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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu to think Dunelm are unreasonable?

352 replies

LadyGodHelpUs · 09/01/2023 14:18

On Saturday I bought £217 worth of stuff from Dunelm. I paid £40 using a gift card given to me as a Christmas present. The rest I paid by card.

Today I returned £97 worth of things. They insisted that £40 had to go back on the gift card.

I wasn’t made aware of this or I would have carried out separate transactions. I didn’t sign anything and it didn’t mention this on the back of the receipt where it said refunds would be no problem within the set time period.

AIBU that this is unfair practice?

OP posts:
prescribingmum · 09/01/2023 17:05

Pixiedust1234 · 09/01/2023 16:59

217 worth of stuff from Dunelm. I paid £40 using a gift card. Today I returned £97 worth of things. They insisted that £40 had to go back on the gift card.

Perhaps my maths is all wrong here its not my strong point tbf.

£217 spent, £97 returned equals £20 only is actually spent. So a £40 giftcard has been used to purchased £20 worth of items...most retailers won't let you partially use a gift card, its all or nothing. Thats probably the reason they returned the full amount onto another gift card. I think you were taking the piss here, but well done for trying 😂

Sorry to be blunt but my 6 year old can do better maths than you🤦🏻‍♀️

mewkins · 09/01/2023 17:05

Pixiedust1234 · 09/01/2023 16:59

217 worth of stuff from Dunelm. I paid £40 using a gift card. Today I returned £97 worth of things. They insisted that £40 had to go back on the gift card.

Perhaps my maths is all wrong here its not my strong point tbf.

£217 spent, £97 returned equals £20 only is actually spent. So a £40 giftcard has been used to purchased £20 worth of items...most retailers won't let you partially use a gift card, its all or nothing. Thats probably the reason they returned the full amount onto another gift card. I think you were taking the piss here, but well done for trying 😂

Christ.

QuillBill · 09/01/2023 17:05

cloud9612 · 09/01/2023 16:59

Gift cards are not exchangeable for their monetary value - YABU

For the love of god!

JudgeJ · 09/01/2023 17:06

I recall in the early '70s when we didn't have credit cards, ATMs etc, we would go to M and S on Saturday morning and buy something with a cheque, we would then return it an hour or so later and get cash for our night out!

Headabovetheparakeet · 09/01/2023 17:07

I've learnt 3 things from this thread

  1. Don't shop at Dunelm
  2. The reading comprehension and basic maths skills of the average Mumsnet poster are atrocious.
Wink
prescribingmum · 09/01/2023 17:08

Headabovetheparakeet · 09/01/2023 16:59

@prescribingmum @TreacsPotNoodle

I know. I've actually had to reread the op twice to check I'm not the one misunderstanding.

I actually spelt it out with correct maths and yet the number of people who still can’t comprehend it (and then there’s the recent shocking maths example too).

Sometimes I feel like there’s no hope if this is how average persons brain works🤷🏻‍♀️

LittleBrenda · 09/01/2023 17:08

£217 spent, £97 returned equals £20 only is actually spent.

This is quite Shock as £97 is so close to £100 that you don't even need to work out anything to see that there is no way the answer could be £20.

Maths isn't required, just a bit of sense.

Needmorelego · 09/01/2023 17:09

@mewkins it's not so much 'immoral' for customers to return goods. It can just be a pain in the arse for the retailer.
This time of year retailers tend to extend their returns window as they know people will return piles of unwanted christmas gifts.
When it's something like Lego sets or Barbie dolls - well they can go straight back out on to the shelf and will usually resell. But it's the stuff like Christmas trees and decorations that they bought in November but didn't use so no longer want - and bring it back for a refund.
The shops often don't have the space to re display christmas stock. They don't have much space to store in the stockroom. The sales floor and stockrooms are full of the current season stock. They don't want old stuff taking up space. It's annoying. Products end up being sold at a loss - because they reduce them crazy cheap to get them out the store. They want them gone.
All because someone bought something randomly and then decided they didn't want it.
Not relevant to the OPs issue I know but that's how it is in retail.
It's just annoying.

MisguidedGhosts · 09/01/2023 17:09

Pixiedust1234 · 09/01/2023 16:59

217 worth of stuff from Dunelm. I paid £40 using a gift card. Today I returned £97 worth of things. They insisted that £40 had to go back on the gift card.

Perhaps my maths is all wrong here its not my strong point tbf.

£217 spent, £97 returned equals £20 only is actually spent. So a £40 giftcard has been used to purchased £20 worth of items...most retailers won't let you partially use a gift card, its all or nothing. Thats probably the reason they returned the full amount onto another gift card. I think you were taking the piss here, but well done for trying 😂

Jesus Christ that's embarrassing. Did you know you don't have to comment on every thread you open? Just something to consider in future!

mewkins · 09/01/2023 17:09

JudgeJ · 09/01/2023 17:06

I recall in the early '70s when we didn't have credit cards, ATMs etc, we would go to M and S on Saturday morning and buy something with a cheque, we would then return it an hour or so later and get cash for our night out!

I used to refund things bought with cheques as cash in the late 90s. 😄

UncleQuentinsWife · 09/01/2023 17:12

It's just annoying.

But that's not the OP's problem. I find it annoying in my job that people don't listen to their children read. It's so frustrating.

But it doesn't mean I can take out my annoyance on my 'customers' by also not listening to their child read.

Lifeisapeach · 09/01/2023 17:13

This happened to me in John Lewis. (Who I usually trust with my life and who have the best customer service).

It’s standard in retain when you part pay, it will always go back onto the gift card first, because it’s in their best interest for you to spend that money what them again. Plus if they didn’t do it this way they would be refunding cash for something you didn’t pay full cash for (they don’t apportion the gift card).

best thing to do is return everything and then buy only what you want. Along with your gift card.

mewkins · 09/01/2023 17:13

Needmorelego · 09/01/2023 17:09

@mewkins it's not so much 'immoral' for customers to return goods. It can just be a pain in the arse for the retailer.
This time of year retailers tend to extend their returns window as they know people will return piles of unwanted christmas gifts.
When it's something like Lego sets or Barbie dolls - well they can go straight back out on to the shelf and will usually resell. But it's the stuff like Christmas trees and decorations that they bought in November but didn't use so no longer want - and bring it back for a refund.
The shops often don't have the space to re display christmas stock. They don't have much space to store in the stockroom. The sales floor and stockrooms are full of the current season stock. They don't want old stuff taking up space. It's annoying. Products end up being sold at a loss - because they reduce them crazy cheap to get them out the store. They want them gone.
All because someone bought something randomly and then decided they didn't want it.
Not relevant to the OPs issue I know but that's how it is in retail.
It's just annoying.

In which case they could easily change the policy for seasonal items (which I'm sure some stores do). To be fair Christmas stuff is reduced way before Christmas and is snapped up by bargain hunters (my mum). John lewis had plenty of cut price Christmas stuff at the weekend.

FancyFanny · 09/01/2023 17:13

I have had the same issue with John Lewis- completely illogical.

prescribingmum · 09/01/2023 17:16

Needmorelego · 09/01/2023 17:09

@mewkins it's not so much 'immoral' for customers to return goods. It can just be a pain in the arse for the retailer.
This time of year retailers tend to extend their returns window as they know people will return piles of unwanted christmas gifts.
When it's something like Lego sets or Barbie dolls - well they can go straight back out on to the shelf and will usually resell. But it's the stuff like Christmas trees and decorations that they bought in November but didn't use so no longer want - and bring it back for a refund.
The shops often don't have the space to re display christmas stock. They don't have much space to store in the stockroom. The sales floor and stockrooms are full of the current season stock. They don't want old stuff taking up space. It's annoying. Products end up being sold at a loss - because they reduce them crazy cheap to get them out the store. They want them gone.
All because someone bought something randomly and then decided they didn't want it.
Not relevant to the OPs issue I know but that's how it is in retail.
It's just annoying.

And how is any of this relevant to OP returning a rug?!

It doesn’t justify the way the warped logic the store has used in any format. If as a business you don’t want to accept returns then don’t have a returns policy - it’s really that simple as there isn’t a legal obligation for one. Don’t have a policy then whinge when someone uses it

ABBAsnumberonefan · 09/01/2023 17:19

I hold a life long grudge against dunelm so I’m shocked I am agreeing with them. Most places will refund via the method of payment and if part of it was on a gift card of course they’ll put it back on. I had the same recently from an ASOS order. I think you’re naive to think that they were going to put it all back onto your credit / debit card.

prescribingmum · 09/01/2023 17:20

@FancyFanny @Lifeisapeach Ive been lucky to have opposite issue with JL. Had lots of vouchers received as gifts and have often used them to part pay them ended up returning an item - refund has always gone back on my card first without exception.

I used a voucher and money 2 months back to buy an item which went down in price 24 hours later - called them and they refunded the difference and to my card (I would definitely have accepted a gift card for this). I shop with them often because they’re sp good - I’ll happily pay a premium over another store for the service

silverclock222 · 09/01/2023 17:21

Surely everyone knows gift cards can't be exchanged for cash?

Headabovetheparakeet · 09/01/2023 17:21

silverclock222 · 09/01/2023 17:21

Surely everyone knows gift cards can't be exchanged for cash?

Yeah of course we do, what's your point?

dayswithaY · 09/01/2023 17:22

It’s standard practice in retail due to customers buying armfuls of goods they aren’t sure if they actually want. They then end up in someone’s home and are returned when they’ve had a little think (or realised they can’t afford them).

Lovely new items you have bought may already have spent considerable time on someone else’s bedroom floor or dumped on the back of an armchair.

Wonnle · 09/01/2023 17:24

So they won't accept that the stuff you are not returning was bought with the £40 gift card then ?

I'd get the card refunded , return the rest of what i'd bought and then re buy it with the gift card if they wouldn't refund me

YellowDots · 09/01/2023 17:24

silverclock222 · 09/01/2023 17:21

Surely everyone knows gift cards can't be exchanged for cash?

Surely everyone knows that the capital of France is Paris.

ABBAsnumberonefan · 09/01/2023 17:24

dayswithaY · 09/01/2023 17:22

It’s standard practice in retail due to customers buying armfuls of goods they aren’t sure if they actually want. They then end up in someone’s home and are returned when they’ve had a little think (or realised they can’t afford them).

Lovely new items you have bought may already have spent considerable time on someone else’s bedroom floor or dumped on the back of an armchair.

Not so sure that is actually relevant to this thread tbf

Daisymay2 · 09/01/2023 17:31

I had the opposite in Ikea, son had bought a load of stuff and purchased too many shelves for his bookcase. He spent about 300 quid on e-vouchers and about £25 on his credit card. I returned the shelf on my next visit to Ikea and they credited the money to his card. As it happened I was getting something else, so could have had a voucher. I was a bit surprised they let me use his credit card.

WoofWoofWoofMudToys · 09/01/2023 17:38

@LadyGodHelpUs

what a drama over virtually nothing.

you've just bought a house, I'm sure there are other things in Dunelm you'll be needing. Unless you've bought a toadstool, £40 is going to make fuck all difference to iver paying your mortgage.

That's what the staff have been trained to do with refunds. The refunds they'll be swamped with this week.

you chose to buy two rugs knowing you'd be returning one of them. Suck up the minor inconvenience.