Retail online website threatens to remove customers

user1977

Hudson8949 said:

I'll use Amazon 

...who do exactly the same thing. And then your whole Amazon account goes.

elsien

Amazon also ban people for sending back too many returns, just so as you are aware.

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https://amp.theguardian.com/money/2022/aug/13/amazon-waitrose-customer-banned-complaints-returning-too-much

Hudson8949

The British(global) website made over 800 million pounds in one year. Hardly any reviews on their items. No idea how things will fit.  This new regulation as shown in the Guardian article, allows companies to abuse Consumers Rights.  We cannot see the item, till it arrives.  I am fine with Amazon and do most of my shopping there as there are reviews to help judge whether one should buy the item.  

Hudson8949

user1977 said:

Hudson8949 said:

I'll use Amazon 

...who do exactly the same thing. And then your whole Amazon account goes.

I've used Amazon, read review before I buy.  Never have a problem and don't return much either.  Shoe stores have mostly gone from shopping centres which leaves us to have to buy them online or go into the city.  Consumer rights will be removed eventually, back to the good ol days, huh!  Amazon have apparently mostly sided with Consumer Rights, unlike the British retail giant.  

RefluentBeans

It’s not a consumer rights issue I’m afraid. Just as any brick and mortar store can refuse a sale and (as long it’s not because of a protected characteristic) they’ll be perfectly within their rights. 

I assume this a company like ASOS or Schuh. You have rights to return the shoes when you bought them. They have the right to decline future orders if they feel they don’t want to serve you. 

Just the same as if I was in a restaurant but sent back 3/10 of my past meals - they can say ‘I’m sorry Mr/Mrs RefluentBeans but we haven’t got a table for you tonight’. As long as they aren’t refusing the service because of my gender, sexuality, race etc they are entitled to pick and choose their customers. Just the same as night clubs can refuse entry to people wearing Nike shoes but be okay with Converse. Admittedly, it doesn’t happen much in retail - but they haven’t the same right to refuse as any other business. 

elsien

The company who has mentioned withdrawing their custom from you are not abusing your consumer rights which remain the same as they have always been.
You have the right to returns and refunds as you have always had. There’s nothing in the consumer legislation that says shops have to sell to you. It’s no different from High Street stores and supermarkets banning customers who they are finding difficult. Which they can also legally do as long as it’s not on the basis of a protected characteristic.

user1977

Hudson8949 said:

user1977 said:

Hudson8949 said:

I'll use Amazon 

...who do exactly the same thing. And then your whole Amazon account goes.

I've used Amazon, read review before I buy.  Never have a problem and don't return much either. 

Yes, but wait and see what happens when you start returning most of what you buy. No particular reason why they ought to have a different attitude to the other retailers.

cymruchris

For shoes/trainers - it might be worth venturing into a real shop while they still exist to see them, try them on and maybe even buy them I think the huge growth of internet sales and the associated returns are hurting companies - and so when customers hit a certain threshold they get the message you've gotten. It's not against any rules regs or law. You're obviously being sensible in what you're doing - but the company bean counters don't look at sensible, they look at order statistics and profit margins. I think this will become more commonplace - as will the introduction of 'return processing fees' - or making you pay postage to get them sent back. H&M tried to do it recently but had a huge backlash and withdrew it again. I'm sure they'll try again further down the line. 

HillStreetBlues

cymruchris said:

For shoes/trainers - it might be worth venturing into a real shop while they still exist to see them, try them on and maybe even buy them I think the huge growth of internet sales and the associated returns are hurting companies - and so when customers hit a certain threshold they get the message you've gotten. It's not against any rules regs or law. You're obviously being sensible in what you're doing - but the company bean counters don't look at sensible, they look at order statistics and profit margins. I think this will become more commonplace - as will the introduction of 'return processing fees' - or making you pay postage to get them sent back. H&M tried to do it recently but had a huge backlash and withdrew it again. I'm sure they'll try again further down the line. 

I expect in future customers will get banned quicker than they currently do. AI will quickly match a patten much sooner than the bean-counter or even logarithms

p00hsticks

Hudson8949 said:

RefluentBeans said:

Simple answer is yes. Free returns and the such are a calculation on how much you buy vs return. If you return more than you buy (or they believe you’re just trying to get clothes or products for a specific occasion and then return them - thus abusing the policy) they can cancel your account with them. You can appeal to them but there is no formal appeals process. Only exception is if you feel you’ve been discriminated against for a protected characteristic, but that’s a hard thing to prove. 

So,  I see a photograph of trainers, no idea how they will fit and what size (not like shopping in a store).  What should I do if I ordered it and it does not fit yet again?  Lose my money and keep a pair of shoes I will never wear?

There's a difference between buying one pair of trainers and returning them if they don't fit, and buying a number of pairs of trainers in different sizes, with the intention right from the offset of returning at the very least all but one of them....