Who is unreasonable, Me or the charity shop?

[FeelHardDoneBy]

I bought something from a branch of a well-known chain of charity shops. It was a large electrical item (the shop is a furniture and electrical goods store). I was heavily pregnant so asked if I could pay and collect it later when I had the car. Of course I then had the baby very soon after and forgot all about it.

Cue several months later, when I was searching for something else in my handbag and found the receipt and realised that I had forgotten to collect my item.

I decided to ring them to see if they still had it. I was quite prepared for them to say that they have a policy of getting rid of uncollected items and that they therefore did not have it.

However, when I rang them and asked about it, the manager said that I must be lying and that I had collected the item! Her reasoning for this is that she says that they do not get rid of uncollected items - they contact the customer to remind them to collect.

They did take my name and number when I paid and sellotaped the piece of paper to the item, but they never phoned me. The manager was really quite nasty about it and was insistant that I was lying.

I asked for a refund, but she said I had no right to one. Is this correct? She stated that the company have no policy of time limits on collection of bought items, so surely they should either give me my item or give me my money back?

So have they still got the item? Surely that would prove you hadn't collected it

She said they don't have it and that this is proof that I am lying.

I assured her that I wasn't and that it seemed likely to me that the piece of paper had fallen off and the item had been put out onto the shop floor again by mistake.

Its £50, which probably doesn't sound like a lot to some, but it is also the principle.

Oh jeez,my head would be spinning with rage!! I cannot abide being called a liar, call me whatever you want, but accuse me of lying and steam ,.....

QOD - I feel really angry about her accusations and also about how she spoke to me. I am as angry about that as I am the money tbh.

They have sold your property without your permission. You need to press for a refund and take it further, charity or not it is out of order.

To be honest, I'd write it off. It's several months later, you had clearly forgotten all about it and I imagine it went back into the store for re-sale. She was wrong to call you a liar.

Hmmm...I don't know the law on this but surely the reason that places stamp your receipt when you collect something is for this reason. So if theoretically they haven't given you the item and you show your receipt hasn't been stamped then they would owe you a refund.

You forgot it and left it for several months?
YANBU to call and ask if they still have it but YABU to expect a refund after all this time.

at calling you a liar. I think her attitude warrants making a fuss and reporting her.

What was it anyway?

And I would write and complain to her immediate boss.

I would complain. It doesn't matter how long it's been, you have paid for an item that you were not given. She owes you the money. I would make it quite clear to her that you are expecting your money back or you will take it to their head office/ go to watchdog etc..

Having said that, 7 months later, really? YOu musn't have really needed it.

Betterwhenthesunshines - they can sell electrical items as long as they've been PAT tested. My stepdad does it.

OP, I'd be hopping mad, but I doubt you'll have any joy after all this time. Worth a grumpy letter to the branch and head office, though.

It was a carpet cleaner.

Like you said, it is not about the money or item but principle.

I would write to the head office and complain. The item being resold is irrelevant now but the shop managers attitude isn't. The matter could have been dealt with in many different but much better and more professional ways.

It isn't seven months later, DamnBamboo

It was september.

Sorry, saw several and thought 7.

It't not even that long ago, YADNBU

I think in the forst instance, I would have written it off, but the fact she called you a liar, would make me see red, and probably provoke me into then taking it further - and letting the manager (or regional manager?) know exactly why I was persuing it rather than admitting that 4 months is a rather ridiculous length of time to have not got round to picking something up that you paid for.

YANBU to be angry she called you a liar.

But YABU to be surprised she assumed you were taking her for a ride and YABU to expect to get a refund after months, I think.

Forgive me for asking, but if you're the sort of person who forgets about something you bought for £50 for months, are you absolutely certain you didn't get one or two phonecalls you missed?

Maybe they tried to contact you and didn't manage?

They definately didn't make contact, I only have a mobile phone so I always know if I miss a call and I always phone back.

You have the receipt. Take it in and ask for a refund.

Keep the receipt for your records, photocopy it and deliver a letter with the photocopy to head office. Explain you were pregnant and had given birth so collecting was tricky. Explain they didn't phone. Explain what happened when you rang the office and say how nasty the manager was.

I wonder if she was shirty with you because you have uncovered something - some bad dealings within the shop. Maybe they sold it twice and if so, who kept the money?

The charity (esp if its the one I think it is) will have a retail manager at Head Office. I'd email them to let them know how you were treated; fundraising is hard enough without somebody alienating supporters.