Martin Lewis: Do you have a legal right to return goods bought instore? Most get this WRONG!

MSE_Emily

You DON'T have a legal right to return goods bought in store if you change your mind, warns Martin Lewis in the lead-up to Christmas. The MoneySavingExpert.com founder explains your consumer rights in the latest episode of ITV's The Martin Lewis Money Show Live...

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Martin Lewis: Do you have a legal right to return goods bought instore? Most get this WRONG!

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Murphybear

Good article from Martin.  As always, he explains it clearly.  Fortunately many shops will take back goods after Christmas if people change their minds.  I think M & S have always done so.  One point that’s important.  If the recipient of a Christmas present doesn’t like it then they don’t have the right to return it, it has to be the purchaser.  I don’t know if the shops are strict about this.  

born_again

Murphybear said:

Good article from Martin.  As always, he explains it clearly.  Fortunately many shops will take back goods after Christmas if people change their minds.  I think M & S have always done so.  One point that’s important.  If the recipient of a Christmas present doesn’t like it then they don’t have the right to return it, it has to be the purchaser.  I don’t know if the shops are strict about this.  

Some stores give a gift receipt that can be passed to the gift receiver & they can return using that.

TELLIT01

I watched the programme and think about 46% of people had the right answer.  Possibly surprisingly high as there seems to be tendency for people to expect to take back anything, anytime, anywhere.  Not being permitted to do so somehow infringes on their 'rights'!

soolin

My DS did retail work at university and the independent shop he worked in had a no refund for change of mind refund policy. He always said the moment someone came in to change or return something and said ‘ I know my rights’ it was almost guaranteed that they didn’t. 

CazMazTedz

I've just been told that if you buy from Argos, and pick it up in a Sainsbury's supermarket, you can't return it to the Sainsbury's outlet, as they don't have re-packaging facilities.
Has anyone else come across this?

eskbanker

CazMazTedz said:

I've just been told that if you buy from Argos, and pick it up in a Sainsbury's supermarket, you can't return it to the Sainsbury's outlet, as they don't have re-packaging facilities.
Has anyone else come across this?

https://help.argos.co.uk/help/refunds-&-returns/home-delivery-and-store-collection-returns/home-delivery-and-store-returns

StevieD54

Perhaps the most popular example of not giving a refund is SportsDirect. I fell foul of them years ago after buying walking shoes, decided I didn’t like them and was stunned when the guy said ‘we don’t do refunds’ and referred me to a tiny sign on the desk saying just that. They gave me a credit, which took ages to redeem buying various items over time. I once witnessed a massive argument in their Llandudno store which ended with the guy being refused a refund, hurling his purchase at the assistant behind the counter and storming out, effing and blinding!!

eskbanker

StevieD54 said:

Perhaps the most popular example of not giving a refund is SportsDirect. I fell foul of them years ago after buying walking shoes, decided I didn’t like them and was stunned when the guy said ‘we don’t do refunds’ and referred me to a tiny sign on the desk saying just that. They gave me a credit, which took ages to redeem buying various items over time. I once witnessed a massive argument in their Llandudno store which ended with the guy being refused a refund, hurling his purchase at the assistant behind the counter and storming out, effing and blinding!!

That particular retail group certainly isn't renowned for customer service but I'm not convinced that it's appropriate to single them out here in that way, as most other bricks & mortar retailers also won't refund (in cash, as opposed to credit) for change of mind.

TELLIT01

StevieD54 said:

Perhaps the most popular example of not giving a refund is SportsDirect. I fell foul of them years ago after buying walking shoes, decided I didn’t like them and was stunned when the guy said ‘we don’t do refunds’ and referred me to a tiny sign on the desk saying just that. They gave me a credit, which took ages to redeem buying various items over time. I once witnessed a massive argument in their Llandudno store which ended with the guy being refused a refund, hurling his purchase at the assistant behind the counter and storming out, effing and blinding!!

That's more a tale of an 'entitled' customer than of a retailer doing anything wrong.  There has never been any legal right to a refund for anything other than faulty goods.  Many retailers did allow returns, but that was their decision, not any legal right.

born_again

StevieD54 said:

Perhaps the most popular example of not giving a refund is SportsDirect. I fell foul of them years ago after buying walking shoes, decided I didn’t like them and was stunned when the guy said ‘we don’t do refunds’ and referred me to a tiny sign on the desk saying just that. They gave me a credit, which took ages to redeem buying various items over time. I once witnessed a massive argument in their Llandudno store which ended with the guy being refused a refund, hurling his purchase at the assistant behind the counter and storming out, effing and blinding!!

Just proves that people do not understand that a instore purchase does not have a legal right to refund for change of mind.