Quick heads-up - don't expect a quick and easy refund from a GuitarGuitar online purchase!

Philtre

If you paid by CC contact the CC company.

poopot

That’s nuts.

I have had nothing but good service from them!... Back end of June I bought a gibbo sj 200. Paid online on the Monday, it was delivered on the Tuesday... decided it wasn’t for me, emailed them to start the returns process Tuesday pm and they collected it Wednesday morning!... spoke to a guy there Wednesday afternoon (sure it was Keith) and the money was back in my account Thursday morning.

Bridgehouse

There’s a reason retailers quote a turnaround time for a refund. There’s also good reasons why it’s 14 days. 

The item will need to be booked in, and processed. Someone will then need to unpack it, check it’s in the right condition, make sure the returnee isn’t trying to pull a fast one, and then authorise the refund. 

That authorisation will go to a finance team. They will need to check it, and then process it - which will probably involve reversing the card transaction. For that amount, it may even need a bank authorisation - which is very common for larger amounts. 

Following this, the reversal will go to the bank - this can take a significant period of time, and nothing will happen over a weekend. Once it’s reversed, they can’t undo that - so it has to be right, and approved. 

Just because the shop is open for business over the weekend doesn’t mean the finance team are, or the returns team. 

LPManic

Yep, sounded to me like there was bit of buyer's regret and the OP needed the cash back.

not_the_dj

Philtre said:

If you paid by CC contact the CC company.

Not after this short time. Section 75 is great consumer protection, but being impatient for a refund after 8 days isn't really what it's for.

Philtre

LPManic said:

Yep, sounded to me like there was bit of buyer's regret and the OP needed the cash back.

Or in legal terms - "a legal right of 14 days to cancel the order after receiving it, and a further 14 days to send most goods back for a full refund (including outward delivery costs), even if there's no fault."

JezWynd

It must slow down their workflow having to deal with people phoning and emailing asking where their refund is. Probably best to wait the 14 days before raising an issue and if it's not essential to then give them a couple of extra days grace - they must be incredibly busy atm.

Twinfan

For the record, it's not buyers regret and I don't need the cash but I'd like it returned promptly as I'm sure most people would.

I hope you guys are all so understanding next time you're out of pocket £2k+ and will willingly accept radio silence for 3 weeks before starting to ask questions.

Bridgehouse

Twinfan said:

For the record, it's not buyers regret and I don't need the cash but I'd like it returned promptly as I'm sure most people would.

I hope you guys are all so understanding next time you're out of pocket £2k+ and will willingly accept radio silence for 3 weeks before starting to ask questions.

I think it's important to understand the balance in the relationship - distance selling enables us to effectively evaluate goods for 14 working days, and the supplier is legally obliged to take it back and issue a refund if you don't want it. In return for this, if you do wish to exercise your right and return it, then the supplier has 14 working days to process this and issue a refund. 

Fair's fair.

mbe

This is turning into a five minute argument and you only paid for a two minute argument. Oh yes you did!

HandwrittenHero

I’ll tag onto this just now, some of you may be aware of the ‘64 SG reissue I’ve purchased that arrived with the vibrola improperly installed. It’s a purchase from Guitarguitar.

I emailed them Monday since calling does point you towards that. Auto response suggests 3 day turnaround on response, I received a reply Wednesday morning that they’ve contacted Gibson. Friday morning now and that’s the latest. I’ll likely chase on Monday to allow them time to reply, since otherwise it only takes Gibson having similar delays replying for this to stretch on over what really should be correct screws in a Jiffy bag and an apology.

Strange one...I’m not unhappy with the service as such (so far expectations set met) as do appreciate they’re under cosh. But it is a little bit of a missed opportunity for good service to impress. Instead right now it’s just...a little cold, robotic, processed. I don’t want to sound like an entitled arsehole, but equally I think there’s a bit in the middle where personal touch does help.

I’ll update as it plays out. Fingers crossed the update before long is they came through for me and I can recommend.

Bridgehouse

As a consumer, the whole returns thing annoys me a bit actually.

Sure, it’s great to be able to try before you buy. But the reality is that the sales process and subsequent return and refund costs the business in question money. And it’s money on a reversed transaction that has no margin at all, and thus they actually lose money each time an item is sent back as a not wanted return. If we expect regular comms as well then that’s even more lost money for them. 

Net result? Prices go up for us as consumers. 

Faulty goods are of course a completely different matter

Hattigol

Did the OP pay by credit card? If so, presumably he's not actually 'out of pocket' at all?

Twinfan

Bridgehouse said:

As a consumer, the whole returns thing annoys me a bit actually.

Sure, it’s great to be able to try before you buy. But the reality is that the sales process and subsequent return and refund costs the business in question money. And it’s money on a reversed transaction that has no margin at all, and thus they actually lose money each time an item is sent back as a not wanted return. If we expect regular comms as well then that’s even more lost money for them. 

Net result? Prices go up for us as consumers. 

Don't offer online sales then.  Simple solution.

Twinfan

Hattigol said:

Did the OP pay by credit card? If so, presumably he's not actually 'out of pocket' at all?

No, I paid by cash.  So I'm out of pocket.

Hattigol

Cash. For an online purchase.
Now that is impressive...

HandwrittenHero

Bridgehouse said:

As a consumer, the whole returns thing annoys me a bit actually.

Sure, it’s great to be able to try before you buy. But the reality is that the sales process and subsequent return and refund costs the business in question money. And it’s money on a reversed transaction that has no margin at all, and thus they actually lose money each time an item is sent back as a not wanted return. If we expect regular comms as well then that’s even more lost money for them. 

Net result? Prices go up for us as consumers. 

Faulty goods are of course a completely different matter

I'd argue from the other side that it's essentially an extension of a sales. Someone coming into a store to try out incurs the cost of the premises, staff member dealing etc. I'd say that the potential cost of dealing with return is a speculation to accumulate in the same way.

I do think there's teething problems, but when I think about it I don't see a huge difference between someone habitually buying/returning and the 'customer' who's always demoing a wide variety of kit in store but never seems to be getting round to actually purchasing. Both are tricky to solve without losing something that should be a net benefit for the reasonable consumer (I'd say average consumer, but the missus works retail and I've worked IT operations long enough to have an opinion there!)

Twinfan

I tend not to use my credit card unless I'm abroad for the favourable exchange rates it has for foreign transactions.

sunshinewelly

i dont think anyone has agreed with your original post yet so your post may have been a slight over-reaction

Twinfan

Yep, seems that way.  I was in two minds about posting it but thought I'd offer some advice to the community.  Clearly everyone else knows best already