Brown Thomas - browned off!

gabbo is coming

Got a gift card for Brown Thomas last year. There was 100 euro on it. Bought a coffee machine for 79 euro. It didn't heat the water, only had it lukewarm. Brought it back after 10 days. Was told I didn't appreciate good coffee, that it isn't supposed to be hot, "it's Italian!", yadda yadda. Asked them to fix it, left the machine with them. They said not only would they phone me when it was ready, but they would drop it out in a taxi. However, they would not refund it, as it was outside the 7 day cooling off period (no pun intended).

3 and a half months later, no word on the coffee machine. Went in to them. They claimed that they did ring me, but I didn't come in. I asked if they left a message and they "assume we did". So I said I completely unhappy with this service, "you're basically standing there lying to me saying that I was rung when I clearly wasn't". So they agreed to give me a refund.

Several minutes later I was handed a gift card, I said "what's this?". It's your refund. I want it in cash. No. I then explained that I would never buy another item in Brown Thomas again after this experince so they have to give it to me in cash. I was then told that they are under no obligation whatsoever to give me a refund in cash "only the payment method you used". When I asked to see the manager I was told "I am the manager".

I walked down to the cosmetics department as it is the most high profile area and insisted on seeing a manager. I was treated by three very friendly staff members, the last one being the general manager of the store. I told him my tale of woe, and how I was totally frustrated and disgusted by the attitude of the staff. That you don't mind paying extra if you get good service, but this was atrocious. Anyway, he immediately agreed to refund me the amount in euro.

I will never shop in there again though, the people in the coffee department and the rudest I have ever met.

dudara

TBH, I don't entirely see where your exact issue is. They are not obliged to refund you, they are equally entitled to offer you a replacement or repair. Additionally, am I right in reading that you left it 3.5 months before following it up? That doesn't sound like someone who wants to get something sorted.

When a shop does give you a refund, they are entitled to refund you via the original method of payment. It sounds like you got your cash refund because they just wanted rid of you out of the store.

I don't know if the machine was truly defective or not. I know that a lot of coffee machines don't heat the water very hot, you'd need to be spending serious money to get a really good coffee machine. However, if the machine was truly defective, then they still don't have to refund, but replace/repair are also options.

It sounds as if you weren't treated the best, but I wonder how you came across to staff in the ?shop?

ScouseMouse

No 1. You paid in gift card so a refund by gift card is legal.

No.2. Cooling off period is only if you change your mind, if it was faulty, then its not a cooling off period, faulty entitles you to a repair OR refund OR replacement, at the shops discretion.

You can stamp your feet and complain about bad service if you wish, but legally you are wrong.

Cabaal

superscouse wrote: »

No 1. You paid in gift card so a refund by gift card is legal.

No.2. Cooling off period is only if you change your mind, if it was faulty, then its not a cooling off period, faulty entitles you to a repair OR refund OR replacement, at the shops discretion.

You can stamp your feet and complain about bad service if you wish, but legally you are wrong.

Sounds about right

catch88

gabbo is coming wrote: »

Was told I didn't appreciate good coffee, that it isn't supposed to be hot, "it's Italian!", yadda yadda. Asked them to fix it, left the machine with them.

If it wasn't broken why did they agree to fix it?

And no you are not entitled to cash since you paid with a gift card. Just because cash is your preference doesn't mean you're entitled to it.

molzer

I think you did well,

having been tormented by crappy coffee machines, (wedding pressies and golf prizes:() I had three in the house at one stage, none of which could give you a decent cuppa.

My advice to you is save a bit of cash and buy yourself a Gaggia. I bought a baby Gaggia for around €350 almost 5 years ago. I genuinely use it at least once everyday at I am delighted with it. You definitely get what you pay for.

By the way, I bought mine in BT!

gabbo is coming

dudara wrote: »

Additionally, am I right in reading that you left it 3.5 months before following it up? That doesn't sound like someone who wants to get something sorted.

I ended up buying a new machine (one that heats water) in the week that the one in BTs broke. So while I did want a refund or a replacement, there wasn't major pressure. I just couldn't wait the three weeks for them to fix it like they said they would, so I bought another one.

But that's a non-issue you raise, fact is BT are the ones who should have come back to me as they said they would, and just didn't bother. Fact is, they sold me what I believed to be a defective product. Then when I go in to the store they say they did call me during the 3.5 months when clearly they didn't unless there'll unable to leave a message on a voice mail system called Vodafone.

dudara wrote: »

When a shop does give you a refund, they are entitled to refund you via the original method of payment. It sounds like you got your cash refund because they just wanted rid of you out of the store.

Perhaps, but just because they don't *have* to, doesn't mean they shouldn't. That's where obligation ends and customer service begins I would contend.

dudara wrote: »

I don't know if the machine was truly defective or not. I know that a lot of coffee machines don't heat the water very hot, you'd need to be spending serious money to get a really good coffee machine. However, if the machine was truly defective, then they still don't have to refund, but replace/repair are also options.

I don't know either, but it sure made cold, lukewarm at best coffee - like no other machine I've ever tasted coffee from. So on that basis....

dudara wrote: »

It sounds as if you weren't treated the best, but I wonder how you came across to staff in the ?shop?

Frustrated, annoyed, patronised ("it's an Italian coffee machine sir, have you had Italian coffee before?") and insulted - in that order!

gabbo is coming

molzer wrote: »

I think you did well,

having been tormented by crappy coffee machines, (wedding pressies and golf prizes:() I had three in the house at one stage, none of which could give you a decent cuppa.

My advice to you is save a bit of cash and buy yourself a Gaggia. I bought a baby Gaggia for around €350 almost 5 years ago. I genuinely use it at least once everyday at I am delighted with it. You definitely get what you pay for.

By the way, I bought mine in BT!

It was Gaggia

dudara

As an aside, I'd suggest a trip over to the Coffee & Tea forum. Those guys over there are very knowledgeable and might be able to help you decide if the machine was defective.

Toots

gabbo is coming wrote: »

Frustrated, annoyed, patronised ("it's an Italian coffee machine sir, have you had Italian coffee before?") and insulted - in that order!

Not meaning to patronise, but this is actually true!!! I wouldn't have believed it myself only I have it on very good authority that this is actually the case. (my cousin is the world champion Barista for 2008) The only coffee that's supposed to be served hot is espresso. TBH, if I bought a coffee machine that was giving out lukewarm coffee and I didn't know this, I'd have brought it back too.

eth0_

gabbo is coming wrote: »

Perhaps, but just because they don't *have* to, doesn't mean they shouldn't. That's where obligation ends and customer service begins I would contend.

Sorry but - have you ever received a refund before? Shops will almost ALWAYS refund in the manner it was purchased. If you buy on a credit card, you will NOT get a refund in cash because that would screw up their accounting.

BT did not screw you over with the refund but yes, poor customer service over the repair.

Zynks

superscouse wrote: »

No 1. You paid in gift card so a refund by gift card is legal.

Gift cards are plain stupid. The shop gets a much better deal than the receiver of the gift, not to mention the occasional cheeky best by dates...

Toots85 wrote: »

The only coffee that's supposed to be served hot is espresso.

Yep, that true. The temperature is around 70º C

gillo_100

I've got to say e79 for a Gaggia sounds very cheap, would I not be right in thinking they start off at around e250 for their machines

craichoe

Zynks wrote: »

Gift cards are plain stupid. The shop gets a much better deal than the receiver of the gift, not to mention the occasional cheeky best by dates...

Yup, plain stupid.
If your going to be that lazy about getting a gift then how about getting them something they can use everywhere and not just at one store.

Half the time when I get a gift card i end up buying something i don't really need because because the damn voucher expires.

https://www.mygiftcard.ie/

I'd much prefer one of those..

If it was for a wedding or something i'd give them cash, damned wedding is expensive enough as it is !

Red Alert

I always thought BT did a 2-week refund policy, but that could be just in the clothes, or when I worked there.

Legally any store only has to refund you the method you paid by, at the price you paid for the item.

run_Forrest_run

gillo_100 wrote: »

I've got to say e79 for a Gaggia sounds very cheap, would I not be right in thinking they start off at around e250 for their machines

damn right, if I saw a Gaggia for €79 I'd buy 2!

Lollipops23

craichoe wrote: »

Half the time when I get a gift card i end up buying something i don't really need because because the damn voucher expires.

where i work we usually exchange expired Gift Vouchers for new ones; they still spent money on them and we're not losing out by changing them!!we still do it for the very rare Punt voucher we get....


OP; i reckon BT were well within their rights to not refund you straight out-they certainly don't need to give you a cash refund,it's unreasonable for you to ask IMHO! if you've a beef with their customer service i say send a letter to the general manager.

cotwold

The general manager was very curtious to give you the refund in cash. However thats terrible about the other person telling you you dont appreciate good coffee. They should've been fired for that.

Dravokivich

OP,

I honestly can't stand people like you...

Granted you had a problem with the Coffee machine...

But waiting to hear from them for so long is no reason to cue off on some guy you just started talking too... because you eventually decided to follow up on it...

Then you purposefully went to the cosmetics section... an area completely unrelated and started moaning to anyone you could find?

You sound like a kid being dragged around a bleeding supermarket...

I honestly think the General Manager should of refused to give you a Cash Refund based on your actions in the store... Hell I would of...

wmpdd3

Thank God there's Brown Thomas for people like the OP

'The policy doesn't apply to me because I want customer service'.

Be assured you are paying for the "customer service" received by the customer before you when you pay the premium for your purchase.

If you don't ever go to BT ever again, where are you going to get the service you derserve? Debenhams, ha ha ha......

Toots85

Toots85 wrote: »

Not meaning to patronise, but this is actually true!!! I wouldn't have believed it myself only I have it on very good authority that this is actually the case. (my cousin is the world champion Barista for 2008) The only coffee that's supposed to be served hot is espresso. TBH, if I bought a coffee machine that was giving out lukewarm coffee and I didn't know this, I'd have brought it back too.

Indeed, a quick google shows that 1/ italian coffee is typically served lukewarm whereas british/american/etc culture is to serve it hot and 2/ gaggia machines always have the coffee lukewarm.

Between that and the OP's outrage at a gift cert being refunded via gift cert, I'm lacking in sympathy...

zuroph

:rolleyes:
OP could have and should have been removed by security for creating so much hassle.

delllat

OP-This is all i have to say on your lack of understanding italian coffee:rolleyes:

Gillo

Dravokivich wrote: »

I honestly think the General Manager should of refused to give you a Cash Refund based on your actions in the store... Hell I would of...

One of the first and best lessons I learnt in retail was "sometimes it's better to just take the hit and give a refund" (and get them the f*&k out of the store as fast as possible). Ok so you'll lose one sales but in the grand scheme of things it's somethings a better option.

wmpdd3

While I agree with the 'sqeecky wheel getting the oil' theory on customer service, customers do talk to each other and you can end up getting accused of discrimination if you don't treat each similar case the same.

I guess that's why people scream for the manager, they know if they sream loud enough they will get what they want.

olaola

TBH I've always found the customer service in BTs very good - defo above average. Which is why I would prefer to buy the same item there over somewhere else. They even give cash refunds on sale items. Which is basically unheard of in other shops.