Debenhams refusing refunds

bluejake

charis18uk wrote: »

I found this post hilarious and so misguided.

As a busy mum if I go shopping for clothes or gifts the fact that a shop provides a 28 day no quibble returns policy ENCOURAGES me to shop there.

I routinely return clothes I have purchased and there is no 'scam' other than I don't have the time (nor the inclination with a 6yr old in tow) to try clothes on instore. Also by taking them home I can see if they fit in with the rest of my wardrobe. I don't have the cash to be too frivilous with my purchases.

It would be a sad day if this policy was revoked and I imagine that stores would see declines in sales from people like me.

I do however agree that returning items during some of the busiest shopping days of the year is just madness and the stores are right to limit this.

As for Debenhams and not refunding on 50% or less reduced items - they will if you purchase with their store card. Also their card entitles you upto 20% off cafe purchases, free coffee per day (gold card) and free lockers (gold card). Why anyone would want to purchase from this store any other way is mindboggling (as long as you pay balance off in full each month;) ).

Hurrah to the no quibble returns policy:j

I am afraid you are suffering from the delusion that many people with children have - that only your time matters and having children is trump card which excuses any kind of unreasonable behaviour. I am too busy to wait in line behind people who think shops are some kind of lending library and who buy stuff they know they will most likely bring back:mad: - which lets face it if you cannot be bothered to walk 5 yards to the changing room to try something on then a high proportion of the stuff you buy is going to come back. Nice of you to be happy to waste other people's time rather than take the time to try something on by the way . That is unreasonable and it is unfair and puts off those people who actually want to buy stuff in their short lunchtime.

It appears that shops have come to the same conclusion at least for the Christmas sales period, and I welcome it.

Never mind, the fact that items that have been taken home and worn often have damaged packaging or missing inserts or look like they have been worn. I bet a lot of that stuff cannot be sold at full price when it has been returned.
Some shops seem to be tightening up their refunds policy and if it means I don't have to queue up for twenty minutes because some idiot is having a ten minute discussion about items they haven't got a receipt for - then hooray!

Certainly, separate queues for returns and for those who actually want to spend money ought to be the minimum. Remember high street stores are under increasing competition from online retailers. Why are online sales increasing so much year on year? I would guess that 20 minute queues are at least something to do with it and the bricks and mortar retailers may want to address that before those people who are actually employed and want to spend money and whose time is valuable migrate to online shopping. The high street shops could be left with those people with all the time in the world to poke and prod merchandise and then return it after it has been stretched and creased and missing inserts. Those customers who waste their employee's time but don't add much to profits.

Just look at the way banks discourage those people who use up counter staff time but don't add to profits.

bluejake

exel1966 wrote: »

As my earlier post states, I think it is reasonable for a few days after xmas to wait for a refund/exchange due to stores being very busy, HOWEVER you can't have your cake and eat it.
Why is it acceptable for Debenhams cashiers to tout for store card sales when the customer gets to the till, leaving the 26 people behind him in the queue waiting even longer when that customer agrees to sign up and 10 minutes is spent on his application !! Talk about causing considerable and unnecessary delay to other customers for the sake of a few quid comission.

Because they are in the business of making a profit for their shareholders...:whistle:

Ems*Honie

I think calling people idiots for using the services offered by a shop that most suit them doesn't help your point.

Poppy9

bluejake wrote: »

I am afraid you are suffering from the delusion that many people with children have - that only your time matters and having children is trump card which excuses any kind of unreasonable behaviour. I am too busy to wait in line behind people who think shops are some kind of lending library and who buy stuff they know they will most likely bring back:mad: - which lets face it if you cannot be bothered to walk 5 yards to the changing room to try something on then a high proportion of the stuff you buy is going to come back. Nice of you to be happy to waste other people's time rather than take the time to try something on by the way . That is unreasonable and it is unfair and puts off those people who actually want to buy stuff in their short lunchtime.

I'll ignore the rude bits of your post!

I don't know which shops you shop in but I find the lack of changing rooms the reason I take clothes home to try on. Often there is just a handful of changing rooms with a limit of 4 items and a huge queue. Shops don't want to provide more changing rooms because it eats up valuable selling space, therefore they provide a no quibble refund policy for unwanted goods within X days with original receipt. They know that a certain percentage of goods taken home to be tried on will be kept because they are "ok" and the buyer can't be bothered to take them back. If they tried them on in the pokey little changing room with front and rear mirrors they would realise they look awful and not buy at all.

bluejake wrote:

It appears that shops have come to the same conclusion at least for the Christmas sales period, and I welcome it.

nothing to do with trying to get shoppers to come into the store after the early days of the sales when they are quiet? The shops don't offer refunds on early days because it's a ploy to get shoppers back in store and hopefully buying more when it's quieter. They are not doing the staff/customers a favour in refusing refunds. From a shoppers point of view it would be better if they allowed refunds on the first day of the sale as the items you want to buy in the sale might be returned in the size you want!

bluejake wrote:

Never mind, the fact that items that have been taken home and worn often have damaged packaging or missing inserts or look like they have been worn. I bet a lot of that stuff cannot be sold at full price when it has been returned.

that is a store issue if they are allow such goods to be returned.

bluejake wrote:

Some shops seem to be tightening up their refunds policy and if it means I don't have to queue up for twenty minutes because some idiot is having a ten minute discussion about items they haven't got a receipt for - then hooray!

That idiot might have a geniune complaint about a faulty item and as stores are not legally obliged to give you a receipt then providing you can show proof of purchase from that store then that is sufficent legally, not that some shop staff know this. I don't think shops are tightening up as most have always had quite strict rules in place (only M&S was generous and they obviously felt that helped their sales) but shops are discouraging people from trying on in store by lack of facilities so you see an increase in returns.

bluejake wrote:

Certainly, separate queues for returns and for those who actually want to spend money ought to be the minimum.

There usually are in places like M&S & Argos.

bluejake wrote:

Remember high street stores are under increasing competition from online retailers. Why are online sales increasing so much year on year?

they are actively encouraging people to try on in their own home and offering a free returns service. It saves shoppers parking, rummaging in store, queuing for changing room etc. So much more convenient to try on at home and if unsuitable have collected FOC to send it back.

princesslizzie

DazedByTheLight wrote: »

No, they cannot refuse to refund for faulty items no matter what their policy is. This is actually your statutory (legal) right and store policies do not affect it.

Argos did this to me. They sold me an air bed which was faulty (my friend woke up on the floor!) and refused me a refund and would only exchange it for another one. Which in turn was faulty too! Shame I lost the receipt.

When I worked at Next we weren't supposed to refund due to the sales but my manager allowed me to do it once or twice at my own discretion.

jeppy

Personally I hate trying clothes on whilst out shopping. The lighting is generally very poor and I may like the opinion of someone else!!

I particularly hate the mirrors in my Next store. I see parts of me that I have not seen in usual face on mirrors!! I tend to look more at my faults than the clothes.

I prefer to try on at home!! I am certainly not taking part in any scam!!! Its just more comfortable.

jai1998

I have been reading through this thread and I have noticed that the original point has been lost as the thread has progressed. Here are the simple facts in 2 simple rules:

The store should provide a refund if the product is faulty (within a reasonable time frame)

The GOODWILL offer of return for exchange or refund is GOODWILL !!!!

Thats it !!!! What's not to understand.

I too work in a store that did not allow refunds or exchanges between 26 December and 30 December. There was a written policy at every till point, we would tell a customer if asked AND it was printed on the bottom of EVERY RECEIPT and we still had people returning for exchanges and refunds who became abusive just because it did not suit them. (We had even extended the return date to 24 January 2008 and this is not enough for some).

I have heard about people going on holiday, that day being the only day they ever come to shop (ALL YEAR !) and other excuses.

Maybe before complaining, customers should learn what their rights actually are and realise that the store is doing you a favour allowing you to return the item, if only for an exchange. Why would a store want the item they sold before Christmas back to sell in the sale for less. It's a business !!!!!! It's supposed to make money !!

A_little_stressed!!

withabix wrote: »

But, if an item is faulty, you CANNOT tell a customer to come back another day for their exchange/refund. Debenhams are not above the law.

I personally would demand to see the store manager, gradually getting louder and louder until my LEGAL RIGHT was provided.

As for busy - our local Debenhams certainly wasn't yesterday when I went in to buy stuff to donate to our local Children's Hospice. The staff were busy doing nothing mostly.

The rule did not cover faulty items, they could have been brought back for a full refund on any day (That was what we were told) Of course faulty items can be returned it is your LEGAL RIGHT. Changing your mind does not give you a LEGAL RIGHT

A_little_stressed!!

exel1966 wrote: »

As my earlier post states, I think it is reasonable for a few days after xmas to wait for a refund/exchange due to stores being very busy, HOWEVER you can't have your cake and eat it.
Why is it acceptable for Debenhams cashiers to tout for store card sales when the customer gets to the till, leaving the 26 people behind him in the queue waiting even longer when that customer agrees to sign up and 10 minutes is spent on his application !! Talk about causing considerable and unnecessary delay to other customers for the sake of a few quid comission.

We don't actually get ANY comission!! It may have been the case many years ago, but not any more!! The best we got was a small "After Eight" style chocolate for opening an account. We will hold the queue up as opening the card will allow the customer to benefit from a discount. I also ALWAYS remind customers to pay their bill completely each time it comes in.

saintscouple

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