Returning an online purchase

Lloyd90 wrote: »

Hi guys,

Hoping you can help with a query.

I purchased a heavy punchbag online on 8/01/19 - the bag was £190 + £30 heavy item shipping fee.

The bag was supposed to be delivered on 11/01/19 but the first attempt wasn’t made until 14/01/19 when the driver tried to pickup whilst I was at work.

They missed me again on th 16/01/19 but not wanted to keep messing the driver about I just went to the collection depo and picked it up myself. So I received my item on 16/01/19.

Upon getting it home and unpackaged I soon found that buying online you don’t get to see the item in person and it was just too big for the space I had in mind. I looked at several other options but noted that it just wouldn’t work.

As I was aware online transactions can be returned within 14 days for this very reason, so I messaged the seller to say sorry but the bag doesn’t fit the space and I would like to return.

I was thinking I would have to pay £30 my end to send it back and I would obviously lose this, plus I imagine they would not refund the shipping that they paid to send it so I would lose £60. Ouch. Costly mistake.

I’m a bit annoyed however that the seller has come back and said that they are also going to charge me another £30 “restocking fee”.

Apparently it was in their T&C’s ... obviously like everyone else I read the T&Cs in great detail ... oh wait no I didn’t!

I was not emailed a copy of the T&C’s I think they might have been on the checkout page but I hadn’t been able to access them at all.

I had great difficult even finding any information at all about returns and there is nothing on their website.

Could you all please advise me on the following.

1) do I need to arrange the return and pay the postage? It is approx £35 as a heavy item going from Bristol to up North.

2) Can I be charged the re-stocking fee? It’s a bit salty.

3) do I get refunded the original postage cost or just the cost of the item?

Potentially looking at being £90 out of pocket an expensive lesson!

PS I paid by credit card if that makes any difference.

Lloyd90 wrote: »

What I meant is, the reason they have the online buying protections is because when you buy something online it might not be what you expect in person 😂
Sorry didn’t word it very well.

So I should have to pay to post it back - approx £35, BUT I should get refunded the full original £220 and they shouldn’t be able to charge me a restocking fee?

What is the examination cost you mean please mate?

While you have to pay to return the goods, the retailer has to refund the basic delivery cost of getting the goods to you in the first place. If you opted for enhanced service eg guaranteed next day, it only has to refund the basic cost.


Your refund for the goods must be paid within 14 calendar days after returning the goods, or evidence that they were returned.
A deduction can be made if the value of the goods has been reduced as a result of you handling the goods more than was necessary.


The extent to which you can handle the goods is the same as it would be if you were assessing them in a shop.