NEXT plc accusing me of fraud

[Dontbeabitterlemon]

Bought 9 pairs of sandals online, sent all but 1 pair back. Now Next are saying 4 boxes were empty when received. Bizarrely they refunded me for these 4 but not the other 4 and have sent me an email demanding that I cover the cost of these shoes plus £35 for investigation fees.

Aibu to feel completely wronged?!

Obviously when I sent it all shoes were present and accounted for.

Next are just awful for returns and even refunds in store. I'd avoid buying from them at all costs if you can. The owners supported Brexit, and the brand is included on many boycott Israel lists. Even more reason to avoid!

They sent me photos of the 4 empty boxes, as if that proves that I am culpable! I always thought they were a reputable company. I have never had a problem before. I've been ordering for years, spent a small fortune and then being told to pay up for the 4 pairs in 7 days or debt collection will take over. I'm dumbfounded.

..

I recently ordered eight pairs of shoes online (not from Next though - from Ambrose Wilson)

I sent seven pairs back.

I live in a tiny village in Scotland and the nearest shops are three hours away.

Also, I have small, wide feet, and very few shoes are comfortable.

Our Evri man is lovely and very reliable. Ambrose Wilson always refund me promptly.

It sounds like Next have a big problem.

YANBU OP. I sympathise.

Many thanks
You are a credit to MN, IMHO

I mean, fight it as much as you can of course, but without any evidence on your side (other than your word), there’s only so far you can go

It’s a horrible situation, but without any other evidence that someone else has them, they’ve resorted to you. You don’t have any evidence you don’t still have them, short of someone coming and searching your property for them (I doubt it would escalate that much though). The couriers are hardly going to admit blame if it was an error/theft on their part.

From the company’s viewpoints, you ordered 9, told them you’d returned 8, but they’ve only got 4 back so you must have the other 4 still. There’s no evidence to suggest their conclusion is incorrect, so they’ve contacted you. There’s no evidence the courier or post have anything to do with it either. From that standpoint, you have either purposefully kept the products, or weren’t careful enough about returning the items. Miserable situation for you of course, but what else are they to do?

So they're saying that they received 4 out of 8. They've refunded you for 4 but they want you to pay for them again....so they want you to pay for 8 pairs even though they are saying that they already received 4 back?

I think that's taking things a little far but thanks I guess.

No, I think OP meant they’d refunded the 4 that were missing instead of the 4 received, which was an error on their part. NEXT are only charging for the missing shoes and investigation cost (or at least that’s what I took from the original post)

But they didn't refund the money for the 4 that they received so she has been charged for them.

Did you request the return within 14 days of delivery, and then return within a further 14 days?

If so you've exercised your withdrawal right. They have to refund you within 14 days of receiving the goods OR proof of postage. So send them proof of postage and insist on your refund. See here for more: https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/consumer-contracts-regulations-ajWHC8m21cAk

If you used a returns service organised by Next (e.g. if you used a returns label they provided), then there are good legal arguments that the risk of loss after you handed the parcel over to the courier is also on Next (unfortunately law is not explicit on this though).

If I were you though, I'd cut through all of this by simply doing a chargeback claim through whichever bank / credit card company you used to pay for the shoes.

Contact Trading standards.

The letter they sent is intimidating and threatening.

Don’t order from them again.

Oh and whilst you are at it make sure you ask them for a refund of any postage cost you paid originally (if you are returning everything you ordered). Next are notorious for "forgetting" to do this. I enjoy reminding them, every single time. Again this is legally required (see link provided above).

Next do soft searches for no apparent reason when you just buy online, not in credit. Nobody else does it,it is why I avoid them - well apart from their cheap looking stuff.

You’d actually be surprised how low these costs are for a major company. A fiver does cover it.

Royal mail are photographing that my parcels have been delivered, trouble is two never arrived and it is not my front door. Happened on two separate occasions recently luckily the sellers believed me. So resent. Royal mail not interested. My regular postman was though.

I often order lots of things to try on at home and then return to store as I cannot try on in store for medical reasons. Never occurred to me that I was looking suspicious 🤨 Haven't ordered 9 pairs of shoes but certainly more than 9 items of clothing. Thank you for the warning about returning via post though OP, noted

At last, some helpful replies from @TheLette and @2021x 👍🏼

The number of people on here taking the side of the corporate machine is breathtaking: 'you have no proof, what else can poor old Next do?' and 'It's your own fault for buying nine pairs of shoes' etc. Fucking hell. Believe it or not, consumers actually have rights, people!

I ordered 27 tops in various styles and sizes. I returned 26 of them as they either didn't fit, were poor quality or didn't suit me. I won't use Next's changing rooms and wasn't going to mess around with multiple orders.

I would suggest to Next that the police need to be involved as clearly theft has occurred between Evri picking up and them taking pictures of the boxes.

I had a next package delivered by Evri to a neighbour in error, their number is our number but back to front. We figured out which house it was by the photo of the door. We went to claim the package but the neighbour had been confused because my surname is the same as her son’s first name, so had driven to Next to return it that afternoon.
She didn’t think to try the address on the package! Both hilarious and frustrating at the same time. Next were really nice and without us even contacting them they called and said there had been a mistake and gave a 10 pound voucher.

Oh dear me that's such a waste. You need to reassess what you pick to try on. Try the size guide..buy a measuring tape. Learn what styles suit you. Read the material composition carefully.

Mumsnet is a bloody weird place. Many times I've ordered loads of pairs shoes & returned them. Not sure why you getting a load of grief for it!

They've got a much larger range online, so what are you supposed to do? Or 2 pairs and then keep re-ordering until you fine some you like and that fit?!

Do you think I've never bought clothes before? Jesus Christ, I'm not a child shopping for my own clothes for the first time!

Maybe I fancied a change from what I usually wear, maybe Next (and other stores) should have consistent sizing.