I bought some pyjamas from M&S for DS (aged 3) 5 weeks ago. Worn (indoors, as pyjamas tend to be) several times and washed according to instructions. Noticed a small hole had worn through one knee yesterday. Took them back with the receipt to the store, thinking pyjamas should surely last more than 5 weeks and asked for a credit note.
I was told that this could not possibly be a manufacturing fault as the hole was not along a seam, and so they could not send it back and there was nothing that could be done. Another assistant joined in and agreed with her.
I asked to speak to a manager. While waiting for a manager, the assistants had gone behind a door next to the desk and I heard one say to the other (loudly enough that I suspect she wanted me to hear) "that woman at the desk, she's definitely cut a hole in those trousers".
DH joined me at this point. Attitude of staff changes. Not sure if it is relevant but he is white (and male, obviously) and I am not; I only mention it as it's not the first time I am treated like crap alone and then suddenly better when he arrives.
The manager arrived and authorised a refund, saying send it back as a manufacturing fault. Assistant refunded me with cats bum face. I told quietly her as I was leaving that I had heard them talking; she denied everything.
I hate conflict and feel really shaken now. AIBU to have taken them back? Should I just have binned them and accepted that M&S clothes are crap quality and don't last longer than 5 weeks of occasional indoor use?
And AIBU to feel upset about being accused of deliberately damaging the clothes and lying? I know I shouldn't care what strangers think of me but it's really upset me.
AIBU?
M&S returns - was I being unreasonable?
ChickenTinkiiev · 06/11/2016 17:21
Meryl yes there was definitely something about the whole attitude / culture, at least of that store - a sort of complete lack of pride in the quality of their product and almost contempt for their customers. I work in a public facing role (NHS) and a sure sign of a badly run department is when staff openly bitch about their "clients" i.e. patients. It was a similar vibe in M&S.
counterpoint that is interesting. I'm not sure where the clothes were made but the little holes appearing is very telling!
Thanks to everyone else 
That's terrible. Glad you have complained. I used to work for M&S and our supervisor was very hot on good customer service.
I can't imagine why they thought you had damaged it when you had the receipt? People do nick stuff and damage it and try and return it, but they don't have a receipt!
Best one I had was a guy who brought in a whole stack of t shirts in exactly the same shade of blue ( in all different sizes). He'd put a hole in them all, and told me that his family had all bought him the same ( differently sized) t shirt for his birthday, and they'd all got a hole in the same place. 
Now he didn't get a refund, but I was perfectly polite and refrained from suggesting that he'd ( quite obviously) nicked them straight off the counter of another store.
That sounds really annoying Dahlietta . But I suppose they at least replaced it and Waitrose gave you a voucher. M&S would have accused you of cutting a hole in it yourself 
This is sounds a bit familiar to me. A few months ago I bought a jumper from M & S which, after two washes, started to bobble quite badly. I had washed it as recommended on the label so I knew it was nothing to do with me. I wasn't concerned though as I presumed M & S would exchange or refund me without a problem - how wrong I was!
When I showed it to the woman at the customer services desk she she hummed and hawed and said she'd have to get someone else to have a look. So back she comes with the supervisor or whoever she was (all piss and importance as my Nan would say) who took a brief glance at the jumper and told me they weren't going to refund it as it wasn't a manufacturing fault and that 'it was normal for jumpers to bobble like that.' I told them it certainly was a fault and was not normal at all for a jumper to bobble after two washes. The supervisor then smirked at me and said in quite a mocking way: 'You can always write to head office and complain,' implying that I wouldn't get very far. 'Oh no, I won't bother with that,' I said. 'I'll just go and post this whole conversation on the M & S Facebook page with photographs of the jumper to illustrate what I mean.'
I've never seen a woman go quite so white. From further up the tills someone else appeared who I presume was her boss and who promptly told the first woman - who was still hanging around the till looking confused - to refund me straight away. Persons three and two then disappeared through the door at the back and I could hear both of them talking about me. I got my refund though. 
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someone asked up thread about holes in clothing. I had a new washing machine (think very (supposedly) top quality brand, german starts with M). The family clothing started to develop small holes in random places. I thought initially it was old clothes, new washing machine, so i left it. After a year I realised it couldnt be that and phoned the company. After a LOT of effort (so ignore their 10 year supposed warranty) they finally came out and changed the drum in case clothing was getting caught by a small metal tag.I was told that due to the low water usage required clothing now bounces on a metal drum, not on water. This causes fibres to break and holes develop. I still get holes in my clothes. It sucks. I would like my clothing to last more than a few months. I think the low water usage comment has a lot of validity. The M company solution was for me to top up the water on each wash 
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