Zalando not refusing returns

3charlie3

Hi. 

I returned a coat to Zalando costing £214. They received the item back but didn’t send any correspondence. After waiting 2 weeks I chased my refund but was refused help until I signed their ‘legal document’. Nobody would provide me with the CEO’s contact and with no alternative, I returned the document but was then told by Zalando that my refund has been rejected. The reason they gave was ‘the item wasn’t in the package’ Because of the value of the item, I even took a photo of the parcel as I dropped it off to the evri parcel shop.

Shocked and thinking there must have been a mistake, I immediately requested more information but Zalando refuse to provide further details and just refuse to me. Now they just ignore me.

Citizens advise told me to contact Zalando, informing them they’re in breach of contract and have 10 days to issue a refund but again, Zalando just refuse to refund me. As a single working parent, I can’t afford to take them to court which Zalando probably bank on. I have filed a chargeback but my bank are still investigating. 

After sharing my experience on Zalando’s Instagram, people are coming forward with the same issue. Looking at Truspilot today, it’s seems thousands of customer are in the same boat and the issue is are greater than I though. Zalando must have stolen thousands, if not, millions of pounds from customers recently and are getting away with it. 

They don’t send any correspondence when they receive the parcel so you’re made to beg and chase. They then refuse to provide more detail about the parcel or a route to resolve the matter. Finally they take to ignoring you 

Has anyone had the same or similar issue with the company? Or any advise what I can do next? 

Thanks
Charlotte  

Aylesbury_Duck

3charlie3 said:

Hi. 

I returned a coat to Zalando costing £214. They received the item back but didn’t send any correspondence. After waiting 2 weeks I chased my refund but was refused help until I signed their ‘legal document’. Nobody would provide me with the CEO’s contact and with no alternative, I returned the document but was then told by Zalando that my refund has been rejected. The reason they gave was ‘the item wasn’t in the package’ Because of the value of the item, I even took a photo of the parcel as I dropped it off to the evri parcel shop.

Shocked and thinking there must have been a mistake, I immediately requested more information but Zalando refuse to provide further details and just refuse to me. Now they just ignore me.

Citizens advise told me to contact Zalando, informing them they’re in breach of contract and have 10 days to issue a refund but again, Zalando just refuse to refund me. As a single working parent, I can’t afford to take them to court which Zalando probably bank on. I have filed a chargeback but my bank are still investigating. 

After sharing my experience on Zalando’s Instagram, people are coming forward with the same issue. Looking at Truspilot today, it’s seems thousands of customer are in the same boat and the issue is are greater than I though. Zalando must have stolen thousands, if not, millions of pounds from customers recently and are getting away with it. 

They don’t send any correspondence when they receive the parcel so you’re made to beg and chase. They then refuse to provide more detail about the parcel or a route to resolve the matter. Finally they take to ignoring you 

Has anyone had the same or similar issue with the company? Or any advise what I can do next? 

Thanks
Charlotte  

If your bank can't help then I'm afraid you're probably stuck.  They're a German company, based in Berlin, so even if you wanted to take court action, it would have to be a German court under German consumer rights laws.

sheramber

You need to wait until the bank finish their investigation.

Wonka_2

3charlie3 said:

I returned a coat to Zalando costing £214.

As a single working parent, I can’t afford to take them to court which Zalando probably bank on. 

I've taken a couple of parts out of your lengthy post - despite being a single working parent you were able to afford £214 for a coat from a website of limited provenance - especially given it's non-UK origins ? Yet you can't find the time/money to raise a legal case ?

On a more positive note the first search on Google gives you this Shop Shoes, Fashion & Accessories Online | Zalando UK - and I'm sure a bit more digging will find you addresses for Messrs Gentz & Schneider (joint CEO's) though I'm not sure what you'll achieve through this

Maybe more relevant is the use of Evri as the carrier - did you pay them to arrange the return or was it all arranged by Zalando ? Obviously if you paid you have a contract with Evri to prove to you that they returned the goods to Zalando.

Other than that as others have said your fate rests with your card company and the knowledge not to use Zalando in future.

TELLIT01

Wonka_2 said:

3charlie3 said:

I returned a coat to Zalando costing £214.

As a single working parent, I can’t afford to take them to court which Zalando probably bank on. 

I've taken a couple of parts out of your lengthy post - despite being a single working parent you were able to afford £214 for a coat from a website of limited provenance - especially given it's non-UK origins ? Yet you can't find the time/money to raise a legal case ?

Unhelpful to say the very least.  It would cost a lot more than £214 to take the company to court as they aren't based in the UK.

Alderbank

Aylesbury_Duck said:

3charlie3 said:

Hi. 

I returned a coat to Zalando costing £214. They received the item back but didn’t send any correspondence. After waiting 2 weeks I chased my refund but was refused help until I signed their ‘legal document’. Nobody would provide me with the CEO’s contact and with no alternative, I returned the document but was then told by Zalando that my refund has been rejected. The reason they gave was ‘the item wasn’t in the package’ Because of the value of the item, I even took a photo of the parcel as I dropped it off to the evri parcel shop.

Shocked and thinking there must have been a mistake, I immediately requested more information but Zalando refuse to provide further details and just refuse to me. Now they just ignore me.

Citizens advise told me to contact Zalando, informing them they’re in breach of contract and have 10 days to issue a refund but again, Zalando just refuse to refund me. As a single working parent, I can’t afford to take them to court which Zalando probably bank on. I have filed a chargeback but my bank are still investigating. 

After sharing my experience on Zalando’s Instagram, people are coming forward with the same issue. Looking at Truspilot today, it’s seems thousands of customer are in the same boat and the issue is are greater than I though. Zalando must have stolen thousands, if not, millions of pounds from customers recently and are getting away with it. 

They don’t send any correspondence when they receive the parcel so you’re made to beg and chase. They then refuse to provide more detail about the parcel or a route to resolve the matter. Finally they take to ignoring you 

Has anyone had the same or similar issue with the company? Or any advise what I can do next? 

Thanks
Charlotte  

If your bank can't help then I'm afraid you're probably stuck.  They're a German company, based in Berlin, so even if you wanted to take court action, it would have to be a German court under German consumer rights laws.

They are indeed a German company but I don't see why you assert that it would have to be a German court under German consumer rights laws?

Their own T&Cs, always the first port of call, say:
13. Governing Law and Disputes

These terms are governed by English law. You may bring legal proceedings against Zalando either in Germany or in the courts of your country of residence. If you have a dispute where you have entered into a contract with a Zalando partner you may bring legal proceedings against the Zalando partner in the jurisdiction where the Zalando partner is located or in the courts of your country of residence.

https://www.zalando.co.uk/zalando-terms/

Aylesbury_Duck

Good point, I lost interest by paragraph 13, to be honest.

Are there complications exercising court proceedings against a foreign business in an English court?  Can an English court's judgement compel them to do anything?

Alderbank

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Are there complications exercising court proceedings against a foreign business in an English court?  Can an English court's judgement compel them to do anything?

Great question!
You won't be surprised to learn that this was a lot simpler before Brexit, when we were part of a reciprocal agreement across the EU.
You need the court's permission to serve the claim in a foreign country, but (as in this case) the fact that one of the parties is based in England or Wales will be enough. This permission effectively gives notice of the claim to the other party and summons them to this country to defend it. 
In terms of enforcement however, not so simple. Now that we have left the EU, many contracts have fallen back on the Hague Convention 2005 but unfortunately this convention does not cover consumer rights. Before we joined the EEC we signed a bilateral agreement with Germany back in 1961 which probably still applies, but did we even have consumer legislation back then?

TL:DR I don't know.

Aylesbury_Duck

Thanks.  Interesting answer.

Skiddaw1

Wonka_2 said:

3charlie3 said:

I returned a coat to Zalando costing £214.

As a single working parent, I can’t afford to take them to court which Zalando probably bank on. 

I've taken a couple of parts out of your lengthy post - despite being a single working parent you were able to afford £214 for a coat from a website of limited provenance - especially given it's non-UK origins ? Yet you can't find the time/money to raise a legal case ?

Ouch! That's more than a wee bit on the judgemental side in my view....

born_again

3charlie3 said:

Hi. 

I returned a coat to Zalando costing £214. They received the item back but didn’t send any correspondence. After waiting 2 weeks I chased my refund but was refused help until I signed their ‘legal document’. Nobody would provide me with the CEO’s contact and with no alternative, I returned the document but was then told by Zalando that my refund has been rejected. The reason they gave was ‘the item wasn’t in the package’ Because of the value of the item, I even took a photo of the parcel as I dropped it off to the evri parcel shop.

Shocked and thinking there must have been a mistake, I immediately requested more information but Zalando refuse to provide further details and just refuse to me. Now they just ignore me.

Citizens advise told me to contact Zalando, informing them they’re in breach of contract and have 10 days to issue a refund but again, Zalando just refuse to refund me. As a single working parent, I can’t afford to take them to court which Zalando probably bank on. I have filed a chargeback but my bank are still investigating. 

After sharing my experience on Zalando’s Instagram, people are coming forward with the same issue. Looking at Truspilot today, it’s seems thousands of customer are in the same boat and the issue is are greater than I though. Zalando must have stolen thousands, if not, millions of pounds from customers recently and are getting away with it. 

They don’t send any correspondence when they receive the parcel so you’re made to beg and chase. They then refuse to provide more detail about the parcel or a route to resolve the matter. Finally they take to ignoring you 

Has anyone had the same or similar issue with the company? Or any advise what I can do next? 

Thanks
Charlotte  

Sounds like that coat was missing when it arrived.
Was it returned signed?