What are my rights regarding a click and collect purchase?
Mark asked me about click and collect and wanted to know what his rights are. I am hearing about difficulties with click and collect from a lot of consumers recently. They are being refused a refund because they collected from store. However, this behaviour by retailers is not legal.
Every day, consumers ask me a variety of questions across my social media platforms, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Threads. In my weekly The Complaining Cow Consumer Column, I share the issues that come up most frequently.
In the video below, I explain about returns for “change of mind”.
@thecomplainingcow Replying to @Mark Harkison #click #refunds #knowyourrights #deliveries #online
Change of mind returns
Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations you are allowed to return an item bought “off premises”. You have 14 days in which to inform the company and another 14 days in which to send it back or take it back.
Even when you collect an online purchase in store it is still an off premises purchase. (The clue is in the “click”!) Confusion often comes because you’re picking up from a premises, however the order was placed online and that is what counts, not the method by which you receive it.
When you change your mind about something you have bought off premises whether you pay the return postage will be down to the company’s terms and conditions. However, if it is a breach of the Consumer Rights Act (CRA) 2015 then you do not pay return postage. So in this case, where you purchased an item online and collected the item in store, you can still have the 14 days in which to change your mind but you may have to pay for the actual return.
You may think that because you are returning an item in store there are no postage costs so you shouldn’t have to pay anything. However, they could argue, for example, that costs are still involved in transportation and administration, etc. Therefore, you are governed by the company’s terms and conditions regarding the cost of return, however you return it.
I frequently get asked why Sports Direct give credit notes. They do this for purchases in store and it’s actually over and above what they have to do, legally. I explain that more in the post Your Consumer Rights when shopping at Sports Direct.
What to do if you are refused a refund
If you are refused the refund follow the Top 20 Tips on how to complain effectively
Further help with deliveries
See more information on your delivery rights.
Buying online? How to spot overseas sellers and your UK rights if something goes wrong
Help with complaining to companies
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