How/when would you chase up this return?

[thefirstmrsdewinter]

If you returned a clothing purchase and the retailer's returns policy stated that a refund 'can take up to 28 working days to appear on your credit/debit card from the date we receive the return' how long would you wait before chasing it up?
It has been 21 working days and there has been no word at all from them. The parcel was signed for so fwiw I have a record of when it was delivered.
Putting this in S&B because I reckon there's a wealth of experience here of returning clothing but if there's somewhere more appropriate I'll ask for it to be moved...

I have never had to wait that long for a refund. 28 working days and not 28 days? That's almost 6 weeks. But, if you ask before the time is up, they will just refer you to their terms and conditions so you might have to wait.

I’d chase up on via the contact form. I find usually they just go ahead and refund when you harass them, no matter what T&Cs say. Unless it’s a dodgy company. If you paid via pp I would also raise a claim through them.

Yes, working days.
I know, it is an unusually long time. Even when they tell you something like this, retailers rarely actually keep your money for the full period.
It's fine, I can wait, I just think that (a) common sense says it doesn't need to take that long and (b) if it does take that long it's not unreasonable for them to send a confirmation email along the lines of 'we have received your return and it will be processed within 28 working days'. So I'm more irritated that they just don't give you any indication that anything is happening.

It's not Littlewoods by any chance is it? Because if it is, I'm in the same boat

cherries full disclosure: I did email them last week, no reply. I rang them and they have kind of a fakey recording where you have to press lots of buttons as if it was a huge company (it isn't) and you press all the buttons just to end up at their voicemail. I'm under the impression that one person does most of the work, which is why I was pretty relaxed about the time frame, but I am annoyed at the lack of communication.

I've just sent a message via their contact form so we'll see.

Not a dodgy company, they're all over IG and they have done various design collaborations. Disappointing really, I like to support small British businesses but now I wonder if a lot of the good press has been from their mates. I would like to have been able to say that the products and service have been good but both have been a bit crap tbh.

Dorothy no, sorry. I hope you get it sorted.

I'm no expert but I thought that all refunds had to be processed within 14 calendar days for on line sales. Even allowing extra for the money to get into your account you should al least received a refund notification by now.If you do some googling on the consumer rights act 2015 you should be able to clarify this. Perhaps chase them again and mention this is a legal requirement, But please double check first in case I dreamt it!

pointy thanks for that. It isn't clear if the legislation applies to faulty goods as well as non-faulty returns (where the item doesn't fit or suit or similar), or it's not clear enough to me to be confident in my argument.

The irritating thing is that the item was significantly unlike both the description and photo but because it's a small business I decided just to return it. (I did write on my returns slip that the description was incorrect.) It cost me over £10 to return (and a good job too as I have proof it was delivered) which I won't get back.

But really, how hard is it to have a automatic email to say 'thanks for your message, we'll reply soon'? It's the radio silence I find arrogant. When I had a question about sizing they got back to me immediately but I see now this wasn't good customer service, just good sales.

I'll go through PayPal tomorrow if I've had no reply.

Have you actually tried to ring them?

I once had this with a small company, I rang them and they said they'd emailed me about some detail or other and were waiting for my reply before processing the refund It seemed a bit made up but I confirmed the small detail (unrelated to the refund, just a question about the item) and then they did refund me.

If I hadn't chased it I suspect they would never have refunded as although I'd had an email, it looked like a circular/junk mail. So I would phone up and see what they say, although if it's 21 working days then rightly or wrongly that hasn't passed as yet so technically they aren't late with your refund.

*28 working days

If they’re on social media I’d maybe contact them through IG or twitter - sometimes can be much faster to unblock things even if it all ultimately goes to the same customer services team.

NameChanged yes, rang this afternoon, went round the houses ('for customer service press 3') and ended up going to voicemail.
Gail yes, good idea.

Pretty little things by any chance? I've banned my dd from ordering from them as she's had two refunds that haven't ever materialised. We've tried contacting them but seem to end up going in circles and for the sake of £20 total I gave up for my sanity. I'm annoyed though!

Neve had anything take 28 days. I've always had an email acknowledgement within 2 days to 10 days confirming item received and refund being processed and refund appears a few days later in my bank account plus sometime s get 2nd email confirming refund going through.

As suggested earlier I would raise q via social media.

pleaseplease no, small retailer. Did she pay by PayPal? I would raise a query with them.

Bea 28 working days! I know, it seems so ridiculous considering how many shops do it in a week. Kettlewell are a fairly small company from the looks of it but returns are processed and the money back in the bank/on the card often only a few days after I put them in the post.

Anyway I raised a complaint with PayPal and there is a refund pending apparently, though I'm not sure what that means - ? There's a note on the account saying it's 'being reviewed by PayPal.'