To never shop at Zara again?

[Avaximitis]

I feel like I've had a terrible customer experience with Zara.
I bought some clothes for my 11 year old DGD for Christmas presents. I bought them online on 9th December and gave them to her Christmas day.
On NYE I was admitted to hospital with pneumonia and stayed in hospital for 2 weeks. I needed oxygen and IV medication and have been very unwell.
I returned home yesterday.
Family visited when I got home and DD gave me 3 of the Zara items back, apologising that they do not fit. Unworn. Tags in place. Simply too small. DD said she couldn't return them to me whilst I was in hospital receiving oxygen, for obvious reasons, so waited until I got home.
I have spent 1 hour today talking on their 'chat' system. They have no customer service telephone number to call, which I much prefer. Anyway I asked for a real person and not an AI bot and was connected to a person. I explained everything and asked if I can return these 3 items. I explained about being in hospital and I explained that whilst I was in hospital I missed the 30 returns date. I explained I got home yesterday evening and am contacting them today at my first opportunity. I explained the items are unworn with tags in place. I have checked, and none of the items are in their January sale. They are all in stock and all full price.
The associate I dealt with point blank refused a return. It is 6 days too late.
Despite them being bought for Christmas present so there was 3 weeks until I actually gave the items to DGD. And despite the fact I have been in hospital.
Not one ounce of sympathy.
No extended Christmas returns period.
No telephone number to call.
No display of understanding of my situation.
A total refusal to accept a return when it is only 6 days late.
I'm staggered beyond belief.
Truly unbelievably poor customer service.
I can't believe it.

They’re absolutely disgusting. I had a similar problem, I asked for a complaints form and they refused to give it to me, which is completely illegal. didn’t have the energy to take it further but I hope someone will. Take it to social media!

Zara are infamous for their horrible service. But people don’t shop there for their customer service…

Zara are notoriously bad for customer service both in store and online. Just type in Zara customer service in to instagram and/or tik tok and you’ll see if you haven’t already.

Luckily selling as new with tags on Vinted should get most of your money back.

Bershka don’t do extended Xmas returns either which is really annoying as I got Xmas shopping done early but the joggers don’t fit DD but can’t do anything about it 😠

What’s a complaints form? Who do you complain to?

I had a very similar experience with Zara just before Christmas. I used the WhatsApp chat customer service and got the usual response of “no we can’t deviate from our standard terms”

I then said I wanted to chat to a manager (still on the WhatsApp chat) and after being transferred to a manager fairly quickly they agreed to let me get a refund. I think I was about 8 days after the period. They emailed me an email with an authorisation code, and I went into the store with it. A manager in store took a look at the email and noted the code down - and refund was complete ;-)

so maybe try asking for a manager on the online chat?

Gift receipts are useless. Just give a normal one folded up in the item. It can be ignored if it's good.

I find it funny that people are saying all the staff all rude and Zara is renowned for it. Do people think they do special training where they teach the staff to be rude to the customers ?

I did a huge online shop with them in the summer. Bought about 12 dresses ahead of a big holiday. I opened the box and an overwhelming smell of perfume hit me and a dress had obviously been worn - it stank of perfume. Then the next dress was ripped at the back all down the zip. Never again. I’ll shop in store but the returns process was a faff.

They employ pitbull managers.

I think everyone has had some kind of argument in Zara,Op I'm afraid you have to suck this one up, I'm surprised your daughter wasn't aware of how strict they are.

You live and learn.
Don't take it personally.
I'd advise shopping elsewhere but the lack of clothing retailers is declining at a rapid rate.

I remember queuing up for what felt like an hour (the Zara near me is always busy) to exchange some sandals I'd bought online for DD when she was little, they had the bigger size in store so assumed it would be straight forward. Turns out I was a few days over the 30 day exchange period and they refused to help and were really rude with it.

I politely argued my case and didn't want to back down as I'd waited so flipping long and in the end the shop assistant called her manager at home (bizarre!) and they did the exchange as a courtesy. DD was with my mum outside, probably screaming as she was very clingy to me back then so I felt very frazzled and probably overreacted. It really put me off buying DD's baby clothes online from Zara, she was head to toe Zara before then.

The problem is if people probably give all sorts of reasonable reasons why they miss return dates so the company needs to have a blanket policy to follow so they don’t lose money. The agent probably doesn’t have the clearance to make an exception like that.
maybe they posting on their social media? Might get a more favourable response that way

That's awful 😔

A similar thing happened to me with Super Dry, I was in hospital having had my DD via a very traumatic CC. Someone bought me a gift which didn't fit, and by the time I was physically capable of getting to return we'd just passed the returns period. I went to store with DD in her pram and the manager didn't care at all - I didn't even want a refund, just a larger size. She told me it was impossible in store but that if I phone CS they might be able to help - CS told me that returns past 30 days were at the manager's discretion! Never, ever, ever purchasing from them again.

DD gave me 3 of the Zara items back, apologising that they do not fit

There's the problem. If I was your dd I would have dealt with it and not bothered you. You've been very ill fgs and thankfully got through it. What's a few quid on some clothes compared with that?

'Staggered beyond belief' at a fairly standard returns policy is a bit of a stretch, IMO.

Just take them into store and say you lost the receipt - they'll probably give store credit or let you swap for larger sizes.

Your family could do this with niece and leave you to your recovery.

I’m sorry that you had such an awful time.

However, you’re not actually entitled to a refund or exchange just because something doesn’t fit, unfortunately.

@blythet
“I doubt one person boycotting a business with a multi million annual turnover would miss me as a customer so id be cutting off my nose to spite my face!”

They wouldn’t miss you, until one customer became ten customers who read this thread, then another 30 of their contacts, then a story appeared in a newspaper…and so on…

It surprising how fast news of the shabby treatment of one customer can spread to damage the reputation of a business - huge ones as well as local shops. All shops that treat their customers with contempt can expect consequences sooner or later.

Conversely, a business that goes the extra mile to help just one person gets remembered, and recommended.

I haven’t read through all the replies but could you go into the store and exchange the items? I don’t know about Zara but sometimes managers can make exceptions in person.

Sarcasm is unnecessary. I think it is helpful - it is easy, costs nothing, and avoids these situations. It’s ridiculous not to get gift receipts. Especially for children’s clothing.

Ha, in such a case where the items are still full price stock, I would have taken them in and said they were faulty. Shops have an obligation to sell products “fit for purpose”

I’m sure OP could find a loose thread or two.

On most clothing you’ll be able to find an anomaly which precludes giving it as a gift, but is not immediately noticible. Don’t be fobbed off.

Overpriced shit anyway.

The last dress I bought from them had rotten stitching. The garment fell apart when I unpacked it.

I was too busy to return it but wouldn't waste my money again.

Policy is policy. But have you tried going in to physically make a return? You might have more luck that way. Ask them if you can exchange them out for a bigger size instead of a return of your money. Or if you can get the value of the clothing on a store gift card.

Thanks for the warning o didn't realise zara was so inflexible I won't shop there.

I think terms are terms. Can't expect Zara to make exceptions. It's a tough market apparel retail.

Similar thing happened to me albeit I wasn’t in hospital
I wasn’t allowed to return or exchange. was one day late. No grace period.
I haven’t shopped at Zara since on principle.

Don’t believe it! Zara don’t make exceptions. Very inflexible . No return no exchange .