Returning polo shirt that shrunk 2 sizes in wash

tech77 · 30-07-2007 06:13AM #1

Hi.
I recently bought a size medium polo shirt for 40 euro. It fitted me fine instore. Brought it home and wore it . Washed it once and it shrunk to size small. Wouldn't fit me then. Brought it back within the return period and exchanged it for a large.

The large size fitted me ok instore. Wore it once. Washed it. Same thing happened again. It shrunk to size small. So now the large doesn't fit me. Brought the large back (again within return period). This time the store tells me they won't exchange the large for an extra-large.

The reason they give is that the large is not resaleable this time. Surely though whether it's resaleable is irrelevant if the shirt is unsatisfactory (ie it shrinks 2 sizes).
Moreover the reason they give for it not being resaleable is that it shrunk after washing it. WTF?

What recourse do i have when i buy something and it shrinks after washing it and it no longer fits. Surely such a product is unsatisfactory and exchange/refund is warranted regardless of whether it's resaleable.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

majiktripp · 30-07-2007 07:58AM

Are these generic polo shirts or genuine Ralph Lauren ones? I know I have a RL polo shirt and on it it states that the shirt will shrink a size in the wash due to the fabric used, mind u I got it in the states so I dunno if the same here...

Pansy Potter · 30-07-2007 08:20AM

I'm curious as to how the Medium fitted in-store, then the Large fitted in-store. Seems like your body size is increasing at a worrying rate. You might need to start getting clothes custom made soon.

rubadub · 30-07-2007 08:23AM

If you are following the washing guidelines and it shrunk then you should get another, it is not fit/does not perform to the purpose for which it was sold. Not resellable is bull****, it was unfit for sale in the first place.

Heinrich · 30-07-2007 08:25AM

Dis you follow the washing instructions? If you wash at too high a temperature it will shrink and the manufacturer can take a sample from the same lot as your garment and test it for shrinkage.

What sort of fabric is it?

tech77 · 30-07-2007 10:10AM

Pansy Potter wrote:

I'm curious as to how the Medium fitted in-store, then the Large fitted in-store. Seems like your body size is increasing at a worrying rate. You might need to start getting clothes custom made soon.

The medium fitted fine instore.
The large fitted ok but loosely and i bought the large intending for it to shrink one size to a medium (On the basis that the medium shrunk one size to small).

However the large also shrunk to a size small.

tech77 · 30-07-2007 10:41AM

majiktripp wrote:

Are these generic polo shirts or genuine Ralph Lauren ones? I know I have a RL polo shirt and on it it states that the shirt will shrink a size in the wash due to the fabric used, mind u I got it in the states so I dunno if the same here...

The make is Ben Sherman.
I didn't see anything on it that warned it would shrink in the wash.

Dis you follow the washing instructions? If you wash at too high a temperature it will shrink and the manufacturer can take a sample from the same lot as your garment and test it for shrinkage.

What sort of fabric is it?

It's cotton. I washed it at 40C. I never had any other clothes shrink like this before. I also just looked at the same polo shirt on the debenhams website and it says it is machine-washable.

tech77 · 30-07-2007 11:04AM

rubadub wrote:

If you are following the washing guidelines and it shrunk then you should get another, it is not fit/does not perform to the purpose for which it was sold. Not resellable is bull****, it was unfit for sale in the first place.

Yeah that's what i thought.

I showed them how much the top shrunk compared to an instore top.
I thought they would first consider the shrinkage anyway and also ask me whether it was washed according to instructions etc. (regardless of whether it was resellable or not).

Instead they went on about it not being resellable straight off.
They didn't seem interested in the complaint at all.

If it was washed properly but it ends up unwearable after a wash that resellable thing should be irrelevant right.

mct1 · 30-07-2007 11:40AM

You could
1. Ask for the manager - complain loudly (but not aggressively) and insist on a refund. Clearly a further replacement is pointless. Without getting nasty make it clear that you are not going to drop the matter.

2. Give it to a small friend or Oxfam and forget the whole thing.

the choice is yours.

tech77 · 30-07-2007 12:30PM

You could
1. Ask for the manager - complain loudly (but not aggressively) and insist on a refund.

I talked to the manager. She kept the top for the time being and said she'd talk to the manufacturer but she did not offer a refund/exchange for XL. Doesn't look like she will.

Clearly a further replacement is pointless.

I intended to get XL (the next size up) because i really like the top otherwise. Surely XL won't shrink to small. If it did i'd cut my losses and just forget about the whole thing i suppose.

2. Give it to a small friend or Oxfam and forget the whole thing.
the choice is yours.

Yeah fair enough.
But i just want to know the rights and wrongs of this case for future reference. So i don't end up in the same situation with something expensive in future.
Can anyone give a definitive answer on this.

rubadub · 30-07-2007 02:20PM

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/consumer-affairs/consumer-protection/consumer-rights/consumers_and_the_law_in_ireland

Under this Act the purchaser of goods has a number of rights - the main ones are

Goods must be of merchantable quality – goods should be of reasonable quality taking into account what they are meant to do, their durability and their price
Goods must be fit for their purpose – they must do what they are reasonably expected to do
Goods must be as described - the buyer must not be mislead into buying something by the description of goods or services given orally by a salesperson or an advertisement

If you washed them as per guidelines and it shrank then it is not doing "what you can reasonably expect".

If you bought a car and washed it and the paint came off it would not be acceptable, and saying it cannot be resold is no excuse. If you bought electronics and they burned out then it is not resellable.

Since it is faulty goods you do not have to accept a replacement, you can demand your money back. It is not like you bought it and it didnt fit when you went home, in which case you have no legal comeback (though most major stores will allow refunds with tags intact.)

At €40 for a polo shirt I would expect it to be made from preshrunk cotton.

tech77 · 30-07-2007 04:35PM

rubadub wrote:

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/consumer-affairs/consumer-protection/consumer-rights/consumers_and_the_law_in_ireland

If you washed them as per guidelines and it shrank then it is not doing "what you can reasonably expect".

If you bought a car and washed it and the paint came off it would not be acceptable, and saying it cannot be resold is no excuse. If you bought electronics and they burned out then it is not resellable.

Since it is faulty goods you do not have to accept a replacement, you can demand your money back. It is not like you bought it and it didnt fit when you went home, in which case you have no legal comeback (though most major stores will allow refunds with tags intact.)

At €40 for a polo shirt I would expect it to be made from preshrunk cotton.

Ok thanks.

So to sum it up: If i washed it as per the guidelines and it shrunk leaving it unwearable then it's faulty and i'm entitled to a refund/replacement. Whether it's resellable or not is irrelevant.
So it all depends on whether i washed it as per the guidelines.

Anyway i'm almost positive that i washed it as per the guidelines. As i mentioned the store didn't even ask that question so the opportunity to properly examine that with them didn't even arise.

But i'm fairly positive it is machine-washable and therefore that should mean i'm due a refund/replacement.

Returning polo shirt that shrunk 2 sizes in wash

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