Debenhams Refund

karenbp

A few weeks ago I bought two dresses from Debenhams for £127.

When I started the online return process, I didn't realise I needed to click the credit card refund option, as otherwise the refund would automatically be processed as a gift card with a bonus of 20%.

I didn't complete the process and immediately emailed customer services who advised that there policy was no changes could be made, but that I could click the back button. This failed and I emailed again to say it didn't work and that I didn't want the gift card refund. I also advised that I would raise a dispute with my credit card. They did not reply to my email. I emailed again, but no reply.

I have now received the gift card, which is valid for 90 days. Do you think I can pursue this with my credit card. I feel annoyed because it was a simple error. No telephone number is available to contact them. I have emailed them mine.

I could put it down to experience, but feel it's the principal of the matter and concerned for those who have also been caught out.

Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

soolin

I'm sure others more knowledgeable than me can advise, but I'm not sure on what basis you could dispute this with card?

You (accidently) asked for a gift card refund, which you got so unfortunately I'm not sure that a card would cover a user error.

born_again

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6657186/debenhams-refund

 Do you think I can pursue this with my credit card. I feel annoyed because it was a simple error.

No as company have offered a refund, as selected by you & would simply reject under that basis.

Chargebacks or S75 (not that it would apply in this case) do not cover customer error or change of mind.

Okell

This problem has cropped up before with Debenhams.

I think @A_Geordie has commented previously that this is a very dodgy practice and that Debenhams are sailing close to the legal wind by making a gift card the default option.

The default option ought to be whatever method you paid for the dresses.

A_Geordie

I think the post I made in another thread below sums it up.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81821160#Comment_81821160

Pre-selecting the option for gift card automatically is already questionable where the law says it must be refunded via the original payment method unless agreed otherwise. So the selection should start with payment back to card or have no pre-selection at all and leave it to user choice.

If that particular page has been intentionally designed to be deceiving or use of what I would call 'dark patterns' e.g. the refund via gift card is in size 24 font but the refund back to card is in size 8 font or is somewhat obscure and harder to se, then I do think Debenhams are sitting on a slippery slope and that in of itself would be decent grounds to argue unfair commercial practices/non-compliance with consumer rights.

I don't shop with Debenhams and I haven't actually seen the refund page in question so I am speculating but what I'm struggling with is why so many people are falling for this trap. Is it because everyone wizzes through the page without reading what they're doing or is Debenhams really using deceptive tactics.

If people are really aggrieved by this, they should either sue Debenhams or at least complain to the CMA.

Alderbank

'…I don't shop with Debenhams and I haven't actually seen the refund page in question so I am speculating but what I'm struggling with is why so many people are falling for this trap…'

I think it might be because BooHoo are marketing people and you are not.

If you return say £100-worth of goods they say 'We will refund you either your £100 back in cash or £120 in vouchers.' Many customers don't consider that a scam - they would see it as a nice deal.

A_Geordie

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81903025#Comment_81903025

I don't believe the issue lies with the marketing or the amount offered on gift card, rather it's that there has been an increase in people complaining that they thought they should be getting a refund back to their bank account, but are receiving their refund by way of a gift card due to the way Debenhams and their group companies have configured the refund process.

Is it simply a customer error by not reading/reviewing the the returns process properly, or is Debenhams deliberately doing something that is making it easier for the consumer to select refund by gift card option and not back to the original payment method.

I'm curious enough I might do a test purchase for a cheap item and see what the actual fuss is about.

karenbp

Thank you for all the replies, which are very much appreciated and informative. In the future I will avoid shopping with Debenhams, not only because of the refund issue, but also the difficulties in dealing with customer services (AI generated reply; no telephone number contact; and no responses to my subsequent two emails). I think Debenhams could have taken in to account that this was an error and as a gesture of goodwill changed the refund payment.

born_again

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81903084#Comment_81903084

I would go with retailer adding option, as some regular shoppers will like the option & people simply not looking at the options & simply assuming that it would be back to card.

Perhaps better to have a either or choice that has to be physically selected before any refund is processed or just not give a option & straight back to payment method.

Largs

debs9.jpg

Not sure if you will be able to see the image above which appears after you press RETURN on an item in your order history.

A_Geordie

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81904036#Comment_81904036

Thanks, I shared that image with my partner and she says when she returned her items it definitely didn't look like that. All she was presented with was 2 lines of text in smallish writing, one for refund by card and the other being refund by gift card (pre-selected).

Can you confirm if that return was for a third party return or Debenhams? I'd be intrigued if Debenhams returns are different to that. Obviously a change like that seems quite significant (if I take what my partner suggested it looked like) so I wonder if their legal team have discovered what has been going on or perhaps something else…