Returns: 14 days cancellation question/refunding postage

[Poppylong]

Hi guys

Just a quick one...

Is a physical return (i.e. I have the returned item in my possession) the same as cancellation?

I returned some items within 14 days, and didn't get my return postage because I didn't e-mail to tell them I was cancelling within 14 days. It was a large company and I just wondered if this is correct. Surely its obvious I want to cancel if I've returned something? Just asking so I can make sure I'm refunding postage costs/ or not! for my customers.
Thank you, Poppy

 

[finleydesign]

If its a large company then I would assume they are right, I think if you didn't cancel the order then yesy they didn't authorise the return as such and therefore you took it upon yourself to follow your own procedure, so they don't have to pay postage (they may have had their own courier pickup etc)

 

[Mr D]

Hi guys

Just a quick one...

Is a physical return (i.e. I have the returned item in my possession) the same as cancellation?

I returned some items within 14 days, and didn't get my return postage because I didn't e-mail to tell them I was cancelling within 14 days. It was a large company and I just wondered if this is correct. Surely its obvious I want to cancel if I've returned something? Just asking so I can make sure I'm refunding postage costs/ or not! for my customers.
Thank you, Poppy

So you returned the item and they got it back within the 14 days?

 

[finleydesign]

Yes but if you didn't follow the cancellation process, let's say I got an item wanted to return it, then got a taxi to drive it back, I can't say you now owe me £80

They will have return procedures in place, ie you must acknowledge you wish to cancel and return the goods, it's not really up to the customer to choose what to do and then claim postage back, how and where could they control what return service the customer chooses

Also as I Say they could have their own collection service, which works out cheaper then refunding postage, so again, they want to remain in control of how the process works

 

[cjd]

Presumably cancellation can only happen before despatch, after that it's a return at your cost (unless, of course, it's faulty).

 

[Poppylong]

so I returned the item within 14 days as instructed by the dispatch note and their online instructions, but they sent me an e-mail saying they wont refund postage because I didn't e-mail them.

 

[finleydesign]

so I returned the item within 14 days as instructed by the dispatch note and their online instructions, but they sent me an e-mail saying they wont refund postage because I didn't e-mail them.

There must be some form of reference thats says you must let them know your cancelling the order and returning the goods, I think in all cases you have to inform the company that you wish to cancel and then return. You may have missed it somewhere?

 

[Poppylong]

maybe, thanks everyone. I personally think that a return should count as a cancellation, but it helps for my own website anyway! thanks

 

[finleydesign]

maybe, thanks everyone. I personally think that a return should count as a cancellation, but it helps for my own website anyway! thanks

I suppose this is a good example for you own website, if say someone returned an item out of blue, didn't offer you a chance to collect then wanted you to cover their costs, say more expensive then you could have arranged, what would you do?

Procedures tend to be there in order to just make sure everyone knows whats happening, and no surprises, maybe making clearer regarding actual cancellation procedure is the lesson here?

 

[kkfcXHzmCc]

maybe, thanks everyone. I personally think that a return should count as a cancellation, but it helps for my own website anyway! thanks

Not really. You need to ensure someone knows that a cancellation is coming, to then refund and keep an eye out for the return. If they are a huge company, they may get 100's of returns per day...

 

[kulture]

Just need to point out that in the law there is NO obligation for the retailer to pay the return costs for a simple return. The retailer should pay reasonable return costs if the goods are faulty and you are thus rejecting them. Otherwise on a simple return the obligation to pay the return post normally falls on the customer. Some retailers are more generous and offer to pay the return postage. Some have procedures that they ask you to follow in order to qualify.

In all cases the retailer is obliged to refund you what you paid for the goods IN FULL and for what they charged you for delivery (assuming you just went for their standard delivery). You are not obligated to jump through complicated hoops etc to cancel an order, simply returning it within 14 days should suffice, although I would sympathise with a retailer who took a bit longer to process the return if you did not follow sensible procedures.

From your original post it is not clear to me if you are the retailer or the customer. It is also not clear if the customer is a consumer or if this is a business to business transaction. What I have written applies to consumer transactions.