Expecting to be refunded onto my credit card?

[TychosNose]

I know Ianbu but I want to rant.

Bought 5 jumpers online from a large department store chain. Total came to £150ish. I had an "evoucher" for £30, so I used that then put the remaining £120 on my credit card.

I knew I wouldn't keep all the jumpers, I don't usually buy 5 at once, I was just trying them on. You know how it is shopping online for clothes.

Anyway, I decided to keep two of the jumpers. Total came to £50. I returned 3jumpers expecting to be refunded £100 onto my credit card. The fuckers have refunded £70 onto my card and given me back the bloody evoucher.

That's not right is it? Arseholes!

It depends if the evoucher was only valid if you spent £150.

Return the rest, then buy back the two you want?
I can see why they have done it, but equally why your annoyed.

No, the evoucher was just £30, no conditions.

I have already worn the two jumpers I bought otherwise I'd return them and buy them back.

Why don't you email and ask them to explain the policy they applied when refunding you in this way?

It's money-laundering regulations. They have to return to the method used. It's to stop you being able to "launder" the gift card money back into cash by buying gift cards, then returning what you bought and getting the money back onto a credit/debit card.

Some companies do this proportionally now but the recommended method is what this retailer has done - refund onto giftcard/voucher first, then cash/card/cheque to the same card.

But the method used was credit card for £120 of the purchase. I still spent £50. £30 evoucher and £20 credit card.

I have emailed them and they just referred me to the t & c but they are not clear when the purchase is partly paid for by voucher.

I have never come across this before.

If I'd known this was how they'd do it, I'd never have bought all those jumpers! I can't afford to lose this £30. I need that money back on my card.

The shop was House of Fraser.

You wouldn't get this shit at John Lewis.

Can you copy and paste the bit of the ts and cs they referred you to? If they just referred generally, then ask them to clarify. Anchors explanation sounds sensible but I see what you mean about having spent the voucher.

So if you had only bought 2 things, say a top for 30 quid and a skirt for 20, then returned the skirt, what would they have done?

Contact your credit card company for advice. You've spent the voucher plus £20. I would be demanding a refund of £100.

Return one of the jumpers you do want then buy it back using the voucher?

They just sent me a link to the website. Not even to the t & c part. I had to find them myself.

If Id returned any part of the order, they would refund onto the evoucher first.

Here's the quote from the email

Thanks for your email. I’m sorry you’re unhappy with the refund you received recently. I can appreciate your disappointment as you didn’t expect to receive this in the form of an eVoucher.

When returning an item from an order that has been part paid using a gift card/eVoucher, you will primarily be refunded in the form of an eVoucher. If you are returning part of your order that exceeds the value of the gift card/eVoucher used, any remaining balance will then be refunded onto your payment card.

If you would like more information on this, please visit the terms and conditions on our website at www.houseoffraser.co.uk.

Thanks for taking the time to contact us.

Can't return either of the jumpers I'm keeping because I've already worn them.
I will contact my credit card company that's a good idea. Thank you.

You could order the same 2 jumpers with the evoucher, then return the 'original' ones from the first order to get the refund on your card.

There is a paragraph in the "special ts and cs for gift vouchers and e vouchers" part that says pretty much what they said in the email. I'm afraid that their policy was clear and so nothing you can do about it (since you've worn the 2 you kept). As anchor said, it's to stop people turning vouchers into cash.

The credit card won't be able to do anything - they are bound by money laundering regulations too.

If you'd bought a top and skirt in the same transaction and returned one, you'd have been refunded the value of that one onto the voucher too, with any additional refunded onto your card.

Legally, they've put you into the right position. It sucks, but there is no room for manoeuvre when it comes to financial regulations.

You could do as neddle says and order the same jumpers, if they are available at the same cost, and then return the original. These would be refunded onto your card, and you could then use the gift voucher to buy them again.

neddle you, my friend, are a bloody genius! thank you.

Screw you, HoF. I will win!

I disagree about the t & c. I think it's unclear. It doesn't say order of preference wrt refunding vouchers and cards.

I had exactly the same with HOF. It's in their T&C's. Nothing to do with money laundering, but how they apply the voucher for refunds in order to fleece you.

Be wary of returning things. I think it's 14 days for sale items after which you get refunded by e voucher!

Yes it does. I couldn't copy and paste the section on my phone but am now copy typing:

"Where evouchers have been used as tender for an online order (either in whole or in part), any item that is returned within that order will be refunded first in evouchers to the same value that was originally spent in evouchers. Any remaining balance will then be refunded to the payment card (if used). "

I'm not getting Neddle's solution? Do you mean return the second order pretending it's the original order? Won't work as each item has a unique bar code.

Thanks Angelika you're right. Only 14 days to return for a refund. That's unusual too. It's usually 28 days isn't it? Aarrrggghhh.

I see where it says this now. It's not in the t & c but in the customer services bit on online refunds. It is quite clear there that this is their policy. Not clear in the t& c bit, which is the bit I read.

Bastards. I really like some of their stuff but I won't be able to bring myself to shop there again. I'm in an absolute panic now because I really need that money back. Fuck fuck fuck.

No retailer is obliged to give you a refund just because you changed your mind so eg if you buy in a shop it's only their own choice to have a policy letting you bring back goods that are not faulty and get a refund. I think there is a statutory 14 day cooling off period for online sales though. But if other retailers give 28 days for full "changed your mind" refunds of online purchases then it's entirely discretionary

X post Jessie you're absolutely right. It's there in the website. I'm an idiot.

I know it's not a legal requirement to refund unless goods are faulty. But most retailers offer 28 days for a refund is what I meant. Obviously if house of Fraser want to offer customer service that is not as good a most other big retailers, that's up to them.

Yep, agree with you there Tychos. Sorry you're tight for money now.

Thanks. It is my own fault. I'll have a little cry and write some reviews to make me feel better.