F**king Hobbs

[whoneedssleepanyway]

I am pre menstrual and probably over-reacting but need to rant.

3 weeks ago I saw a dress I liked on Hobbs website, rang up Kings Rd branch and asked them to put it aside and went in the next day and bought it. The dress was £99 and I had my £25 Red magazine voucher that I hadn't used yet. Whilst I was there the assistant pursuaded me to buy a cardigan for £49, I wasn't sure but asked if I could bring it back and she said yes, no problem.

Anyway went to Westfield today to return the cardigan and they said I could only have £24 back for the cardigan as that was what I had paid for it (£49 less the £25 voucher) as apparently the assistant at Kings Rd had allocated the voucher against the cardigan and not the dress.

I said I had paid £123 for 2 items was keeping one so should be able to get the full £49 back for the cardigan. They said, no it doesn't work like that. I asked if the assistant had allocated the voucher against the dress would I have been able to get £49 back for the cardigan and they said yes.

I said this was very pedantic, so they offered to ring head office, who also said no. I have rung customer services myself since and they are going to ring me back but pretty much said the same thing. The staff member I spoke to suggested going to Kings Rd branch myself and speaking to the manager but when I asked if she would be able to over-ride what appeared to be head office policy she said probably not.

I feel they are being super pedantic, it was a single transaction I used a voucher for part of it, I am keeping one thing which is worth more than the voucher is for so am not asking for money back I didn't pay. They made me feel like I was trying to rip them off.

I think I am going to return the dress and the cardigan now and get my £123 back and also return the dress I have just ordered online for £140, I am really irritated with them.

Anyway rant over - I won't be shopping there again in a hurry.

Urgh! That is just crap that head office wouldn't sort it out for you, particularly as you'd put the dress aside it was obviously the main thing you wanted.

Martin Lewis on moneysavingexpert flagged up that lots of stores were refusing to accept the voucher for NW3 stock even though it was valid.

I had a rubbish experience last summer in the Bromley branch - I spent about £140 on a dress to wear to a wedding, in blue and white. The sales assistant (and I think she was the manager) was giving me the real hard sell to get shoes to match and when I said I couldn't afford the £110 for the shoes she was recommending and that I'd go to Barretts or similar, perfectly politely and whilst telling her I live the dress. She said it would let down the entire outfit and mean I shouldn't have bothered spending £140 on the dress! I said if I could afford it I'd get the shoes, they were lovely, but she wouldn't stop making this face at me. She was very smug and I've avoided that branch since.

I spent mine on a £25 vest top, no extra money from me for them.

• love the dress, not live

I'm on your behalf.
Have a cuppa and some chocolate.

I would try the manager. Got a whole outfit for a wedding a few years ago and the suede shoes scuffed within about an hour of putting them on (10 mins into ceremony). Took them back and said didn't expect that for the price; shop said you're supposed to spray them with protector; I said I hadn't been told and they should be fit for wearing at least once as they were. Anyhow, the shop manager eventually stepped in and said that though it was strictly speaking against company policy she would refund me. sensible on her part as she could see I'd spent a lot and presumably wanted to keep me as a customer. I did shop there again after that, though I haven't bothered with any more of their lovely but too-delicate suede shoes. So it might be worth a go to see if the Kings Road branch has a similarly pragmatic manager.

Hmm, I bought two pairs of shoes at Hobbs King's Road using my Red card, and realised afterwards, when I looked at my bill, that they had allocated the £25.00 reduction to the cheaper pair. I guess that was their policy for some reason - in same way as they allocated it to your cardigan.

Very luckily, it was the other, more expensive, pair, for which the bill showed I'd paid full price, that I needed to return and I got a refund for the whole cost.

But sounds like they are just losing a lot of goodwill by their inflexible attitude to you. I would definitely try the manager - they have a certain amouint of discretion because my local manager once knocked 10% off an item because I'd just missed the date for a voucher or couldn't use it for that item (can't recall details).

Nothing useful to add but I agree that they are being very inflexible. I would return all the stuff and make it very clear in writing why I was doing so. Mention that you have posted on MN as well, so they realise how many people they will potentially be putting off by their poor customer service.

Can you still return the dress?

WELL...it pays to persevere!!!

Customer services have just called back and said that as a goodwill gesture they are prepared to refund me in full for the cardigan, I need to go back to Westfield on Monday with the dress and the cardigan and the receipt and they will give me a full refund on the cardigan and offset the voucher against the dress.

I am a very happy as didn't really want to return the dress but would have done on principle.....!!!

Well done!

Good for you! Bet the assistant will be super huffy when you go in!

Good work, I hate hard sell with added sneering followed by crappy customer service....having said that, I do love the NW3 range and their sales are often fab.

The assistants at the branch near my work were v.bitchy once - tried something on, they asked if I'd take it, and I said 'No, sorry, I think it might be a little tight. I might come back and try it on again tomorrow.' As I walked off I clearly heard one say to the other 'Why? It's not like you're going to shrink, is it?' and giggle. Arseholes.