to be feeling robbed by M&S....

[BrevetsDesposes]

Returned a blouse 2-days after 'validation' on receipt had expired which I hadn't been aware of :( to be told by smug assistant that its acceptable for them to have reduced it in their sale from £25 to £9

[SchadenfreudePersonified]

Can't help but compare this with the customer service I had from Sainsbury.

I bought a pair of ladies' wellies in their sale (reduced by 50%). I'd had the about two months and one of them split - right across the front of the wellie. I thought that was a bit unimpressive, so rang up and explained what had happened.

I pointed out that I had bought them in the half-price sale, but that I no longer had the receipt, and said that I appreciated that there may be nothing that they could do without the receipt but was getting in touch anyway.

I was put through to the assistant manager, as the lady I spoke to didn't have the authority to say yes to no to my query. The manager was very helpful and offered to replace them, or to refund if there weren't any wellies in my size. She did say that if it was a refund I could only have the most recent sale price as I had no receipt. My wellies were replaced, and I was so grateful.

Very good customer service indeed - but under the circumstances I wouldn't have been offended if she had said - "Sorry - no receipt, no refund/replacement"

[mirime]

Having worked in retail I think having a time limit is reasonable or people really take the piss. Had someone try to return clothes that hadn't been full price for over a year once, wanted full price back for them obviously and had no receipt. They'd clearly bought them at 75% off the week before.

People also think that retail staff are stupid.

[OlennasWimple]

ZOMBIE THREAD

[TollgateDebs]

Ooops sorry, this thread popped up in the active threads feed, so I never assumed it would be that old or a zombie. However, my point was more about being kinder to one another, so a zombie that is still relevant and it was making a general point and not one about any particular establishment. I obviously do need to check the dates on here and not rely on a feed list!

[BlueSapp]

28 days is pleanty of time.

[blackteasplease]

Yeah I think it just seems to suck because they used to be extra good with these things.

But maybe lots of people really took the piss.

I hate it when people seem smug about the fact you are having a mare but then again perhaps it was just your perception.

[ALemonyPea]

Maybe follow suit on here Debs and not resurrect zombie 5 year old threads?

[TollgateDebs]

Fashion is too fast to hold onto items now and it has a real cost to the business. I always return next day and that's because I know some retailers (especially at discount time) have others waiting for the items to come into stock. Retail can be dire as a job, but so too are a great many other occupational areas now. However, if we could all be a little nicer to each other it would really help. I do complain, but I also compliment on good service / staff. I wonder if some think that communication in real life is like that of the virtual world, where it seems you can says what you want and not worry about the effect you have on others .... just my opinion, but I really do make an effort not to be a pain in the arse to others, or create issues for myself by working outside others t's and c's. A smile and a kind word, whether from someone selling me a coffee or in a large retail establishment, would result in their job being just a little better, wouldn't it?

[Jellytotsandtinytots]

Sorry I'm years late I know but I work for M&S and they treat their staff horribly!! Almost in tears every shift and can't wait to get a new job! At 7.41 an hour though it's hard to complain when I don't really do that much work...

[EnglishGirlApproximately]

baygreen it's great to read your post. I'm a retail manager too and often feel like I'm a lone voice on here sticking up for shop staff. If anyone advised a poster to complain and be bolshy to a nurse, teacher, doctor etc., they would, rightly, be criticised.

But it's ok to do it to us. We're only shop staff.

[Baygreen]

Sorry and a thread on mumsnet as well!

[Baygreen]

Thats great advice piedaterre,just stand your ground,nothing like being bolshie and entitled!
Can I just put the flip side to that with the staff member who is on minimum wage,pressured to deliver sales figures and give great service every shift,faced with a bolshie and entitled customer who refuses to take no for an answer even when they are in the wrong.
I have had employees in tears because of customers like this,asking for things they are just not authorised to do.I have also been threatened with physical violence for being unable to process refunds without receipts,called all manner of shocking names and had displays in my store pushed to the ground and stock destroyed because someone felt entitled and just wouldn't accept we couldn't do what they wanted.
I'm not for one minute comparing that to thus situation but having seen this kind of thing countless times it is always the store employees that get the shit deal!if you don't follow a procedure correctly,particularly when it's refund/audit related you risk disciplinary action from your line manager,but if you don't give the customer what they want you risk a mouthful of abuse and a complaint to head office!

[piedaterre]

I have seen many bolshie and entitled-sounding people argue their right to the full amount and get it in this situation. You just have to stand your ground. I don't think YABU.

[ButternutSquish]

I've got nothing bad to say about them. Recently I returned an item and my dimwit DP threw away the receipt. Rang them up and explained I could prove I had bought the item from my bank account. Took copies in, they refunded it after a search on their system. Head office said they could refuse but if they did they would offer a credit on a gift card.

You can't argue that if item has been in the sale and you just decided to change your mind, they don't actually have to refund the item anyway unless faulty. They are still the champions of customer service.

[GoldenGreen]

not finished - YABU to feel robbed, YANBU to feel she should have been polite to you!

[GoldenGreen]

This happened to me when I returned a baby outfit - it was reduced to £2.50 - the woman on customer service was very apologetic with me indeed. I didn't feel she needed to apologise at all - it was entirely my fault I hadn't brought it back earlier. YABU.

[JustFabulous]

What, after she has slagged them off to thousands??

[Keepthechangeyoufilthyanimal]

YABVU. Read the above replies. Hope that helps.

[CockyPants]

OP why not try writing to head office, say you are loyal M and S customer etc, were disappointed that your branch didn't use discretion and give you full refund, ask if they would allow it just this once as gesture of goodwill.
It might work....

[Isityouorme]

You choose the blouse - please say it isn't the awful neoplitan one featured elsewhere on MN!
You didn't like it.
You failed to return it in a reasonable period.
You are to blame.

M&S stopped offering such brilliant customer service because people took the piss.

yABU.

Long live m&S,

[EssexGurl]

How can you not be aware of the time limit? It is printed in big letters on every receipt!! If the blouse is so awful, why hang onto it for so long. I am afraid that this is your fault and moaning about M&S isn't helpful when so many businesses are in trouble!!

[lurkedtoolong]

I've had nothing but excellent service from M&S. Returned a coffee maker bought as a present for ILs who had done something ridiculous and managed to break it. I had no receipt, I couldn't remember when we had bought it and it was probably ILs fault that it was broken and I still got a full cash refund.

What was your attitude like? Did you go in with smug expectation that you would receive refund or were you friendly? I find most shop staff treat me the way that I treat them.

[keely027]

I had the same thing happen. Someone gave use a v expensive outfit. I returned it and they gave me four pounds

[musicposy]

Normally I would say YABU. Shops don't have to offer a refund at all, not even the next day, just because you decide you don't like it after all.

However, I've been on the wrong side of M&S poor customer service. I bought DD some school shoes which wore out after only a few weeks. They might be good at refunding new, but they are dire if you have a fault. They would not refund or replace or even part credit as it was after the time limit, despite the fact that this is completely irrelevant if the item is faulty/ not fit for purpose.

When I told the woman that I expected shoes to last more than 6 weeks she said "Well, you should have gone to Clarks, then"

I never bought shoes from them again.

[BarredfromhavingStella]

I've always experienced excellent customer service at M&S sorry, as for the OP-YABU but this has already been pointed out & accepted