CEX return damaged, say I have to wait for RM investigation

Boudica78

Hi,

I returned a Chromebook to CEX via Royal Mail, under the 14 days return policy. They're saying it's damaged and I have to wait 30 days for RM's investigation for my refund.

Anyone know the legality on this? Seems unfair they should have my money that long. Bit cheesed off too because I had to chase them to find out what was happening rather than them letting me know.

Victoria

Aylesbury_Duck

How did you return it?  Using CEX's own returns pre-paid label, or did you pay for and send it yourself?  If the former, it's my understanding that CEX is responsible for the return carriage, so they should refund you and argue about who picks up the bill between themselves and RM.

If you sent it yourself and paid for the return, it's your problem to sort out with RM.

Boudica78

Hi, thanks for the reply.
Using CEX returns label. And like you say - I assume the contract is between CEX and RM, so it's for them to sort it. Actually only 13 more days, because they've taken an age to let me know this was even happening so probably not worth making more of a fuss.

RefluentBeans

Boudica78 said:

Hi, thanks for the reply.
Using CEX returns label. And like you say - I assume the contract is between CEX and RM, so it's for them to sort it. Actually only 13 more days, because they've taken an age to let me know this was even happening so probably not worth making more of a fuss.

Personally I wouldn’t be so sure. My experiences with RM is they rarely refund, and even if they do if the product wasn’t insured (which most return labels aren’t) for the correct amount they will only give a nominal amount of money as compensation. In that case, it’s on CEX to pay up, even if RM don’t pay them the full amount of money for the product. 

I would pursue them and don’t let them try and fib you off. It’s up to them how they minimise their losses. You shouldn’t be put at risk of taking the loss for their postage. 

Boudica78

RefluentBeans said:

Boudica78 said:

Hi, thanks for the reply.
Using CEX returns label. And like you say - I assume the contract is between CEX and RM, so it's for them to sort it. Actually only 13 more days, because they've taken an age to let me know this was even happening so probably not worth making more of a fuss.

Personally I wouldn’t be so sure. My experiences with RM is they rarely refund, and even if they do if the product wasn’t insured (which most return labels aren’t) for the correct amount they will only give a nominal amount of money as compensation. In that case, it’s on CEX to pay up, even if RM don’t pay them the full amount of money for the product. 

I would pursue them and don’t let them try and fib you off. It’s up to them how they minimise their losses. You shouldn’t be put at risk of taking the loss for their postage. 

Thanks! I will totally be kicking up a fuss on the 30th day. I've said I think it's rubbish so have placed a marker.
I have a horrid feeling they might try and blame me.

The moral support is much appreciated - and hearing that you agree with me. It's between RM and CEX

RefluentBeans

Boudica78 said:

RefluentBeans said:

Boudica78 said:

Hi, thanks for the reply.
Using CEX returns label. And like you say - I assume the contract is between CEX and RM, so it's for them to sort it. Actually only 13 more days, because they've taken an age to let me know this was even happening so probably not worth making more of a fuss.

Personally I wouldn’t be so sure. My experiences with RM is they rarely refund, and even if they do if the product wasn’t insured (which most return labels aren’t) for the correct amount they will only give a nominal amount of money as compensation. In that case, it’s on CEX to pay up, even if RM don’t pay them the full amount of money for the product. 

I would pursue them and don’t let them try and fib you off. It’s up to them how they minimise their losses. You shouldn’t be put at risk of taking the loss for their postage. 

Thanks! I will totally be kicking up a fuss on the 30th day. I've said I think it's rubbish so have placed a marker.
I have a horrid feeling they might try and blame me.

The moral support is much appreciated - and hearing that you agree with me. It's between RM and CEX

Yeah my issue would be that it sounds like it’s awfully close to ‘RM gave us £25 back, so that’s all we can give you’ which isn’t the case. It’s to do with transfer of risk. The risk in this case is the product being damaged or lost. The risk transfers to whoever organised the postage - given that the return was on CEX’s account (they paid for it) and all you did was use a prepaid label, the risk transferred when the package was dropped off. 

Now - this doesn’t mean that they can’t come back and say that you damaged it and then sent it back, but that’s going to be on them to prove really. You can’t prove you didn’t do that, and it clearly depends how the package arrived to them. For example if the package looked like it’s been punted across the field by a rugby player, then I would say that it’s fair to assume that the package was probably damaged in transit. But if the outside of the package was pristine, and the inside was well packed, but the device was still damaged they would likely have an argument. In reality, it’ll be somewhere between the two of those. And if it came to it, it’d be a judge that would decide whether it was in good condition when you posted it, or if it got damaged in transit. 

I wouldn’t think it would get to that extreme, but regardless of what they say, if they accept RM damaged it, they need to give you a full refund regardless of how much money RM paid up. And I would just keep pressing. Be firm but fair.