Grrr Primark

[WinterKitchen]

A friend gave me a birthday bag with lots of stuff in which included some slippers and flip flops from Primark both of which were too small. I took them back today obviously unworn and they refused to change because I didn't have receipt.

After explaining several times that no I don't have a receipt because someone else bought them for me they asked did I have a gift receipt or a photograph of one. Of course not. I wouldn't ask for that and I didn't tell my friend I was returning the items as I didn't want to upset her or ask for a receipt.

I know the assistant can't do anything, and she offered to fetch a manager but I didn't see the point as they clearly wouldn't change the items. I told them to keep them as they're no good to me and that I would not be returning.

Just frustrating really. Only talking about £10 maybe, and I've already got far too many flip flops and slippers anyway. But I'm just annoyed.

You ARE being petty.

Ridiculous even.

Complete and utter batshit ignorant behaviour thinking you’re entitled to a refund/exchange without a receipt.

Leaving them is also stupid. You clearly have no idea how retail transactions work with barcodes, stock, audits.

Why not take them to a charity shop or flog them on Vinted for a quid?

Mind boggling.

They do - if they have the receipt.

I made £50 from a stroppy customer who left behind a pair of shoes I wouldn’t allow a refund on.

The store I worked for had gone hard on their returns policy, no receipt no return.
Customer took exception and told me to keep the fucking shoes. I kept them to one side assuming he’d be back for the rather expensive shoes.

He didn’t come back. Then Covid lockdown happened and our shop closed down. The shoes were surplus stock, I stuck them on EBay and made £50. Cheers, stroppy man.

Good for you.

This is dodgy AF. I've worked in shops people have swapped shoes and jackets etc. Literally left their dossy stuff on the shelf and walked out with wearing what they swapped them with.

They probably done this the moment she left…

I still don't get why you don't buy the right size in the first place then?

I’ve had this recently & find what ends up happening is stuff is landfilled / wasted. In addition to the waste of money, I almost find the utter wastefulness worse.

Isn't this the policy in all shops? no receipt no cash refund. I had to take some trousers back to M and S, of course it was obvious they were from them just as it is with Primark but I had lost the receipt. I was given a credit note as I had not taken the tags off.

Why would they go in the bin rather than flogging them on Vinted or donating them to charity?

What !! Aren’t you opening yourselves up to a shoplifting charge !!

I've seen this too...
But I'm going to stick my neck out and say I don't think this poster means they've swapped and left their old worn out items behind for new ones.

Sounds like some poor till assistant didn't have a good day either.

You could have taken them to a charity shop when you couldn't change them, you'd have had the satisfaction of knowing someone would benefit.

Primark will not put shoes some lady off the street has dumped on the counter back out for sale. They aren’t in the stores inventory.

I don’t think anyone who is genuinely worried about the planet being fucked is shopping in Primark.

Do you really think they’ll put them back on the shelf?

Asking her friend for the receipt would have meant op could get the items in the size that she needs. Failing that a charity shop would be more than happy to have had them.

I didn’t mention binning anything 🤷🏻‍♀️

I didn’t call you petty.

They won’t go back on the shelf. Getting the receipt from your friend or donating to a charity shop would have been more appropriate.

Thinking about it, they will probably be marked as wastage. You've made hard work of this OP when you could have just been honest with your friend. She's now wasted her money on you.

I'm not sure why your friend would have been offended if you explained they were the wrong size, not like you're saying they're a bag of shite. Perfectly reasonable for them to not exchange without a receipt or gift receipt.

I doubt they can resell them. They're not on their inventory, the tag won't have the price on them, etc.

You could have given them to a charity shop.

Sorry they didn't fit and you couldn't get a refund/exchange but you could have given them to charity .

Do you have form for being petulant when things don't go your way?
It's bonkers that you thought you'd be okay without proof of purchase.

@WinterKitchen you should have agreed to speak to the manager.
The person on the till will have been taught "no receipt, no refund". That's what they will stick too.
However the store manager will have more experience in figuring out if you were trying to scam them or not and be able to decide if they can use their discretion in authorising an exchange.
Asking to swap like for like but just in a different size is usually genuine in that the items are not unwanted but just the wrong size.
You should have spoken to the manager or whoever was the most senior staff member there.
But you didn't.

I get you, OP. How is it an issue for them to exchange? Lots of pps squawking about refunds, but... you didn't ask for a refund.

Yabu...as pointed out, the shop doesn't know the items haven't been stolen and never paid for in the first place without some proof of purchase . Thats why you need a receipt.

Its plain rude and embarrassing to just leave the items with a "I won't be back!" Similar to shouting "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!"" Its just ridiculous and the poor sales assistant probably doesn't care.

I don't know why you didn't either ask your friend for the receipt and explain they didn't fit or stick them in the next charity bag that comes through the door.

Because I could walk into the shop, pick up some slippers from the shelf, stroll over to the desk and say that I want an exchange. I then walk away with a completely legitimate pair of slippers. I will also have a receipt so later I can even pop back in and get a refund for the £10 I never spent in the first place.