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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think who does debenhams think it is

40 replies

Fairyloo · 03/06/2013 17:35

Last minute holiday shopping today. After a massive trip to primark went to debenhams for new bikini and underwear.

At the till paying (£88) my massive primark bag fell to pieces. I asked if I could buy another carrier bag and was told in the most snooty way that I couldn't. That was a primark bag and it wasn't being replaced with a debenhams one. She then proceeded to stuff my new stuff in the tiniest bag going,

AIBU to think they could have given me a bigger bag as I was shopping there and had spent a lot of money.

Also who goes debenhams bloody think they are. It's hardly harrodsConfused

OP posts:
themaltesecat · 03/06/2013 18:34

I can believe this.

  1. Last week, my Primark bag fell to pieces of its own accord whilst I was bringing a pushchair (With toddler in it) down an escalator. Cue little socks, sunhat, sunglasses, tights and myriad tiny purchases being scattered everywhere.

  2. I spent 200 pounds in Debenhams (and I was very well-dressed and immaculate going in) and the woman said, "You know we don't open an account for you, don't you? It's cash upfront." I paid by Visa debit, but I was fucking fuming. I have never bought anything on credit in my life!

So, in sum: Primark bags are shit, but NOT AS SHIT as the service at Debenhams. In your shoes, I'd write to Head Office. If you don't get an apology and perhaps some vouchers, start another thread naming and shaming them all over again. Grin

McNewPants2013 · 03/06/2013 18:36

Would a sales person really refund an item without proof of purchase.

Would love to know how, because I am forever misplacing receipts.

AWhistlingWoman · 03/06/2013 18:44

I can also believe this. They are meanies, sorry that they wouldn't let you have one of their v exclusive carrier bags Fairy Hmm

Debenhams - the shop that not only would not let me return the light shade I'd bought as it didn't go over my light fittings (possibly fair enough) but wouldn't even throw away said massive light shade on my behalf so I had to hoik it all about town whilst I tried to find a bin big enough to stick the stupid great thing in. Not even willing to lend paying customers the use of their rubbish bins, let alone a plastic bag!

LineRunner · 03/06/2013 18:49

I agree the service at Debenham's is shit.

Especially at Xmas. When they don't bother putting anyone on the tills. Well, maybe just the one woman whose job it is to try to get people to sign up for store cards. Whilst everyone else queues. And queues.

MisselthwaiteManor · 03/06/2013 18:50

It wouldn't have hurt her to give you one bigger bag for yoir shopping so everything would fit. But I can't imagine debenhams routinely train their staff to be arseholes, it was just her.

ConfusedPixie · 03/06/2013 19:01

Complain. A lot. What a twatbag the assistant was!

charleyturtle · 03/06/2013 19:05

i think it would just be that shop assistant. i work in a shop and am more than happy to give a replacement bag to people if they need one. only exception would be if i was completely on my own and running out of bags so i couldnt go get anymore for a while (has happenee a few times). maybe debs arent so hot on customer service so the lady really couldnt give a f**k as nobody would tell her off for being unhelpfull?

VulvaVoom · 03/06/2013 19:09

Same happened to me in House of Fraser (shop similar to Debenhams). I was only browsing but my Primark handle broke off, someone felt sorry for me and gave me a bag. Probably helped that I was pregnant at the time!

1944girl · 03/06/2013 19:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LittleBearPad · 03/06/2013 19:47

How very weird and unhelpful of her, it's a plastic bag. Debs are crap at customer service. Their shop assistants seem incapable of judging that a bag is too small for the clothes they want to stuff in. I've removed and re folded clothes before now to put them in the bag after a grumpy teenager's shoved them in any old how.

JessieMcJessie · 03/06/2013 20:01

Sorry, theMalteseCat, talk me through that one again- you were at the till and they rang up your 200 quid's worth of goods and the assistant, totally unprompted, said "we won't open an account for you, it's cash upfront"?? Are you sure you didn't mishear? just that Debenhams are constantly trying to get people to open up store cards, and the more you buy the more they can say "cos you'll save xxx on your shopping today", so a 200 quid customer sounds ripe for the hard sell. if she really did say it, I'd be emailing a complaint- the assistant's ID will be on your receipt.

for what it's worth, the Debenhams staff in my home town in Scotland are invariably lovely and there always seems to be an extra Blue Cross discount I hadn't expected when I get to the till. But them most shop assistants in Scotland are lovely, it always takes me a while to adjust to the friendliness when I leave London.

overreaction · 03/06/2013 20:11

A lot of people ask for carrier bags to go nicking with which is hard to prove if you've already bought some items from them.

Original poster
Fairyloo · 03/06/2013 20:13

Who are debenhams target market anyway? Matronly mother of the brides?

OP posts:
funkybuddah · 03/06/2013 20:19

What a cow. I cant see that its policy or monitored in any way.
I work in a high street shop and would give anyone a bag (and have done) even when they havent bought anything in my shop (gave some to someone walking past who had a disaster)

some people are not suited to retail.

CherylTrole · 03/06/2013 21:36

FWIW Debenhams seem to think they are the bees knees but IMHO I say they are definitely not!
Let me get this straight. So you wanted to BUY a carrier bag and she said NO??

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