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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:
MsSparkle · 02/12/2010 12:22

Of coarse she can shop where she likes but still, it's very odd to only rely on one pair of shoes! For spring, summer, autumn and winter...Hmm

Original poster
mufti · 02/12/2010 12:25

ms sparkle , m and s quality normally does last that long, yes
just add opqaues, m and s , when needed

OP posts:
perfumeditsawonderfullife · 02/12/2010 12:27

Yes mufti, I would have staged a sit in if need be I was so mad Grin They just wanted rid of me after five minutes. But bad service and shoddy goods really bug me.

The extended warranty thing makes me mad too. You buy an £800 Tv and it breaks after a year and two months. No warranty, no dice. But it is rubbish, under the sale of goods act, an item of that cost/spec is expected to last at least five years and the shop is obliged to repair/refund/replace it. People are getting ripped off too much nowadays.

Original poster
mufti · 02/12/2010 12:29

they get away with it as so many people dont know their rights, or dont bother , if they are well off enough perhaps

OP posts:
MsSparkle · 02/12/2010 12:30

Please post a link to these shoes. I would really like to see these shoes that you wear in really hot weather/rain/snow.

Original poster
mufti · 02/12/2010 12:32

you keep missing posts mssparkle, i have wellies for the snow.

OP posts:
MsSparkle · 02/12/2010 12:35

Well i think your slightly nuts but hey ho, you don't seem totally insaneGrin

SoupDragon · 02/12/2010 12:38

I can't see the problem with the shoes having just been removed. Returned a pair of walking boots, covered in mud, to TK Maxx because they were not waterproof.
They refunded me without any hassle.

SoupDragon · 02/12/2010 12:47

I think the issue is that you said the tear was there before you wore them. by wearing them, you are (i think) deemed to have accepted the fault. If you had said the tear developed after you wore them, things may have gone differently.

christmaswishes · 02/12/2010 12:55

Hi mufti.
If I was you I would got back to m and s with all your paperwork eg receipts etc to show them. I would go back in your wellies with the boots in a bag. You said they had same boots in the store so I would get them to exchange the faulty ones for the ones in store. I would then make a complaint their and expect some compensation eg gift vouch for m and s for you having been without shoes. If they won't sort it out in store. You need to write a few letters then they should give you free gift vouchers too.x

christmaswishes · 02/12/2010 12:55

Hi mufti.
If I was you I would got back to m and s with all your paperwork eg receipts etc to show them. I would go back in your wellies with the boots in a bag. You said they had same boots in the store so I would get them to exchange the faulty ones for the ones in store. I would then make a complaint their and expect some compensation eg gift vouch for m and s for you having been without shoes. If they won't sort it out in store. You need to write a few letters then they should give you free gift vouchers too.x

magicwand · 02/12/2010 13:14

YABU.
You seriously expected to be given a refund after wearing the shoes?
Why could you have not gone and got your old shoes back from the bin?

Original poster
mufti · 02/12/2010 14:15

i think thats true soupdragon, she said it would be faulty goods if they had become split on wearing.

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 02/12/2010 15:04

I would take it back to a different store and lie.

SoupDragon · 02/12/2010 15:04

or even the same store.

MrsSOAK · 02/12/2010 15:51

you had to order the shoes online beacuse the store didn't have them in stock YET expect to be able to walk into the branch that didn't have them in stock and exchange a pair of WORN shoes for a new pair of shoes that had not been in stock previously?
You didn't think that this could be a problem and take some other footwear with you?
Xmas Confused

Filibear · 02/12/2010 16:04

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet for breaking our Talk Guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

Original poster
mufti · 02/12/2010 17:54

mrs soak , they had the style, but not my size when i saw them instore, as it says in op

OP posts:
ElsieMc · 02/12/2010 18:02

M and S have certainly gone downhill. I have had to return two items recently. One was an expensive cardigan bought for my birthday and yes, I was wearing it.

I was stood in a queue at the bank when I noticed that the arm had almost completely come away from the body of the cardigan. Quite funny really, I looked like I was wearing a hairy waistcoat. Walked into M and S and gave the staff a laugh if nothing else. However, they only offered me a credit note at first, as though the cardigan was fit for the purpose it was sold for. They gave in and refunded my money.

A real decline in standards.

Original poster
mufti · 10/01/2011 18:42

resurrecting this, i have had another bad experience today
i bought a skirt in bristol , wore it , threads started frayin and sequins started falling off
tried to take it back to my simply food today, and was told to take it back to nearest town with large m and s, i explained this would cost me nearly £5 in bus fare, they refused to refund as they dont sell them
they put me on phone to customer service who siad i could post it, but obviously this would be at my expense
here i am again stuck with faulty goods.not happy

OP posts:
KalokiMallow · 10/01/2011 20:01

Hang on, so in the first instance, you bought shoes, threw away your other shoes without checking the new shoes, then (at a later date) tried to return them after wearing them for a few days?

TheManWhoSoldtheWorld · 10/01/2011 20:53

I'm surprised you bought anything from M&S again considering your bad previous experience with them.

Iagreeabit · 10/01/2011 21:44

Package the shoes up, post them to the Executive Office at their Chester customer services office. Make sure you send them recorded delivery, with a letter explaining what has happened, and a photocopy of your receipt, ask them to refund your postage as well.

They will see how old the shoes are and should give you a refund! Hmm

Doesn't matter that you wore them, they are not fit for purpose and clearly have a fault!

TheManWhoSoldtheWorld · 10/01/2011 22:00

Ahhh now, you are doing her a disservice, she should at least include the skirt?

Kiyu · 09/01/2014 23:11

I only just read this thread. I know it is a long time ago. I used to work for M&S, not being biased but they have one of the best customer services (I work for another company now because of career development)

Your thread was "Am I being unreasonable?". Yes you are. In truth, I would really dread serving customers that are so unreasonable as you. Not only do you experience a crap day, the staff dealing with your query is also having a crap day by serving you. No offence.

A little rant and word of advice here.

  1. Don't be stupid as to throw your shoes away before you open the new pair.
  1. You mentioned it's in the wheelie bin, surely you could use something to fish them out. Common sense.
  1. Get more shoes.
  1. Don't ever wear shoes you plan on returning. Sales person is not going to take your case seriously. Item is not deemed faulty if you are able to wear it out and about. Plus it is store standard everywhere. Return item to get refund. You should have figured there may not be another shoe for you to exchange. Again common sense.
  1. You try inspecting a shoe that someone has worn. YUCK

What I would have said to you if I was serving you is, I apologise I can understand your situation, however with store policies I cannot refund without receiving the item back first.

By the way, when you require refund you should go to a high street store or online. Not Simply Food. I don't care if you don't have a store near you. You can send it through the post.

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