Chapters BookStore - no exchange without receipt

J

Janndoe

Guest
I accidentally bought the second half of a 2 part series in Chapters on Parnell St. yesterday. I realised my mistake when I got home, and also that I had lost my receipt. I was not too concerned about this, in my experience most stores will exchange without receipt. I went to the customer service desk where I was told there that there was absolutely no exchanging without a reciept.
Bear in mind that the book had the price tag on the back and the store security tag (which needs to be deactivated at the cash desk) still attached.

I emailed them and got no response, I then rang and was told that the manager had been consulted and exchanges were still impossible. Their suggestion was that I should bring the book to the used section where I would no doubt have gotten 3-4 euro in credit for my 11.60 purchase of 22 hours earlier.

Am I wrong to be extremely dissatisfied with their attitude?
 
Am I wrong to be extremely dissatisfied with their attitude?
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IMHO, yes.

Tiger's post above states that you have no statutory right to a refund. Consider as well that Chapters would have to restock and have already incurred transaction costs selling you the book.

Furthermore, I understand them not issuing a refund w/o a receipt, someone could have just shoplifted the product.
 
1) Buy in Amazon
2) return in chapters
3) profit !


Hence why they demand a receipt... you have no rights either legal or moral here...
 
With a deactivated security tag still attached?
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Some shoplifters run out the door with goods. Used to happen when I worked in M&S. Some crooks would unhook a rail of clothes and make a dash for the door.

Other people used to buy second hand M&S clothes and return them for cash (w/o receipt), until they changed returns policy.
 
It's useful to know that this is Chapters' policy, I have exchanged books without receipts in Waterstones, Hughes & Hughes and Hodges Figgis.
 
Why don't you buy the first part and read it before you read the second part which you have bought inadvance?
 
Legally you have no right.

But I am surprised at the attitude of Chapters. I would have thought that they should exchange it as a matter of goodwill and customer service and on a discretionary basis.

Why don't you buy the first half of the book. And then return with its receipt and Part 2? :)

Brendan
 
jhegarty said:
1) Buy in Amazon
2) return in chapters
3) profit !
Hence why they demand a receipt... you have no rights either legal or moral here...
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OP is not looking at getting a refund but simply exchange part 2 for part 1..
 
I agree with Brendan, legally you have no right to change it - but one would imagine that Chapters would accomodate you just out of goodwill, especially as it was an exchange you wanted and not money back.
 
Thanks for the responses everyone, unfortunately they don't have part 1 in stock and you can understand I'd rather not buy it from them anyway. They do have a hardback 1 volume edition which is what I wanted to exchange it for - I told them this and it made no difference.

What really irritated me was that in the circumstances - price tag in place plus deactivated security tag (so it had to have gone out over the cash desk, I couldn't have just run off with it), plus I wanted to swap it for essentially the same thing, any reasonable retailer (I think) should have allowed the exchange.
 
As others have pointed out, no legal rights etc, but I think it's poor attitude on Chapters part especially in your specific circumstances - presumably they can tell whether or not a tag has been actually deactivated in store or merely tampered with? Maybe not...
 
Hi all,

I was thinking that if he paid by laser/credit card - then he would have proof that he paid for it on his statements. I always thought that a receipt was used to prove you paid for it - and that a bank statement would also prove you paid for it too...

Don't know where I read this, but as long as you have proof you paid for it, then you should be able to get a refund if the goods are not right.

Kev.
 
Don't know where I read this, but as long as you have proof you paid for it, then you should be able to get a refund if the goods are not right.
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In this case, there was nothing wrong with the goods.
 
But they were looking for a receipt off of him, to prove he paid for it. Had he the receipt they would have exchanged it. Having a bank statement would be proof enough I would have thought.
 
In defence of Chapters I have to say that I have never received anything less than perfect service from them. For example last Christmas I cheekily emailed them a list of about 15 books I wanted to buy as presents (including one which I knew was out of print). They emailed me back about 2 hours later and said they had 12 of them in stock and if I was willing to wait a further 3 days then they'd have all 15 in stock. I duly collected all 15 at their orders desk, having saved a whole lot of time and hassle tracking them down myself. I have no connection to the shop but decided to use it long ago because it's an independent bookseller (not part of an anonymous chain) and we have very few of them left, that's what started me using them but what's kept me using them is the quality of their service.
 
As has been said, Chapters have no legal obligation to make a refund in this instance.

However, if they offer refunds with receipts, it may follow that all they require is proof of purchase. A Laser/credit card receipt would offer the same level of proof, if you'd paid this way.

You could point this logic out to the bookshop but if they're not prepared to accept it, there's nothing you can ultimately do.
 
an unfortunate situation,bear in mind businesses are pestered with shoplifters,fraudsters and scammers of all types,it is very difficult to see the real mistakes from the others.
 
Janndoe said:
I accidentally bought the second half of a 2 part series in Chapters on Parnell St. yesterday. I realised my mistake when I got home, and also that I had lost my receipt. I was not too concerned about this, in my experience most stores will exchange without receipt. I went to the customer service desk where I was told there that there was absolutely no exchanging without a reciept.
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If you had any other proof of purchase (e.g. credit/debit card slip, cheque stub etc.) would they exchange it (even though they are not obliged to since there is nothing wrong with the goods)?
 
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