Kmart Couldn't Refund to My Credit Card Due to Error - Now Want to Refund into Bank Account

I purchased an item online from Kmart but had to take it back when it stopped working. They agreed to a refund and said it'll be refunded to the credit card I used to purchase the item. I later received an email saying they received an error when trying to process the refund to my credit card.

I called them and they said they may need to process the refund to my bank account. They say that this needs to be done "manually" and they need to speak with me direct.

In their T&C's page they say that refunds will be send to the form of payment used to pay for items. Are Kmart are breaking their own T&C's? My credit card details have not changed since the purchase.

Any idea on what's going on here?

TIA

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Kmart

Comments

  • +18

    Strange. But I'd totally be positive-neutral towards this. Your CC has no way of knowing it was refunded, and you get to keep your points (if applicable)

  • +6

    Any idea on what's going on here?

    How would anyone know? It's your credit card having an issue. Ask them what error it was? Or call your credit card issuer? Or tell them to contact your credit card issuer?

    • +1

      My credit card is OK. I've used it numerous times since I applied for the refund.

      Kmart said the error was: Purchase or capture translation not found.

      I called my credit card issuer (CBA) and they said they couldn't find any problems with the card or their system.

      I told the Kmart agents numerous times to contact the CBA and tell them of the problem they had trying to process my card. They just kept insisting that the card needed to be "manually processed" by an agent who will call again in 3 days. They'd already called me on Friday but I missed their call. Now Ill wait untill Monday. If I miss their call I just have to keep waiting.

      • Kmart would not be able to speak with your bank about your credit card, would you really want a random retail worker being able to ring your bank and talk about your credit card.

        • I'd have no problem in a retail worker calling my bank to inform the bank that my credit card won't process correctly. Hopefully the bank would offer a solution.

  • +29

    Does it really matter that much?

    If they tried to refund to your credit card and for some reason they were unable to as long as you get your refund why care what method was used?

    • +2

      I swear 50% of almost everything we buy is from kmart (80% of my clothes and kids clothes at least), so store credit/gift card/voucher would also be fine with us 😂😔🤦‍♂️

    • +1

      Maybe because the OP is uncomfortable handing over their bank account details to Kmart?

      • +2

        Dangerously close to OzWhinge there.

        Some would say bull eye, in fact.

      • With Kmart, they told me the refund will appear in three days.

        Why? As you said, pretty much everywhere else you get your refund at the POS. I'm pretty sure the times I've returned products to Kmart it's been the same process - straight back onto the same card at the POS.

        You've now handed back your product on the promise that they will refund you. Do you still have proof of purchase?

        If it's legit, just give Kmart your bank details. Do you have an account you use for online purchases? (if you don't, you should IMO). If so, give them the details for that one.

        • straight back onto the same card at the POS.

          Yep, gets entered straight away, but I find it takes a couple of days to appear in my account for some reason.

  • -6

    bad process by Kmart, could lead to fraud (employee could refund any receipt into their own account) and anti money laundering activities (fake credit cards, wash to account)

  • +4

    Any idea on what's going on here?

    Obviously slow bargain day.

  • +6

    So they couldn’t process the refund to your credit card and they’ve contacted you to do a manual refund to your bank account? What exactly is the problem. They aren’t breaking their own T&Cs. The original payment method was unavailable as far as they could see. Maybe there was a issue on your banks end, maybe it was Kmarts end.

    If you really feel uncomfortable about giving them your main bank account details, just sign up for UP or something and give them those details.

      • +3

        I just want the refund process to be done properly - like how they say they'll do it on their T&C's

        Whichever way it's done, you still get your money back. What difference does it make?
        You would probably also be the first to complain if they took a little more time to try resolve the card issue to start with.

        Are you sure your name is not Karen?

        • Seems obsessed with the method than the outcome. Could be breaking some doctrine and receives with some bad Karma…

      • -1

        Then you're in for a big shock in this digital world, how much of your personal info, like BSB / Bank Account numbers are actually already out there.

        • I'm not uncomfortable with giving out my banking details.

  • +13

    just give them the details, jesus

    • -2

      He did, but either they were atheists or they feel like the second coming wasn't due just yet…. ;P

    • -3

      just give them the details, jesus

      OP should change name to 'karenww'…

  • +1

    I've had a refund back to the c/c not go through although it happened at the time of the refund instore. SA just asked whether I wanted a credit note or cash back.

    OP - if you don't want to provide your bank a/c details then request whether you can receive the refund via credit note/cash instore.

    • -3

      When I took the item back I was hoping they'd just give me a new one or just refund my credit card there and then on the spot just like they do at Coles, Bunnings and Woolworths. But no, they've found a horrible way to complicate the whole friggin' process.

      • +2

        Kmart probably didn't want to inconvenience you any further which is why they offered to credit your bank a/c instead rather than you going instore again. Just let them know your preference.

      • +10

        When you purchased online the refund has to be processed by the back office. It cannot be done at the EFTPOS machine at the store. They told you three days is just a conservative standard response because some credit card transactions are done in batch, not real-time.

        They can't just swap a new one with your return unit because the broken item needs to be documented. If you want a new item, you could have just tell them at the store to issue you a credit note (with barcode), take a new product and proceed to pay with the credit note by scanning the barcode.

        Whatever your communication with the staff during that time, the refund was chosen to be issued to the credit card, no matter if it was processed in batch or real-time (not within KMART's control), something happened during the message passing between the issuer and acquirer ( two banks). Purchase or capture transaction not found means when they try to refund you the money, the banks were not able to find the transaction. Normally when this happened, the gateway will have to investigate and investigation can take up to weeks. This will eventually automatically/manually be resolved and consolidation between the issuer and acquirer (two banks) happen.

        In your case, the KMART operator who received the error tried to do the correct thing without further delay by calling you for an alternative payment method, to refund to your bank account.

        So to answer your question, no, KMART is not breaking their T&C. The refund faced an issue beyond their control. They could have continue and raise an investigation request with the banks if you insisted to have it return to the card but this will take longer than usual, again, beyond KMART's control.

        KMART is no different than Bunnings in terms of refund policies, they are all GOOD.

        • A+++. A perfect explanation of what has happened. Thanks jpl, I owe you a beer!

          I tried two phone calls with Kmart, but they were unable to explain the full proceedure. Thankfully I was able to get one of the agents to give me the error code.

          This is not so much about the money but trying to work out their refund proceedure which was sounding like some sort of a scam.

          Thanks again for your help.

          • +1

            @kerryww:

            …trying to work out their refund proceedure which was sounding like some sort of a scam.

            Puh-leeeeasee!! LOL

  • +1

    They should just be able to refund it as a store credit. Many Kmart let me choose to do this instead of refund to card, especially if I know I’m about to buy more stuff.

    • I was hoping they would offer that, but no luck.

      • Did you go in store to do the refund? I’d go back another time and try with someone else.

        Whenever I’ve not had a receipt they just do it to store credit anyway, they really do not care.

  • If you don't like that, I think you can ask for a gift card

    • I'll remember that next time. Thx.

  • +2

    OP's next post: "Am I entitled to compensation……?" lol

  • Card expired?

    Why not ask for a store credit?

    • Card expired? No. That was the first thing I checked.

      Store credit? I would have if I knew they worked that way.

      When I've taken something back in other stores they always just credit the card I purchased the item with. I much prefer they do it this way, then months or years later I can do a search and I can find the original payment and refund in the one place.

      I pay for all personal transactions with one credit card and another card for business transactions. I don't do cash, bank transfers or cheques. I try to keep accounting as simple as possible - all in one place.

  • +1

    Are Kmart are breaking their own T&C's?

    No, because they tried and they can't, so they're trying to pay you another way.

  • -1

    What sort of post/complaint is this?
    OMG
    Talk about wasting everyone's time.

    Kmart have done NOTHING WRONG
    They are simply trying to provide you with a refund

    Its OP thats got it all wrong here.

    • I think the main concern for OP is to have the transactions all recorded in the same card for accounting purposes.

      • -1

        I agree 100%.

        But, I was scammed once, but fortunate enough to get all the money back - $3000.

        Now I constantly look for anything out of the ordinary during a financial transaction. Every box needs to be ticked. If something appears even slightly out of the ordinary or I don't understand a proceedure I stop and ask questions - like I've done here.

        Call me paranoid, Karenww, a time waster or whatever I've been called here, that is OK. I'm now pretty much sure I'm not going to get scammed in getting a refund from Kmart.

        • The kmart business model is a scam itself.

  • Relax… do it manually

  • Had you paid off your entire credit card? Maybe your cc is set so you're not allowed to go into credit. I've had one cc like that once so you couldn't refund past your original amount of the limit.

  • Any idea on what's going on here?

    Kmart's payment system is crap. If you pay by GC, they give you a credit note that expires in 6 months for a refund; they can only credit a Visa GC.

    If there's a problem refunding your credit card and it goes to your bank account you are either in a neutral position or better off. You get points, etc. E.g. if you paid by HSBC debit card, get a free 2% when it goes back to your bank account.

  • Came here for the comments - not disappointed.

    I mean seriously? It's obvious they want to refund your money. Just take it. Nothing dodgy, just can't put it back on your credit card. Take it how it's given. Think of it as a cash advance which you'd normally pay interest on - how about that?

    Please relax mate about stuff like this - so much going on around us lately a refund to an alternate source is REALLY not what you should be worrying about.

  • +1

    After a couple more phone calls I finally got this worked out.

    It appears that since the item was purchased over 11 months ago the agent was unable to refund to the original credit card used to purchase the item with. They had to call me and asked for my credit card details again.

    So I gave them my credit card details again - third time. The amount was refunded to my account within a couple of days.

    Problem solved.

    • -2

      Omg…the people bitching about this question are actually he ones who need to get a life! Most of you seem not to have even read the question but need to comment. You are the Karens and yes, I'm talking to you nick07 Chandler etc etc. Kmart is my favourite store, but their admin and service sucks rod

      • Perfect example of how to introduce yourself to the community with your very first comment: by calling a bunch of users Karens.

  • Merged from Kmart refund scam?

    Hi, I've recently returned online shopping item at Kmart after long period of Covid restriction, and for one of the orders I got an email saying that there was an error in processing refund and I was asked to call or contact Kmart about it.

    So I sent a SMS to Kmart about the issue with the refund and I was asked to provide my bank details so it can be processed manually. So I did provide them my BSB and account number and they told me that it will take 5-10 business days for refund to come back into my bank account but I didn't find any refund from Kmart on my bank until today which is the 10 days since I contacted Kmart.

    The number I contacted was +61488854585 which I got off Kmart website.

    Are they a scam? When I contacted them again this morning to ask whether the refund has been processed, they told me it's already processed on the day I provided my bank details but when I asked why they haven't sent confirmation email that its been processed as they promised they would they changed the word and told me they will follow up and prioritise my refund to be processed.

    What should I do? Have any of you had similar experience from Kmart?

    • The number I contacted was +61488854585 which I got off kmart website

      Found it.. Looks legit number for SMS. So it's a matter of chasing them up for it, manual updates for issues with large companies can be messy. Especially over public holidays and large volume periods.

      https://www.kmart.com.au/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ContentTe…

    • What date did you do this?

      We’ve just had a bunch of public holidays so it could take longer.

      I bought online orders and returned in store and it took a while but did get there. I did have the added bonus of a receipt to prove I had requested the refund though.

    • they said 5-10 days and you got a refund on day 10….. hows that a scam ?

      • lol yeah, seems like he got his money back on day 10

      • biggest scam in corporate history!

        worse than the movie never ending movie that ended

        or the all you can eat buffet that kicked homer Simpsons out!

        that them down br0

        you are a L for legend!, W for Winner

    • +1

      but I didn't find any refund from kmart on my bank until today which is the 10 days since I contacted kmart.

      Sorry, do you mean you still haven't been refunded? Or do you mean you weren't refunded until today (so now, on the 10th day, you see a refund)?

      There's "processed" and there is "processed". Your refund request may have been initiated 10 days ago (processed by the representative), but then needs to go through the different internal stages before finally being "processed" (money leaving their account and arriving into yours).

      In any case,

      they told me that it will take 5-10 business days for refund to come back into my bank account

      Including today, 10 business days ago was the 13th of December (unless I'm missing or adding in a holiday). What date did you actually contact them?

      All in all, not a scam. Just an awkward time of year to be getting things sorted. If you tell us the actual date you contacted them, we can each give our opinion of how long you should wait.

    • K-fart always been good in my experiences. Don’t stink most of the time

    • They just asked me to provide bank details again as they cannot find bank detail I sent them on the 15th. That means they will ask me to wait 10 more days from today for refund to appear in my bank and who knows that after 10 days they will ask me my bank details again!

    • To give you an idea I'm direct quoting their msg

      This morning I got

      Thank you for contacting Kmart Online. I can see that your refund has been manually processed on 15/12/2021. Kindly wait a few more days for the refund to appear on your account. Thank you.

      Now

      Upon checking, we cannot see the bank details that you sent. To do so, we will need the following information from you:
      Account Name:
      BSB/Account Number:
      Address of Bank:

      They are acting like a stupid robots
      and I am starting think they are scam

  • Refunds can be so annoying and also be quite simple and easy. Here is a few tips I have learnt of time.
    1. You don't have to use the same card you paid with to get a refund, the refund will go back with any bank card, credit card or debit card. Some stores say it needs to be the same card or the refund wo t go through which is NOT correct.
    2. Don't wait 3 or 5 days for refund to appear on your bank, don't tap and go for your refund, instead insert your bank card, select savings and enter your pin number. Your refund will be back in your account instantly.

    • +2

      don't tap and go for your refund, instead insert your bank card, select savings and enter your pin number. Your refund will be back in your account instantly.

      Is this legit or just your understanding?

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