to expect a refund when returning an unworn item with tags within 7 days to the shop?

[MichKit]

... sorry, a bit if a rant coming up. I had a wedding to attend yesterday, and so on Wednesday I went shopping for a dress to wear. I couldn't find anything I liked or in my size, so in a panic I went into an LK Bennett store (out of my price range, but I was panicking!) and paid £185 for a dress. I tried it on in the store.

Anyways, the next day, I went in to Debenhams and saw another dress that I had liked I had liked the day before, but they hadn't had it in my size then. I found it on Thursday on the sale rack in my size, so was delighted and bought it, intending to return the other one to the store. I wore the Debenhams dress to the wedding and had a great time.

Anyways, I took the LK Bennett dress back to the store today, and was told point blank that there was 'damage' to the dress, and they wouldn't refund the money. I was completely shocked, especially since it was still wrapped up. I hadn't even taken it out of the wrapping, and they said the dress was not unworn as it had marks on it. I pointed out that surely other people would have tried the dress on in store, and that could have also been the reason for the marks. Again, I was practically accused of lying, and that the dress would be sent to customer services for analysis (really???).

I realise that I should have checked the dress for any marks before I bought it, but I bloody well trusted the shop assistant who packed the dress for me!!! Plus, I know that she didn't check the dress for any damage either, and the shop assistant today is claiming that she did (the one that served me was off today) They are claiming that since the dress was 'damaged' in my care, they cannot offer me a refund.

Feeling very sick, stressed and worried now, close to tears and wondering if I have lost the money for good. Please can anyone tell me what I need to do? AIBU to expect better service from a high end store. I know I live in the Liverpool area but surely that's no excuse for treating a customer like this!!

[BigGobMum]

I really hope that lots of potential customers have viewed this thread. PMSL at 'analysis'!!!! What planet are they from?

[Abubu]

Hi,

Could you try returning it to a different LK Bennet store? Quite often shops will give refunds even if it is not the exact same store it was bought in.

The lady who refused you the refund may just be a jobsworth and you may have better luck in a different one.

[MichKit]

Abubu, they have taken the dress from me to send to customer services for analysis of the marks. Apparently this is standard practice, that I am now beginning to be very uncomfortable with. After all what is to stop them from marking the dress even more? Or damaging it in transit? Otherwise, I would have tried taking it to the Manchester store, perhaps.

Though having read all the LK Bennett reviews, it seems like they have the same hard-to-return policy in almost all thier stores, other than the concessions in the big department stores.

[notpickedanameyet]

michkit - ring them tomorrow and ask them exactly what tests they are carrying out as you fail to see how analysis will determine who put the marks there.
Ask them where the anaylsis is done and ask them if you can go and witness the tests!
Just be as difficult and polite as possible.
Also when you ring ask for their head office address and tell them you are writing a letter of complaint whatever the outcome.
grrrrr - on your behalf

[AvengingGerbil]

And michkit, remember to point out to them that unless and until they refund your money, it is your dress and they have no right to carry out 'tests' which you have not approved/witnessed. Remind them that they are liable for any additional damage to the garment, and you will expect reimbursement for it if they don't give you a refund.

[TamTam29]

Legally shops do not have to take back anything unless faulty. Most shops allow you to return unworn/non-faulty items out of good will.

By law, faultu goods have to be replaced, repired or refunded - it is not down to the companies discretion which you recieve - if you want a refund rather than exchange then they are supposed to give it to you.

[zookeeper]

Forget about phoning - write a letter to Margaret wotsername saying pretty much what you said in your first post and enclose photos of you at the wedding in the Debenhams dress. They're not obliged to give you a refund in these circumstances but I doubt that people who wear dresses and then take them back would go to the trouble of writing to Head Office.

[FlightHattendant]

Oh Dearr this sounds appalling. I bought a dress there the other week, in the sale, took it back the next day as it was sewn up wrong - therefore faulty.
There was a new girl on the counter, she said she didn't know how to refund - so she got a woman from a different concession to come and do it. Unbelievab;y rude, even after I pointed out the sign on the desk about refunds, and that it was FAULTY - I was so angry. She was even rude to the girl who had offered to do the refund but couldn't work out how.

In this instance they have shot themselves in the foot. They have basically pointed out the damage to you, themselves - and if you didn't cause it they are breaking the law by not refunding you.

Take this ALL the way. You've every right to a full refund immediately.
I'd go into the shop and demand the item back, then taker it to a different shop and point out the damage and DEMAND a refund. Although I appreciate you may not be able to get it back now it's been 'sent away for analysis' honestly what a heap of crap!

Why do they think we are stupid enough to fall for that?

Good luck Mich. Let us know what happens. And get your local trading standards on board, too - ring the council, they'll have a department. Just them 'having a word' can sometimes help...

[MichKit]

Oh, I am definitely taking this all the way. I am sick of being pushed around by retailers (had similar happpen to me with Mothercare, and I had to let it go then).

Anyway, am calling thier customer service now, will let you know how that went! I've spoken to Consumer Direct, but will call my local trading standards now too.

[FlightHattendant]

Go go go!!!

[FlightHattendant]

PS If you start off assertive: 'Good morning, I have a complaint to make, could you put me through to the correct person please' etc. it often bypasses some of the crap.

[Morloth]

And be sure to mention to CS that you are speaking to Consumer Direct and Trading Standards and will be writing to the CEO.

Also I agree with AvengingGerbil, remind them that as they have the dress and the money they are liable for any further damage to the dress.

Really polite, but really really firm and ballsy, I wouldn't hang up until I had gotten what I wanted.

[FlightHattendant]

VG Morloth. Yes, if you say you're involving all these heavy handed organisations they might just sit up a little bit and take notice.

[cornsillk]

How dare they take the dress away from you like that without refunding your money! That's just awful.

[FlightHattendant]

As in 'I'm sure we can sort this out without my having to take it to a higher authority' bla bla...

[MichKit]

Well, I spoke to them again. And this time was obviously put through to someone else, who has confirmed that the dress has arrived, and 'is in the process of being looked at!'. I did spout a lot of legal nonsense (lot of it true but did sound like nonsense to me), I must admit, but was polite and very firm that I wanted a refund, and it had to be processed as soon as possible.

I don't know where this is going to take me, but hopefully there's some light at the end of the tunnel now, as I stressed again and again that as they sold me faulty goods, I am entitled to a refund. So again, fingers crossed! I am planning to call them again tomorrow if I don't hear back from them today. As Morloth said, nag, nag, nag! Its a good thing I am off work till next week.

Plus, I made it clear that I was going to complain, and got an address, its the same as the CEO's so am guessing it is her secretary.

Here's the address if anyone else wants to complain.

Manuella Carniello
3 Cavendish Square
London
W1G 0LV

So, off to do some writing now :-)

[Morloth]

Get an address for Trading Standards and cc them on the letter. Very clearly.

[BikeRunSki]

Goodness me, what awful service, I thought LKB had some class!

I once bought a dress from Hobbs, in the sale, just as they were closing. Got it home to find a big line of marker pen on the back - to me it seemed like the same pen as had been used to change the price on the swing tag for the sale.

Took it back first thing in the morning. Same sales girl, she remembered me, and looked horrified that she had even sold me the dress. Exchanged the dress quibble free, and gave me 20% off the matching cardy (which I was planning to buy anyway).

That is the kind of service I would expect from a "top end" establishment like Hobbs or LKB.

[MichKit]

Morloth, yes I will. I am using the template from their website, but good idea about CCing them in.

[MichKit]

BikeRunSki, I wish now I had gone to Hobbs, they are right next to each other :-(

[knpeppa]

Thanks for the comments Mitchkit. I hope it helps and you get your money back eventually! With hindsight of course you should have checked the dress but you were in a hurry. The truth is, THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD THAT DRESS ON SALE - at least not at full price!

I always check everything with a fine tooth comb because shops will always try and flog damaged/soiled goods if they think they can get away with it. I've learnt from bitter experience that if there's something I like, and there's only one left, and it's my size, there's probably something wrong with it - sad but true.

[FlightHattendant]

well done Mich...

Fwiw Hobbs are pretty dire too, IME! I bought a couple of things online, to collect from the shop - went to get them, opened the box ON the counter to have a look - decided I didn't like the skirt, so I said could I have a refund please...the problem was I hadn't brought my email print out to prove it was mine. They'd OK'd this on the phone before I came out. So they let me TAKE me this item, but when I wanted a refund she refused to do it!! even though it had not left the shop.

I had to go home, get my mother to print out the email (my printer was broken thus the initial phone call) and take it back having carted the skirt box all the way home.

I was fuming. Ridiculous. She has been super nice ever since though...but I just don't shop there now.

[FlightHattendant]

Oh and Kew are funny about retunrs, too. Is there anywhere that isn't? They have it on their desk in one of those plastic sign things, but claim not to know their actual policy

[MichKit]

Well, the best service I have had has been from Mango. I got a jacket from them online, didn't think it was worth the price, took it back in store, and they were really lovely. They sent it back, saving me return postage, plus refunded the very next day. And they are not even high-end.

Gap was not bad either, especially with baby clothes (too small for DD, asked for a exchange, no problems, even without tags, or reciept!)

This was my first ever high end store purchase and my first panic buy, and I guess it won't be happening again. I rarely buy anything the first time, I tend to go back and if I really like it, only then buy it. So its only been very rarely that I return anything at all.

[cornsillk]

Best service I have had was John Lewis. Bought dress from their phase eight section, wore it and sequins started to fall off. Took it back, explained I'd worn it etc and they gave me a refund immediately and were nice as pie. I buy all my expensive purchases from there now as a result. Worse experience I had asking for a refund was Monsoon. Assistants were arsey and insisted I had to have coupons. I'm not spending my money with them again now - gave coupons to my niece for her birthday.