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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be annoyed with B & Q

91 replies

vickibee · 27/10/2011 10:37

giving me a CN for 5 rolls of wallpaper (40 quidish) and having lost proof of purchase. Have they changed their policy as have not had problem before.? WHat use is it - we overpurchased to be on the safe side, got 30 rolls for our three storey staircase.

OP posts:
borderslass · 27/10/2011 11:27

I took 3 rolls back about 2 months after buying had lost receipt they cost around £10 each was given £15 credit note this was 2 or 3 years ago policy might have changed now. B&Q also have 3 month policy on returns.

Greenshadow · 27/10/2011 11:28

Have you spoken to the store manager?
Always worth going to the top.

SoupDragon · 27/10/2011 11:31

"what sort of things do you mean dreaming?it wud be v diff to stwal wallpaper you can't exactly stuff it up your jumper!!!"

LOL. I used to think like that until an acquaintance of a friend walked out of Argos with a stolen flymo.

"You could even say they have tricked her into buying something she didn't need"

Only if you life in fantasy land. She lost the receipt. How are they meant to look up a mysterious transaction from several months ago?

BTW, bank statement etc is not necessarily accepted as proof of purchase.

tooearlymustdache · 27/10/2011 11:32

they will not want the rolls back on their shelves as they will be part of a particular batch number and my differ slightly from ones in stock too

JaneBirkin · 27/10/2011 11:35

I'm just giving an example of what they are able to do if they put their mind to it.

For instance yesterday I called up a pushchair shop about a buggy I bought two and a half years ago. They agreed to replace a part free as there is a known fault.
I asked whether I'd need a proof of purchase as I didn't know where it was.
They said no, looked up my name and address on their computer and found the transaction within 60 seconds.

It's just a different attitude to customer service.
I know they're not obliged to refund the OP. But I think in the light of their reluctance to even offer a straight exchange, they should not have encouraged her to overbuy.

blackoutthesun · 27/10/2011 11:35

you lost the proof of purchase

suck it up!

JaneBirkin · 27/10/2011 11:36

That's pleasant Hmm

JaneBirkin · 27/10/2011 11:37

Oh of course it's AIBU...what did she expect, bla bla bla

NinkyNonker · 27/10/2011 11:41

They are hardly likely to keep customer records of everyone who buys wallpaper ae they! Totally different purchase.

I understand it is annoying, but YABU. You said yourself it was months ago, you have no proof of purchase so on many counts they would be quite naive (but nice) to issue any form of recompense.

That said, you could always try a different store.

GoodAndBluts · 27/10/2011 11:43

YABU! They gave you a credit note, they didn't have to, especially as you purchased it over their 28 day return policy and had no POP.

JaneBirkin · 27/10/2011 11:45

Yes but two months ago isn't asking much. I bet they have got a record of it.
Especially if they do have a 3 month purchase thing going on, it would be dim not to.

Anyway I understand it;s down to the OP to keep a record but honestly, they have had God knows how much business from her and to swap 5 rolls of wallpaper that they encouraged her to buy would be a nice gesture.

I'd go to management and then HO, because it's silly.

EasilyBored · 27/10/2011 11:48

Have always had good experience of customer service at B&Q. We returned a dehumidifyer (thing sounded like a jet engine when it was running), even though we had used it they gave us a full refund. Have also returned unused paint etc for a full refund. I thought they had a 3 month returns policy also? How long had you had the wallpaper? Without a receipt, and if it's after the time frame they don't really owe you anything. Also - how could you not know how much you need? Measure the walls, look at how much is in a roll, do the sums, depending on the pattern you might need to buy one extra roll. Oh, and keep your receipt.

I guess you could just try and sell it on ebay?

Everlong · 27/10/2011 11:50

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Everlong · 27/10/2011 12:03

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JaneBirkin · 27/10/2011 21:44

She doesn't want a cash refund, and the individual shops while possibly into the hundreds, won't have that many returns to process per week.

I just think it's shoddy. Plenty of shops do offer an exchange without a receipt.

Shakirasma · 27/10/2011 21:53

Plenty of shops do offer an exchange without a receipt.

Yes, I work for one of them and I bloody wish we didn't cos we get ripped off left right and centre. And it's the staff that pay the price because we can't earn bonus cos our shrinkage is too high.

Kayano · 27/10/2011 21:55

I like bnq

If I lost a receipt - which I never do, I wouldn't even try to take it back

YABU

JaneBirkin · 27/10/2011 21:59

How though would she have pinched 5 rolls of wallpaper, and why, and for what would she want even to bother to try and exchange them for MORE wallpaper if she had - surely she would just nick what she wanted in the first place? It doesn't make sense...they told her to buy extra, so they should honour their promise to accept it back,
UNLESS they told her at the time that she would need the receipt for this.

It's common practise in tile shops and wallpaper shops to let you buy more than you need to return after the job. They shouldn't suggest and encourage this unless they are willing to stand by it.

If it was a random item, easy to pinch and not quantity-unstable (in terms of estimating) then I would say suck it up, too. But it's not and it was their idea.

GoodAndBluts · 27/10/2011 22:01

Did the B&Q have the refunds desk at the entrance before you go instore? The two local ones to me do. A credit note just saves someone dragging whatever they are returning to exchange and faffing on with an exchange. Can't see the problem tbh

ShellyBoobs · 27/10/2011 22:11

You bought something months ago which you're now trying to return without a receipt? Confused

YABU.

SoupDragon · 27/10/2011 22:21

"UNLESS they told her at the time that she would need the receipt for this."

Every single shop requires you to have proof of purchase. It really shouldn't have come as a surprise. Hmm

Worth trying to get an exchange but if no luck, tough.

Everlong · 27/10/2011 22:45

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

workshy · 27/10/2011 22:58

I work for another DIY store -not B&Q
if it was something we sold we would exchange if it was still a line we stocked, even up to 6 months

the stock accounting system B&Q use makes it very difficult to track transactions so esp if it was something like blown vynal which is regularly sold in quantity it would be a mamouth task to find the corresponding transaction, and it's not their responsibility to do so

and you would be amazed how large items can be stolen, shoplifting is not just about shoving something up your jumper, it now involves hovering around the entrance door and getting your mate to trigger the entrance barrier so you can escape out of the entrance rather than the exit, throwing stuff over the garden centre wall, using your 10 yo son 'cause he can run faster than you, filling up your nan's shopping trolley, or loading up a trolley, letting the cashier scan it and then go out into the carpark with the trolley while DP pays -strangely enough, their card then gets declined Hmm

WholeLottaRosie · 27/10/2011 23:00

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JaneBirkin · 28/10/2011 08:03

Everlong, she hasn't got a credit note. They wouldn't give her one. I know the title / OP is confusing.

I'm only saying they ought to honour it because it was their idea to buy too much.

I think it's pretty poor to say buy a load more than you need and bring back the rest, and then not let her when it's only a bit past their 45 days and wallpapering isn't an instant job.

I know it's not their responsibility but I think it's poor. That's all. If I was running a shop I'd use my discretion on this one...the 'buy more' conversation sounds Oh so helpful and personal, and suddenly now, she's someone they don't remember.

So they need to make their minds up about whether they want to offer a personal helpful service or an impersonal, sorry mate, can't do that, you could be anyone type service.