Is Boots UK a pain when it comes to refunds/returns?

Dragonflew1010

pinkshoes said:

Dragonflew1010 said:

Their refund policy states "3 for 2 items can be returned individually but will be refunded based on the promotional price paid" which is pro rata right?

 The promotional price is paid is 3 for 2, so if you are returning one of the three items, you have only then purchased two items so no longer qualify for the 3 for 2 offer. Therefore the price you owe is the price of the other two unreturned items, and you have essentially returned the FREE item, hence your refund is £0.

Otherwise people could just buy three then return the item they didn't need for a third off the other two. They would then have to call it 1/3 off not a 3 for 2 offer!

Shops do pro-rata the refund but only when them item is returned for being faulty and there is no replacement available, so you pay 67% of the price of the remaining two items.


The person at the till probably should have explained to you that you would get zero refund and were better off keeping it. I would perhaps email them and say that this wasn't explained clearly at the till, and that had you known you were essentially returning a free item then you would have kept it, then as a good will gesture perhaps they could give you back the item you returned.

Thank you, you make sense in everything you've said. I actually did email what you stated multiple times but they didn't acknowledge it. Next time i'll just give them a call.

Dragonflew1010

As for the missing refund from the uncollected c+c order, i had to chase that up again as they ran into an issue processing the refund. That i will complain about.

eskbanker

Dragonflew1010 said:

The prices of the 3 items were £10, £10 and £11.39. I would've paid £21.39 (since one of the £10 was shown on the receipt as £0.00). I've left out the discounts as they are exclusive of the 3 for 2 offer and wouldn't apply for a "free item" obviously but if it were pro-rata i'd have expected £5.40 (after 1/3 off and discounts). I wasn't refunded anything at first since it was "free" despite me telling them multiple times that the staff took the item. But they offered a £3.33 goodwill refund since then. 

Ultimately, this seems to be all down to a staff error in-store but i guess i can only be cautious about returns and refunds next time, and 3 for 2 offers of course.

So, ignoring the additional offers and discounts, you effectively paid £21.39 instead of £31.39, by virtue of the 3 for 2 offer, and then returned one of the £10 items?  If so, then your net purchase became £11.39 + £10 = £21.39, with the 3 for 2 offer no longer applying, and therefore, as this is what you paid, no refund is due.

I still have no idea what "telling them multiple times that the staff took the item" means in the context of calculating any price adjustment?

Dragonflew1010

eskbanker said:

Dragonflew1010 said:

The prices of the 3 items were £10, £10 and £11.39. I would've paid £21.39 (since one of the £10 was shown on the receipt as £0.00). I've left out the discounts as they are exclusive of the 3 for 2 offer and wouldn't apply for a "free item" obviously but if it were pro-rata i'd have expected £5.40 (after 1/3 off and discounts). I wasn't refunded anything at first since it was "free" despite me telling them multiple times that the staff took the item. But they offered a £3.33 goodwill refund since then. 

Ultimately, this seems to be all down to a staff error in-store but i guess i can only be cautious about returns and refunds next time, and 3 for 2 offers of course.

So, ignoring the additional offers and discounts, you effectively paid £21.39 instead of £31.39, by virtue of the 3 for 2 offer, and then returned one of the £10 items?  If so, then your net purchase became £11.39 + £10 = £21.39, with the 3 for 2 offer no longer applying, and therefore, as this is what you paid, no refund is due.

I still have no idea what "telling them multiple times that the staff took the item" means in the context of calculating any price adjustment?

I calculated the price adjustment because they took back the item. If they didn't or explained there and then that i would be refunded nothing I wouldn't have. I'm not sure how they allow refunds of just one item if they don't do pro-rata refunds to be honest. 

eskbanker

Dragonflew1010 said:

eskbanker said:

Dragonflew1010 said:

The prices of the 3 items were £10, £10 and £11.39. I would've paid £21.39 (since one of the £10 was shown on the receipt as £0.00). I've left out the discounts as they are exclusive of the 3 for 2 offer and wouldn't apply for a "free item" obviously but if it were pro-rata i'd have expected £5.40 (after 1/3 off and discounts). I wasn't refunded anything at first since it was "free" despite me telling them multiple times that the staff took the item. But they offered a £3.33 goodwill refund since then. 

Ultimately, this seems to be all down to a staff error in-store but i guess i can only be cautious about returns and refunds next time, and 3 for 2 offers of course.

So, ignoring the additional offers and discounts, you effectively paid £21.39 instead of £31.39, by virtue of the 3 for 2 offer, and then returned one of the £10 items?  If so, then your net purchase became £11.39 + £10 = £21.39, with the 3 for 2 offer no longer applying, and therefore, as this is what you paid, no refund is due.

I still have no idea what "telling them multiple times that the staff took the item" means in the context of calculating any price adjustment?

I calculated the price adjustment because they took back the item. If they didn't or explained there and then that i would be refunded nothing I wouldn't have. I'm not sure how they allow refunds of just one item if they don't do pro-rata refunds to be honest. 

But the point is that a 3 for 2 offer isn't the same as a 1/3 off discount, so it's not particularly reasonable to expect to buy three and return one while paying less overall than if you'd originally just bought the two you decided to keep, as the smaller purchase wouldn't have qualified for the offer at all.  But yes, the staff should have explained this to you....

born_again

Dragonflew1010 said:

eskbanker said:

Dragonflew1010 said:

The prices of the 3 items were £10, £10 and £11.39. I would've paid £21.39 (since one of the £10 was shown on the receipt as £0.00). I've left out the discounts as they are exclusive of the 3 for 2 offer and wouldn't apply for a "free item" obviously but if it were pro-rata i'd have expected £5.40 (after 1/3 off and discounts). I wasn't refunded anything at first since it was "free" despite me telling them multiple times that the staff took the item. But they offered a £3.33 goodwill refund since then. 

Ultimately, this seems to be all down to a staff error in-store but i guess i can only be cautious about returns and refunds next time, and 3 for 2 offers of course.

So, ignoring the additional offers and discounts, you effectively paid £21.39 instead of £31.39, by virtue of the 3 for 2 offer, and then returned one of the £10 items?  If so, then your net purchase became £11.39 + £10 = £21.39, with the 3 for 2 offer no longer applying, and therefore, as this is what you paid, no refund is due.

I still have no idea what "telling them multiple times that the staff took the item" means in the context of calculating any price adjustment?

I calculated the price adjustment because they took back the item. If they didn't or explained there and then that i would be refunded nothing I wouldn't have. I'm not sure how they allow refunds of just one item if they don't do pro-rata refunds to be honest. 

To put this in it's simplest terms.

You bought 3 items in a 3 for 2 offer Cheapest FREE

Your returned 1 item for a refund, which they refunded for what you paid for it NOTHING.

As such the 3 for 2 offer is null & void. As you only bought 2 items.

Dragonflew1010

Sorry to revive this, but yet again, Boots have not refunded another uncollected order i made. If i didn't check, i wouldn't have known. If anyone orders from Boots.com, make sure to check if you have any returns.

I think next time i'll head in store and make sure it is returned if this situation arises again.

born_again

I don't get it order online & then never go & pick it up.🤷‍♀️

Store delivered too, may never have sent it back. If staff have not realised & it's at t he back of a pile of other items.

Dragonflew1010

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81944055#Comment_81944055

Good for you, i have my reasons why i didn't collect it but it is not a regular thing.

I did go check a week after it should have been sent back but the lady could not find my parcel.