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Last update

01/11/2007

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My mum recently purchased a Bench coat for my 18th birthday, around the 9th December. The coat was purchased from WRC and was £60, so quite expensive. However in the first few days the the zip cord began to fray, not wanting to make a fuss I ignored it. But then, just around two weeks after it was purchased, the coat's poppers began to come away from the stitching. This was a great disappointment as I'd hoped that with the expense of the product, I was guaranteed high quality. I took the coat back to the shop and was told that because I no longer had the receipt, I could neither exchange nor have a refund. My mother and I are very angry at having spent that much money on a coat that has not lasted even a month. Is there anything we can do?

We wrote to WRC and asked them to re-consider their decision to refuse replacing Angela’s faulty coat.

They replied rather promptly informing us that they will not accept any item without  receipt or proof of purchase and pointed out to us somewhat sarcastically ‘that this is in line with current consumer legislation and that their Returns Policy is displayed at the point of sale and is written for the benefit of ourselves and anyone who happens to read our site.’

They are of course, under present consumer laws, within their legal rights and entitled to refuse to accept any returns without receipts and we cannot deny this. However we do find it rather narrow-minded and quite offensive for the customer who finds himself at the receiving end and is left with a faulty item for which he or she paid good money for.

WRC, which stands for Westworld Retail Corporation, is the retail arm of Americana International who, in turn, are the designers and makers of the Bench and Hooch fashion label. They are, in other words, selling their own goods direct to the public cutting out the middle man.

If and when they refuse to replace a faulty item, they are refusing a replacement for something they made themselves. If the item is faulty,  then it is their own product which is imperfect and, therefore, it should be totally irrelevant from where this item has been purchased.

If they then make acceptance of the item, always assuming it is of faulty manufacture, dependant on proof of purchase, they are indirectly accusing the customer of having obtained this item illegally.

This is the main reason as to why most reputable High Street retailers will always exchange a ‘FAULTY’ item, but not offer a refund.

There are numerous explanations as to why customers may be unable to produce a receipt, they may have received the item as a gift from friends or relatives or they may have simply lost or mislaid the receipt  and whilst the law may be on the side of the retailer it does not mean that the genuine consumer is getting a fair deal and obviously feels let down and feels insulted when the retailer refuses to replace a faulty item.

Regretfully, we cannot force Westworld to change their mind and replace the faulty Bench coat and we can only sympathise with Angela who is now left with a faulty item which was made by Americana International and sold by its retail subsidiary Westworld Retail Corporation.

The only way to avoid any such problem in future is to make sure that you obtain and retain your receipt

or better still

that you only buy from retailers which will exchange items without a receipt if they prove to be faulty afterwards.

Bear in mind that it is always possible that you may loose your receipt and

ask if they will exchange faulty goods without a receipt before you buy and

you will avoid the expense, hassle and discrimination after, if you find you cannot prove the purchase

 Complaint Status:   closed