[Resolved] Bought Shoes Online and Returned Them Due to Sizing - Now Being Charged for Postage

Lmelancholykeith on 27/06/2022 - 14:46
Last edited 27/06/2022 - 23:30 by 2 other users

Hi, I bought a pair of shoes online a week ago when I was looking for a pair of dress shoes for going out to dinner with my wife and to continue to use when returning back to the office for work.

Found a pair on a retailers website and purchased them as they had a free postage offer for shoes over $100 ( the purchase price was $103 after a 10% welcome discount). They arrived and I tried on the left shoe and found they were not the size or width that I would need and put them back into the box. Much like you'd do in a store to try shoes on.

Contacted their support team and emailed them to ask what the options were, was told the following-

  1. Send back for an exchange of colour/style/size with a prepaid envelope so that we can use that to post the return back to you. Please confirm which you’re after so that we can ensure that we have it in stock. - These were the largest and widest shows they stocked but still didn't fit (I am Size 15 4E width) OR

  2. Send back for a full refund less our postage and handling cost of $14.95
    The postage was free in the first place which would have been fine if I didn't have to return the shoes but now they want $14.95 for their postage and handling costs and I have to post them back out of my own pocket as well (which was $18.65).

Is it just me or is this a double dip that is going cost me $33.60?

I have since found a pair of shoes in a local retailer that fit and have learnt a lesson about buying shoes online.

Fashion & Apparel

Comments

  • melancholykeith on 27/06/2022 - 19:15
    +1

    Hi All, thank you for your responses, especially those who talked about Paypal returns as I was unaware they provided that service.
    I did pay with Paypal, so I have spoken to them and they asked me to raise a case for the postage fees that I paid directly ($18.65) to return the item. Have to wait a few days to see if they will refund this.
    They also put a usable credit onto my paypal account for the $14.95 postage and handling the retailer did not refund. The credit will be to use next time I purchase something using paypal and can't be transfered to cash.
    So a good result in the end and I know I will be sticking to buying shoes that I can try on at a retailer in future. Was just kind of desperate to find a pair before the weekend and discounted the possibility that I would actually be able to find a pair in stock in my size at a store in Canberra as from experience that hardly ever happens.

  • Hybroid on 27/06/2022 - 14:49

    I think option 2 includes the return postage with the prepaid label. Usually anyway.

    What's the stores returns policy? Link it through.

    • melancholykeith on 27/06/2022 - 14:54

      They didn't provide a prepaid or a reply paid address, just a PO box to send them back to
      Their website policy -
      Please make contact with us within 3 business days of receiving your purchase if you would like to organise a return or exchange. Your order must be in its original condition. Any wear or damage to your order will not qualify for a return. For a change of mind (return) you will need to send your order back to us. We will refund your money in full and we will only deduct the initial postage and handling cost we incurred when we sent your order to you. For an exchange of size or style you will need to pay for postage both ways.

      • Hybroid on 27/06/2022 - 15:06
        +3

        we will only deduct the initial postage and handling cost we incurred when we sent your order to you

        So then yes, they take off the initial postage it cost them to send the item to you now there's no sale. It's fair but not ideal and some stores don't do this.

        Maybe they have a local branch you can return to directly in person?

  • PissLUR on 27/06/2022 - 14:50
    +16

    yes. thats fair.

  • jv on 27/06/2022 - 14:56
    +1

    Bought Shoes Online, Had to Return Them Due to Sizing and Now Being Charged for Postage

    Yep, it is pretty clear in the T&Cs usually…

  • DashCam AKA Rolts on 27/06/2022 - 14:58
    +10

    The store sent what you ordered, with free postage, so they have already paid for postage for the original sale.
    Now there is no sale, they are giving you a refund without a restocking fee, but they are asking you to pay their out of pocket expense that your order incurred.
    That's fair.

    • jv on 27/06/2022 - 14:59
      -6

      but they are asking you to pay their out of pocket expense that your order incurred.

      It was free.

      • tephra on 27/06/2022 - 15:09
        -3

        you are all misreading his post..

        forget about the original sale and postage.

        they are charging him for return postage AND handling - $14.95; but they aren't actually providing a return label, thus requiring him to pay ($18.65) for the return postage.

        they are essentially charging him $14.95 restocking fee.

        • PissLUR on 27/06/2022 - 15:13

          you are misreading his post.

          postage and handling cost of $14.95

        • umoddbro on 27/06/2022 - 15:20
          +1

          Wow so wrong, the $14.95 is the postage and handling fee if OP did in fact pay it, but since it was free delivery he should not have to cough up that fee and only pay to have it posted back.

          • pjetson on 27/06/2022 - 15:33
            +9

            @umoddbro:

            if OP did in fact pay it, but since it was free delivery

            The shop still had to pay for it.

            • umoddbro on 27/06/2022 - 15:45

              @pjetson: Doesn't matter, OP didnt pay for postage. Just like OP used a 10% discount, he wont be refunded that… the business absorbed that cost, its a sunk cost.

          • DashCam AKA Rolts on 27/06/2022 - 17:19
            +3

            @umoddbro: Free postage is for a sale, not for an unsuccessful sale.

  • MeesusEff on 27/06/2022 - 15:00
    +7

    Did you pay by PayPal + activated the free return postage? Then at least it's not so bad. I never buy shoes online unless it's prime free returns as they almost always don't provide free returns by post

  • Quantumcat on 27/06/2022 - 15:09

    You should have checked out their policy before buying the shoes. What they're offering is fair. Another option available to you is to sell them on gumtree or Facebook marketplace, if they were already on sale then you might be closer to breaking even that way.

  • umoddbro on 27/06/2022 - 15:16
    +3

    I only shop at places with free returns or accept paypal for this reason now, at least you get reimbursed for postage…. I don't know why they're charging you $14.95 if it was free post… it should be you pay for return postage and they refund you the full price of $103.

    • MeesusEff on 27/06/2022 - 15:38
      +8

      It's because the $14.95 postage was free under the condition of a purchase over $100. If he's returning the shoes then he didn't meet the conditions and the shop would be out the initial postage cost for essentially a "change of mind" as it's not faulty

      • umoddbro on 27/06/2022 - 16:03
        -4

        Seems misleading, if it was $99 + $14.95 delivery then OP would be aware of the postage and handling costs incurred. But since it was $100 + free delivery, OP would not have known and only ordered on the premise that the delivery was free but in fact isn't.

        • [Deactivated] on 27/06/2022 - 16:10
          +16

          delivery is free for you if you keep the item. the store wears the cost of postage for items over a certain amount in order to encourage sales, but if you return something, they will charge you the original postage amount, other wise they would just be losing 15 dollars every time someone returned something.

          i don't think they actually have to accept change of mind returns, so it's rather reasonable to ask for the original postage amount back.

          OP would not have known and only ordered on the premise that the delivery was free but in fact isn't.

          this is only true if he incorrectly assumed that returning was free as well, but that would be his fault. the seller didn't say anything about free returns.

          • spackbace on 27/06/2022 - 17:08

            @[Deactivated]: Yep, otherwise people would just order $100+ to get over the free shipping amount, then return something worth $80 (for example), so the net result is a $20 item bought with free postage

            Couldn't expect to run a business this way

          • Kenb0 on 27/06/2022 - 20:19
            -1

            @[Deactivated]:

            delivery is free for you if you keep the item

            Exactly! Why is this hard for people to understand?? It’s not ground breaking stuff here, isn’t it just basic common sense?

  • cashless on 27/06/2022 - 15:17
    +2

    Should have used PayPal

  • screensaver on 27/06/2022 - 15:17
    +1

    I look for Paypal options for post, have used returns once. Hope its still in place on my account as I just bought 2 trousers

  • Morien on 27/06/2022 - 15:27
    +1

    For future:

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/674890

    • MeesusEff on 27/06/2022 - 15:40

      Everytime I click it, it says I already have it. Is this just a once off activation as IIRC I thought it was every 6 months/1 year?

  • cupcake on 27/06/2022 - 15:36
    +1

    I hate when that happens. I try to stick with online stores that give me free returns and refunds. Like Insport and The Iconic.

  • Brian McGee on 27/06/2022 - 15:50
    +2

    The initial 'free' postage would've been absorbed by the business through profit on the shoes, hence the $100+ stipulation. Now they are getting the product back and expected to eat the $14.95 loss plus refunding the $103? I think they are letting you off cheap if the actual cost you have to incur in returning them is $18+. It is the cost of purchasing the incorrect item.

  • mmd on 27/06/2022 - 16:00

    This goes for anything online.
    Always check refund/returned policy (even if you worn the brand before).

    There should be a statement that says buyer to pay for return postage unless good is faulty.

    Pay with PayPal so if you have to return good, then your postage free is covered

  • shaybisc on 27/06/2022 - 17:54
    +2

    I would never expect a business to wear the cost of my mistake unless it was part of the deal.

  • Sydneygirl22 on 28/06/2022 - 08:41

    I buy things online all the time. I read Returns section first to see if they cover return postage or not and make a decision depending on a price, item etc

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