Uniqlo - a warning

[nevertrustaherdofcows]

I have made two big orders recently for full price items: vest\tank tops with built-in support, and one of their pull-on bras.

I have tried to make returns - well within the period - for the sizes that don't fit. Although the website page for each of these items says that they can be returned within 28 days, when I try to use the returns portal (Uniqlo no longer include returns notes in the parcel) I am being told that the items are 'final sale' and cannot be returned.

It SEEMS to be because these are items classed by Uniqlo as underwear, which Consumer Contracts Regulations say need not be refunded. No answer as yet from Uniqlo.

I can't help thinking that this was intended to cover knickers, not crop tops and the like. And as I said, the website pages for them specifically say they CAN be refunded.

However, since I am £60 out of pocket unless Uniqlo change their mind, I thought I'd warn you ...

When did you contact them? I've found Uniqlo customer service to be excellent.

Ooh - I had the same. Just one and it was in the sale but I wanted to return it as I chose white and the bra bit shows through. I also ordered leggings and was refused a refund saying they were sale price but they are still for sale on the website at the price I paid for them and its not a sale price. I'm not impressed and had no response from customer services.

Yes, I had the same issue with bra tops.

I think it is the US where things that are ultra-discounted can be labelled 'final sale' meaning that they can't be returned - but simply reducing something doesn't make it unreturnable in the UK.

As I say, here retailers are allowed (not required) to refuse a refund in the case of underwear, but they are shooting themselves in the foot to include items such as bra tops or bikini tops - no-one will risk buying from them on-line.

I contacted Uniqlo 5 days ago initially via its chat function and got nowhere: I suspect this is a bot because we went round in circles. I then tried an e-mail, which would not go through for some reason, but it did the next day (four days ago). Thus far, I have had a request for the item numbers, which they could have established from my e-mail if they had wanted to.

Did either of you get a refund?

And just to reiterate, the items are described as refundable within 28 days in the website listings!

I need to chase it up. There was no indication when I bought the items that I would not be able to return them. The leggings are awful and don't even fit the description. They are described as activewear that can be worn out and about anywhere but in reality they are thin like tights and my underwear can be seen through them.

Try what used to be called Trading Standards. I think the council websites have relevant contact information or the citizens advice bureau. Companies can't claim to offer a refund and then not do it. It's mis-selling.

OK, Uniqlo have now got back to me to say that swimwear, innerwear (so vests? t-shirts?) and underwear can't be returned for hygiene reasons if worn and not in the original sealed packaging. They obviously class being tried on as 'worn'. (My dd hadn't even tried on all the items since she could see from the first one that we'd guessed her size wrong!)

There is indeed something about this inUniqlo's 'help' section (Uniqlo has sent me the link) but as I say, the individual descriptions of my items on the website indicated that they CAN be returned.

In any event, think twice about buying any of these things from Uniqlo online if you are in any doubt as to whether they will fit.

And presumably, you aren't allowed to try them on in-store even in non-Covid times, because then they would have been 'worn' and no longer sealed in their original packaging?? Doesn't make sense to me.

Sorry you're having issues. I ordered a few bras from them about a year ago and returned to exchange for a different size and had no issues. I wonder if this is a new policy because of covid...

Chargeback is your friend! If a retailer refused to refund me in these circumstances this is what I would do. Not only do you get your money back, it costs the retailed around £25. if more people used this perhaps retailers would get their act together.

The following link is info from Visa, and below is the text from FAQ for Mastercard.

www.visa.co.uk/how-you-pay-matters/chargeback-purchase-disputes.html?

Mastercard FAQ

Transaction dispute
Q: How can I dispute a charge?

A: Please contact the financial institution that issued your card to dispute a charge. Only your issuer holds your specific and unique information including what rights you have to file disputes. The dispute process agreed to by financial institutions that issue Mastercard or process Mastercard transactions is set up to allow the financial institutions to manage disputes with cardholders and retailers in a formal manner.

Q: Who do I contact if I never received an item that I purchased online or by phone?

A: If you did not receive an item that you purchased or if you received an incorrect item, you should first contact the retailer to try to resolve the situation. If you can't come to an agreement and you want to dispute the transaction, this must be done directly with the financial institution that issued your Mastercard.

Typically, there is a customer service number for your financial institution on the back of the card. You can always contact the Mastercard Assistance Center either toll-free at 0800964767 and we will connect you to your financial institution.

Q: I made a purchase but received the wrong item. What should I do?

A: If you purchased an item but received the wrong one, please contact the retailer to try to resolve the situation. If you and the retailer cannot resolve the issue, and you want to file a disputed transaction, this must be done directly with the financial institution that issued your Mastercard.

Typically, there is a customer service number for your financial institution on the back of the card that you can call. You can always contact the Mastercard Assistance Center either toll-free at 0800964767.

Q: How do I get a refund from a business that has filed bankruptcy?

A: If you used a Mastercard for a purchase from a business that has filed for bankruptcy, you can file a disputed transaction with the financial institution that issued the card. Typically, there is a customer service number for your financial institution on the back of your card card that you can call. You can always contact the Mastercard Assistance Center either toll-free at 0800964767.

I should have said that you can argue your case with your card provider, and they make a decision about whether to refund you (in my experience it's usually yes).

Thanks for this. Will have a good look.

screen shot the page showing that it says they arereturnable

Oh I have. I've screen-shotted a large variety of items on the website -both outer and 'inner' wear - showing the same statement in the same font under all of them

Uniqlo are awful for customer service and returns at the best of times. I don't buy from them any more.

Could you try returning them to a store ?

Ignore my previous post OP . I have just looked and hadn’t realised how few branches there are in the country .

Interesting to hear this. I recently returned an expensive coat. Well within the time. Got no refund phoned them up however and it was corrected nearly right away. However they had my money for a whole month. I should not have had to chace up my refund.

I've also only had bad experiences with their customer service.

M&S do secret support (internal bra) vests for £10 AND they take them back.

I’ve had issues with them not refunding things. I don’t live near a shop so couldn’t return them to the store. They just kept asking me to send bank statements showing the period where it should have been refunded- which I did- and they said they’d come back to me but never did. Ended up just going round and round in circles. And these were just normal full priced items (2 t shirts). In the end I just gave up and was thankful it was only about £20. Id never order from them again.

Can’t take them back to a store anyway because no paperwork of any sort is included in the parcel.

The returns forms are downloadable - it should say in your confirmation email, they've been doing that for a while to save paper. I've been a Uniqlo customer for years now and never had an issue with returns, no complaints at all about their service.

I have tweeted a major company who were playing silly buggers with a return and got a human response within hours. All sorted and my £98 refunded

Uniqlo customer service is very poor.

Definitely challenge, just looked and can see where you say it states can return, and it says non returnable on knickers.