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AIBU?

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Original poster

MARKS AND SPENCER CUSTOMER SERVICE IS A JOKE

128 replies

mufti · 01/12/2010 12:30

i have not used this topic before and just need to get this down / off my chest, i think.
i needed new shoes and got some birthday money i have always been a great fan of m & s , and spent loads there, so this is really upsetting.
i only have a SIMPLY FOOD where i live, so first chance i got , i went into large town an hour on the bus.and found a pair, if only they had had my size in, none of this would have happened
as they didnt , i noted the style number, and ordered at home online, getting them delivered to the simply food store, which is a good system normally, as you save delivery charge
so, opened them , threw away old scruffy pair and the packaging.
i went to wear them and found a small split in the leather.
i wore them ,as i had to, no other shoes, then got back into the large town last weds, 24th, and took them to customer service, expecting an exchange
huh, first assistant took shoe away, came back , "you shouldnt have worn them"
i explained ,and asked for the manager - in a meeting
so she fetched what appeared to be a catering manager. who was even less helpful and quite rude
she said i should have returned them sooner, seems it would have not been a problem if they had split since i got them. then they would be classed as faulty goods
she wanted me to leave them, i asked if i should go home barefoot, she accused me of being pedantic!
she offered to make a call to see if there had been problems with any others, i had to get the next bus home for school run, and they are hourly. i told her all this, and i have no other shoes, im not that well off and i had said all this several times by now.
she then said, "well do you want me to help you or dont you?"
i said , " you could take my details and call me back later". she did so, but didnt call
i have spent the week since emailing customers services, who seem enable to read my emails as i told them i have nothing else to wear , i suggested i send them a photo, i suggested they send a replacement pair so i can them return the faulty one, they keep emailing me back saying return them
if you read all that thanks, im fed up, it is a very small split, but it could get bigger , and its just not good enough

OP posts:
Original poster
mufti · 01/12/2010 14:03

thank you lborolass,is that right?
they are now saying, after email galore today, take them to the simply food and get them to call customer services to confirm that thay are faulty. and i will get replacement or refund if i wish
and apologised for it not being sorted in store last week.

OP posts:
doughnutty · 01/12/2010 14:04

You still put the assistant and the manager in a very awkward position.
Like I said I'd have told you to bring them back on another day. I would not have inspected them minutes after they had been on your feet.

And if you can't see the comparison (regardless of the items value) I hope that your local branch is far away from mine.

Someone suggested earlier you post them back. I suggest that if you really think it's acceptable to expect shop workers to handle your worn, unwashed clothes and shoes perhaps you should shop online exclusively in the future.

It actually saddens me that you say you've worked in retail in the past. You obviously never had to deal with a customer like you. You were lucky.

Fifidedeal · 01/12/2010 14:04

Mufti - the boots had what was in my view a design fault - the heel was so narrow at the back that it pinched - not immediately noticeable wen trying on, but after a couple of short walks my heels were rubbed raw. To be honest I didn't really expect them to take them back but I thought I'd ask as we were talking about £80 and they were too uncomfortable to wear for more than a couple of minutes. I was surprised and delighted when they did exchange them for something else - but to me that's where M&S have always had the edge and why I do a lot of shopping there.

SuePurblybiltByElves · 01/12/2010 14:07

I think YANBU, what if the split had appeared after one wear? Still not reasonable to return them? I know I would.
Bit silly to wear them in though.

Original poster
mufti · 01/12/2010 14:08

same here fifi, in the past anyway

doughnutty, i worked in a grocery shop, their motto was refund AND replace, and some customers weere very rude, i wasnt rude in the verbal sense.

OP posts:
Original poster
mufti · 01/12/2010 14:09

sue, nothing else suitable to wear, and not another chance to get to the large store for a while
costs me £5 return to do so, so not often.

OP posts:
ClaireDeLoon · 01/12/2010 14:15

I also think YANBU - a split in the leather makes them not fit for purpose. It's not like you changed your mind about wanting them but wore them anyway and then expected a refund.

And you are definitely not BU about how crap M&S customer services are - they are terrible. I did the same as you a few weeks ago, arranged for items to be delivered to a store. Got an email to say that the items had been lost or damaged in transit, could I ring customer services. Did so and the guy said 'they are not lost or damaged and your package is at the store waiting for you to collect it' I asked him to double check, he reconfirmed. Went to the store, no package as items had been lost or damaged in transit. Was furious. Rang back customer services to request a refund and the person I spoke to said 'but that could take up to 48 hours' in a whiny voice. I felt like saying 'well in that case keep the money, gosh I wouldn't want to have to wait for a refund of items I don't have'. I think they're employing people without common sense tbh.

doughnutty · 01/12/2010 14:16

So you can't see that walking up to the counter with your shoes off makes it awkward?
You seriously can't see it?

That is what was unreasonable about what you did.

If you'd come in with the shoes in a bag I'd have looked at them and more than likely refunded you.

M&S customer services didn't give you what you wanted - Y think TABU. From your perspective they were.

From my perspective you, whether you meant to or not, tried to bully and/or intimidate the assistant and then the manager into giving you a refund. "But I only have this one pair of shoes!" YABvvvvU.

Original poster
mufti · 01/12/2010 14:18

and you had to phone at your expense claire
did you get your refund?

OP posts:
Fifidedeal · 01/12/2010 14:21

doughnutty - I trained in M&S stores all over the country and I think you must have been lucky - some of the horror stories I heard! In one store someone had had a poo in the changng room - really! To say nothing of the suit that had been used to dress a corpse and was then returned after the funeral! Grin

Original poster
mufti · 01/12/2010 14:22

doughnutty, how wouldposting them be ok then?
someone would still have had to handle them

i do appreciate what you are saying, i got to the counter , took off the shoe in question and showed the lady, i expected to put it back on while she perhaps looked for another pair, she took it off me and walked off with it.
picturm now of me standing on one leg waiting.

OP posts:
Original poster
mufti · 01/12/2010 14:22

fifi Shock

OP posts:
lborolass · 01/12/2010 14:23

doughnutty - what would you do if you were wearing the shoes for the first time and walking past M & S when the heel fell off ?

Would you seriously go home and come back on another day ?

I don't see the problem, even if you took them back in a bag they would still have been worn. How do you know the OP was bullying, maybe she was just explaining the problem.

Original poster
mufti · 01/12/2010 14:25

i kept explaining , even the bit having to get the bus home in 20 mins , and not being able to wait around while she made a phone call

OP posts:
ClaireDeLoon · 01/12/2010 14:25

eww at the corpse suit thing fifi!

Yes mufti I did get a refund.

ClaireDeLoon · 01/12/2010 14:26

Mind you, eww at pooing in a changing room too

thekidsmom · 01/12/2010 14:34

I think YABU.

Your decision's maybe a little strange? You dont have another pair of shoes but are prepared to spend £35 on your one and only pair? If you'd bought 2 pairs for that price form somewhere else you would have a spare pair....

Original poster
mufti · 01/12/2010 14:36

thekidsmom, i was thinking of m and s quality?, and them lasting me , which cheaper ones less likely
thats still cheaper than clarks

OP posts:
doughnutty · 01/12/2010 14:38

Walking up to the counter and removing your shoe is bullying regardless of tone or manner.

And yes, maybe I would go into a shop if the heel fell off right outside but that's not what happened, and as I work in this industry I would not expect them to take the shoe off my foot, rush off to a cobbler to get it reheeled immediately then bring it back and put it back on my foot so I can carry on about my business. That would be unreasonable!

Original poster
mufti · 01/12/2010 14:39

doughnutty, i cant agree
i had to show her somehow , i showed her , and as i said , she took it.

OP posts:
Original poster
mufti · 01/12/2010 14:42

i keep getting emails back feom customer services, each one from someone different
it would be easier to deal with just one person

OP posts:
doughnutty · 01/12/2010 14:43

At least posting them would mean that the heat and sweatiness would have had a chance to dry out.
I'm pretty sure that the poor souls who have to handle returns at the depots will wear rubber gloves too. Not something that's provided in stores!

Fifi - I assure you I've had many dealings like this and worse but never had a copses suit returned Grin.

Makes you wonder why they told the story in the first place. "But he only wore it once for a couple of hours - it's not like he sweated in it!" Shock

Original poster
mufti · 01/12/2010 14:44

and worn whatin the meanwhile?
that would be the wellies i suppose?

OP posts:
Original poster
mufti · 01/12/2010 14:46

got to go school in a min, but thanks for all the replies, passed a dull afternoon anyway.
i ahve been advised to take them to simply food, i may try that tomorrow, maybe in my wellies as i am wearing them in the snow
didnt need them last week

OP posts:
bamboostalks · 01/12/2010 14:50

M and S shoes are appalling quality imo. They look dreadful too, very cheap. Spend your money elsewhere.

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