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Original poster

Refunded via Gift Card - Can they do this?

42 replies

WineGetsMeThroughIt · 19/05/2021 23:07

So I was in the mall the other week and I saw a top I liked in the window of River Island (a shop I never shop in!) They said they didn’t have my size, but said they could order it in for me and have it sent to my house. Fab. So I ordered one in the size they suggested. Then I got home and thought Hmm I think I’d probably be a size smaller. So I went online and ordered that one. And I was right, I was the smaller size so I kept it and sent the larger one that they ordered for me in store back. I’ve been waiting for the refund to go back on my card and I’ve just got an email through with the amount refunded onto a gift card. FFS I don’t want a fucking gift card and I want and need my money back.

I was not told in store that I would be refunded via gift card and didn't see anything on the returns slip saying I would be given a refund onto a gift card. Can they do this considering I never had the chance to try it on? Has anyone had any experience disputing this? The top is sold out online now so I cannot order the same size I need with the gift card and send the other one I bought online back.

I'm fuming. I don't want a gift card to bloody river island I've never shopped in there before, and likely never will again!

OP posts:
caringcarer · 19/05/2021 23:09

Could you gift it to someone?

Original poster
WineGetsMeThroughIt · 19/05/2021 23:11

@caringcarer

Could you gift it to someone?

I kinda need my money back 🥴

OP posts:
delilahbucket · 19/05/2021 23:12

Tell them that under the Consumer Contract Regulations they are legally obliged to issue you with a refund back to your original payment method.

Original poster
WineGetsMeThroughIt · 19/05/2021 23:16

@delilahbucket

Tell them that under the Consumer Contract Regulations they are legally obliged to issue you with a refund back to your original payment method.

Thank you. I assumed there must have been some kind of act / rights like that. I'll look it up so I have it to hand.

OP posts:
Justforphoto · 19/05/2021 23:19

@delilahbucket

Tell them that under the Consumer Contract Regulations they are legally obliged to issue you with a refund back to your original payment method.
The right to a refund applies to off premises purchases which this wasn't under the consumer contract regulations
Original poster
WineGetsMeThroughIt · 19/05/2021 23:25

@Justforphoto I had a look at the act mentioned but couldn't find anything specific to my situation.

So are you saying I have no option but to accept the gift card? ☹️

OP posts:
MarcelineMissouri · 19/05/2021 23:28

I don’t think there’s a legal obligation to refund at all if it was purchased store - only if it’s faulty.

MarcelineMissouri · 19/05/2021 23:28

*in store

hummf · 19/05/2021 23:28

Maybe its because it was an in store order rather than online. So you need to return it via the store. I guess if you paid for it instore only they can refund back onto your card.

CoolCatTaco · 19/05/2021 23:28

I don't think they have to refund you at all if you didn't buy online and it isn't faulty. I think most exchanges are based on goodwill. The Martin Lewis website is a good source of advice for this sort of issue.

Palavah · 19/05/2021 23:29

Have you contacted their customer services and asked them?

Original poster
WineGetsMeThroughIt · 19/05/2021 23:31

Thanks all.

No, not contacted customer service as they're closed and only just got the email with gift card refund.

I guess I just assumed because I didn't see the top and get to try it on that it would have been treated the same as an online order.

OP posts:
PurpleSunrise · 19/05/2021 23:32

Was it a sale item?

omgthepain · 19/05/2021 23:49

Are river island about to go into liquidation or are they in financial trouble??

If so get the gift card spent before the administrators stop taking them!

Original poster
WineGetsMeThroughIt · 20/05/2021 00:13

@PurpleSunrise

Was it a sale item?
No, full price
OP posts:
Original poster
WineGetsMeThroughIt · 20/05/2021 00:13

@omgthepain

Are river island about to go into liquidation or are they in financial trouble??

If so get the gift card spent before the administrators stop taking them!

Are they??? I've not heard that before. But tbh wouldn't surprise me.

OP posts:
Original poster
WineGetsMeThroughIt · 20/05/2021 00:15

I found this buried in the fine print on their website T&C's. I wasn't wanted about this in store, nor was I told when I called customer service last week to actually check if I was able to return the item via post or if it had to go back to store.

*Returning Orders placed in one of our River Island stores

If you decide to return Your Order placed in our River Island stores to Our distribution centre, Your Order will be cancelled and We will issue a refund card to be spent in any River Island store, on our Website or mobile app. If Your Order is returned to Your chosen River Island store, We will issue a refund to the payment method used to place the Order.*

OP posts:
omgthepain · 20/05/2021 00:16

@WineGetsMeThroughIt

I'm not sure of their financial situation I'm just wondering if they are if they're trying to fob you off with a voucher

So many retailers have gone under tho; Laura Ashley, Debenhams, topshop to name afew

But my advice would be get the voucher spent x

Lockdownbear · 20/05/2021 00:20

How did you pay for the second top? Could you return it and buy it with the gift card?

JollyAndBright · 20/05/2021 00:23

Why not just return the second one you bought online for a refund and then use the gift card to reorder it, it’s a faff but you won’t be out of pocket.

AntiSocialDistancer · 20/05/2021 00:30

This is surely against the distance selling regs because you did not have goods before handing over money?

Since June 2014, the rights and protections you had under the Distance Selling Regulations were transferred to the Consumer Contracts Regulations.

If you buy something, without seeing it in person first, for example, if you make an online purchase, you are covered under the Consumer Contracts Regulations, as well as the Consumer Rights Act.

Original poster
WineGetsMeThroughIt · 20/05/2021 00:42

@Lockdownbear

How did you pay for the second top? Could you return it and buy it with the gift card?

I bought it online via Klarna. I'm not sure if I can return it in store. I will check.

OP posts:
Original poster
WineGetsMeThroughIt · 20/05/2021 00:44

@JollyAndBright

Why not just return the second one you bought online for a refund and then use the gift card to reorder it, it’s a faff but you won’t be out of pocket.

It's sold out online, so can't order it with the gift card. I will see if I can return via the store and then use the gift card. But that's such a pain in the ass.

OP posts:
Original poster
WineGetsMeThroughIt · 20/05/2021 00:46

@AntiSocialDistancer

This is surely against the distance selling regs because you did not have goods before handing over money?

Since June 2014, the rights and protections you had under the Distance Selling Regulations were transferred to the Consumer Contracts Regulations.

If you buy something, without seeing it in person first, for example, if you make an online purchase, you are covered under the Consumer Contracts Regulations, as well as the Consumer Rights Act.

Thank you for this. I will try and call to speak with a senior customer service person tomorrow. Normally I wouldn't be that bothered, but the fact that I wasn't aware and wasn't warned of this policy really annoys me, as does the fact of having a gift card to a shop I don't really fancy anything else from
OP posts:
Fitforforty · 20/05/2021 04:39

@MarcelineMissouri

I don’t think there’s a legal obligation to refund at all if it was purchased store - only if it’s faulty.
This is correct.
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