Sports direct

[Chillychangchoo]

I bought two pairs of junior swimming goggles today from sports direct for ten pounds each. The box said ages 6-14. My two are aged 11 and 9 and the goggles were far, far too tight. This was despite me adjusting the strap. They were so tight they couldn’t even open their eyes.

I put the goggles back in the box perfectly and trotted off back to sports direct with my receipt. No refund offered just a credit note. I explained this would be no good as the shop didn’t have any other children’s goggles and I wouldn’t need to buy anything else in the shop. The manager said as the goggles were not faulty they would not give me my money back. I said as they were not fit for their intended use they were indeed faulty. I mean it’s not like my kids have freakishly massive heads.

Grr, I was so annoyed. Tried to email their customer services online and the ticket just will not go through so I’ve messaged their inbox on Facebook. I suspect I probably won’t get very far, but I will never, ever shop there again.

Aibu to expect a full refund?

If they're too small for a presumably average-sized 9 year old, they're either faulty or were mislabelled, so you need a refund.

I will not go in Sports Direct because of their shoddy attitude to customers and employees. Can you imagine being the Saturday assistant who has to stand their ground against customers making perfectly reasonable complaints about the crappy stock they're selling? Awful shop.

@FlyingBurrito

I haven’t spent the credit note yet as I’ve emailed SD asking for a refund. I’ve also taken plenty of photos of the goggles. Probably not going to get very far though after reading all these comments, In which case I’ll no doubt spend the note on some socks or something. Just annoying, but hey Ho I’ll get over it. The last of my custom.

Yes I’d not shop there again.

Ordered my son some trainers online as we don’t live close to a store, so had to pay P&P. (you have to pay even if they are sent to store to collect)
Expensive to return so had to make the journey anyway . None of the style in stock in a bigger size so did an in store return and got a credit note.
Only it’s basically a badly printed till receipt on that shiny paper that the print rubs off.
I luckily noted down the voucher number as after a couple of days of carrying it in my purse it had all but disappeared.
I used it to buy a pair of size 15 boots for my dad online and got them posted to his address. He couldn’t go out due to Covid so wouldn’t have returned them anyway.

But I found them money grabbing and annoying.

Yeh I think they pointed out to me before that they don’t refund when I was buying an item, there was a sign next to the till actually and they pointed to it and said they don’t do refunds.

Amazed sports direct does any business when Decathlon exists

@jetadore

Agreed, although there seems to be lots more sports directs dotted about than decathlon’s. Only one decathlon in my city unfortunately.

You say there wasn't a bigger size but could you use the credit for another brand in the same size? They might be more comfortable. I'm not sure if you're able to try them on in store.

YANBU Mike Ashley doesn't believe in refunds. Main reason why I don't shop at Jack Wills anyone having not realised be bought them.

I'm getting to that age that I shop at John Lewis as I pick up my deliveries and returns via my local Waitrose.

@jetadore

Amazed sports direct does any business when Decathlon exists

My nearest Sports Direct is 2 miles away, Decathalon is nearer 25 miles and a motorway trip away, it's not rocket science to work out why I go to Sports Direct

@MikeWozniaksGloriousTache

These were literally the only junior goggles in the shop or else that’s what I would have done.

So he doesn’t believe in refunds? What a cock!

Jack Wills is also now on my never list.

If goods are faulty, then the customer is entitled to a refund, not obliged to accept a credit note

If they don't fit, then I'm not sure they are faulty

YABU. They don’t have to give you a refund; the goggles aren’t faulty they just don’t fit.

They are not technically “faulty”, they are however completely unfit for use. I think they were packaged incorrectly, they’re fine for 4 year olds though, so I guess that’s how SD see it too.

Unfortunately I do not have a 4 year old.

Silly me for thinking age 6-14 would fit my 11 and 9 year old.
Perhaps they really do have massive heads 🤣!

I disagree. The goggles are clearly labelled wrongly and are therefore faulty. It is your right to be refunded.
I have also had a refund argument with them over a clearly faulty pair of walking boots. Different circumstance, but by god, I was not leaving that shop until I got a refund- which I did.
I'd walk back in and kick up merry hell until I got a refund- which is your statutory right under the consumer act for faulty goods- and they are faulty!

@PatButchersEarring

Yes, false advertising. The manager was a complete tool, and I really did kick up a fuss. Gave it the whole “they’re not faulty” spiel. You could quite clearly see from the strap they were not meant for older juniors, hence all my photos etc.

Just awaiting a response now from my email/photos.

It’s an appalling policy I agree OP, but a long-standing one at SD, sadly and one of the reasons I don’t shop in SD stores.

Silly me for thinking age 6-14 would fit my 11 and 9 year old.

Ds moved to adult Google in smaller eye cup styles around that age. Kids Googles are ridiculously small (or ds also had a massive head)

@PatButchersEarring

I disagree. The goggles are clearly labelled wrongly and are therefore faulty. It is your right to be refunded. I have also had a refund argument with them over a clearly faulty pair of walking boots. Different circumstance, but by god, I was not leaving that shop until I got a refund- which I did. I'd walk back in and kick up merry hell until I got a refund- which is your statutory right under the consumer act for faulty goods- and they are faulty!

You can’t just kick up a fuss to get what you want. Whether you like it or not, if they don’t agree they’re faulty and you refuse to leave the store after being asked the police would be called to remove you.

You don’t get your own way by being a nuisance.

@emilyfrost

Being a “nuisance” is perfectly acceptable when you have been robbed. If someone robs 20 pounds off you in the street, do you just shrug your shoulders and say never mind?

@WeAllHaveWings

I’ve tried mine and they’re too big but I’ll shop around now. I mean since when did trying on goggles in a shop become a thing lol. 🤣

It's looonnng been their policy. I don't buy from there now.

@AnnaSW1

I know right, where have I been? Didn’t even know 🤦‍♀️. Live and learn I guess.

[quote Chillychangchoo]@emilyfrost

Being a “nuisance” is perfectly acceptable when you have been robbed. If someone robs 20 pounds off you in the street, do you just shrug your shoulders and say never mind?[/quote]
You haven’t been robbed What a silly comparison.

@emilyfrost

No, not a silly comparison at all. If you buy a product which is labelled or packaged incorrectly, so therefore completely useless, you have handed over 20 pounds for absolutely nothing at all. You have technically been robbed, particularly when you are not refunded.

They treat their staff and customers horrendously, I really hope we see the back of this company soon.