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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to think I should be able to exchange a present without the retailer insisting on telling the person who bought me it, 'due to GDPR'?

91 replies

SonicVersusGynaephobia · 27/12/2018 17:18

This must be a common scenario.

A relative gave me a Christmas present of an outfit. It is the complete opposite of anything I would ever wear. It was far too expensive to shrug off as 'one of those things' and shove it in the wardrobe never to see the light of day.

There are plenty of things from the same retailer I like and would wear. It was purchased online. So I contacted them and asked if I could exchange it.

No problem, they said. However, they will need to email the person who bought me it and tell them I'm exchanging it.

Which I really can't do - they will be really offended because they thought it was gorgeous and the very last thing I want to do is upset them

I asked why and was told its an automated email which goes to them. I pressed further and was told it was a shipping email and they can't stop it. They said they 'have to' tell the gift-giver because they are the original purchaser and this exchange would be 'activity on their account' and under 'GDPR law' they have to tell them.

I asked if I could just do a straight swap of it in the shop (rather than return it via online), they said no because it was purchased online, only things purchased in the shop can be exchanged in store. I said if there is no receipt, how would they know where it's purchased? They said they can only do it in a shop with a receipt. (this also seems weird)

Surely this is not right that they "have to" tell for an exchange? If I wanted a cash refund then fair enough, but I just want to swap them. If the purchase was made in-store then they wouldn't be able to contact my relative (unless they made them give their email at the till, I guess), so that argument that they 'have to due to GDPR' doesn't make sense to me, as surely it would apply regardless of where it's purchased (and I haven't heard it does?)? I also explained that I don't want my information shared with my relative in this shipping email and I don't give my consent for this, but they weren't interested

Are gift vouchers in exchange, or a quiet swap of presents no longer allowed?

I can't sell it, as I don't think anyone else would wear it either. It's for a very niche taste.

I think the GDPR thing is a fob-off, but I am at an impasse as they are saying they can't do any exchange without notifying relative.

Please, can anyone help me?

OP posts:

Flatwhite101 · 27/12/2018 18:59

I had something sent for DS from Amazon with a gift receipt. I sent it back to them and they put the credit on my Amazon account, and the original purchaser does not get informed.

Original poster

SonicVersusGynaephobia · 27/12/2018 19:01

Other shops are mainly store based with online as their secondary business, Boden is an online retailer that has very few actual real shops. Their stock system will probably be different for store & online.

Perhaps, but this makes it a Boden policy and/or system issue. Not a legal one, which is what they tried to tell me.

OP posts:

SoupDragon · 27/12/2018 19:04

I can't say it doesn't fit

You just say it didn't suit you.

nancy75 · 27/12/2018 19:05

op, as you are not their customer they don’t have to offer you anything at all, the legal issue is with exchange & posting to you. The issue of not exchanging online purchases in their shops is something they are entitled to do without giving any explanation.

W0rriedMum · 27/12/2018 19:10

Debenhams does this. A friend returned a gift and I got a mail.
I never mentioned it again!

FuckingYuleLog · 27/12/2018 19:25

It’s norhing to do with service to the customer. If I’ve given something’s as a gift it is then thw recipients to sell, give away, wear or exchange if they please. If a retailer isn’t taking money from me then why would I need to be informed. I don’t even see why a refund would be necessary for a straight exchange of items that come to the same value.
Boden donr want to be lumbered with unpolpular items that will be difficult to sell on and if they have this policy it will put people like the op off returning things.

Walkingdeadfangirl · 27/12/2018 19:33

I had something sent for DS from Amazon with a gift receipt
Amazon allows the buyer to designate a purchase a gift. Therefore it becomes the property of the receiver and any returns can be refunded without any reference to the original purchaser.

I imagine the OPs friend just bought the item herself and therefore Boden have no way of knowing of this item was a gift.

Irrelevant of GDPR, Boden have the right to only allow online refunds with the knowledge of the purchaser.

Bringbackthestrioes · 27/12/2018 19:36

If you can just go in store (soon) and ask nicely for an exchange. Explain the items were a Christmas gift but not to your taste. Make no mention of how the relative purchased them.

^ do this. A lot less hassle all round.

Last year I exchanged a gift for DC from Amazon, they assured me the buyer wouldn’t receive an email as I stressed it would cause a huge family issue if they did.
The @#£&@ sent the original buyer an email and caused WW3. I wouldn’t mind anyone swapping/returning anything I had bought but some people (SIL) are batshit crazy.

notapizzaeater · 27/12/2018 19:46

Could you tell your relative how much you,liked it but when you tried it on it didn't suit you/ fit/ made you look washed out/fat/odd ?

abbsisspartacus · 27/12/2018 19:49

It's gorgeous! I look awful in it

JumpingJunipersBatman · 27/12/2018 19:58

Just exchange it in a shop. Generally if you're nice, they'll let you exchange without a receipt. If it's in the sale, you'll only get the current price back.

If they've bought it online using their normal account, the account will update to show any returns/exchanges anyway. So even if Boden don't send an actual email, the giver will know you've sent it back.

Bombardier25966 · 27/12/2018 20:03

I've worked out the GDPR issue.

To do the exchange an email has to be generated as it's automated. To stop that email going to your relative they'd need to change the email address on the account to yours, and that would give you access to her personal data (both on the email and in enabling you to change her account password and access the account). The changing of the email would generate a GDPR issue.

JacquesHammer · 27/12/2018 20:05

Coming back to this, I did a return and exchange to Boden earlier this year. I got no confirmations emails at all throughout the process (and indeed for the refund that followed)

Oakmaiden · 27/12/2018 20:14

Just tell your relative it doesn't fit so you are going to have to get another size.

And then - oh no - they have sold out of the skirt/jacket in your size so you are going to have to return the whole outfit to get something that coordinates as well as the one they chose...

C8H10N4O2 · 27/12/2018 21:14

I've worked out the GDPR issue. To do the exchange an email has to be generated as it's automated

If that were the case, rather than staff trotting it out as a handy excuse, then it is a bad systems design issue compounded by poor staff training. So its still a Boden issue and still bogus to blame it on GDPR. It would be a design which fails to respect the DPbyD process which underpins GDPR.

Which would be why companies understanding the legislation better seem able to handle this scenario whilst Boden cannot.

Gth1234 · 28/12/2018 12:06

I didn't realise it was online.
Much trickier. imagine most online sellers would only release a credit back to the original purchasers account. I am not sure how you can return it without telling the giver.

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