# B&Q refund policy - changed for the worse!



## billybuntus (27 Feb 2010)

Hi chaps,

Just to give you the heads up....

B&Q now don't accept ANY returns without a reciept or proof of purchase from you bank statement

I went to take a 17 quid socket back today (brand new in packaging with there barcode on). And was politely informed that from the 16th feb 10 there refund policy has change and that they do now not refund without a receipt. Nor will they issue out credit notes.

:evil: A step in the wrong direction me thinks.


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## RogerS (27 Feb 2010)

To be honest, I'm surprised that they ever did offer a refund without a receipt. I know many other shops don't. The reason being that anyone (not you, obviously) could nick an item, walk out the store, bring it back and exchange for cash.


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## kasandrich (27 Feb 2010)

RogerS":1yzbvx31 said:


> To be honest, I'm surprised that they ever did offer a refund without a receipt. I know many other shops don't. The reason being that anyone (not you, obviously) could nick an item, walk out the store, bring it back and exchange for cash.



....my thoughts exactly, they are going above and beyond by offering refunds without a good reason. Asking you to produce the reciept is not too much to ask.


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## Karl (27 Feb 2010)

RogerS":3k9wvls0 said:


> To be honest, I'm surprised that they ever did offer a refund without a receipt. I know many other shops don't. The reason being that anyone (not you, obviously) could nick an item, walk out the store, bring it back and exchange for cash.



Not quite exchange for cash - you used to get a credit note which had to be used on the day. 

I fell foul of this change in refund policy a number of months ago (I think it came in in October). It has definitely affected my purchasing from them - I used to like the no hassle returns policy. But now it's gone I don't buy as much from them. 

Cheers

Karl


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## studders (27 Feb 2010)

RogerS":250zdgar said:


> anyone (not you, obviously) could nick an item, walk out the store, bring it back and exchange for cash.



A friend of mine, an ex Woolworths Manager, had that happen in his store. He got some revenge though as one. not so bright chap, stole an item then tried to get a refund on it. 
Trouble was, they had only just received that item, there was only one of them and, some toerag had nicked it.
Manager couldn't believe his luck when the twit came back to the same store he nicked it from to get his refund. He kept the bloke waiting with some excuse about a refund book, Ol' Bill turn up......


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## jlawrence (27 Feb 2010)

Most places will offer a refund (or replacement/credit note) without a receipt - so long as you can show proof of purchase (bank statement, credit card statement etc). They can't demand a receipt as it's not actually a legal requirement for them to give you one in the first place.
You do need to show proof of purchase - and to my mind that's only fair at the end of the day as has been pointed out the stuff could have been nicked.


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## thomvic (27 Feb 2010)

> Not quite exchange for cash - you used to get a credit note which had to be used on the day.



You used to get a refund to the same card that you used for the original purchase. That's as good as cash I reckon.

Richard


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## Karl (28 Feb 2010)

thomvic":2ys2x6nq said:


> > Not quite exchange for cash - you used to get a credit note which had to be used on the day.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Only if you had a receipt. Which isn't what we're talking about :roll:

If you didn't have a receipt (which is what the OP was talking about) then how could they refund onto the card used for original purchase? How would they know which card was used? And how is a refund to the original card any good for a thief?


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## billybuntus (28 Feb 2010)

Karl":32ezi2qb said:


> thomvic":32ezi2qb said:
> 
> 
> > > Not quite exchange for cash - you used to get a credit note which had to be used on the day.
> ...



Can I just point out that I'm not a thief :lol: 

I am simply a repeat customer who bought a socket for a family member (paid in cash). Lost the reciept and now I wish to return it.

Its no big deal (17 quid) but I'll source as much as I can from the likes of toolstation and my local builders merchant in future as at least in these outlets I get decent customer service.


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## Karl (28 Feb 2010)

Yes, sorry BB. We managed to get onto hypothesising how the old system may be advantageous to a thief.

No disrespect intended!

Cheers

Karl


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## matt (28 Feb 2010)

billybuntus":10u1q36y said:


> (brand new in packaging with there barcode on).



FWIW - It's generally only own brand products that have the retailers own barcodes on them. All other barcodes are universal. The point being that just because a barcode is recognised by an in-store scan it only means the retailer stocks the same product - it's not proof of purchase from that source.

Some retailers will overcode products with their own stickers because, for example, they want to include the price on the product rather than rely on shelf-edge labelling. I've not seen this in B&Q though.

With regard to "decent customer service" - I don't think it's too much to ask for proof of purchase, nor is it too much to expect customers to realise why they are doing it and not get all sensitive about being singled out as untrustworthy. 

Business protection is critical if losses are not to be reflected in increased prices.


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## head clansman (28 Feb 2010)

hi 

you'll probable only get the same service there as well , no receipt no refund, & rightly so, as others here have mentioned , however having said that if your using a small local branch somewhere regularly it more than likely they will change thing for you as the staff there get to know you , or you'll get a credit note to the value, but if they wish they do not have to give anything. hc


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## Richard D (28 Feb 2010)

Your legal rights are massively different depending upon whether you are returning something because it is faulty (you need to be able to prove that you bought it, but a receipt/bank statement is not strictly necessary; you have to be given a full refund but can accept a replacement, the choice is *yours*), versus returning something because you don't like it or it was the wrong thing (whereupon the store sets the rules completely; your only legal right to return comes from the rules as published being incorporated into your contract of sale at the time of the original purchase).

Retailers have to tread a fine line, between having a system that is open to abuse (I've known people buy from Argos to use something for a week or two then take it back for a full refund), and having a system that annoys the genuine customer (a certain specialist PC retailer said goodbye to my spending about £1k a year with them when they buggered me about over a £50 keyboard that they acknowledged was faulty).


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## Anonymous (28 Feb 2010)

B&Q have never given refunds without a receipt (I worked for them until I saw the light..) Credit notes without, full refund with, if you used a card refund back to the account. You would be surprised what people will steal and how (rambling now).

Few years ago they started selling flat screen tv's, folk were just picking them up and walking out the 'in' (you can if you know how the doors work). Even the staff were gobsmacked. 

They do tend to review their policies periodically and, in my opinion, make the wrong adjustments. They also forget to tell anyone - even the staff.


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## devonwoody (28 Feb 2010)

I returned some recording equipment back to Comet once without a receipt, the lady at the returns section asked my post code or date of purchase and did some tapping in on her computer and pulled out the transaction from some months earlier and refunded without hassle.

So I think all transactions that were done with a credit card the retailer of those chain outlets can locate your purchase.

Perhaps the way to handle B & Q would be to ask for a copy receipt first without requesting the refund  :wink:

PS you could tell the shop manager that the cashier never gave you the receipt and he couldnt prove it.


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## Hitch (28 Feb 2010)

devonwoody":22yu2flk said:


> I returned some recording equipment back to Comet once without a receipt, the lady at the returns section asked my post code or date of purchase and did some tapping in on her computer and pulled out the transaction from some months earlier and refunded without hassle.
> 
> So I think all transactions that were done with a credit card the retailer of those chain outlets can locate your purchase.
> 
> ...



I had exactly that with an item from Maplins. No box no recipt, id had it about 6 months.
Because i used my debit card, and knew roughly when i bought it, she looked it up, took a few mins, but they did find it, and refund.

As for [email protected], tell them you used the automated checkout, which appeared to be out of paper


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## galaxybobby (25 Aug 2010)

Luton Main Branch
Your returns policy is STINKS. I went to return a bag of balast today without a recipt , hardly able to steal a 25k bag ,value £1.58 which i purchased a few days earlier, the item was rejected because I had no recipt. It was obvious it came from B & Q as it had your name on the bag. The bag was unopened. I went to take it home some 5 miles from the store, when I spotted another customer had just purchased 3 bags of the same item, he gave me his recipt. I then retried the return, again I was turned away as it was the incorrect card details to refund item. I did not ask for a refund, I just wanted to buy 2 bags of sand and pay the difference, so a credit note would have been sufficient. I spoke to the duty manager and he said NO for the same reasons, NO Recipt. Come on B&Q use some common sense will you. It is only £1.58. Yes I was annoyed with the store manager. You should have a limit of £25 to £50 without a recipt. 4 other customers were also turned away whilst I waited in the Queue all for not having recipts and all under £25.
Common Sense Is Required On Return or Exchange Items.
Poor Service when asked for help on previous visit as well.


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## Ironballs (25 Aug 2010)

You do know this is not the B&Q customer complaints site don't you :wink:


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## misterfish (26 Aug 2010)

The Money Saving Expert this week has an article about your purchase and return rights that is highlighted as SADFART http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shoppi ... s-exchange

Misterfish


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## Anonymous (26 Aug 2010)

hmm why dont you just be more careful with your receipts?

You now know the rules - just stick to them - its a no brainer to me.


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