Retailer refunded directly when credit card chargeback raised - thoughts?

VoyagerXC

Ordered goods online and paid by credit card. UK customer buying from UK- based retailer.

Parcel arrived with some items damaged (due to inadequate packaging) and others having been substituted with inappropriate alternatives (i.e. beyond the bounds of what one might consider reasonable substitution).

Raised matter immediately (same day) with retailer by both email and telephone advising that I wished to return goods and receive a refund.

Initial warm email words from retailer promising speedy resolution but despite several follow-up emails and telephone calls (seemingly answered by well-trained bot rather than a human) over the next couple of weeks no action. Returns label or collection requested on each occasion but none forthcoming.

Spoke with credit card provider who, after allowing relevant period to elapse, invoked chargeback process.

Retailer refunded me in full the day after the credit card provider raised the chargeback. Credit card provider advised that my account had been credited and confirmed that it was a refund direct from the retailer and not a settlement through the chargeback process.

All good, or so I thought, apart from still wanting to be able to return the damaged and unwanted goods.

But no, the next day the retailer sent me an email claiming that invoice (dated date order was originally placed) was overdue and that if not settled by the end of following day they would instigate county court action for recovery of the "debt" plus costs.

Seems odd that after the retailer had not engaged for over a month they then voluntarily made repayment (I can only think possibly to avoid a negative mark against them with the credit card provider arising from a chargeback being raised?), but then almost immediately aggresively asserted that there is an outstanding debt to be settled.

Any thoughts?

Brie

I've heard similar stories before. And I think the issue is automation.

The refund likely wasn't possible when you are engaging with a bot of some sort and it needs to be referred to a actual human. This would include sending a returns label etc. And it seems like once a body has stepped in to press the refund button they forgot the label button as well. And then having not finished the process the bot kicks in again and sees you owe money and goes all ballistic mode and sends the threatening email.

The first thing to do at this point is to try to contact them again and ask for a returns label or confirmation in writing that there is no need to return the goods. Should they not respond appropriately and persist in the debt collection mode then simply wait til there is a court case raised and respond to that with all your evidence of what you have done to resolve the situation and their lack of response. If the "parking fine" (aka PCNs) board is anything to go by you calling their bluff will have the court case scraped. And if it isn't then you go and provide the evidence to show you were the good guy in this and it's them that wasn't playing fair.

VoyagerXC

Thank you - helpful advice as to next steps - have once again requested a returns label.