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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to take back aftershave to Boots / Debenhams etc when I never bought it from there and exchange it (if they will let me)

72 replies

Notalone · 30/12/2008 20:23

I have been a bloody idiot and was wondering if this would be so wrong.

Basically I love perfume but as I am a mature student and DP is out of work due to having an accident, this is a luxury I just can't afford right now. My lovely aunt gave me some money for Xmas and told me to use it for something girlie / luxury so my first thought was to buy myself a bottle of something nice. Today I went into town and looked in every shop to make sure I was buying the most I could at the lowest price and decided to get some Hugo Boss Woman in a shop called Xtras. The price was fab but there were signs everywhere saying no refunds / exchanges on discounted perfume. Not a problem I thought until I got home and realised I had bought mens aftershave and not the perfume version.

Would it really be so bad to go to Boots / Perfume Store / Debenhams and try to exchange it as a "wrong Xmas present". The aftershave is what they sell anyway and I would not be profiting from it. Unless of course they could tell that it hadn't been bought from there in the first place, in which case would I get into trouble?

Any ideas?

OP posts:

nancy75 · 30/12/2008 21:13

agree with differentid, used to be a shop manager and liked nothing more than mrs i know my rights - when she clearly didnt. talking loudly at a member of staff will get you nowhere and make you look a fool

onepieceofbrusselssprout · 30/12/2008 21:16

As op was in a shop where you help yourself to the produce then she can't really claim it was mis sold.

I think one needs to take care if using the "not fit for use" line as it doesn't apply.

The op's best chance as others have said is to go in with receipt etc, apologetic and pleasant in manner. If they don't sell the "woman" version she might get a credit note or they might give her some other "woman" version which although not ideal would put her in a better position than she is now.

Sesthinks2009willbeagreatyear · 30/12/2008 21:17

mumof2andabit - if the op goes into another retailer and tells the truth about what has happened then yes, fair dos. If she goes in claiming she got it from that retailer or was bought for her by someone else then that is dishonest IMO.

ruddynorah · 30/12/2008 21:18

how would it possibly be 'not fit for use'?

it is a men's afetrshave, which it says on the box. the OP picked up the wrong one.

it would be like picking up toilet roll when you wanted a sandwich and complaining LOUDLY that the bog roll is not fit for the purpose of being a chicken tikka wrap.

ffs.

Lulumama · 30/12/2008 21:19

take it back in the bag and receipt and ask nicely for the perfume

if that doesn;t fly, ebay it. and buy something nice with that money

LIZS · 30/12/2008 21:20

Ask the place you bought for an exchange, if not you should not go touting for any store that might take it . I bet the discounter doesn't buy the same stock anyway so it would be pretty obvious from the codes and most department stores probably wouldn't honour any exchange, let alone refund, on cosmetics perfume anyway. To pretend otherwise could well get you blacklisted.

expatinscotland · 30/12/2008 21:20

'No maybe not cool but having lived with value range everything I know how much having some NICE means.'

So do a lot of people nowadays, and still more who are currently in real fear of losing their jobs, particularly many retail employees.

If everyone who makes a mistake goes with that attitude then it could well mean more people losing their jobs and not only not having value everything but also having nothing at all in terms of work.

High street retailers know this and do what they can to protect their stock with bar codes like ScottishMummy points out.

dilemma456 · 30/12/2008 21:21

Message withdrawn

FrostytheSurfmum · 30/12/2008 21:21

I bet if she goes in and explains really nicely that she has the wrong one they'll change it no problem.

expatinscotland · 30/12/2008 21:21

Especially because, these days, retailers want to keep their customers happy and coming back and spending money.

If you go in and just fess up like you did here, I'll bet they'll exchange.

Sesthinks2009willbeagreatyear · 30/12/2008 21:22

lulumama's suggestion is good and not dishonest.

glastocat · 30/12/2008 22:33

I took perfume back to Boots last year that I received as a present. I just asked nicely for an exchange and they were totally fine about it. I had no receipt, and I didn't make any excuses, just asked nicely. I have two unwanted bottles again this xmas, and I intend to do the same. If they say no, I'll ebay it. I don't really understand how I'm supposed to be endangering anyones job - if my SIL is daft enough to buy me a bottle of Kylie perfume and I'd rather have an electric toothbrush, I'm sure another buyer will be happy to pay again for the perfume. After all, it means I am happy with Boots for doing the exchange, and they make cash out of me for all the other purchases I made throughout the year. Its just goodwill surely?

Original poster

Notalone · 30/12/2008 23:44

I think I will just ask nicely and see what happens. I won't be able to go back until Saturday now but will come back and let you know what they said. I have checked ebay and the same bottle is going for £19.95 so maybe I will be lucky and will get something like this too. Hopefully though, if I am nice enough they may say yes, stranger things have happenned. [doubtful emoticon]

OP posts:

mumeeee · 31/12/2008 17:28

You won't be ablre to take it nack to Boots or Debenhams as they can identify perfume which has been bought at thier shops. Try taking it back to xtras and explian your mistake.

Original poster

Notalone · 31/12/2008 17:33

Well I was able to go back today and got there a few minutes before they closed. I smiled, apologised and asked nicely if they could exchange it for the womens version. The manager was called by the assistant to authorise it so I explained it all to her too and she said she would exchange it. Not only that but it was slightly cheaper so I also got a couple of nail polishes to make up the difference. What a result and all done nice and honestly. I think the fact that they were about the shut for new year and were in good moods helped too. Yay!!

Happy new year everyone. I intend to have a fragrant one

OP posts:

expatinscotland · 31/12/2008 17:54

Excellent result! Great to hear you got good treatment at Xtras.

Enjoy your goodies.

Sesthinks2009willbeagreatyear · 31/12/2008 19:20

Glad your honesty paid off. Great result!

Goober · 31/12/2008 19:44

Oh bravo.

dilemma456 · 01/01/2009 11:22

Message withdrawn

Blondeshavemorefun · 01/01/2009 13:18

fab news

ruddynorah · 02/01/2009 12:45

excellent.

Jojay · 02/01/2009 12:57

Glad it worked out.

For the record, I work for Debenhams and they won't take any cosmetic item back without a recepit, even to exchange, so you owuldn't have got very far there

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