Banned from Anthropologie / UO / Free People. Anyone else?

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Bit of a saga, but has anyone else been banned from ordering online from any of the URBN brands (Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, Free People)?

I’ve been a regular customer for years. Anthropologie especially. I buy a lot of home stuff. My teens live in Urban Outfitters. I don’t order from Free People as much (too pricey most of the time) but I do browse.

A few months ago I ordered a top and a pair of jeans from Free People. The top wasn’t right at all and the jeans weren’t the right size, so I ordered the jeans again in two more sizes. These jeans weren't right either, so withing a day or two I sent all 4 items back in their original 2 parcels.

Around the same time, my bank card that I had used for the purchases expired and I was issued a new one, which I activated while the returns were being processed. I thought the refunds would just land in the same account as usual. They didn’t.

I contacted Free People who claimed they’d refunded me, but there was no sign of anything. After a lot of back and forth and not much help from their end, I finally went through my bank to open a dispute. Eventually got my money back.

Since then, I’ve been unable to order anything from any of the three sites. The orders seem to go through, then get cancelled minutes later without explanation. Bit of googling later and it turns out this is a known thing. If you ever open a dispute, even if you’re in the right and acted i good faith, they basically blacklist you across all their sites.

This feels incredibly petty, especially considering how much I’ve spent with them over the years. No warning, no conversation, no option to resolve, just blocked. Obviously I know I can still purchase in person from the physical shops, but still.

Anyone else had this? Did you manage to get unbanned, or is it a lost cause?

I had a dispute with Anthropologie last year about an incorrect refund. I could prove they'd received the parcel, and in fact they had given me a partial refund, but I lost the dispute anyway. From what you say, I suspect I will also be banned but I don't want to order from them again considering how they essentially stole £100 of my money.

Did you not do a chargeback?

Set up a new account with a new email address and carry on as you were. If you have a gmail account then just add or remove a full stop and the emails will still go to your usual email.

gmail treats [email protected] the same as [email protected] (or even m.y.n.a.m.e@ ) but websites think they are different addresses.

@JamesWebbSpaceTelescope I have already tried that but the same happens. My DH has also tried ordering on my behalf and they've also cancelled him, so this is attached to my email addresses and my home address I'd say. I could get a friend to order for me, or a neighbour, but that level of aggravation is not worth it, not even for Anthropologie!! It seems stupid, cutting off their nose to spite their face.

I did but I was late noticing that the refund was wrong as I have chronic fatigue and had been going through a really busy period with no energy to spare and then foolishly wasted time arguing with Anthropologie first. By the time I got to that part of the process I could no longer prove postage with a returns receipt as it turns out that Evri recycle numbers. Which... of course they do, they would quickly run out otherwise, but it never even occurred to me to screenshot the page saying that delivery was confirmed and by the time I realised it was too late. The frustrating part is that they clearly did receive the return as they refunded me for it. It was just the wrong amount but Barclaycard closed the case anyway with no opportunity to appeal.

A lesson learnt to 1) keep an eye on refund amounts and 2) screenshot proof of postage on the courier website.

Oh no, that’s a nightmare. I have ME/CFS so I know what it’s like. I can usually only order things online because of not being able to get to shops much but then having to send things back is a right hassle. I often take photos of everything I’m returning, including in the bags and with the label on for return because I’ve been burnt before but that just adds to the stress.

@HÆLTHEPAIN Yes exactly! I do all my shopping online because I can only very rarely get to shops (and then it wipes me out) but then you have all the returns stress. Luckily DH does all the physical work of taking parcels but I still have to deal with the paperwork.