases.

My advice to anyone who holds a gift card or gift voucher is to get it spent ASAP, whether on a single or multiple purchase - just spend it!

Thank you for pointing out what I'd already pointed out... Helpful.

I don't see what explaining why I kept part of the order and returned part of it will bring to the table but I'll indulge you nevertheless.

I saw a reduction on 2 games. One that was definitely wanted (Splatoon 3) and one that was a punt (Mario Strikers)... Stop me if I'm going into too much detail. I gifted Splatoon to my daughter who opened it and played it. I held off opening Mario strikers as I heard some unfavorable reviews. I decided to download the demo and my fears were confirmed... It was garbage. With this in mind I took the SEALED and unblemished Mario Strikers back to Argos. 

I appreciate you taking the time and effort to respond - not so appreciative of the condescending undertones of the responses though. 

and you received a refund as per the terms and conditions.
"9.18 If any product purchased with a Gift Card or eGift Card is subsequently returned or exchanged for product of a lower price or a refund, any money owing will be returned to the original Gift Card or eGift Card. If you do not have the original Gift Card, a new Gift Card will be issued for in-store refunds or a new eGift Card will be issued."

So the refund was returned to the original gift card, as stated in the terms and conditions.

I've come to accept this, hence my previous posts about lessons learnt. 

However none of this refund policy was articulated in the store. I wasn't asked if I still had (or had access to) the gift card. I only found out when the cash refund manifested (when I got home) as a £9.99 PayPal credit.

The legal requirement is for this information (and any other T&Cs which form part of the contract) to have been available to the original purchaser of the giftcard at the point of sale.

Did you buy the giftcard as a present for yourself?

No, I was gifted it by a deals website for community activity.

WhiskersTheWonderCat

I feel like it's definitely a little shady to refund the gift card balance as a priority. I feel like it's done purely to ensure that you have to spend more money with them. You ended up with a £30 spend, and clearly would have used that gift card towards that. Argos have always been very customer-unfriendly though. 

MarvinDay

WhiskersTheWonderCat said:

I feel like it's definitely a little shady to refund the gift card balance as a priority. I feel like it's done purely to ensure that you have to spend more money with them. You ended up with a £30 spend, and clearly would have used that gift card towards that. Argos have always been very customer-unfriendly though. 

And why wouldn't they do that?
After all, Argos are a business and not a charity.

freezin76

MarvinDay said:

WhiskersTheWonderCat said:

I feel like it's definitely a little shady to refund the gift card balance as a priority. I feel like it's done purely to ensure that you have to spend more money with them. You ended up with a £30 spend, and clearly would have used that gift card towards that. Argos have always been very customer-unfriendly though. 

And why wouldn't they do that?
After all, Argos are a business and not a charity.

I don't understand that sentiment.

They've not given away or donated anything. They have been paid directly or indirectly (via a GC) the value of the goods they're selling.

They're locking in additional income by not refunding to the traditional payment mechanism. 

Alderbank

freezin76 said:

MarvinDay said:

WhiskersTheWonderCat said:

I feel like it's definitely a little shady to refund the gift card balance as a priority. I feel like it's done purely to ensure that you have to spend more money with them. You ended up with a £30 spend, and clearly would have used that gift card towards that. Argos have always been very customer-unfriendly though. 

And why wouldn't they do that?
After all, Argos are a business and not a charity.

I don't understand that sentiment.

They've not given away or donated anything. They have been paid directly or indirectly (via a GC) the value of the goods they're selling.

They're locking in additional income by not refunding to the traditional payment mechanism. 

No they haven't. The deals website who originally bought the gift card did not pay face value. Their business model is that they bulk buy vouchers at discount.

PS Argos do actually give away and donate some gift cards to charities.