Bridesmaid Dress Fury! What do you make of this Customer Service?

I think I'd be livid!! As you say, there were no measurements on the website - of course different garments fit differently. I have a large bust and my clothes sizes range from a 12 to a 16! Take this as far as you can and make as much fuss as you can!

Tell them that your gona get in contact with dept of fair trading and c where that gets you? they should honour the dress cos all your doin is changing a szie- has so wrong with that- i tell youtheres some dumb asses workng in some retail cusomer services ?

I'd stick to your guns and carry on down the complaint route......I don't know your exact rights, but I thought that if you buy online or over the phone, you are covered by the distance selling regulations and also the sale of goods act - try this link: http://www.oft.gov.uk/about-the-oft/legal-powers/legal/distance-selling-regulations/ . In the downloadable document it says that the retailer must provide a description on the main characteristics of the item - sounds like they havent done this if the bust measurements weren't clearly noted

Good luck!

I work in retail and never have i heard a store doing this! i work in jewellery n if somebody needs to exchange a size of a ring for example and its nolonger in the sale we just enter the date it was sold the till system regsters it was in the sale and automaticly exchanges it without any extra being paid! like you say its not your fault they didnt do the measurements online! id stick to your complaint as this is a joke!

Under DSR I would imagine that you can return the dress for a full refund, but I would not think they have to honour the sale price in sending you out another item.

Is your BM wearing a bra with the dress and if so would it fit if she went without? Otherwise can you get it altered at all? It might work out cheaper than buying the dress again at full price.

Altering is impossible. It's a zip up back and there is 3 inch gap where it wont meet.

I refuse to pay the full price, I would return them all, cancel my account with them, and would sooner die than use them for my gift list. And I'll tell them that.

That's really poor, I thought HOF and places like that were meant to have impeccable customer satisfaction guarantees. I am sure they aren't allowed to do that! Good luck.

Their customer services (on the web) say this:

We are sorry if you have received an incorrect item. Please contact our Fraserline Customer Service Team within 28 days of delivery and let them know the following details:

• Your Order Number
• Product Code/Product Name
• Details of the fault
• If you want a refund or would like to re-order

And it doesn't mentioning anything about being unable to exchange sale items here:

For health, safety and security reasons, we cannot accept in return or exchange certain products. This includes gift vouchers, ‘free’ items, hampers, food, beverages, cosmetics, pierced jewellery, personal grooming products and such other products that may be notified to you from time-to-time. Your statutory rights are not affected. Please see Cancelling your order for more information.

http://www.houseoffraser.co.uk/M116_EDITORIAL_CONTENT_CUSTOMER_SERVICE/M116_EDITORIAL_CONTENT_CUSTOMER_SERVICE,default,pg.html#31

So I'd stick to your guns and throw their own info back at them!

Problem with that info Tray is that they are not refusing to exchange, but refusing to honour the original price...

The sizing guide tells you how to measure yourself. But the dress description has no measurements so it was useless. I don't understand how I would make the dress 3 inches bigger?

Ah ha - this is what I think they might be hiding behind:

http://www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Mid-season+Sale+Spring+2011/M116_April_Sale_2011_%20Cardholder,default,pg.html

I think you're right but it doesn't mention anything about what happens if you need to exchange when the price goes back up, only what happens if you purchase at full price then the price goes down. Terrible customer service.

The sizing guide is no use at it only tells you how to measure yourself, if the item had no measurements on it then how could you know what you were buying?

Found this in their T&Cs but it is the only reference to price changes that I can see...

In the rare event of a product price discrepancy, the purchase price of the product on the House of Fraser website prevails over the price that may appear on the delivery or product packaging. You will always be charged the price that is displayed on the checkout page. If the price is reduced after you purchased the item at full price, we cannot refund the difference. We will endeavour to inform you at least 12 hours prior to any promotional activity that will take place on our website, however in exceptional circumstances promotions on our website may be added without prior notice. Please note, the online price on selected products may differ from the in store price during any promotional activity.

This was in the Returns section...

Within 14 days to any House of Fraser store (excluding House of Fraser Outlets) from the day you receive the goods and we will refund you in full via the original payment method used or if you return your purchase after this period but within 28 days, you may exchange the item for other merchandise or a House of Fraser Gift Card to the value of the item.

Where promotional discounts are applied to orders, the discount will be applied to each item in the basket. In the event of a return, you will not be refunded the discounted proportion.

It seems unusual behaviour for a retailer but they seem to be eluding to it in their T&Cs.... I would write and argue your point about the sizing guides and see where that gets you...

This bit?

If the price is reduced after you purchase an item at full price, we cannot refund the difference.

I don't think this is the same situation though, any store anywhere would have this guideline. There is nothing anywhere on the website describing their T&C's for exchanging after the sale. I've trawled it.

Thanks for all your opinions ladies, I'm going to stand my ground and stuff 'em if they wont back down. Gutted though because I love the dresses, but I will not be treated this way!

I totally agree - when I first started in retail we were told this old phrase, and it really is true:

"Give good customer services and that person will tell one person, give bad and they will tell everyone...."

Have just found this on MSE. Not the desired outcome but just for info.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3203228&highlight=house+of+fraser+sale

Good on you - stay strong and kick their ****

We had a similar problem with them at Christmas OH brought me some gorgeous boots as a surprise but they were too big. He had brought them in the pre xmas sale so they would only exchange for another product NO REFUND!!! & u guessed it no where local or anywhere in fact had my size. I couldn't find anything i liked as much as the ones he'd brought. I ended up keeping them as there was no better solution but we are both disappointed as I don't wear them as much as I would have done even with about 5 pairs of socks! Very disappointed with HOF attitude - Bassically they've already got ur ££ and ur not getting it back so they don't care!

Unfortunately I just found this too and I think you are stuck, they are not refusing to refund or sell you a new product... although very morally wrong!

I would still complain though and see if you get anywhere.

That is absolutely appalling customer service! I'd be at least as outraged as you. I also work in retail and we would NEVER ask a customer to pay the difference if exchanging an item that had had a price increase. Shocking stuff. I'm pretty sure there MUST be something about distance selling regulations too. Get onto the Office of Fair Trading and see what they say. And definitely write a shouty letter. Even better, write a shouty email and copy in something like the 'women's interest' section of the Daily Wail ?

Shocking! When you exchange a sale item it's just like exchanging anything else. It's a straight swap, I've never heard of anyone being asked to pay the difference! ?

A bit naughty this - go to the shop, buy the size 14 then return the 12 for a refund with the receipt from the 14. You may get palmed off with a credit note as it is not faulty, but at least it would be for the full amount.

I would take it to the shop and ask for an exchange explaining you don't have a reciept.

If its back up to the full price it will scan back in as a return at the full price and as you don't have a reciept i'd imagine they only offer a credit note or offer exchange but there would be no difference to pay when you got the new dress.

Re: customer service - this is very bad. about 2 years ago I bought a ball gown from Debenahams with 20% off and then returned it for the next size and they honored the price.

Looking on the HOF website, yes they do have the general sizing guide that someone has posted, however it also says that this is there to show you how to measure yourself, and each brand has its own size guide. Then when you look up a dress and click on the 'size guide' next to that particular dresses sizes it tells you the sizes for that brand (if that makes any sense). Did the dresses you bought not have this on their web page?

Example - see the size guide button next to the sizes available on this page http://www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Linea+Jersey+beaded+bands+dress/146915105,default,pd.html?cgid=301

I just wanted to point this out as whilst I do think this is bad customer service and you should fight against it, you want to make sure that whatever argument you are using is solid. As someone else said, they can sell it on for full price so trying to make extra cash out of you is not on in my opinion.

This. What about all those people who return presents (usually, without a receipt) for different sizes/colours when the product has gone up in price? They don't get asked to stump up the difference, do they?

Just remember that it's not the fault of the person standing behind the counter or on the phone. They are only going by the company rules and would probably get their arse kicked if they honoured the prices.

Also if you say to them that you'll never shop there again etc, they'll probably think 'whatever'...

Very true. Make sure you talk to a manager or go through the proper complaints proceedure. That way you're dealing with people that have the authority to make decisions about it.

I work in retail and I get so annoyed with people that have a go at me about something that is out of my control...

Is the larger dress size available in a store. If so you could bring the smaller size back, tell them you have no receipt as your boyfriend bought it for you in the wrong size and hopefully they should exchange it for you no probs, just don't mention anything about the sale. ?

This has been tried and tested and it works! - Call Trading Standards and discuss it with them, you will find that you DO have a right to exchange the dress as it is not suitable and has not been worn AND you should get it at the sale price. Trading Standards will chat you through it but they will also give you a case number. Call HoF afterwards to tell them you have spoken to Trading Standards, give them the case number too for their reference, and tell them whatever TS tells you to. The case number alone will let them know you are serious and they will probably give in quite quickly after that! Good luck! x

Sorry to put the other side, but why should you be given the dress at the sale price? If it had been the other way round and you'd bought them all at full price then needed to exchange one for a dress that is now in the sale, would you have offered to pay the original price? I think not.

Um, well yeah actually. I have exchanged items after the price has been reduced and never thought anything other than "d'oh!" with regards to how much I'd paid. You exchange something at the price you paid for it originally, whether that's more or less than the price is currently.