Are QVC breaking the refund rules under Distance Selling Regs?

[Starlight]

Just seen a thread on moneysavingexpert.com regarding a story yesterday on BBC news, where a BBC investigation has found that many online retailers have been breaking consumer laws by not refunding delivery charges where items are returned.

According to the Distance Selling Regulations:-

"A customer returning goods within seven working days is entitled to a full refund and the initial delivery charge, under the Distance Selling Regulations.

Even if you simply inform a company that you wish to return the goods within the seven working days, you should get a refund of the initial delivery costs.

The law does not cover the cost of returning the unwanted items."

The BBC contacted NEXT who stated that they would be changing their refund policy in August to comply, do you think QVC will follow?

Link here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10560466.stm

 

[Lottie]

Duplicate thread

http://forum.shoppingtelly.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22717

And yes, they are if you say you want to return within 7 days of receipt.

 

[Starlight]

Whoops! Sorry Lottie

I did do a search initially but then went off to answer the phone, and you must have posted your thread in that time :sun:

I've just checked QVC'S T&C's and they actually do comply but I was totally unaware of this until now, I had no idea that if you told them you were going to return an item within 7 days of receiving it then they would refund the delivery charge as well!

 

[erycina]

OMG! Over the 15 years i have shopped with QVC, I reckon my non-refunded delivery charges must add up to the hundreds! I received two items today which do not fit and am therefore returing them tomorrow. I have contacted QVC by email stating that I wany my delivery charges refunded - let's see what happens!

 

[erycina]

I apologise for my unchecked poor spelling - must be all those £s in front of my eyes!

 

[looby]

I cottoned on to this sometime ago after someone very kindly posted on here and have so ever since, certainly helps to save better in pocket than qvc's

 

[Gemster]

what do you actually have to do to get the P&P refunded?

do you just write an e-mail saying I am returning XYZ for whatever reason and as this is within 7 days I expect my P&P to be refunded under DSR??

I've quite often had things that I've known straight away are not right, but I've never made an effort to contact QVC or return with 7 days as didn't know about DSR and just thought oh well I've got 30 days so no rush.

I work full time so hard to get to the Post Office other than at lunchtime when it's hectic so tend to leave it till I've got a few things I need to do and get it all over in one go - but will make the effort if it's going to save me some pennies, better in my pocket than in QVCs!

 

[livelovelaugh]

QVC breaking the law with delivery charges?

Hi everyone!
The BBC has recently carried out an investigation which indicates that a number of retailers are breaking the law when it comes to failing to refund delivery charges. All retailers should be refunding delivery charges of goods returned within seven days. A customer does not have to return the goods within 7 days, just notify that they are canceling within the seven days.

Although the BBC investigation is focused on Next, I suspect this could easily be applied to QVC!!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10560466.stm

(My thanks to mobby on MSE.com who posted on this originally)

 

[Crocus]

Do you actually have to say to them directly that you are returning AND you want your P&P refunded as well?

 

[Starlight]

This is from QVC's Terms & Conditions

9.4 You also have a statutory right to cancel your purchase. If you wish to cancel you must tell us in writing, by telephone, fax or email (please see our webform at www.qvcuk.com for email cancellations) within 7 working days from the day after the date on which the product is delivered. You should keep evidence of having given your cancellation notice, such as a certificate of posting. You must take reasonable care of the product and you should return the product to us (at your own risk and cost) within 7 working days of notifying us of your cancellation. The product must be returned unused (except to the extent use was reasonably necessary to examine the product). Please return the product with its original packaging. The following products are excluded from this legal right to cancel: (i) perishable products such as food or flowers; (ii) audio/video recordings, DVDs or computer software that you have taken out of the sealed packaging in which they were delivered to you; (iii) products made to your own specification; (iv) periodicals or magazines; and (v) any other products that by reason of their nature cannot be returned. We will refund the purchase price of the product together with the delivery charge you paid to receive the product.

 

[alter ego]

Can you claim returns P&P if you've ordered from a company that doesn't charge P&P initially?

TIA

 

[Tabs]

I think this only applies to initiall P+P costs incurred, so if your p+p is free in the first place i dont think you would be able to claim. Also you cannot claim for your own costs of sending the item back as i understand it.

 

[Lucy]

Sorry it's off topic, but just wanted to say that moneysavingexpert is a brilliant website. It isn't just about money saving, they discuss all kinds of subjects including beauty products. There's loads of different forums on there. Everyone's really helpful and will give you advice on any topic at all.

 

[Buttonmoon]

I tried it and it worked! I sent 2 items back within 7 days and emailed QVC to tell them and they refunded my postage of £7.90 for the 2 items!! Imagine how much I could have claimed back if I'd known before!!!

 

[paralax]

Well they all keep that quiet don't they, thanks so much for posting this information OP, in future I will email, that way there is a record of them being told. They make a tidy profit out of P&P anyway, I have a feeling that is about to end, certainly for those of us who now know.

 

[Georgiebandit]

I will definitely email them in future so thanks for bringing it to my attention. I must have lost a small fortune over the years as I always return items quite quickly.

 

[Akimbo]

What if....?

Supposing I email after ordering every item and say I want to cancel (once it's been despatched) ; then if I decide to keep the item I keep it and email to say I've changed my mind. How many times do you think I could do this before they got completely pissed off and close my account?

Jude xx

 

[rainbowdottie]

well,I've just sent them an email asking them to refund my money and p&p,under the distance selling,as I bought some earrings with my 3 easy pay - and they arrived yesterday,and were shockingly bad quality.As I've sent them back first thing this morning,I thought I'd email them and ask for my p&p back as well.

Don't know if it will work - and hope I won't be "struck off" for asking:devil:

 

[Themroc]

This is good to know as I had some Lock & Lock and the lid seal did not work. The person I spoke with at QVC was not helpful and insisted that I needed to pay for the return of all the containers.
QVC wanted me to send all the seven containers back with the original packaging and pay postage. I explained that I was not happy and could not as some of the containers have just been put into the deep freeze.
All this was within 2 days of having the delivery.

I could not be bothered to defrost and clean them, so kept the faulty item.

 

[Sue54]

Interesting. I have just rung to return an item I recieved Monday. The colour is vastly different to what I saw on the screen when I ordered. No offer was made to refund P&P until I mentioned Distance Selling Regs. I heard the sharp intake of breath & then

''Oh as as goodwill gesture I will send you out a prepaid label ''.

Oh no you don't I thought. So I said to her that under DSR they are obliged to pay the P&P. I then got told in very clipped tones that she was sending the label out for that reason :headbang: