Consumer website Moneysavingsxpert.com is claiming to have brought 30 retailers into line over online returns information that did not align with the law, including Home Bargains and The Range.
The 30 were found to be listing online returns policies that didn’t match consumer rights, in a review of 400 popular retail websites in July, according to MSE.
Twenty-four of them – including Selfridges, Benefit and New Look along with The Range and Home Bargains – corrected the information after MSE published its initial findings.
Two have since ceased trading and four – Carluccio’s, Evans, Freemans and Joules – are said to have only agreed to change the information after Martin Lewis approached them in preparation for naming them on his ITV show.
Lewis had also lodged a complaint with Trading Standards against the four, which he has subsequently dropped.
All are now said to have brought their websites fully in line with consumer rights, including 14 days to notify a retailer of a return after receipt of a product and another 14 to send the item back for a refund.
The full list of 30 retailers also includes Boden, Bondi Sands, Caffè Nero, CeX, ELC, Forbidden Planet, Grüum, Guinness, Harvey Nichols, Hipp Organic, HMV, Hotpod Yoga, Hush, Jessops, Monsoon, New Look, Perfect Draft, Robert Dyas, Ryman and Victoria’s Secret.
“The problem with incorrect information is that it risks being a deterrent to people legitimately returning online orders, as if they check a shop’s misleading websites, they’ll wrongly think they’re timed out and may not bother,” said Lewis.
“So, it’s important for people to know that, as a legal minimum: while you can only return goods bought in-store if they’re faulty, buy something online and you have a no-fault right of return (provided it is not perishable or personalised).
“You have up to 14 days after delivery in which to tell the retailer you’re sending an item back, and 14 days after you tell them to return it.”
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