to ask for a refund on this dress?

[MaMaLa321]

I bought a dress last year. It wasn't cheap at £120. I've only worn it 3 or 4 times and the fabric has ripped along the seam. I sewed it up once but it reoccurred.
I've bought from the shop several times.
It was in a sale, but there was no fault when I bought it.
I've taken it into the shop, but the manageress wasn't in, so I left it with my phone number.
AIBU to expect a refund or credit note? And would you expect a full refund?

A year later with no receipt, I doubt they'll offer anything as there is no proof it was faulty when you bought it and no proof of when you bought it or that it was even bought from them at all. It could be years old from a charity shop for all they know.

I don’t think it’s difficult to understand, it’s just the risk you take when you don’t use an item almost a year after you’ve bought it because now you have no legal leg to stand on.

I think it will be down entirely to the shops discretion. FWIW, I had a pair of shoes from Topshop which I had only worn a few times, but bought around 6 months prior. They snapped off my foot whilst I was walking around the shopping centre which the Topshop I had bought them from was in. I went into the Topshop and the manager said she didn’t usually do returns on items that old but as she could see they were clearly faulty and the sole was hardly used she let me swap for some shoes the same value there and then. I had the receipt on my emails though, and I think the fact I was walking around shoeless appealed to her better nature.

I’d let it go but I’d be very pissed off. I was recently when my iron broke after about half a dozen uses. I’d had it over a year. I decided the fight wouldn’t be worth my time and effort but it still rankles.

Could you get a dress maker to repair it by taking the seam in on both sides slightly and overlocking? As it's baggy you may not notice. Then maybe see if the shop will give you a credit note to the repair costs to use in their store? That way you get to wear the dress and they get to sell you something else to fund the repair?

You can try but your rights are pretty limited. You should have gone back as soon as it ripped. It might be a flaw in the fabric though.

I don't know why so many are saying they just won't touch it - it is very much down to the individual shop. As someone else pointed out, some places offer outstanding service and will still resolve a year down the track and others will say that too much time has passed/you shouldn't have stitched it yourself.

If you shop there regularly and they know you, it is very possible they will give you some sort of credit or try resolve it.

No harm in asking. Some places might offer you something in good faith. I probably wouldn’t bother myself, although you say you shop there quite a lot so maybe no skin off your nose to take in the item next time. I’d either fix it myself again, or get it sorted professionally.

A year is well beyond a reasonable time for asking for a refund.

You get 6 months for a refund on goods that are faulty through use, as it’s a year it’s entirely the shops discretion

Well you can always ask but I wouldn't expect much.
You should have taken it back when it ripped before trying to repair it yourself.

Legally I don't think you have much recourse as:

a) it was in a sale
b) You've waited until now to try to return it
c) you've sewn it up
d) Also no receipt

If you're very lucky as you've bought things from there before they might give you a credit note, but they're being very generous.

You're being a bit of a CFer in my eyes because you've had it over a year plus the other reasons!

Its worth asking if you think it has split due to poor quality.

I've taken a leather handbag back after a year because the strap came away. There was a fault in the workmanship and it should have lasted longer. I did get a refund.

I certainly don't think you're being CFer. Clothes should last better than that especially as it was not cheap.

YANBU to ask. - though perhaps unhelpful you sewed up the seam and didn’t take back then. Hobbs would certainly refund

I’m an ex retail manager and have worked in quite a few high street stores.

I wouldn’t refund this and I’d be surprised if a manager accepts it. No receipt for faulty items is fine. However there’s like an unwritten rule that if an item is faulty within 6 months then it can be refunded (providing you have your receipt or bank statement to confirm the date you bought this).

Because you’ve had it a year AND sewed it up yourself, I definitely wouldn’t accept this as a faulty return. You may get lucky and the manager may offer to send it to head office for them to assess the fabric and decide if they want to refund you. That’s a goodwill gesture tho, they don’t actually have to do that. Good luck but I think YABU

If you had taken it back as soon as it ripped then maybe but you fixed it yourself they can blame you for the fault now

Did you tell them you repaired it after the seam went the first time.

Regardless of when you bought it, a £120 dress shouldn't rip after 4 wears!

Shops don't know unless you tell them. You did the right thing. They might tell you to f off but good customer service would be a credit note.

it is worth a try, but don't be surprised if they don't accept it.

If the fabric is faulty, then all the dresses will have had issues. I once took a pair of ds school shoes back fairly well worn and about 3 months old as the stiching had all fallen apart and I thought that a school shoe bought in September should last until Christmas. She didn't even look at the stitching, glanced at the shoe and offered me a full refund. It was a little odd, and it was only later that it occurred to me that as soon as she saw which shoes it was she just gave a full refund. Same may be true for your dress, they know there is an issue, and they'll honour it.

Or not, but no harm in asking.

A year! Gosh, better go and return all my clothes and get a new wardrobe then, didn't realise this policy

But legally, OP should've taken the dress back within 6 months as that's the timescale for faulty goods. Not waited over a year and mended it herself. I can see why she mended it sort of but the shop may not see it that way.

If the shop are being very generous they'll give a credit note I think, but not a refund, partial or otherwise.

But to be fair to the shop and legally in their eyes, it is after 6 months that she should return it (forget about the weather) not now.

I'm guessing this could be Hobbs/Coast based on price.

It's also been worn 3/4 times so the shop has no idea what OP has been doing in that timescale. She could've been dancing and tripped and ripped the seam. And also no receipt, how do they know she bought it from them?

It’s worth a try. They can only say no and you won’t be any worse off.

Re stitching, it's important to match thread and stitch tension to the fabric and the likely stress on the seam. A strong thread, sewn tightly, on a delicate or lightweight or faulty fabric, in an area that flexes, is more likely to end up in a burst seam or a new rip nearby.

I bought a Calvin Klein dress that split on the seam - no refund, nothing. Bought it at an outlet store so not the normal customer service. I suspect you'll find the same issue, but no harm in trying..