To be a bit off about M&S taking back my free dress?

[YoLoZammo]

I bought several items in the M&S sale. Couple of things didn't fit stupid sizing so I returned them for a refund. The sales assistant couldn't find one item on my receipt and said I could only have a credit note. I knew it was the correct receipt and I wanted a refund so she took me to customer services. We went through each item on the receipt to try and identify which one it was as it was just not scanning as any of the receipt items. Turns out I hadn't paid for it . I had had no idea when i bought it as i just threw the pile on the counter, and paid when asked. I hadn't counted what was scanned or checked my receipt. Who does! It seemed that the original sales assistant had missed scanning or charging for the item.

So, there we were at the customer services desk, with me trying to return a dress I had never paid for, though i hadn't known that at the time. The sales assistant said they had to keep the dress and there would be no refund or exchange and they would out it back out for sale. I accepted that I should no longer be asking for a refund because it wouldn't be right since I hadn't paid for it in the first place. I did ask him if he could at least put the dress in the Oxfam box by the desk (M&S have a charity clothing collection scheme). Since the shop had already lost the dress through its own incompetence so it didnt seem right that it should profit from me bringing it back. He said he would ask his manager but I knew he wouldn't and it was a fob off.

I left the store feeling a bit off. If I hadn't brought it back then i could have ebayed it or given it to charity shop or waited til i slimmed into it. I lost myself a free dress!!! Ok ok I know that would be wrong and I'm honest as the day.

Has anyone else had this happen to them or have got unexpected free stuff?? Cheer me up!! and share some of your windfall with me

Just maybe a teensy tiny bit miffed that I had to go through the whole rigmarole, a 15 mile round trip and waste time in the shop (a food 20 mins sorting this out) when the whole thing was not my fault.

Umm, that's not what happened. You were taking things back anyway so their mistake didn't cause you to have to travel 15 miles etc etc. You were doing that anyway.

As for a completely honest reply as to whether I would return something that was mistakenly given to me or sent to me then the answer is that I would. In fact I've done it many times. Even when I got sent a limited edition PS4 (I think). It's not something I agonise over and I don't feel like I've done some amazing good deed when I've done it. I just do it. I'd feel cheep and dishonest if I didn't make an effort to return it. Obviously I'm pleased when I get told I can keep whatever the item is but if I am asked to return it then I will.

Bloody hell, a novelty oversized blancmange with a red setter squatting on it 😨

OP, I think one thing we can all agree on is that 'Moral Beryl' will not catch on. In the absence of a suitable rhyming name I'd have gone down the alliteration route. Moral Mavis works; or perhaps Moral Maisie, which has the benefit of sounding a bit like 'Moral Maze'.

@abigcupoffuckyou

No, you're saying stuff that has nothing at all to do with the OP. Clearly about your own issues. Perhaps you could start your own thread?

Perhaps YOU can just accept that people have different views to you sweetie!

And quit making shit up about people having 'issues' when they are just stating opinions, views, and facts.

I can accept that you have many random views on things, no doubt very different to mine. None of them belong on this thread though. You having free-loading friends is not the OP's problem.

Agree @coughlaughfart, I think MORAL CORAL is better, or FERAL BERYL, but MORAL BERYL just sounds a bit wank.

Then again, I wouldn't expect someone who assumes a dress she didn't pay for is HERS TO KEEP, to think of a decent name!

Yeah I do have freeloading friends who behave EXACTLY as the OP behaves, cadging and begging and getting free stuff with no conscience or guilt, and a horrendous entitled-to attitude.

THAT was the point of my post FFS! The OP is exactly the same. Sorry if that doesn't suit you to read that!

And my views DO belong on this thread and are just as valid as yours, so just do one.

I've never heard the term "moral beryl" before but the OP keeps repeating it and it's amusing. I doubt she meant her thread to turn out like this but they make the best threads.

Oh yes @sunny, it is very entertaining. As is the OP and her 'friend' who is defending her so fervently! Unfortunately I have to go now as I have a BBQ to attend for someone's 40th.

Toodles.

I wouldn't normally comment when so many others have said YABU (which you are). However, you still don't seem to get it OP!

Yes, I would absolutely take something back as soon as I realised I hadn't been charged for it. I've done this more than once.

There was an occasion when a Christmas present for an ex-bf went down rather better than anticipated. It turned out the shop had mistakenly sent a much more expensive version of the techy item. I couldn't bear to take it off my bf, so even though I was a student with no money, I rang the company and offered to pay the difference. They were very kind and only charged me cost price.

I have kept items when they have failed to scan when I have realised afterwards, because usually it would end up costing me more to return them HOWEVER I've never thought the shop 'has given me them'.
You're crazy....

I can see why you feel a bit aggrieved, you in all good faith places your items on the counter and paid for them. So were probably a bit surprised when it came to light that you hadn't paid for it.

However I still feel you are being a bit unreasonable to expect them to put it in the charity box.

M&s are terrible for mistakes though. I once placed a click and collect order for a couple of uniform items and a bra. Went to collect and it was in a huge box. Clearly labelled with my name though. I said to the assistant at collection that it seemed over packaged and she mumbles something about how sometimes they have run out of plastic packing they will send in a box.

Take it home, open the box and as well as my items there were several expensive shirts, silk ties and several packs of white pants! Well over £200 worth of goods. I took it back and they refused it back as they are a simply food store and don't accept return!!!

Traipsed all the way into the town centre and not even a thanks for being honest.

On the flip side though I ordered two, packs of two bras and when they arrived there was only one bra in each pack. Double checked the web page, called customer service who insisted was only one bra in the pack by two.

Emailed my complaint. Didn't hear anything so took the bras back with my paperwork. The store refunded me. The next day two new packs of two bras arrived with a note to say they had refunded me as a gesture of good will. I called to let them already refunded and I'd return the bras and they told me not to worry!! I also emailed and asked them to please charge my card again so would at least only have one refund and they never did.

You should have just accepted the credit voucher in the first place, I don't know why you didn't. I have sometimes returned something to there with a wrong receipt and just accepted a credit voucher as you can always use it in the food hall rather than haul my return home and have to queue up again another day. How was the assistant so sure it wasn't on another receipt.

I once ordered a pot of cleanser from John Lewis, picked it up at click and collect, thought the package was a bit light, then realised when I got home they had sent me a silicon egg poacher instead. I rang up and they said to return the egg poacher to the store and re-order the cleanser, which made absolutely no sense since I'd already paid for it (and it cost a lot more than the egg poacher). Eventually I spoke with a supervisor and ended up with the cleanser being re-sent, keeping the egg poacher - which turned out to be v useful - and £20 credited back to my card. I still wonder about the person who bought a £4 egg poacher and ended up with a pot of Eve Lom cleanser.

If it had been the dozy assistants fault it hadn't been scanned I certainly wouldn't be running round trying to return it, it's their loss. Anything not suitable would just get shoved in a charity bag or bin at supermarket, the assistant should take more care, in fact I would be quite angry as one could get accused of shoplifting when it was the assistants fault it wasn't scanned

dozy assistants fault

Don't be so rude and nasty; everyone makes mistakes, including you.

I like Moral Mavis. Or maybe Moral Mabel.

It's just that i know a Beryl...

This is the only name calling I am guilty of on this thread. And its quite tame and meant in good spirit. Can't say the same for the nasty names I have been called here! Bit OTT really.

Yes people do make mistakes but I don't expect to have to run round correcting them.

You should have just accepted the credit voucher in the first place, I don't know why you didn't.

Exactly, you did yourself out of your "free dress" nobody else. You didn't pay for it, which was an honest mistake if you had enough stuff that you didn't initially notice the price was off from what you had actually bought (nor care enough to check your receipt).

However, once you went to return things and it was highlighted that the item was not on your receipt you could have either accepted store credit or insisted on it being checked because you know you only made the one big purchase so it had to be on that receipt. Once it was checked and it was discovered that you never actually paid for it in the first place, the assistant should have apologised for the confusion and explained that you weren't actually charged for the item in the first place and therefore weren't entitled to a refund and that should have been the end of it.

The store's mistake was rectified and neither side were left out of pocket - you were returning a load of other things anyway so hadn't made a special trip, just for that item, so you can't argue that they inconvenienced you by having to return it; and they got their item back and can now immediately restock and sell it, ensuring their inventory and sales accounts will tally correctly and it doesn't have to be written off as a loss.

If you had taken the "no receipt return" offer you would have got store credit (that you still weren't entitled to btw but, since they couldn't prove you didn't have it on another receipt at that point, it is the standard offer) but you left with nothing which is exactly what you were entitled to.

OP, this is MN, not the real world.

Thanks for taking the time to explain that

That was for melj

Yes people do make mistakes but I don't expect to have to run round correcting them.

Nobody said you (or the OP) had to. She wanted a refund and discovered she hadn't paid for it. At that point, the only thing the shop could do was take it back as it was rightfully theirs.

Had she never taken it back, or even accepted the offered credit note at the beginning, she would never have lost said dress.

There's no need to be rude.

Yes, MN is another world altogether! I've learned that over the years.

Nobody is reproachable on MN except the OP of course. Every time! I half expected it this time. So I clearly deserve it.