High street shops just won’t refund or exchange anymore?

[Chumbibi]

Has anyone else found this? Two examples recently:

• Marks and Spencer’s - baby cardigan received as a gift - all tags on and style of cardigan still on sale in stores. No gift receipt but asked if I could exchange for next size up as too small. Lady scanned it through the till and said it was outside of 30 days so nothing they could do.
• Whistles - purchase the exact same style and size of jeans in different colours. Tried one in store, ordered the other online. The pair ordered online are about three inches bigger. Ripped the tags off and threw them on and then realised after an hour they were falling down. My fault I should have checked but was told, there was absolutely nothing they were prepared to do. The woman told me in the shop ‘I had probably stretched them’ which was nice 🙄

So AIBU? It seems customer service is non-existent these days. I appreciate they have policies but it seems once something is sold they don’t want to know?

YABU.

I’ve never known them to refund/exchange worn clothes or with no receipt.

You need to have the receipt nowadays as there are so many cases of shoplifters bringing things back for a refund.

Head up to M&S - why should they!

Not unreasonable of Whistles. It’s a well known fact that different colours/denim if the same Jean can be wildly different in size.

M&S are being dicks.

The OP wasn’t asking for a refund. She wanted to swap one item with tags still on for another. And it wasn’t the lack of receipt that was the issue but the time elapsed.

Too many shoplifters unfortunately. This is why its not actually a victimless crime.

Eh? After 30 days of course they won't refund. You've had time to sort well before that. As for pulling tags off well nowhere would ever refund that.

Yes but then the second item is brought back for a refund woth receipt! It's a common scam now.

Without the receipt how did M&S know when it was bought? The tags are surely the same on all identical items?

Why are M&S being dicks?? Anyone could easily walk into a shop pick up size 0-3 months cardi, walk up to customer service & say "I got this as a present but it's too small, I've no receipt but tags are still on, please swap for bigger size"
Not saying in the slightest that OP did this, but just without a receipt anyone could.....

I don't understand these memories of the 'gold old days' when shops would take any old shite back without a receipt.

I worked in retail 20 years ago and the golden rule back then was no receipt, no refund, no exchange.

The first one is annoying. I also tried to exchange something a relative got for baby and couldn’t as they hadn’t left the gift receipt. It’s annoying when it’s brand new and you just want to swap the size.
The second one not so much. I don’t know anywhere that would return after the tags are off.

In the past M&S had been too soft re no receipt accept rturnns. Well done M&S

Marks and Spencer have unique codes and can tell when it was purchased.

M+S are all about dicks these days.

women and children chucked aside.

M&S aren't being dicks. 30 days is plenty of time to get items swapped, and I'd expect to need a gift receipt to do so.

As for expecting a refund after tags have been removed, I'm astounded you thought they would agree to that. Unless the item is faulty, it is on you to check it fits you before removing tags.

Fully agree.

The response of the shops described by the OP seems perfectly reasonable to me.

I'm told what shoplifters try is. Steal one item. Take it back to the shop and say it was a gift, and can they exchange it for the next size up. The store then gives a receipt. Then they take it back and ask for a refund.
That's why shops are reluctant to do anything without a receipt.

I think that the rise of online shopping or very cheap suppliers, including people buying things and bringing them back after they find them cheaper online, has made it difficult for shops.

They basically can't afford the kinds of policies they used to have.

I bought DS some trainers from Primark purely for kicking about and skate park. They were too small. Took them back today to exchange for next size up, all intact with shoe hanger etc and with a receipt from Tuesday. I was twice accused of trying to return worn items. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Woman implied soles were showing signs of wear. They were not. They also had tags attached. She really didn't want to exchange them but finally did it. I was mortified.

Tag technology means shops have accurate information about when and how items were purchased. It is now essential to keep tags attached until you are certain that you won't be returning an item.

Yes. M&S were well-known for allowing any old worn stuff to be returned and refunded.

Well done M&S.

Primark

I think in this case the shops had good reason not to exchange/refund in each case. They don't have to exchange or refund anything by law, unless it's faulty, it's just that most shops have a goodwill policy to do so but understandable that they set time limits and conditions.