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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Was I wrong?

68 replies

Babybel90 · 28/12/2019 20:46

This is pretty insignificant in the grand scheme of things but now I’m second guessing myself.

Dd got lots of clothes for Christmas from friends and relatives, and a couple of things would have been better in the next size up. So as I had gift receipts I took them back to the shop, found the same items in a bigger size and as they were now in the sale I picked up a couple of other things. When I got to the till I explained I was returning some items for a bigger size and the assistant just scanned the additional items and asked for the money for them.

When I pointed out the items I was returning had been purchased at full price but the replacements were in the sale she got a bit huffy and made a big deal of scanning the receipts and refunding the original items to individual gift cards and then putting the whole transaction through again, it took what felt like forever although was probably about 15 minutes, while a huge queue formed behind me.

Now I’m wondering if I was wrong, should I just have done a straight swap even though the items were now reduced?

OP posts:
Original poster
Babybel90 · 28/12/2019 22:33

@FruityWidow because I very much doubt 3 women in their 60s with no grandchildren (yet) would find anything they want to buy in JoJo Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
Babybel90 · 28/12/2019 22:36

@2020BetterBeBetter - I did, handed the receipts and clothes over and said I’m returning them because they’re too small, then went on to say I’d picked the same items in a bigger size plus some others.

OP posts:
PoopaPoopa · 28/12/2019 22:36

No way is this cheeky, it’s just common sense to do what you did. I don’t understand how people can accuse you of being grabby??

CloudyVanilla · 28/12/2019 22:36

I don't understand how this could be seen as cheeky... Your relatives spent X value in this shop for your DD. It's only fair that if you are taking stuff back on a gift receipt that you are reimbursed for X value in store credit.

If the same clothes now total Y value because of a sale that is neither here nor there. It's just a little bonus for your DD!

The only thing I can slightly agree with is maybe the miscommunication regarding exchanging vs returning on a gift receipt for credit. But still, it's very rude for the girl to take it out on you.

jelly79 · 28/12/2019 22:36

Absolutely I'd of done the same and can't understand why people wouldn't!

doadeer · 28/12/2019 22:40

I worked in a high street shop for quite a few years and the tills and processes can be really annoying. You weren't wrong to do this but for the shop assistant with a queue this would be irritating to put through as she has to treat each receipt as a seperate transaction with a seperate gift card, you can't do multiple on one.

She was probably frustrated at the process rather than you

I used to get lots of people who bought a £100 dress or something that was reduced in sale to say £40, they didn't have receipt and I could only offer them exchange to value of £40, they used to go mad at me. It was awful

isittooearlyforgin · 28/12/2019 22:48

Ridiculous to say op was cheeky or grabby, absolutely fine. Can’t believe people are suggesting it was. Cashier should have been helpful not annoyed and FYI if it had been the other way round and you had bought back an item paid for at full price with no receipt, you would have been given sale price only. Whoever suggests giving difference in price to relative who paid full price...just no! The intention wasn’t to fiddle anyone, just the way it worked out. Once a gift is given it’s up to you what you do with it. What is the point of having an outfit that doesn’t fit. If I’d even an item too small, I’d be happy a loved one had swapped it for something useful and got another outfit too. I really don’t understand reasoning that suggests op was mean, cheeky, grabby or annoying.

Sarahlou252 · 28/12/2019 22:51

I've done this discreetly as I'm always a bit embarrassed to do it outright! I go to one till and ask for a refund, saying it doesn't fit, go and pick up the new item and pay at a different till! Silly I know, but that's what I do!

Witchofzog · 28/12/2019 22:51

It's just a bit embarrassing isn't it? You didn't pay full price did you but you waited for a 15 minute transaction thus inconveniencing the people behind you. I wouldn't have done this

BoxOfBabyCheeses · 28/12/2019 22:56

You did her a favour and saved her time really. You could have had them refunded onto three separate gift cards, and then paid again with three separate gift cards. I've done the same and I wouldn't bat an eyelid at doing it again.

nancy75 · 28/12/2019 22:57

She didn’t inconvenience the people behind her, the shop assistant did. If their exchange process is that long winded it should be sorted out.
I’m rarely on the side of the customer on MN threads ( I’ve seen too many customers be in the wrong) in this case the op did nothing wrong at all. Once the sales start loads of people take full price stuff back & exchange it for the same item at sale price - shops know it’s going to happen they should be able to deal with it.

Lazypuppy · 28/12/2019 22:57

This isn't cheeky!

I've bought a top, not worn yet but now seen its in the sale so i'll be taking it back and buying it straight back but at reduced price

PixieDustt · 28/12/2019 22:57

It's not grabby at all.
I think you did the wright thing. Customer service doesn't sound brilliant though.
So what if a que formed behind her? We've all been stuck in a que the person behind OP could have taken 10 minutes who knows. You're in a que just wait your turn like an adult.
So would something be on sale then one of you would say 'oh no I'd like to pay the full price please so you can make profit' 😂

PixieDustt · 28/12/2019 22:57

Wright I meant right! 😂

isittooearlyforgin · 28/12/2019 22:58

Why is it embarrassing?! Completely legal and within her rights

ChristmasCroissant · 28/12/2019 23:02

Yes, I think that was cheeky and I would have done a straight swap.

You've swapped the original clothes that were bought as presents and bought additional items with the difference in price because the originals had been reduced in the sale.

sleepingpup · 28/12/2019 23:02

Totally fine.

Your luck the Sale was on.

Shop obvs need to sort out their refund admin if it takes so much time. Not your fault!

ChristmasCroissant · 28/12/2019 23:03

There is no legal right to an exchange or refund if the goods are not faulty.

2020BetterBeBetter · 28/12/2019 23:03

I did, handed the receipts and clothes over and said I’m returning them because they’re too small, then went on to say I’d picked the same items in a bigger size plus some others.

Perhaps it was miscommunication then because if you said that to me I would have assumed you meant a straightforward swap with the clothes you were returning and then you were buying the others.

StCharlotte · 28/12/2019 23:05

And we wonder why the High Street is dying on its arse...

isittooearlyforgin · 28/12/2019 23:06

It’s ridiculous that you’d have to ask for refund and in a separate transaction buy new items, any assistant worth their salt would have done this. It’s hardly their own money.

minielise · 28/12/2019 23:07

If you shouldn’t do it then you wouldn’t have been able to! The shops will still be making a profit from it or they wouldn’t sell the stuff that cheap. The shop assistant shouldn’t have a bad attitude with you because they are only carrying out what they are employed to do. I think good on you, if I was a relative and had spent so much money on a present I would be really pleased to find out they had gotten more out of it.

doadeer · 28/12/2019 23:10

At the shop I used to work in I would have needed to refund the items individually onto a gift card then scan the new items and the additional items in a seperate transaction. As a shop assistant when there is a big queue or if you were new to the role you might find this a bit stressful.

People can be very rude during sale times. The assistant is working within limitations of the company policy and till - it's not always just a case of scanning something through in 10 secs as obvious as it may be!

Blanketed · 28/12/2019 23:10

Nothing wrong with what you did.

nancy75 · 28/12/2019 23:11

There is no legal right to an exchange or refund if the goods are not faulty.
However most shops have refund/exchange policies that allow goods to be refunded or exchanged if the customer changes their mind. Once they have advertised their policy they have to adhere to it.