Am I entitled to a refund?

Goldenegg · 20-08-2011 3:34pm #1

Hi!

I purchased a product from a pet store last week only to realise that I had it already at home and therefore did not need it.

Today I went back to the shop with the product and my receipt and visa card. I explained that I would like a refund and was told that I couldn't have my money back as the product was not faulty, however I could have a gift voucher.

I told the assistant that I don't really use the shop that much so I would prefer my money back on my card and he said it was store policy, that unless it was faulty I couldn't have my money back on my card and that if I was to go into any shop be it a clothes shop or supermarket I would get the same response! Now I am sorry but that is bs! Plenty of times I have brought items back with a receipt and got a refund. They don't have a sign up in the shop to explain their refund/exchange policy and when I said this to me, he couldn't answer. So I am just wondering if I am entitled to a refund?

Thanks!

snubbleste · 20-08-2011 3:37pm

No.

Larianne · 20-08-2011 3:37pm

Shops may refund you as an offer of goodwill. They don't have to refund you as the product was not faulty/not fit for purpose etc. You just changed your mind.

If you search this forum, there are plenty of threads in this topic.

chicken fingers · 20-08-2011 3:40pm

He is right you are wrong.

hilloftara · 20-08-2011 3:46pm

you are entitled to your money back

MagicMarker · 20-08-2011 3:48pm

hilloftara wrote: »

you are entitled to your money back

Wrong.

theteal · 20-08-2011 3:55pm

hilloftara wrote: »

you are entitled to your money back

incorrect. some shops may refund you but it is merely a gesture of goodwill for a change of mind. OP is only "entitled" to one of the 3 "R"s if the item is fauty

Badgermonkey · 20-08-2011 3:57pm

Goldenegg wrote: »

Now I am sorry but that is bs! Plenty of times I have brought items back with a receipt and got a refund.

Not BS at all.

Fairness in Consumer law must work both ways.

ebbsy · 20-08-2011 4:01pm

Think before you shop.

dan1895 · 20-08-2011 5:44pm

hilloftara wrote: »

you are entitled to your money back

Why would you say that? Not true

ScouseMouse · 20-08-2011 6:27pm

hilloftara wrote: »

you are entitled to your money back

Utter and complete rubbish. As it is a perfect item, not faulty, and you are just changing your mind, you are entitled to nothing.

If they wish, they may give you a refund.

EKRIUQ · 20-08-2011 7:03pm

OP is wrong, there not entitled to anything, be lucky there getting a credit note if there getting one.

uck51js9zml2yt · 20-08-2011 7:16pm

your only entitled to a refund if the item is faulty.

Buying an item by mistake doesn't mean they have to refund you.
All in all the fact they offered a voucher was rather nice of them.

Fey! · 20-08-2011 7:29pm

As has already been said by the majority on here, you are not "entitled" to anything.

Their offer of a gift voucher is purely goodwill on their part.

There is also nothing to say that they must have a sign up stating their returns policy.

I summation, the only bs is what you were spouting to him.

Corruptedmorals · 20-08-2011 9:40pm

You could always use the gift voucher to buy pet food in bulk?

slimjimmc · 20-08-2011 9:41pm

Here's an official source:
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/consumer_affairs/consumer_protection/consumer_rights/consumers_and_the_law_in_ireland.html

You have no grounds for redress if
You were told about the defect before you bought the item (for example, if the goods were marked 'shopsoiled')
You examined the item before you bought it and should have seen the defect
You bought the item knowing that it wasn’t fit for what you wanted it to do
You broke or damaged the product
You made a mistake when buying the item (for example, if you bought an item of clothing thinking it was black when it is actually navy)
You change your mind

spurskiely · 20-08-2011 9:44pm

Happened to me recently . No refund was lucky enough to get a credit note .

maxer68 · 21-08-2011 3:11pm

hilloftara wrote: »

you are entitled to your money back

if you can show me where this is stated in Irish consumer law in relation to the OP, i will give you €5000 - actually make it €50,000 - or a €1m. - Make it any figure you like, cos it aint there!

Coriolanus · 21-08-2011 4:48pm

Big chains offer cash returns purely as a goodwill gesture. For the likes of M&S or whatever it makes financial sense just to do a refund and return the item to the stock rather than waste a managers time wrangling with a customer.
For a shop with a smaller, turnover the same isn't necessarily true.

They don't need a sign up unless they're offering something other than your statutory rights. You'll notice where places do have signs up about cash returns or whatever, there's always a small print saying this does not affect your statutory rights. You're expected to know your rights as a responsible consumer and the shop will only inform you of additional rights that they have decided to grant.

TheInquisitor · 21-08-2011 4:54pm

You even used the product " a few times" . Of course you can't have a refund!

Goldenegg · 21-08-2011 5:31pm

TheInquisitor wrote: »

You even used the product " a few times" . Of course you can't have a refund!

Where did I say I used the product "a few times"?

To everyone else, thanks for the useful info. I admit I was wrong, but really thought at the time o was right!

McLoughlin · 21-08-2011 8:00pm

The problem is one shop may do it in a good will gesture to the customer and then the customer automatically believes that because shop A does it then every shop should and does do it and the saying The Customer Is Allways Right doesn't help matters either.

J_Wholesale · 23-08-2011 10:40am

It's worth mentioning that if the shop had refunded your credit card after the charge had gone through, they would been have been charged a fee by the credit card company for doing so. Refunds cost the retailer money.

Why should they be out of pocket because of your mistake?

bobmalooka · 23-08-2011 5:33pm

Goldenegg wrote: »

Where did I say I used the product "a few times"?

To everyone else, thanks for the useful info. I admit I was wrong, but really thought at the time o was right!

It was fairly sound of them to offer a credit note after you insisted they were wrong, reading your last few posts suggests you may have been a bit argumentative on the matter, perhaps you should return and apologise to the staff member.

UrbanSea · 24-08-2011 8:44pm

bobmalooka wrote: »

It was fairly sound of them to offer a credit note after you insisted they were wrong, reading your last few posts suggests you may have been a bit argumentative on the matter, perhaps you should return and apologise to the staff member.

Working in retail I can assure you that this does not happen,no matter how rude the customer was in the face of their ignorance.

Am I entitled to a refund?

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