To expect a refund or credit note from John Lewis

[badservice]

I purchased an item at the end of December from John Lewis which I planned to take back in January when I went to the store. Unfortunately I caught covid which hit me quite hard, I suspect due to a combination of underlying heart problems and being pregnant. I spent my isolation in bed - often sleeping well into the afternoon and the rest of the time sat up in bed. Anyway I contacted them to let them know the refund period would expire whilst I was in isolation and asked if it could be extended by a few days. They've finally responded (now the refund period is over) to say no they won't refund and I should of arranged a contactless collection from my home address. I understand some people with covid would manage this but I certainly wasn't up to it.

AIBU to expect a refund or credit note?

@badservice

To answer a few questions, I purchased it as a gift for someone. The fit wasn't right so I said I would return it as I had the receipt. I didn't return the order via the online system pre covid symptoms because I planned to return it in store as I have done in the past. I had 7 days left to return the item when I began isolating. Live chat was unavailable so they've only responded to my email after this period was over. My resting heart rate when upright was about 200bmp, when that happens and I push myself it usually results in a TIA. I wasn't up to repacking the item and taking it down to the front of my house, presumably to leave outside.

Well ultimately you left it too late with no margin for error. This is the result. Lesson learned 🤷🏼‍♀️

I’m on your side OP - you contacted John Lewis within the returns period to explain the situation and they were slow to reply.
In the circumstances I don’t think it would have been unreasonable of them to have bent the rules a little and have allowed you to return the item to store for a credit note within a further specified timescale.
You are not talking years here, just a few days so the resale argument mentioned by someone above is hardly relevant. Bearing in mind that had you used the collect from home service it would have cost the company something to arrange I think they should have taken what you saved them into account and agreed to your request to extend the returns period.

You haven't answered the question about whether there's another adult in the house who could have packaged it and arranged the collection for you?

Like others have said I'd try tweeting them, but I think YAB a bit U tbh. That's the risk you run when you leave things til the last minute - things can go wrong and then you (in this case literally) pay the price!

I made contact within the returns period and I did have an initial response also within the returns period. However that was just a generic sorry to hear you're ill, thanks for your enquiry we'll forward it to our customer service team. They then emailed again (from the same email address as the first response) once out of the returns period saying I couldn't return the item.

I will take it to the store to try in person. I am disappointed in them though because in the past few months I'v had two orders that have been flagged as ready for collection only for me to turn up and them tell me they're lost. This just feels like the latest poor service from them when I used to find them great.

@millymae thank you. They're still selling the item in question which I do think adds to the ridiculousness of it all.