Returning wrong sized items, not as described?

lagunasun

Hi all,
I'd like some clarification on returning wrongly sized items. I recently purchased a pair of men's boots from everything5pounds.com. I normally take a size 10, but as these are winter/snow boots and I was anticipating wearing them with extra thick socks, I decided to go two sizes up. The boots were listed on the website as size 12 and were marked as Euro size 46 when they arrived, so they should really be a bit too big for me normally. But after trying them on, I found they are way too small - more like a size 8-9.

So my question is, who is responsible for return postage? Everything5pounds website states they don't pay return postage on items that do not fit, but I feel that in this case that is unreasonable as the boots are nowhere near being correctly sized and as such are not as described.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Shoe sizes can vary but if you've purchased two sizes up and they are too small then it would suggest something is amiss.

This is probably one of those situations where you have the right for them to cover the costs of return but due to the amount it's going to be difficult to enforce.

I would ask them first, if they say no you could try highlighting the below legislation, perhaps with some photos of their boots next to your other shoes, if the boots were only £5 you'd hope they'd just refund, to save arguing with a customer if not for any other reason.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/section/11/enacted

(1)Every contract to supply goods by description is to be treated as including a term that the goods will match the description.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/15/section/20/enacted

(8)Whether or not the consumer has a duty to return the rejected goods, the trader must bear any reasonable costs of returning them, other than any costs incurred by the consumer in returning the goods in person to the place where the consumer took physical possession of them.

Manxman_in_exile

^^^  As above.

Point out that their sizing is systemically faulty so it's not a case that "they don't fit".  It's a case that they're misdescribed.

theoretica

You can find somewhere a conversion between shoe size and foot length which might be useful - especially if they are so small that the insole is less than whatever a size 12 foot should be in cm long.  Usually this doesn't work because of a variable air gap at the end of the toes - but the difference is so large here that it might be worth measuring and potential extra evidence for you.

sheramber

https://www.everything5pounds.com/en/shipping-returns

Everything5pounds follow specific guidelines from our manufacturers about our shoe sizes. These sizes may not comprehend with the mainstream store shoe sizes, however you would need to take note of these particular sizes that everything5pounds.com comply with. Our general shoe sizes range from a size 2 and 2 ½ to size 8 (41) for women and up to size 12 (45) for men. These sizes are advised to be the EU equivalent to a size 35 (size 2) – 41 (size 8). Kindly read through our customer reviews and also product description to get a better understanding to the shoes fit. You are welcome to email us at sales@everything5pounds.com and request for a size guide to be sent to you. Please also be advised that we do not cover the postage to returns items that do not fit or do not suit your requirements. Kindly bear in mind our product sizes when placing orders.

tightauldgit

sheramber said:

https://www.everything5pounds.com/en/shipping-returns

Everything5pounds follow specific guidelines from our manufacturers about our shoe sizes. These sizes may not comprehend with the mainstream store shoe sizes, however you would need to take note of these particular sizes that everything5pounds.com comply with. Our general shoe sizes range from a size 2 and 2 ½ to size 8 (41) for women and up to size 12 (45) for men. These sizes are advised to be the EU equivalent to a size 35 (size 2) – 41 (size 8). Kindly read through our customer reviews and also product description to get a better understanding to the shoes fit. You are welcome to email us at sales@everything5pounds.com and request for a size guide to be sent to you. Please also be advised that we do not cover the postage to returns items that do not fit or do not suit your requirements. Kindly bear in mind our product sizes when placing orders.

I'm not sure that would fly in court - they seem to be saying there's no way to know what size their shoes are before you receive them and then saying because of that they won't pay for returns!

I think it's reasonable to expect some variations in sizing but not a size 12 being a size 8.

Of course, nobody is going to court for the cost of postage on a pair of £5 shoes.   

Manxman_in_exile

sheramber said:

  ...These sizes may not comprehend with the mainstream store shoe sizes, ...

Comprehend?!?!    

I agree with @tightauldgit that it's ridiculous for them to rely on what is basically We're warning you now that we don't use a shoe size scale that corresponds to any known shoe size scale that you will be familiar with, so if they don't fit you it's your own fault and not ours...

I also don't like

"There is a maximum of 30 days from the date the parcel was received for customers to identify any faulty items and contact us. Please note we will refund the cost of the item but not the delivery"

They need a rap across the knuckles.

Pity it's only a fiver at stake...

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Seems odd to come up with your own shoe sizing, I wonder if they sell factory rejects that came out the wrong size or were mislabelled? 

DullGreyGuy

The problem is that there are not standard sizes in the UK... it would be much easier if you bought shoes based in the CMs rather than slightly arbitory sizes. 

The difference between a EU 46 and UK 9 is circa 1.7cm... a relatively modest difference compared to two dress sizes or such. Even then however websites dont agree what length a UK 9 should be, looking between two different random website there was 1cm difference in what they consider a UK 9 which is most of the difference between the two different sizes listed.

You can attempt to argue that they were not as described and therefore defective but with the vagaries of sizing it is very hard to do and the time/effort in doing so is likely to exceed the cost of the return

eskbanker

Every day's a school day - there's an ISO standard for foot/shoe sizing!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe_size#ISO_19407_and_shoe_size_conversion

DullGreyGuy

eskbanker said:

Every day's a school day - there's an ISO standard for foot/shoe sizing!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe_size#ISO_19407_and_shoe_size_conversion

Whilst there may be an ISO, in itself odd for something different in each country and so not very "international", there is no legal requirement to comply with ISO standards in most cases and certainly not something as benial as shoe sizes