Argos refusing return

telepathic_fp

I bought a hoover last week from argos online. It was too heavy for me to lift out the box (I'm disabled) and I could tell just by looking at it that it wouldn't be suitable for some of the areas in my house.  I contacted argos to find out if I could return it in store and they said I could. My mother drove us over today and the argos teller took it all out of the box and examined all the pieces. She then refused to accept the return because she said it had obviously been used. She said there was hair all over the brush and the attachments had been used. I explained this was impossible as I hadn't taken the hoover out of the box. She didn't believe me and again said she wouldn't accept it because it had obviously been used. She asked if I would be happy to buy a hoover and find it covered in hair so she couldn't accept it back because it wasn't in resale condition.  I didn't see the brush from the angle she had the hoover on the desk but my mother said it looked clean and hair free. 

She was adamant about refusing the return and basically said I was lying about using the hoover so we took it and left. When putting it in the car my mother noticed that the tape had obviously been removed from the bottom of the hoover (the cardboard was torn across the tape line) and it had been taped back up differently. This was the opposite end that I had opened so I didn't notice before.  My mother thinks it might have been previously returned by someone else then sent to me. 

What are my options here? I didn't take the hoover out of the box (except the attachments at the top) but there's no way they believe that in store. I can't afford to right off £123 and I need a hoover. I also can't face going back in store as the woman was quite rude and abrupt.  I'm autistic and can't handle confrontation. 

Can I send it back using argos courier service? Would they refuse the return that way too?

Aylesbury_Duck

I'd try returning it online, using their returns process so the postage is organised by them.  Get it out and make sure it's visibly clean first, you may as well minimise the chance of them rejecting.  You are within 14 days of receipt for an online purchase, so you have the right to return it after basic inspection.  The box having been opened isn't a problem, you're allowed to carry out an inspection as you would in a physical shop where the vacuum would not be boxed up.

Go down that route, don't mention the attempted return in store, and see what happens.  I suspect they'll accept it and refund you and you won't have had to worry about confrontation because it will be an online process.  You'll need someone's help to drop it off at the post office or whatever place Argos designate as a returns place.  If they say they want you to take it to a store, is there another branch nearby?  Or an Argos counter at a Sainsburys?  

When you do return it, make sure to state it's a change of mind return.

Alderbank

telepathic_fp said:

I bought a hoover last week from argos online. It was too heavy for me to lift out the box (I'm disabled) and I could tell just by looking at it that it wouldn't be suitable for some of the areas in my house.  I contacted argos to find out if I could return it in store and they said I could. My mother drove us over today and the argos teller took it all out of the box and examined all the pieces. She then refused to accept the return because she said it had obviously been used. She said there was hair all over the brush and the attachments had been used. I explained this was impossible as I hadn't taken the hoover out of the box. She didn't believe me and again said she wouldn't accept it because it had obviously been used. She asked if I would be happy to buy a hoover and find it covered in hair so she couldn't accept it back because it wasn't in resale condition.  I didn't see the brush from the angle she had the hoover on the desk but my mother said it looked clean and hair free. 

She was adamant about refusing the return and basically said I was lying about using the hoover so we took it and left. When putting it in the car my mother noticed that the tape had obviously been removed from the bottom of the hoover (the cardboard was torn across the tape line) and it had been taped back up differently. This was the opposite end that I had opened so I didn't notice before.  My mother thinks it might have been previously returned by someone else then sent to me. 

What are my options here? I didn't take the hoover out of the box (except the attachments at the top) but there's no way they believe that in store. I can't afford to right off £123 and I need a hoover. I also can't face going back in store as the woman was quite rude and abrupt.  I'm autistic and can't handle confrontation. 

Can I send it back using argos courier service? Would they refuse the return that way too?

Welcome to the forum.

It was an online purchase and you have asked to return it (the legal term is reject it) within 14 days of receiving it so no, they can't refuse it and must refund you. However they can reduce the amount of refund you get if they consider that you have handled it more than you would have in a shop.

It's difficult to say what they will actually do. They will be dealing with masses of returns at this time of year. I think there is a good chance that they will just give you a full refund. If they contact you and say it has been used excessively, you (or your mum) should just calmly and politely explain what has happened.

There is no excuse for the store staff to be be rude or abrupt. Christmas and January are extremely busy times for them and I'm afraid many customers are rude or worse. But still no excuse.

telepathic_fp

Aylesbury_Duck said:

I'd try returning it online, using their returns process so the postage is organised by them.  Get it out and make sure it's visibly clean first, you may as well minimise the chance of them rejecting.  You are within 14 days of receipt for an online purchase, so you have the right to return it after basic inspection.  The box having been opened isn't a problem, you're allowed to carry out an inspection as you would in a physical shop where the vacuum would not be boxed up.

Go down that route, don't mention the attempted return in store, and see what happens.  I suspect they'll accept it and refund you and you won't have had to worry about confrontation because it will be an online process.  You'll need someone's help to drop it off at the post office or whatever place Argos designate as a returns place.  If they say they want you to take it to a store, is there another branch nearby?  Or an Argos counter at a Sainsburys?  

When you do return it, make sure to state it's a change of mind return.

Thanks I'll give that a try.  It was an argos in sainsburys that I tried to return it to today. It's the only one we have locally. Hopefully the online return works. 

Flugelhorn

I agree - try the online return, they are unlikely at this time of year to reject it. They accept that a certain number of things being returned may not be immediately saleable and they have routes to get these sold elsewhere. You shouldn't have that grief when you go into a shop - there can be some real jobsworths around

HillStreetBlues

I wouldn't be trying to clean it to return it. If it came with hairs in the brushes I would be making a complaint and kicking up a fuss about how they sent you a used vac.

telepathic_fp

Thanks to everyone for your advice. I've arranged a return and they're collecting it this afternoon.  My mother took the hoover out to have a look when we got home. I have no idea what that woman was in about. These are pictures of the brush she said was full of hair and the attachment she said had obviously been used - they're immaculate!

Aylesbury_Duck

HillStreetBlues said:

I wouldn't be trying to clean it to return it. If it came with hairs in the brushes I would be making a complaint and kicking up a fuss about how they sent you a used vac.

The trouble with that approach is that OP wants to maximise their chances of a successful return and doesn’t want confrontation.  A little bit of cleaning (now not needed anyway) would have helped, even if rightfully it shouldn’t be needed,

timmy963

Looks brand new to me.

The bits of "hair" looks more like fibres from the plastic and the cardboard box which have settled on the product.

HillStreetBlues

Aylesbury_Duck said:

HillStreetBlues said:

I wouldn't be trying to clean it to return it. If it came with hairs in the brushes I would be making a complaint and kicking up a fuss about how they sent you a used vac.

The trouble with that approach is that OP wants to maximise their chances of a successful return and doesn’t want confrontation.  A little bit of cleaning (now not needed anyway) would have helped, even if rightfully it shouldn’t be needed,

As you said no need now, but if it was dirty then I would have thought to maximise the chances of a return if they expect a used item back. If inspected as found to dirty even after a clean, saying  it was already dirty at the point would carry less weight.
Also as on-line return OP would have to cover the cost of postage,  if dirty, then that's down to Argos.