H&m sizing and refund

[Jamrollypolly]

I bought 3 long sleeve tops from H & M last month for my 8 year old son, he tried to wear it yesterday and I noticed it was a very odd shape when worn. The body was fine but the sleeves were really narrow, so I thought no problem they have a design fault/ quality control issues. I had thrown my receipt away but had my credit card receipt for the exact amount and the tags were still on the tops (resell-able).

In the store today I explained I was returning the items as I believed there was a quality control issue (faulty), the assistant managed to print out my original receipt but said I could not have a refund as I was 4 days over the 28 day returns deadline. Even after explaining under consumer law if a item is faulty the customer should be refunded, she said I could only have a gift receipt. So I had to leave with a credit note.

I phoned up customer service, who contacted the store manager who compared the basics tops with others in the store and agreed they were narrower than the others but said that because it was over 28 days they would not offer a refund.

I know it's only 3 tops but I feel really let down by the customer service and feel ripped off. I liked shopping in h & m and spend quite a bit in there. Was I unreasonable to expect a refund?

Why didn't you just swop them for the ones in store that were not faulty?

I think you were a bit with no receipt and over a month after purchase I think gift certificate or exchange is reasonable.

YABU

Yabu. You should have checked their policy on returns and made sure you returned within the 28 days. At least they agreed to give you something back, as daddypigs said you could have easily swapped them for ones that weren't faulty.

Yanbu the tops were faulty, you should have been refunded.

Are the items actually faulty though? Has there been an obvious mistake in the way these tops were made compared to others on the shop floor in the same size? If the three tops you bought are actually faulty in their manufacture, then they must refund you. If however, their sizing/cut just doesn't fit your son then that's not really their fault and you should have tried them on sooner after buying.

We're they faulty though? You also say they were fit for resale. They can't be both. If actually faulty then you are entitled to a refund. In not faulty but just not a good fit on your chill the giving an exchange or credit note is fair.

The receipt wasn't an issue, I had the credit card bill which they used to bring up the original transaction receipt. The basics range is a different fit to the regular ranges which I usually buy. I think if they are different sizing to the usual range they need to state this, like with super skinny jeans or slim fit (btw my son is average build). They said no one else had complained but when they did my credit note they didn't actually record I was returning because of the faulty shape, my receipt incorrectly says I changed my mind. If they have done the same for other customers how would they know there was a design flaw?

But it isn't really a design flaw, it just didn't fit your child.

You really should have tried them on him sooner.

I agree it was my mistake to not get him to try them on earlier, but in my defence I have bought lots of tops from there without issues and I was intending to keep them.

YANBU.

I've had this with H & M before. Under consumer law they must offer a refund for faulty items, but they like to bend the rules and pretend you're only entitled to a credit note.

It really doesn't sound like they were faulty or flawed though.

Are you saying that the arms are so narrow on H&M Basic tops in the store that they are unwearable for all babies? That they are designed with an inner circumference of, for example, 2 inches that renders them unusable for their intended purpose and that when you took them back, no-one in the store could see this?

but when they did my credit note they didn't actually record I was returning because of the faulty shape, my receipt incorrectly says I changed my mind. If they have done the same for other customers how would they know there was a design flaw?
If a large percentage of their Basics range was being returned, which they would be if they had this design flaw ... a) H&M would be investigating why regardless of the reason given on the receipt and b) the staff on the shop floor would probably have known what you were talking about.

MsAnthropic, I would say the arms are not proportionate to the size of the body so the body would fit an 8 year old but the sleeves are too narrow for an average 8 year old. I don't think this is just a problem for my child.

When I contacted customer services they did say they would refer my complaint to their quality control team to investigate. The manager told the customer service rep about the sizes being different between the regular and basic range.

Has anyone bought any boys basic jersey top from h&m in the last month and noticed any sizing problems?

I think it sounds a bit borderline whether they are faulty or just a funny fit. This is often why I buy online where you can read reviews as to whether the clothes come up big or small, or actually get DDs to try stuff on in the shops.

I would accept a credit note to be able to buy something else in the shop, myself.

I buy mountains of h&m basics for my son, especially the long sleeved tshirts and have never had a problem.

surely I'd they were so deformed and narrower then you'd have noticed just looking at them when you bought them.

and as a PP pointed out - they were either faulty or in re-sellable condition. can't be both.

I agree I too have bought plenty of long sleeve tops this is the first batch I have had a problem with. You can see the sleeves are narrower but it is more visible when worn.

A month? Really? YABU.

I believe they were faulty (design flaw). When I said they were resell-able I was referring to the fact that they still had tags and had only been tried on briefly so if they truly believed there was nothing wrong (although I would disagree) they could have sold them on as they still had plenty still left in the store.

YANBU - Sale of Goods Act trumps their return policy, especially as the clothes still had the tags on.

But H+M are absolutely awful for consistency in sizing, own clothes or against other shops! And the customer service can be utter shite/borderline illegal!

Better luck next time

Ahh, for some reason I read the post as 8 month old, not 8 years old. I just so happen to several H&M 6-8y tops and also H&M Basic 8-10y top here. I really can't see any difference in sizing or narrowness. I've been buying kids stuff there for years and years and not found anything unusual about sizing, and they refunded something recently I'd washed and cut the label out of.

All that said, personally I think they could've refunded you as good customer services, but I don't think they've legally done anything wrong and they didn't have to take them back at all to give you the credit note. If it's just the Basic range you think is faulty then you could've swapped for some other tops that did fit?

It's really not big issue in the grand scheme of things. I suppose I'm just disappointed in the brand and feel for a few pounds they have left me with a really negative impression of the company. I used to go in frequently, made regular purchases and enjoyed chatting with the staff (not the same ones from today) it used to be a enjoyable experience. I know they can deliver excellent customer service when they try!

Unfortunately many company's are only interested in making a quick profit instead of having pride in their brand. I trend which is becoming more prevalent.

Thank you all for your replies. The credit note has a 2 year expiry, I may have cooled down by then.