To expect M&S to at least exchange this item to the value it was bought for?

[devilsavacado]

Just need some advice please.

My MIL bought a raincoat for my DD in Ireland in April and we have just recieved it.
She always buys and sends things to the DD as she does'nt get to visit much.

She sent the reciept with it and unfortunatly it is too small.

Just rang M&S and explained and they said it is past the 90 days for refund but I explained I did'nt want a refund but would exchange it for something else as they don't do the next size up in that paticular raincoat.

She then went on to say the coat had been reduced and was know £8 less and we could have vouchers to that value.

I think they can see that my MIL paid the £20 at that time for the coat and they are know only offering us £12 back.

Can they do this?

Yes, if something has subsequently been reduced they only give you the lower/most recent price.

go to the store, with receipt in hand.
explain th esituation. usually m&s are very good. and will exchange. if however they dont. then go immediately, to a larger m&s store, and repeat .
i once bought some leather gloves, my local marks wouldnt exchange them as i had worn them, (put them on, touched the car, realised my hands were getting wet, so useless, so took them back) so i took them to the big one in kingston the next day. no questions asked.

next time, as k mil to use the online service, and have it delivered direct to your door. if she spends 30 pounds, she canget freedelivery. and quidco cashback if she goes throught theri website.

Thanks for the information.

I will try that.

It just seems unfair when it was obviously bought at the higher price.

I think if you have the receipt for the full amount paid they have to exchange for that amount regardless of whether it's now reduced.

However, as it's past their 90 day limit I don't know how the policy changes.

I would go into store - M&S really don't tend to bat an eyelid about exchanges and they probably won't even look at the date.

I took a bag back to M&S well after the 90 days for refund had passed because I am rubbish. They gave the current price for it- I thought fair enough. It turned out I'd left the gift receipt in the bag and I found a shop assistant tearing after me to give me an extra £30 of credit notes because they will give the receipted price if you have it.

So, go into a store preferably a big one and sort it out with them. Good luck

90 days is a very generous amount of time to give you to return it, so yes, YABU.

i think they have to draw the lkine somewhere on returns and 90 days is quite generous

they wont actually e able to sell it at the full price

The thing is we have only just recieved the coat from MIL although she bought it back in april,so it was after the 90 days.

The 90 days was up on July 10th.

Ime m&s will give you credit to the full amount if you have the receipt. If you go the store, they may be able to order the raincoat in for you?

To be honest, I think it depends on whoever you get at the till on the day.

YABU I'm afraid. Legally, stores do not have to offer any exchange at all, or refund for goods unless they are faulty. 90 days is extremely generous, a lot of shops have a 14 day exchange period. It is not the shops fault that your MIL bought it so long ago, and the shop will not be able to resell it at the original price as it is now in the sale. I think you could do as other posters suggest and try a bigger branch, but you are not actually entitled to anything at all.

I find that standing in the queue with a tired and hungry toddler often helps your cause, the whinier the better, it distracts them

Thanks everyone for the replys.

Will make sure DD has her sweetest smile on tomorrow and choose the M&S assistant carefully.

What JulesJules said is right but ime M&S are usually very reasonable when it comes to exchanges. I know they did tighten up their refund policy not too long ago because their old one was quite open to abuse. I think if you go into the store and explain your particlar circumstances they will exchange to the original price paid.

What if you accept the exchange for the raincoat (even though it will be the wrong size) and then take that back for a refund with the new receipt as it will then be within the 90 days?

Although, thinking about it, the new receipt will probably show the reduced price and not the original price. Probably not worth the risk.

90 days is a very generous amount of time to give you to return it, so yes, YABU.

YABU

90 days is very good for a refund policy. Most shops offer a 28 day return policy.

If it was bought back in April, how come you have only just received it?

You wouldnt take something back after 6 months so why expect to return it for full value after 4?

By law they don't have to exchange it. It is a goodwill gesture if they do, but they are only legally obliged if it is faulty

By law they don't have to exchange it. It is a goodwill gesture if they do, but they are only legally obliged if it is faulty

They are not legally obliged to exchange it at all since it isn't faulty, damaged or unfit for purpose. Even then the contract is with mil as purchaser not you. Non statutory exchange and refund policies are discretionary even with a receipt. They can define a time limit and as you are outside that, for whatever reason, decline to help.