Grrr Primark

Why?

I get a receipt for everything. It's proof of purchase, and essential for a return or refund. I also check them against my bank statements..

if they won’t exchange them, they may as well put them back on the shelves and someone else buy/make use of them, rather than go to landfill.

People have already explained multiple times that they won't put them out on the shelf.

Actually a bit of a bug for me when people linger around for a receipt for EVERYTHING. Unless it’s a really high cost purchase, or leaving Costco. Who even keeps a receipt these days?

yanbu it’s such a non-effort to do a straight swap.

In my 30 years of retail, 99% of the people who say they won't come back are met with a celebration. The most common thought I have is "Do you promise?"

Stores legally don't even have to refund with a receipt unless faulty, Primark's policy gives you MORE rights than the law.

Hi @WinterKitchen I share your frustration.

As PP have said, they may not be able to give you a refund or a gift card to avoid encouraging shop-lifters. But, if it’s an item they still have for sale and it’s clearly unused and undamaged (e.g. shoes still fastened together so clearly haven’t be worn), it’s v unreasonable to not offer you an exchange to the correct size. You came in with the item and left with the same item, just in another size. I sometimes show the security guard as I enter, or go straight to a shop assistant to proove I came in with them.

And the people who suggested it’s churlish to leave them there seem to be missing the obvious (environmentally-friendly) point that, if they won’t exchange them, they may as well put them back on the shelves and someone else buy/make use of them, rather than go to landfill. I’ve done it before myself. And at that point they’ve usually offered me an exchange or gift card, as no one trying to rip them off would give them back for nothing. So, it can be a way to show you’re genuine.

Though, rather than hand them back, better to donate them to a charity shop if you can’t be bothered to sell them and buy yourself a similar pair to the ones your friend chose for you. Or regift them. Stops Primark making even more money.

Personally, if I liked the items but they were the wrong size, I’d have explained to the friend and asked if she had proof of purchase so I could change. If I preferred a different pair, I’d swap for those and tactfully say they didn’t have the ones they’d chosen in my size or they didn’t feel comfy. But I’d chose something as similar as possible, which I’d consider to be their gift, as I really appreciated the thought. Otherwise, you friend may wonder why they never see your wearing them and think you didn’t like them. Or assume they bought the correct size and give you other things that size in future. I’d much rather people asked me for a receipt if a gift doesn’t fit.

I used to work at CEX and my gosh it was awful. The customers are so rude and entitled and you just have to take it (most of the time!). Personally think every adult should have to work in retail for a month lol. Or hospitality!

Ask for the reciept. It's not like you were saying that the gifts were awful so want to change , it was sizing! That friend now may buy that size again for you in the future and you'll be in same situation

Primark wouldn’t have put the items back out on the floor to sell. They would have put them in to lost property. If the items aren’t claimed after a month then they are given to charity.

Surely its common sense to know that you are not going to get an exchange or refund without a receipt, or anybody could just pick something off a shelf and say it doesn't fit.

Leaving the stuff there and saying you won't be returning is just embarrassing, Primark won't notice and the shop assistant will just be cheering inside that they won't have to deal with you again.

Why couldn't you message your friend and tell her you loved the slippers & flipflops but they weren't quite the right size so could she please let you have the receipt so you could get the correct size?

@nomas I don't quite know why you are being defensive about this.
Primark policy is (the usual retail rule) that they will refund or exchange within a certain timeframe providing you have a receipt.
If you exchange you get a new receipt with your replacement items on.
If you refund you get a receipt showing the refund.
Their policy is "no receipt, no refund or exchange".
Ok. Fine.
But on RARE occasions the store manager could use their discretion and permit the exchange.
At that point the transaction goes through the till.
And "ta da" you get a receipt.
It's not complicated.

Do you really think Primark will put them back out for sale??
they could be from last years stock!!

For what?

Yes, I'd much rather someone did this than just wasted the money.

Nice try, though.

Whatever my dear 😂
(I guess you don't know how modern tills work. Any transaction that goes through the till generates a receipt)

Again, I don’t believe that you have a receipt for an exchange without a receipt. Your posts have consistently shown you don’t know how Primark operate.

If I could be arsed to rummage at the bottom of my bag I could quite easily find a Primark receipt that's for an exchange. When I return or exchange something I always get a new receipt.
Oh I said at the managers discretion they may refund/exchange without a receipt. Rare...but if circumstances seem ok to the manager they MAY do it.

That's why it can depend on how a person talks to the staff - despite what some people on this thread think - managers can make a rare decision to allow an exchange if they believe it's genuine.
99% of the time it will be "no receipt no exchange" but occasionally it is permitted.

You stated that Primark is one of the stores that not only gives an exchange without a receipt, but also gives you a receipt for the exchange. This is so patently false and devoid of reality that it makes me disbelieve anything you say, including your purported charm, which I also disbelieve.

… and getting very worked up about it too!

Well shoplifters would have a field day nicking stuff and returning it for a refund if they refunded without receipts though.

Ok.
You don't have too.
Whatever 😂
It's happened in other stores (on the rare occasions I haven't got a receipt).
Maybe my body language and the way I talk to the staff has helped (ie being polite and calm).

2025 in all its glory.