Customer frustrated as retailer won’t give cash refund

Franchisee disregards brand’s policy and consumer rights

Have you ever bought something impulsively and later when you return it to the shop the manager tells you they can only refund you with a voucher and not cash.

This happened to a Joburg woman who bought a R1,100 golf-shirt from Tommy Hilfiger store in Sandton City for her boyfriend recently. Her man declined the gift because he did not like it and he also found that it had minor stitching flaws around the buttons.

The Sandton shop is a franchisee of the American luxury fashion brand.

When the client, Nonceba Solomon, returned the T-shirt 10 days after she had bought it, the salesperson informed her that the store only refunded in vouchers and not cash. This meant she would have to spend the voucher at the same shop.

However, this is in contrast to the franchisor’s return policy, which states that items can be returned for a cash refund or voucher within 30 days. The policy further states: “Most returns are processed within 7-14 business days after we receive your package. We’ll issue the refund to your payment account in advance. Once your refund has been issued, you will receive a confirmation email.”

The same policy is reflected in the SA version of the website which, however, the shop claims is fake.

“I could not understand their ‘voucher only’ policy on returns because nobody told me about it before I made the purchase and there are no visible signs saying the same at the shop. Now I’m stuck with a voucher from a shop I don’t want to buy from again,” said Solomon.

I could not understand their ‘voucher only’ policy on returns because nobody told me about it before I made the purchase and there are no visible signs saying the same at the shop. Now I’m stuck with a voucher from a shop I don’t want to buy from againNonceba Solomon -Client

Sowetan Consumer called the Sandton shop over three weeks without getting through as their landline was down.

On Friday, Sowetan Consumer spoke to the shop manager Lerato Njilana who said as far as she knew the shop did not offer cash refunds. She could not explain any further and promised that she would share their head office contact details.

The shop’s retail manager Gerard Schiebe promised to refund Solomon in cash. “As per our brief telephonic conversation earlier today, we will be happy to hand her the full value back in cash.  She can contact me,” he said without explaining why their return policy was opposite to that of the brand owners.

Phetho Ntaba, spokesperson for the National Consumer Commission said according to the Consumer Protection Act, consumers have the right to return goods within a particular period in cases where they rescind the purchase agreement during the cooling off period.

She said the customer is also protected when a defect manifests within six months after delivery.

“The consumer may request a return, refund or replacement of those goods. If the items are not defective/ faulty, the store’s terms and conditions may apply. The store may opt to provide a refund in the form of a voucher or cash,” said Ntaba.

Solomon said in her case, the sales consultant did not take into account that the shirt had a stitching problem when he denied her a cash refund. “I accepted the voucher because it was a better option than keeping a shirt I did not want.”

SowetanLIVE