Returns: Getting a Bit Worried

It's really not my fault that QVC's pictures on the website bear little relation to the product, nor that they also send the wrong product out, nor that they fail to describe the product fully.

Recently, been looking for a handbag and not having much joy. One Valentino bag had no zipper along the top - it fastened simply by a magnetic closure so that's great for pickpockets. :taphead: Either way, the closure was not described and I guess I'm the fool for assuming that it would be by a secure method.

Next up - a Makowsky bag. They sent the wrong colour. They placed the correct colour on hold (and bizarrely charged me which i got returned) and then said that it was out of stock. Gave up on that one.

Tried a NY Maxx bag - described as 'Teal' it would have been better to describe it as GREEN because it is GREEN...a vivid GREEN...there is no hint of blue whatsoever.

So now Im thinking all of this is racking up my Returns; of course none of us knows what the magic ratio or number of returns is at which QVC decides to push you out, but am starting to get worried. :sweat:

Thing is, these things are too expensive to put down to experience...:mysmilie_516:

Any ideas about what to do? Im panicking at returning the GREEN (not teal!) bag!

tvs

I think QVC are bad at naming colours and always have been even the presenters sometimes struggle on air with the colours. I refrained from ordering a few things as the colour on screen and as decribed by guests and presenter do not add up for me.

I was ordering from the website - there is no video for the item, and on my monitor it did look quite teal. I always know that pictures/monitors can alter shades, but this isn't a shade alteration...this is just a vivid green and not a hint of blue to be seen in it!

tvs

Send them a letter and let them know you're unhappy. I've always had better response from them when I've put it in writing, you can email them as well. You might get your postage back too. Don't think you have to keep a bag you don't like because of that! I often wonder how many people keep things they're unhappy with because they either can't be bothered to send it back or they've had it a bit longer than 30 days.

Also do they chuck people out that send back a lot of stuff? I can't see how they can do that when they keep going on about the 30 day no quibble money back guarantee? I know if you send back 50% of your purchases then they might contact you to ask why you're doing that.

I wouldn't worry about your rate of returns, if they say anything you repeat the reasons you have given here. I have said before if they objected to my return rate it would be 'Goodbye'!

Somehow get the feeling they won't say anything to you!!!
IF they DO let us know!!!

Return the bag if you are not happy-providing it is within the 30 day mbg they have to refund you. The worst they can do,if they feel you are returning a high percentage of purchases, is stop you ordering in future or allow only faulty returns. You could write to the CEO about the reason for your returns if they do try to ban you and you are bothered-maybe tell them you are going to Trading standards as they continuously mention the 30 day mbg?I sent 4 items back last week-all because I fel they were poorly described on the website or tv. If they ban me, se la vie! I can live without QVC.

Yeah it's that bit in the T&C -
9.3 It is our policy to contact and work with customers whose level of returns is very high. This is to ensure that our prices are not negatively impacted by the cost to QVC of dealing with an extremely high number of returns by a small minority of customers. If a customer continues to return an extremely high number of products to us, we reserve the right to close their account. If this happens the customer’s statutory rights will remain unaffected, orders accepted by us before the account has been closed will be fulfilled in accordance with these terms and individual product warranties will continue to be honoured in accordance with their terms.

But what do they mean by 'extremely high' - Okay, I would say mine are not extremely high, but I worry that they work it on a ratio of 'orders to returns' basis over a given period and over the last 3 months I've ordered 16 items and returned 5 (this bag will make 6!) and that's around 40% return rate.

tvs

I would say return the bag if it really isn't satisfactory and keep a list of the reasons why you are returning things. That way if they ring you up at least you are prepared. I was in a similar dilemma when I was looking for a ring, I returned four consecutively because of size, colour and damage, all of which was down to QVC's fault. Writing a letter/email is also a really good suggestion.

I think preiously people have reported getting 'the letter' when their returns have been over 50% but I may be wrong. I got a slightly different 'letter' a few years ago, where I had returned I think it was 10 items in a row.I phined up and tld the CS rep the reasons for the returns-which included THEM sending out 2 items that were incorrect sizes. a totally wrong item (I had ordered a ring and got a necklace) one item had been put as returned, but I had never recieved it as the courier had returned it damaged, plus there was an item that arrived damaged. There may have been others-can't remember, but I was told by a supervisor my returns were therefore acceptable.

I had a similar problem with a Tignanello bag and sent this email:

I received my bag but must complain about the colour.
On both my computer screen and my television, the bag looked much lighter than it is in real life. Indeed, the guest presenter even described it as "bubble gum pink", when in fact it is more like a dark fuchsia.
Please could you recredit my account with the amount paid PLUS postage as I really do feel misled by this description.

Please also send me a prepaid label so that I can return the bag.

They replied:

Thank you for contacting us regarding your order.

I'm sorry you feel mislead by the description of this item.

I have sent you a pre-paid label, which will be with you shortly. This will contain full details of what to do next.

Once we receive this item back we will refund the order for you.

If we can help with anything else, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

So, I would get in touch and I'm sure you'll get the same response.

I look at purchasing with QVC like this. I am happy to pay the return postage if I just change my mind or decide I don't like the item when I see it in real life.

However, if it's faulty or misdescribed, I will contact CS and ask for a prepaid label. I've never been refused one yet.

Good luck

I know what you mean! I was worried because a few weeks ago when I realised that of 12 items I'd ordered, I sent 10 of them back!! I know that is a lot and a higher percentage than I would normally return but I had to return them as they weren't up to scratch or had the odd fault or I just didn't think they were good value when I saw the items in person. I hate feeling as if I've wasted money if I've kept something for the sake of it. I had a phonecall from QVC a couple of weeks ago and I thought 'oh oh, here we go....' but it was just about an unrelated matter with no mention of my returns!! I have been a QVC customer for some 10 or 12 years now so they've had plenty of money off me but I do seem to have a spate of returns every so often, get fed up with QVC and promise not to order ever again.... and then I do! I wouldn't worry - your returns rate must be lower than mine and it seems that your problems have been QVC's doing. Thankfully I've kept the latest 4 or 5 items I've ordered so I'm hoping that will help offset my other 10 returns!:sun:

It's pretty bad when a company is so up itself (and so blatantly misleading about its hassle-free returns policy) that its customers feel nervous to send things back in case they get told off. Especially when the wrong thing has been sent/the product is naff. Bullies don't deserve to flourish. Spend your hard-earned money somewhere it's appreciated.

Power to the people!

:muscle:

From my own experience, veteran of 3 letters and 2 phone calls over the years, the returns are averaged over 6 months or a year. So, I wouldn't worry about a little run of returns. The return rate that sets off their letter is supposed to be 50% average. I once got a letter saying I returned 65% and they didn't close my account, perhaps because I went through with them the reasons for the returns - faulty, wrong items, didn't fit, wrongly described, damaged, replacements asked for but not received, out of stock....not proud of my returns rate, but I couldn't afford to keep goods that weren't suitable.

They go on sooooo much about the 30 day---etc.etc 'if you don't like it then just send it back' ( even if it is something that has been used up!!! Obviously no mention of this policy!!!

We pay ( & heavily) to have items delivered & if we decide not to keep then the payment to return.So most things are not ordered on a whim.
I find it intimidating for customers to worry about their returns rate & if they will get the 'dreaded letter'
Am I missing something here?

Apart from one item, everything else I have sent back to QVC was due to receiving the wrong item, wrong size or damaged goods. Ok they send me the return label but I still have to make the time to get to the Post Office/pay car parking fees. I've got to go again on Sat because they stuffed up my order when I used the 3 Easy Pay (and because this involved reordering them, Finance had to get involved to authorise reuse of the EP code which has delayed sending them out). When I did check my new order, I saw the price was higher and had to call CS again to find out why (my shipping costs had been doubled in error).

Everyone makes mistakes but if QVC are going to get narky with customers, they should police themselves better first. If they had to give customers a £10 credit everytime they got an order wrong, I bet less mistakes would happen :nod:

After above post, would you believe it! Was away on holiday for a week, but went to order the PK TSV this morning. Kept saying wrong account number on QActive. Rang up to be told they have closed my account due to too many returns. I should get a letter confirming this soon, sorry I should have had it already. After more than 15 years with them and thousands of pounds spent I feel strangely bereft.....
What's annoying is that I cannot access my account to check if there is anything outstanding, refund for the faulty Vivienne Tam had not yet appeared on CC statement received today.

OMG! Concordia That's terrible! I can't believe they'd just colse your account. Also I hope you get any money you're owed without too much bother

Jude xx

concordia said:

After above post, would you believe it! Was away on holiday for a week, but went to order the PK TSV this morning. Kept saying wrong account number on QActive. Rang up to be told they have closed my account due to too many returns. I should get a letter confirming this soon, sorry I should have had it already. After more than 15 years with them and thousands of pounds spent I feel strangely bereft.....
What's annoying is that I cannot access my account to check if there is anything outstanding, refund for the faulty Vivienne Tam had not yet appeared on CC statement received today.

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Good PR /CS? That's no way to treat a long standing customer.Expect you to ring up (to a show) & say you would order but can't! Except they wouldn't put you through.Would be great to see the presenter's face, who would you love to do it to?

concordia said:

After above post, would you believe it! Was away on holiday for a week, but went to order the PK TSV this morning. Kept saying wrong account number on QActive. Rang up to be told they have closed my account due to too many returns. I should get a letter confirming this soon, sorry I should have had it already. After more than 15 years with them and thousands of pounds spent I feel strangely bereft.....
What's annoying is that I cannot access my account to check if there is anything outstanding, refund for the faulty Vivienne Tam had not yet appeared on CC statement received today.

Click to expand...

I think thats really shocking

I had "The Letter" about 18 months ago - and bought nothing for ages - I was absolutely fuming with them.Then I fell back into my old ways of ordering - and was terrified to send things back - so ended up giving stuff as birthday/christmas presents.

Now with my new resolve (again!!) I'm rarely buying.I expected to buy most of the TSV's this week - but ended passing on them all.

I'm the first to moan about QVC - but at the end of the day I do like it.Well,I certainly like the choice to purchase,or not as the case may be in recent months - and I'd hate that choice to be taken away from me.I really feel for you

Concordia, thats so horrible! I can't believe that they can do that?!
They are always saying "order it, look at it try it, send it back" how can they put a limit on that?
Some items you have to see and feel to know if it's right for jewellery, bedding etc.
and what about clothes surely if you are willing to pay the postage charge to get something home to try it on how can they punish you for that?
The fact that you have shopped with them for so long should count for something, i think that is absolutely disgusting and would be complaining to whoever oversees them - surely you have rights when they advertise their returns policy so much.
I would be a bit hurt too, but, i'd probably make an account in my hubby's name so, i could still buy!
I think you should ask them to re-instate your account, if not i'll certainly join you in sending a e-mail/ letter telling them thats disgusting
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