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Appaling customer service in Zara Home- anyone else had the same experience?

14 replies

Paribus · 08/10/2010 21:07

I amwas a very loyal customer of Zara Home. Bought loads of things from them, like their stuff, like the design and quality, etc.

So when I bought two posters, I got a frame for one of them from Zara. Three weeks ago.

Unfortunately, got the wrong size, but couldn't returm it because we went on holidays. Upon getting back, came to my local Zara Home, planning to return the frame and get set of bed linen instead. Unfortunately, I can't find the receipt, but it wouldn't be a problem, because all high street retailers take their stuff back even if the customer doesn't have a receipt and offer a store credit or a refund, right? Wrong. At the till the manager a)refused an exchange; b)refused a refund; c) refused to take it back as the part of the new purchase; d) yelled at me at the end of our conversation, saying "the conversation is over!) amnd left me standing by the till, holding the frame.

I had my "pretty woman" moment, saying "you've just lost a very loyal customer who was spending XYZ in your shop" but left feeling very shaken and humiliated and made felt as a beggar.

The bed linen was about 90 pounds, the frame was about 10- what's the point of refusing????

Did anyone have any problems with Zara Home or is it just me???

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Paribus · 09/10/2010 00:03

Noone?

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sansucre · 09/10/2010 09:13

because all high street retailers take their stuff back even if the customer doesn't have a receipt and offer a store credit or a refund, right?

Sadly not all :(

While their manager sounds like the most appalling example of how not to treat a customer, I'm afraid you're slightly wrong in your assumptions.

Without a receipt/proof of purchase, you actually have very little rights returning stuff and it's considered to be a 'goodwill' gesture that the store allows it. Obviously if it's a faulty item it's a little different but if it's purely because you've changed your mind, then no, they don't have to do anything, although most stores now do.

True, some of the big high street stores will exchange goods with no receipt, but it's only M&S and BHS (I think) who will give a credit note. None will refund any money.
Zara has never given credit notes for anything, so that was an unlikely resolution in this case.
Some stores only offer an exchange without a receipt if the item is still in stock, such as H&M but I don't think Zara does this.

I suggest either trying to write the whole experience off, rudeness aside, it's £10, and am sure you can give the frame as a present to someone. Not the point I know but is it really worth it fiscally? Or if you paid by card, go back with a copy of the statement showing the transaction, but I"m sure Zara, like Topshop don't accept this anymore.

Zara has never really cared about customer service, they make enough money without doing so and don't really care about anything the customer says.

I'm really sorry to hear about your experience

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littleducks · 09/10/2010 09:14

How did you pay, if by card thestatement is also proof of purchase

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moragbellingham · 09/10/2010 09:19

I overheard exactly the same scenario in Zara (clothes) the other week.
No receipt - no credit/exchange etc.
It must be their policy, although unusual for the UK I think now.

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HecateQueenOfWitches · 09/10/2010 09:20

He was very rude in the way he handled it, and you should probably write to head office advising some training for him! but you had no right to a refund. There was nothing wrong with the frame. You bought the wrong one. It's nice if they choose to exchange it, but they don't have to. With or without receipt.

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FunkySkunk · 09/10/2010 09:32

Whilst the customer service was very, very poor, you don't actually have any entitlement to exchange, refund et al without a proof of purchase.

I have found Zara staff poor on many occasions, is it a company policy? Grin

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wingandprayer · 09/10/2010 09:33

Zara Home did exactly what they were allowed to do by law. They did nothing wrong. Maybe they should have handled it better but as you don't know your legal rights and weren't going away quietly maybe it was the only way to make it clear to you that you weren't getting anywhere?

Don't take it so personally. At least it was only a £10 frame and you know your position for future reference.

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Paribus · 09/10/2010 10:08

I plan to call headoffice on Monday and tell them about my experience. I wasn't asking for a refund- I wanted to give the frame back and pay the difference between the frame and the set of bedlinen. The difference was around 80 pounds, so Zara would still be making profit.

In my expeience, all retailers I dealt with, were eager to offer an exhange, especially when I was planning to buy something else at thr same time and to return unwanted purchase as a part of the new purchase.

I know, it's just a frame, but honestly, it's the attitude which was so hurtful and unpleasant.

Thank you all for listening.

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dexter73 · 09/10/2010 11:17

Zara's customer service is total crap which is why I haven't shopped there for several years.

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Paribus · 09/10/2010 19:55

Well, a quick update for anyone interested- I went to another Zara Home today, where they told me that the company policy is in fact totally different- they do accept merchandise without the receipt, they can't give a refund, but they will gladly do an exchange- and actually did it.

So I am going to give their headquarters a call on Monday to let them know about the way I was treated yesterday and today and hopefully it will change smth in the way they coach their staff (naive, moi?).

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moragbellingham · 10/10/2010 20:59

That's interesting. Wish I could find the poor woman I heard arguing with the manager the other week.

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customer1234 · 30/12/2010 18:11

I had the same issue with Zara in here in Canada. I tried to exchange 2 sweaters I'd bought as a christmas gift for my friend (I got the size totally wrong because it seems like everybody must put on at least 30lbs as soon as they walk through the door at Zara's..).

I went on Dec. 27th with sweaters (tags on) and receipt in hand and they told me they weren't doing exchanges/returns on that day...I grumbled a bit but left. I went back 2 days later (after now losing the receipt..) and attempted to exchange the 2 small sweaters for 2 large sweaters (they had a zillion of these sweaters i might add..) and was told they could do nothing for me without a receipt. Here is a snippet of my conversation with the store manager:

Me: So i'm stuck with 2 sweaters that don't fit then?
Manger: (rudely) Yup.

I ended up leaving the sweaters (which were waayy to small and completely useless to me) at the cash and marching out of the store after telling the manager I'd never shop there again.

This is an absurd policy, it's one that is not properly documented and it's one that most consumers would not expect. In this day and age it would be very easy to look up the transaction in a database. They choose not to because it doesn't benefit them. They don't care about their customers, they care about the bottom line and this leads to a terrible, dehumanizing shopping experience.

Shop elsewhere where you're treated with the dignity and respect you deserve. Our money is hard earned - why hand it over to a nasty corporation that cares nothing about you or your experience. Retailers cannot win by pissing off their customers

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Manxmonkey · 26/06/2013 12:25

ZARA has a worldwide reputation for poorly trained staff who seem to be backed up to be rude to clients. They also have a record of making up the rules as they go along - "You may only try on clothes in the changing room" / "You may not try on coats in the changing rooms"...WARNING if you buy a product whilst on holiday abroad they will tell you they have a worldwide exchange policy - this is a lie. They don't, if you want to buy a present to take with as I did to my daughter in the UK, don't! They will give neither an exchange/refund or voucher.

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hellocatty · 26/06/2013 17:19

Without doubt Zara is famous for very poor customer service but they don't care??

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