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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Next refund,staff were rude or was I rude? aibu?

97 replies

poolboo · 23/05/2021 15:25

So today I head into town.
I was returning 1 thing I ordered online from next.
So stood in a long queue and got to the front after 10 mins.
The lady said if you just pop your return in the cardboard box next to the fitting room and we will process it in 30 mins.
She didn't ask for my account number or give me a receipt.
I was a bit wary as I didn't have any proof I had returned it and I was worried that anyone got just take it out of this box and I had no receipt to say I had taken it in.

Anyway she told me that was the return process (even tho I had returned things at the till previously)
She said it would be processed in 30 mins and I would get a email.

3 hours later and still no email or confirmation she had processed refund.
I was about to leave shopping centre so I popped back and explained I hadn't received my refund yet and it was well over 30 mins.

She said they had been busy and if I had put it in the box it would get done by end of today.
So I asked if I got it from the box could she just refund me whilst I was here and give me a receipt so I have proof.

She rolled her eyes and said "your making this very complicated"
"This is our returns procedure "

Anyway she did it whilst I was there.

Aibu?
I would have left the shopping centre with no refund and hope that nobody removed my parcel (I know unlikely ) but you never know.

OP posts:
Viviennemary · 23/05/2021 16:29

Its cheeky of them and a really daft way to do things. They're the ones making it complicated. You did right to insist on your refund.

RaisinsRuinEverything · 23/05/2021 16:30

She was rude. She could have apologised and made some excuse about the shop being busy, but blaming the customer is unacceptable.

TwoAndAnOnion · 23/05/2021 16:30

@MaMaD1990

YANBU - I'd of responded to her with a sweet smile and an "oh dear, can I speak to your manager assuming they're more intelligent that you?".
And that really would put you on the upper foot wouldn't it, seeing as the manager probably made the rules, not the floor assistant.
BeyondMyWits · 23/05/2021 16:34

Put it in the box, use your phone to take a pic of it in the box, leave. Nice and quick and easy.

Just like the contact free DPD deliveries round here (pic of package in open doorway).

Blindstupid · 23/05/2021 16:36

YABU - thats their policy now. As someone has said, they have a unique bar code system in place. If in the very unlikely event that someone steaks your parcel, Next would refund you anyway.

I’ve returned parcels like this in a few stores now ... including the Asda ‘to you’ system which accepts returns on behalf of many retailers. Scary using it at first but if that’s their system ps now then so be it.

In your case, you stopped a very busy worker from doing their job, the returns box is there for a reason, whether you/everyone likes it or not 🤷🏼‍♀️

cupsofcoffee · 23/05/2021 16:37

YABU - thats their policy now. As someone has said, they have a unique bar code system in place. If in the very unlikely event that someone steaks your parcel, Next would refund you anyway.

Why would they give a refund if OP can't prove she returned the item in the first place?

Flowerclock · 23/05/2021 16:39

I don't think you are fair to blame the shop assistant when it is clearly the decision of the manager how returns are processed in store.

Your frustration should have been directed at them.

itsgettingwierd · 23/05/2021 16:42

It's absolutely reasonable to want proof of a refunded item.

I'm impressed you left it and trusted them in the first place and were actually very polite 3 hours later!

OrchidLass · 23/05/2021 16:53

YANBU I've had the same twice now. Both times I was made to feel unreasonable. I won't be buying online from them again for the time being.

Blindstupid · 23/05/2021 16:55

cups .... because the event is very unlikely, they will have measures in place, probably cameras as asda do, and it’s easier to just refund the odd event. If it happens frequently then I imagine they’ll change their system.

cupsofcoffee · 23/05/2021 16:57

@Blindstupid

cups .... because the event is very unlikely, they will have measures in place, probably cameras as asda do, and it’s easier to just refund the odd event. If it happens frequently then I imagine they’ll change their system.
They should still have a system in place whereby people are given proof of having returned an item, though. It's good customer service if nothing else.

A stamped business card or printed receipt would take them seconds to hand out.

LittleG69 · 23/05/2021 17:03

@cupsofcoffee

YABU - thats their policy now. As someone has said, they have a unique bar code system in place. If in the very unlikely event that someone steaks your parcel, Next would refund you anyway.

Why would they give a refund if OP can't prove she returned the item in the first place?

They did to me. My DH took some items back for me and one was missing. They refunded it instantly over the phone. As it happens the missing item was in the boot so I had to ring them again and explain Confused
Blindstupid · 23/05/2021 17:04

I agree cups ... but it seems to be common everywhere now ... when asda first brought their system out there was nothing to say you’d returned an item in their drop box, then there was a machine which printed receipts ... others I’ve literally had nothing to prove a return.

mummyh2016 · 23/05/2021 17:05

You can't compare this to Asda's. Asda's goes into a locker you can get into plus you get a receipt. YANBU I wouldn't want to leave my return in a random box.

mummyh2016 · 23/05/2021 17:05

*can't get into.

Sparklingbrook · 23/05/2021 17:05

@MaMaD1990

YANBU - I'd of responded to her with a sweet smile and an "oh dear, can I speak to your manager assuming they're more intelligent that you?".
Cringe!
MrsMiddleMother · 23/05/2021 17:19

It's how Next have done things for months now, its really easy to just put your parcel in the box and walk away. I imagine its so there's less people in a queue and people are in and out quicker. YABU

Rosebel · 23/05/2021 17:19

She wasn't lazy as some people are saying as the shop was busy and she was presumably serving other customers.
Their return system sounds strange but that's not her fault. Not yours either obviously.
I don't actually think either of you were unreasonable. Absolutely fair enough that you wanted a refund then and there but going against the store policy willl land her in trouble.

Amanduh · 23/05/2021 17:23

I always make them do it manually and get a receipt as last month I returned £160 order and they didn’t refund it and obviously I had no proof! It’s a ridiculous system

AwaAnBileYerHeid · 23/05/2021 17:25

@MaMaD1990

YANBU - I'd of responded to her with a sweet smile and an "oh dear, can I speak to your manager assuming they're more intelligent that you?".
I might have asked to speak to the manager if she was refusing to do it however I certainly wouldn't be so rude and nasty as to resort to personal insults. That's just awful.
Theimpossiblegirl · 23/05/2021 17:25

Some of the attitudes towards retail staff on this thread are depressing.

It is a Next policy, it works for most people. It's been designed to reduce queuing and minimise time in store (Covid measures). If you don't like it, use the tills or shop elsewhere.

Arewethereyet21 · 23/05/2021 17:26

I’ve been using this system without an issue for the last couple of months. However I returned 6 items on Friday and only 5 were credited so I’m not sure what’s happened to the 6th item which was a £100 jacket. I phoned Next just now and they’ve refunded it without an issue but I would be more comfortable with a till receipt in the future.

Ellie56 · 23/05/2021 17:31

NEXT seem to be a bit short in the common sense department. I took some online returns back to the store the other week and was asked if I wanted a receipt.

Well der... of course I do otherwise there's no proof I've sent them back is there? Hmm

Sparklingbrook · 23/05/2021 17:37

I think I'd be ok with just leaving it. Not that long ago I used to deposit cash and cheques at the bank by just opening a hatch and posting them in. No receipt, no nothing.
Like a PP suggested I might take a picture of the package first, but I would think it works quite well.

anxietyanonymous · 23/05/2021 17:45

It is a new process and i like it. Except the boxes on my branch have no lid on and are unattended. I too worry about shoplifters making a grab for it. If it was a proper
Secure drop box next to the till i'd use it.

At my local store they also will refund you at the till too. But perhaps not for much longer.

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