Primark

[iamenougheveryday]

I live in England. Almost every clothes shop I have been to (except Sports Direct), the rule is if you take back an item you need a receipt for a refund, or without a receipt you can get an exchange.

I bought an item of clothing from Primark. I changed my mind, and decided to take it back but I lost the receipt. I decided to take the item to my nearest Primark, and show them my banking app which is a proof of purchase in the hope they would allow an exchange. They said without a receipt they would not refund or exchange the item.

Is Primark being unnecessarily mean, or should I pay better attention to a shop's return policy?

Did it still have the label on? I’d have thought they’d exchange it

They only have to accept proof of purchase if the item is faulty. If you simply changed your mind then they can set whatever refund/exchange policy they like.

@Comefromaway is right https://www.primark.com/en-gb/help/refund-and-exchanges#

Just tear it

You pay better attention to their returns policy...

I worked in Primark in the 90s (well, Penneys in Ireland) and this was the case back then. They discount different items in different stores depending on stock levels so we'd get people buy things reduced in one store and then try to refund or exchange for an item of the original price in a different store where it wasn't reduced. So we required receipts unless faulty.

The label was still on. Never worn.

I had this with wrong sized kids clothes at Christmas, had no receipt and they wouldn’t exchange. I think cause their turnover of styles and stock is so high, they’d rather not return.

Showing the banking app only shows that you brought something in Primark. It doesn’t show what you brought in Primark so to return an item that you changed your mind on you need to prove that you brought that item.
one of the main reason why primark want a receipt for refund and exchanges is to stop shop lifters. A common scam was walking into a shop, picking up 2 of the same item one in your size one a size bigger or smaller. Going to the till saying I have this top but it’s too small/big I’ve lost my receipt but can I exchange it for my size. And you have a free top.

This has been the case for years

At one point they were absolutely inundated by people wanting to refund or exchange but falsely so it was losing the company massive profits. People would come in, pick a correct & incorrect item of clothing & ask for an "exchange" - therefore walking out with an item they hadn't paid for in the first place. The same with returns - walk around, grab handfuls of things & then go to the returns desk & walk out with £40 extra in their bank. Just because there's a bank transaction, doesn't mean that a person hadn't paid for half their goods then "stole" the other half.

Not saying this is what you did of course. Just explaining this is why the policy. Which from an ex Primark employee (for all of my sins 🙃) caused us staff no end of abuse from people wanting to return without a receipt.

@WeetabixTowels

stolen stuff still has the tag on it...

they aren't to know if the OP stole it or bought it. Banking app means nothing as it could be any item the same price.

though receipt means nothing either, a customer could have bought one and pinched another.

i used to live overseas where they'd only refund if the item was faulty. That's it. PITA, but makes more sense.

i

The only correct answer will be what their refund and exchange policy is. All shops are different.

Your banking app shows you purchased something, it doesn't prove you purchased what you're trying to return. What's to stop you walking in, picking something up from the shelves while you're in there and claiming that's what you bought last week and need to return?

This isn't necessarily true. It depends on the shops refund and exchange policy. They can't chop and change depending on what day of the week it is. The exchange/refund policy is a legal contract when you purchase in the store.

You always need to pay attention to refund and exchange policies. Its very easy in these Internet times you just need to check the website before you buy or ask at the time of purchase. I too had the pleasure of dealing with people who, didn't bother to check before throwing their toys out of the pram and quoting there rights (wrongly) and suggesting to you how you could circumnavigate the rules by checking cctv or looking at your till. Martin Lewis and all the consumer champions explain how shop policies differ every Christmas and still people choose to not understand

By purchasing you have accepted the stores refund and exchange policy so have made a contract with them. So if it says you need the receipt, the tags and labels need to be on for a refund or exchange and you've agreed not to remove them whilst deciding. It needs to be in a resealable condition so no dirty marks or strong aromas. If there is a mark when purchased you should ask the cashier to type it on the receipt same as if the tag was missing when sold. They can come off when people try on in store. You don't get to take them off or cut the wash label out because they itch, or do the same for the hygiene strip. It's not OK to wear shoes all day at work or for and interview or all night at a party and return them because they've not been worn 'outside' but have dirty scuffed soles and creases around the toe area. If you have a dirty floor at home please give them a light wipe!
If an item is faulty and you are returning bedause the law says you can also consider Martin Lewis's SADFART rule. Satisfactory quality As Described Fit for purpose And last a reasonable Amount of Time (for what you paid) People return steaming sweaty shoes because they wore them in a thunderstorm and they let the rain in..desert boots ballet flats etc not wellies. Umbrellas breaking in a gale force wind that coat £3..CFs

But in this case Primark haven't chopped or changed their refund policy. It’s on their website & im pretty sure it is also displayed in the store.

The banking app doesn't itemise what you've bought though

I don't know their refund policy but your first post implied that everyone should think themselves lucky they can get a refund anyway. All I'm saying is that each store has to stock to their rules and it isn't up to the cashier on the day if they refund/exchange etc. Whatever is written in writing has to be adhered to.

It used to be the case that Primark would do exchanges without a receipt. But I can imagine that many people took the piss. For one thing, it's a shoplifter's go-to shop.

The problem is we don't know what's law or store policy. When I went to sports direct I heard them say no returns only when someone asked. But no signs saying that was their policy. But my first thought was that's illegal, shops have to return items. Which if they actually don't why do they do or do they have too? No idea

Ever since I was little it has always been need a receipt for a refund as standard, sure some stores may do their own thing but it is logical to me to go with that if I get one without great but it is not the shops fault if I dont

There is no legal right of refund or exchange for in store purchases unless they're faulty.

Most stores will exchange or refund money with a receipt (eg wrong size or just changed your mind) but there's no legal obligation to do so. It's a goodwill gesture to keep customers happy and to encourage them to shop there again.

That's why it's important to be aware of the store policies.

Different laws apply to online purchases.

Primark are notoriously strict with refunds and exchanges now, they won’t even exchange WITH a receipt after 30 days!

I get it, the number of people stealing goods and then asking for an exchange must have been crazy.

I once just wanted to exchange some unworn, still-tagged trainers for a bigger size, with the receipt but after 30 days had passed, and Primark refused. I asked to see the manager, I denounced their sledgehammer policy, but they didn’t budge. That’s when I finally accepted it and only bought things that I was very happy with.

However, I must admit that I went to the shoe section, put my smaller ones back on the shelf, and picked up the larger size and walked out.

The customer is no longer valued. In my town primark is the biggest of about 3 shops that sell clothes, it's basically a wasteland of pointless shops. They basically have a monopoly of clothes shops in many places and don't have to give a shit.