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Hello all, I made a purchase in-store today, buying a pair of sunglasses for £440. After giving it some thought, I’ve decided that I’d like to return them. However, upon reviewing the email receipt, I noticed it states that the item is non-refundable.
I’m planning to attempt a return at the store anyway, but I’m not very optimistic about my chances. This has led me to consider alternative options, such as claiming a refund through Amex’s Platinum refund protection.
Before I proceed, I wanted to seek the community’s advice and experiences with similar situations. Specifically, I’m curious if anyone has successfully claimed a refund through Amex for an item that was non-refundable at the point of purchase. The terms and conditions (see below) for Amex’s refund protection mention coverage up to £300. To clarify, the store never made it clear that the item is non-refundable and I only became aware after looking at the email receipt.
Amex Terms:
2.2 REFUND PROTECTION
YOUR BENEFITS
This benefit applies to items purchased on the Card Account for personal use that have had no previous owner and were not purchased privately. Only items purchased from a retailer operating in the UK with premises at
a UK address are covered. If a retailer will not take back an unused item You purchased on the Card Account within 90 days of purchase, You will be paid:
a. the purchase price of the item or £300, whichever is the lower.
b. You will only be paid up to a maximum of £1,000 under this Refund Protection Section 1.2 in any 12 month
period.EXCLUSIONS
You will not be covered for:
1) Any item with a purchase price less than £25.
2) Items that are not in a new and saleable condition, free from all defects, and in full working order.
3) Jewellery, precious stones, rare and precious coins or stamps; one of a kind items including antiques, art
work and furs; cash or its equivalents (including travellers cheques), tickets; services; books; animals
and plants; consumable and perishable goods; healthcare items; rebuilt and refurbished items; closing down sale items; vehicles and their parts; land and buildings; items permanently affixed to home, office or vehicles.Where did you buy them?
You’re not automatically entitled to a cash refund under UK consumer law, but most shops will allow items to be returned and refunded as long as it’s within a reasonable amount of time and the item hasn’t been used.
I wasn’t aware of the refund protection element of Amex Plat.
Hi NorthernLass. Thank you for the prompt response. I purchased the sunglasses from the Celine store in London. Upon reviewing the email receipt further, I found it explicitly states the following policy:
“Merchandise is not refundable. It can be exchanged or store credit can be issued within 28 days. Proof of Purchase must be presented. Store credit is personal and can be used within one year in the CELINE UK store from which it was issued. Exchanges can be done in European CELINE retail stores.”
So, it appears the store does technically “take the item back” but only in exchange for store credit, not a cash refund. This complicates my situation regarding the Amex refund protection policy. The Amex T&Cs indicate coverage up to £300, but this applies only if the store outright refuses to “take back the items”. The policy doesn’t specify whether this coverage applies in scenarios where the store offers a refund in the form of store credit instead of cash.
Given this nuanced situation, I’m unsure how to proceed with a potential claim. Has anyone encountered a similar situation or have any advice on whether Amex might consider this scenario under their refund protection, despite the store’s willingness to offer store credit?
Any guidance or insight into this would be greatly appreciated.
@Andre182 – I would press Celine for a full cash refund which they might be a bit arsey about, but will ultimately offer. Amex would not only offer you £140 less than the price you paid (seriously, £440 for a pair of sunglasses!) but ought to refuse your claim because the retailer will take back the glasses, albeit for a store credit. If you had bought the sunglasses online you would have been better protected, so the moral of the story is buy online and that excellent, high quality sunglasses are available more cheaply from brands/stores that will unhesitatingly refund you in cash.
Indeed it’s a common and very long-standing misconception that shops are obliged to offer you a cash refund. Irate customers have even been known to call the police to report that their money is being unlawfully retained 🙄
I find that the amount of money I pay for something correlates directly to the likelihood of losing or breaking it. I can recommend T K Maxx, where you can buy a huge variety of sunglasses, often for under £20, in-store or online. This is very useful if you like to keep a pair in each handbag, and/or glove compartment.
Just to add some experience of using Refund Protection – I used it fairly recently after buying some speakers as a Christmas gift, then buying something else instead. I thought the store had an extended returns policy but turned out it was only 14 days, and so when I got around the returning them, the window had passed. I made a claim online via the Chubb portal (they use Chubb, not Axa, for all non-travel insurances I think) and after a longish wait, they approved the claim and I got my money back.
I also didn’t have to return the items, but instead sign a form to say I was donating them to charity.
A pair of sunglasses for £440. 😮
I think I’d want to return them too!
The awful thing about the fools and their money being easily parted is that even at £440 you might be getting some pretty poor quality lenses that afford little protection for your eyes and that’s what ultimately matters (or ought to matter) vs strutting some tier 2 LVMH brand.
(they use Chubb, not Axa, for all non-travel insurances I think)
Not quite true because they use AXA for the extended warranty cover benefit on the Green charge card.
The awful thing about the fools and their money being easily parted is that even at £440 you might be getting some pretty poor quality lenses that afford little protection for your eyes and that’s what ultimately matters (or ought to matter) vs strutting some tier 2 LVMH brand.
What an awful judgemental post.
Not one ounce of help but heaps of condescending claptrap.
Indeed it’s a common and very long-standing misconception that shops are obliged to offer you a cash refund. Irate customers have even been known to call the police to report that their money is being unlawfully retained 🙄
Yeah especially with everyone being so used to online sales (where you are actually entitled to a “changed mind” return). It’s becoming more and more common across bricks and mortar retailers to offer gift vouchers instead.
@andre182 I understand why Celine would take that approach given their handbags etc. Unfortunately there are loads of weekend warriors out there that “hire” designer clothes (and pretty much everything else)!!I wish you good luck, hope you can get all of your money back. If everything goes wrong and if you have the patience you can always try to sell on eBay and get part of your money back that way.
The awful thing about the fools and their money being easily parted is that even at £440 you might be getting some pretty poor quality lenses that afford little protection for your eyes and that’s what ultimately matters (or ought to matter) vs strutting some tier 2 LVMH brand.
What an awful judgemental post.
Not one ounce of help but heaps of condescending claptrap.
You must be new around here… 😂
The awful thing about the fools and their money being easily parted is that even at £440 you might be getting some pretty poor quality lenses that afford little protection for your eyes and that’s what ultimately matters (or ought to matter) vs strutting some tier 2 LVMH brand.
Is everything ok at home?
There is a similar (but clearly not the same) form of protection under BAPP where they commit to providing a refund on a damaged item within 90 days of purchase. My wife made a claim via Chubb after my son bought a scooter and damaged it, we were paid last week but that was nearly 2 years after purchase as Chubb refused the claim (for an obviously incorrect reason) and we had to go to the Ombudsman who ruled in our favour. On the facts stated you might very well be successful with Chubb but just a warning that it may take some time! (Having said that, Chubb’s original decision and re-review were both quick).
Quick update on this. Amex credited my account for the maximum of £300 last week. I did not have to return the glasses or donate them.
Thanks all for the feedback.
you said you weren’t made aware non-refundable till you saw the email receipt. Does that mean you bought online? If so then you have the right to return them within 14 days without giving a reason. Except in very exceptional circumstances, this right overrides any ts and cs of the seller.
The awful thing about the fools and their money being easily parted is that even at £440 yght be getting some pretty poor quality lenses that afford little protection for your eyes and that’s what ultimately matters (or ought to matter) vs strutting some tier 2 LVMH brand.
What an awful judgemental post.
Not one ounce of help but heaps of condescending claptrap.
Oh come on, @rdmlondon. We all have to start somewhere in our journey of learning from life experience and with all the sanctimonious claptrap that gets spouted nowadays, it may be helpful to many readers not just the OP that a purchase of this type of item may have price limits beyond which at least 2 or 3 regular posters on this thread (me, @JDB and @Harrier25, and probably a large number of readers) think the value might be questioned.
£440 sunglasses for £140 net cost….I see what you did there 🙂
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