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Original poster

Grrr Primark

234 replies

WinterKitchen · 25/05/2025 15:32

A friend gave me a birthday bag with lots of stuff in which included some slippers and flip flops from Primark both of which were too small. I took them back today obviously unworn and they refused to change because I didn't have receipt.

After explaining several times that no I don't have a receipt because someone else bought them for me they asked did I have a gift receipt or a photograph of one. Of course not. I wouldn't ask for that and I didn't tell my friend I was returning the items as I didn't want to upset her or ask for a receipt.

I know the assistant can't do anything, and she offered to fetch a manager but I didn't see the point as they clearly wouldn't change the items. I told them to keep them as they're no good to me and that I would not be returning.

Just frustrating really. Only talking about £10 maybe, and I've already got far too many flip flops and slippers anyway. But I'm just annoyed.

OP posts:
nomas · 25/05/2025 17:39

ForkyDorky · 25/05/2025 17:37

Urgh are we really doing this to retail workers?

Agreed no one should be annoyed at retail workers just for following the rules.

ForkyDorky · 25/05/2025 17:37

Urgh are we really doing this to retail workers?

Naddd · 25/05/2025 17:37

It's literally to stop fraudulent returns.
I don't get why your friend would mind you exchanging for a bigger size?
As your friend I'd be annoyed you'd wasted my tenner!

nomas · 25/05/2025 17:37

Needmorelego · 25/05/2025 17:35

You said "if she was a thief she'd stolen the correct size".
I was saying that the common scam is not to literally steal an item and stuff it in your bag but to take an item directly off the shelf, go to the till, say you bought the wrong size but haven't the receipt but want to swap for correct size. Staff member agrees. The item you want in your correct size is placed in a bag, you now have a receipt (because you get a new one) and you walk out the door passing the security guard with an item you DID NOT PAY FOR.
That's why "just exchanging for a different size" is frequently refused.

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No, you DO NOT get a receipt when you do an exchange without a receipt!

So your whole scam premise falls down.

It’s about (1) stock control (2) discouraging refunds/ encouraging more purchases.

Cathandkin · 25/05/2025 17:35

It's very cheap, high turnover, and they get a lot of shop lifting. They have to keep exchanges to a minimum.

Needmorelego · 25/05/2025 17:35

nomas · 25/05/2025 17:30

What are you saying no to? Did you even read the exchange you responded to?

Show quote history

You said "if she was a thief she'd stolen the correct size".
I was saying that the common scam is not to literally steal an item and stuff it in your bag but to take an item directly off the shelf, go to the till, say you bought the wrong size but haven't the receipt but want to swap for correct size. Staff member agrees. The item you want in your correct size is placed in a bag, you now have a receipt (because you get a new one) and you walk out the door passing the security guard with an item you DID NOT PAY FOR.
That's why "just exchanging for a different size" is frequently refused.

nomas · 25/05/2025 17:32

The other thing about Primark is they refuse to accept a bank statement as proof of purchase.

nomas · 25/05/2025 17:30

LillyPJ · 25/05/2025 17:28

But only if you've got a receipt.

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That’s the point, Primark won’t even swap with a receipt after 30 days, so they’re unusual in the retail sector.

TimeForATerf · 25/05/2025 17:30

Couldn’t be arsed to RTFT, you didn’t have a receipt, you could have nicked them. HTH.

nomas · 25/05/2025 17:30

Needmorelego · 25/05/2025 17:29

No.
See the several posts on this thread about how the scam works.

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What are you saying no to? Did you even read the exchange you responded to?

nomas · 25/05/2025 17:29

Tootlebum · 25/05/2025 17:27

What I have done on two or three occasions is buy the same item in the correct size and use that receipt to return the original. Simple.

You can’t do that, each size has its own individual code at Primark.

Needmorelego · 25/05/2025 17:29

nomas · 25/05/2025 17:27

She didn’t ask for a refund, she asked to swap size.

If she was a thief, she would have just stolen the correct size.

Show quote history

No.
See the several posts on this thread about how the scam works.

IzzyHandsIsMySpiritAnimal · 25/05/2025 17:29

I think YAB a bit U

You could easily have messaged your friend and said something like "I loved the slippers/flip flops but unfortunately they're coming up too small on me. Is there a way we can sort out exchanging for a bigger size?"

Then the ball is their court - they can send you the receipt or swap the items over.

I don't know of any shops that do exchanges without proof of purchase on the basis that someone could grab something off the shelf and then try to get a refund on it, saying it was a gift. An unfortunate situation but that's how retail is nowadays.

LillyPJ · 25/05/2025 17:28

nomas · 25/05/2025 17:27

H&M do exchange after 30 days, so not sure what you’re on about.

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But only if you've got a receipt.

nomas · 25/05/2025 17:28

Needmorelego · 25/05/2025 17:27

Primark doesn't have tags.

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I’m talking about the shop Dangermoo was referring to, not Primark.

nomas · 25/05/2025 17:27

LillyPJ · 25/05/2025 17:26

If you've not got a receipt, you might have stolen them for all they know. I suspect that might happen in quite a few shops. You can't expect a refund unless you have proof of purchase. YAB very U.

She didn’t ask for a refund, she asked to swap size.

If she was a thief, she would have just stolen the correct size.

Coconutter24 · 25/05/2025 17:27

Calliopespa · 25/05/2025 17:20

Well I don’t know as I don’t support fast fashion.

But I’m assuming if it had the security tag they might cotton in to the fact it hadn’t been purchased yet.

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They don’t have security tags in primark

Needmorelego · 25/05/2025 17:27

nomas · 25/05/2025 17:25

The staff won’t refund you an item that has security tags on, that’s madness.

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Primark doesn't have tags.

Tootlebum · 25/05/2025 17:27

What I have done on two or three occasions is buy the same item in the correct size and use that receipt to return the original. Simple.

nomas · 25/05/2025 17:27

SafeToUse · 25/05/2025 16:50

OP, have you ever returned an item without a receipt and been given another in a bigger/smaller size? Where? Because I shop a lot, and the days of being able to do this are long long gone.

But there is a thing on here where Primark gets bashed every few months. Their policies are no different to eg H&M, but it's only ever Primark that gets the hate. Funny that.

H&M do exchange after 30 days, so not sure what you’re on about.

LillyPJ · 25/05/2025 17:26

If you've not got a receipt, you might have stolen them for all they know. I suspect that might happen in quite a few shops. You can't expect a refund unless you have proof of purchase. YAB very U.

diddl · 25/05/2025 17:25

Why didn't you just talk to your friend?

Maybe she had a receipt or some other proof of purchase?

nomas · 25/05/2025 17:25

Cathandkin · 25/05/2025 17:15

Because they don't leave the shop. They browse, steal the item, then ask for money back.

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The staff won’t refund you an item that has security tags on, that’s madness.

latetothefisting · 25/05/2025 17:24

some shops (e.g. next) seem to have systems whereby if they scan an item they can see when it was sold and where. they've done it before when I didn't have a receipt.
I wonder why primark can't do the same? Because they sell so much stock and it moves so fast, maybe?

Needmorelego · 25/05/2025 17:24

Calliopespa · 25/05/2025 17:20

Well I don’t know as I don’t support fast fashion.

But I’m assuming if it had the security tag they might cotton in to the fact it hadn’t been purchased yet.

Show quote history

Yes in shops with tags on the scam doesn't work.
Many clothes retailers don't have tags though.
Non clothing shops items don't tend to either or they might have stick on ones that quite frankly are quite easy to remove.
That's why in some shops items like Lego or Squishmallows are now having to be kept in locked cabinets.
People are just stealing too much.