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Original poster

BODEN quality control/ returns- anyone experienced?

44 replies

lazysummerdays · 14/06/2014 17:49

I've returned a summer dress which I bought last year in March - in the preview. It was very much a warm weather smart day dress as they call it and I never wore it last year.
So this summer I took it off the hanger and gave it a cold rinse - it's 100% cotton - and it's shrunk- it was a very close fit before but the next size up was much bigger.

I returned it and have just had an email from them saying they have refunded me 75% of the cost as it's over a year old.

I don't get this- if something shrinks and it's clearly not been worn a lot ( or at all in this case) surely when it was bought is not the point?

I've emailed them to query but would love to know if anyone else has experienced this.

And no- I wasn't trying to pull a fast one with them- I've not put weight on and all my other summer clothes from last year fit fine!

OP posts:
Original poster
lazysummerdays · 14/06/2014 17:51

Oh and the refund is in fact a credit to my account- that's okay-ish as I will buy something sometime, but still not happy about the 75%.

OP posts:
Veins · 14/06/2014 17:58

Bloody hell I can't think of any other shop that would have given you 75% back after a year. You did well!

Fairylea · 14/06/2014 17:59

I agree with veins I'm afraid. They have no way of knowing you haven't worn it a billion times. So they've credited as a gesture of goodwill.

AnythingNotEverything · 14/06/2014 18:00

They've given you a refund as a kind gesture rather than as an admission that the item was in any way faulty. If they agreed the item was faulty (ie in washable) they would have refunded 100% in cash.

Original poster
lazysummerdays · 14/06/2014 18:01

But their website says that you can return within a year for any reason for a refund- that means worn or unworn. If something shrinks then why should the date purchased matter - they are supposed to do tests during quality control and they should have been able to tell that there was no trace of washing detergent etc on it and it had not been worn.
When I first called them about it , it was in April so it was 13 months since purchase- just outside the 12 months. It's taken this long to get a response after I returned it.

OP posts:
CeeceeBloomingdale · 14/06/2014 18:01

I would consider that good customer service personally.

suze28 · 14/06/2014 18:02

I've just had a Boden bag I bought in Sept 2011 repaired by them and returned free of charge. I cannot fault their customer service in any way and think M&S have got a lot to learn from the Boden model.

I think 75% is more than adequate considering how old it is and I'd be happy with that.

Original poster
lazysummerdays · 14/06/2014 18:04

Sorry- my posts crossed.
If it had been worn then I'd not have carried on wearing it would I- because it didn't fit after 1 cold rinse.

When I bought it last year I did phone up to query whether they refund if garments shrink. I was told yes- just return. It was a snug fit but as it's all cotton and all cotton lined I anticipated shrinkage and it did.

I don't know if they have that phone call as a record on my account.

OP posts:
Chewbecca · 14/06/2014 18:14

Sounds like good customer service to me too.
They don't know that you haven't worn and washed it 30x.

Chewbecca · 14/06/2014 18:14

& you were not within the year so they are not obliged to do anything at all.

Original poster
lazysummerdays · 14/06/2014 18:21

Years ago when I was in my teens I bought a coat at Wallis and it faded- it was a red mac. They sent it to quality control and I was told that as part of that process they can test the fabric to see if it's been used/worn and also they can tell if it's been washed.

I assumed that QC at Boden would investigate the same way and show that the dress was not worn or washed.

Why would I bother to send something back that was worn 20 times? For a start it would be obvious it had been worn and washed.

I don't think that legally the year is relevant. The year applies to clothing that has been worn or not worn but you have changed your mind. It doesn't apply ( according to their website) to quality control issues.

These are different.

I've bought from Boden ever since they started up around 20 years ago. I agree their CS is good. This time though I was slightly disappointed.

OP posts:
MrsCampbellBlack · 14/06/2014 18:25

It wouldn't be cost effective for boden to perform lots of tests on your specific dress.

I agree with everyone else that they treated you very well.

marne2 · 14/06/2014 18:27

I think you were lucky to get anything, most shops won't refund at all after 14 days, I have always found boden very good, they once sent me the wrong size item and they sent out the correct size next day without me sending the other one back.

Original poster
lazysummerdays · 14/06/2014 18:28

So you'd all be happy to get say £60 back on something that cost £80 and you'd not been able to wear- and they of course keep the dress anyway- it's not been sent back to me!

OP posts:
Original poster
lazysummerdays · 14/06/2014 18:29

marne2- aren't you missing the point? This is not about a refund for something I didn't like any more- it's about a faulty item.

OP posts:
SomeSunnySunday · 14/06/2014 18:37

I think that's quite good!

DH gave me a lovely cashmere Boden jumper for Christmas, but within a couple of wears the neck started to come unravelled. We were living abroad (and were back home by this point, having been in the UK over Christmas). When we called Boden they gave us a 100% refund and said that there was no need to return the jumper (and incur international postage charges), they'd had other returns for the same reason so were happy to believe us. I was I quite impressed.

BeyondTheSea · 14/06/2014 18:45

I find their customer service fantastic - Any query I have had has been found in my favour even when I haven't specifically asked for an exchange for example.

Veins · 14/06/2014 18:47

I'd be more annoyed at myself for not wearing and washing at least once within the year.

Smo2 · 14/06/2014 18:48

I returned a dress worn 5 or 6 times where the stitching had come undone... About 6 months after purchase. I got 100% refund. I thought that was superb customer service, and I think in your circumstances where you were clearly outside their cut off point... Faulty or not, they were more than reasonable. Their cut off point is more than generous in the first place. I really would chalk it up and be grateful that you got 75% back!

whataboutbob · 14/06/2014 21:10

Just to cheer you up, here's customer service i got at H&M- Bought a cute top, wore a few times, washed it according to instructions it shrunk by 25%. Purchased the same one again, thinking " hey it suits me and it's cheap" Same thing happened and I bought it back to the store who sent it to H&M HQ. Eventually got a letter back and they said there was nothing wrong with the fabric and I'd obviously not washed with care. No refund at all.
I no longer shop at H&M.

TwoInTheMourning · 14/06/2014 21:21

Come on lazysummerdays, that's more than fair.

HelpMeGetOutOfHere · 14/06/2014 21:21

I was wondering about giving there cs a call as I brought dd 4 dresses last year. The double layer type ones and three of the 4 the fabric has frayed badly. The pink one with poodles on has come unstiched at the neck line, green one with hearts at the seam and dark blue with cats again at the seam. I'm gutted as dd only just started wearing them last couple of months as they were too big and only worn and washed a couple of times.

Needasilverlining · 14/06/2014 21:37

After a year I think that's not bad at all, TBH, although I can see why you're annoyed at not having worn it at all.

I bought some leather high tops for DS1 last year and after three months the leather pulled away from the rubber edging at the heel. I called them and was offered a refund (they were out of stock at that point) or if I could get them repaired, to send in the receipt and get that refunded which I thought was brilliant.

Agree entirely M&S should watch and learn from this. Their attitude always seems to be 'the customer is trying it on, and even if not it's probably their fault'.

Original poster
lazysummerdays · 14/06/2014 22:13

Maybe I should have explained this here at the start.

I was TOLD to return the dress.

I phoned CS and explained what had happened before I sent it back. They searched my order history and said I'd bought it in March last year- I did eventually find my own order paperwork showing that- but when I phoned them I wasn't sure when I'd bought it- knew it was between march and may as it was in the summer preview.

So...they knew it was 13 months but told me to return it anyway- and sent a bag and label.

They also said that if they found it to be faulty in some way I'd get a full credit ( no refund due to over a year).

The email they have now sent said they were grateful for my drawing their QC attention to the issues with the item, blah blah.

So my annoyance is that what I was told would happen hasn't.

OP posts:
RosiePosiePing · 14/06/2014 22:25

TBH I think they have been more than fair. Regardless of what you were told, is there any other company (clothing or otherwise) that would seriously refund ANYTHING after more than a year?!

I always order from Boden with 100% confidence as I know if I change my mind within the year they'll accept a refund I a habit of ordering a size smaller in the hope that I'll lose weight

I've had a couple of quality issues with Boden. One they had had other returns for the same reason, the other they hadn't. Both refunded without a quibble.

They are fab.