Book buyers beware!
I purchased a few books from the new Virgin store on Wednesaday night but when I put them on the book case I discovered that I already had one of them. I tried to return the book this afternoon (less that 3 days later) and was refused.
The refund policy states that they will exchange or refund within 7 days providing that the item is in the same condition and accompanied with a receipt. THIS IS NOT TRUE! Despite the refund policy they will not accept books because I could have read it before returning it.
For the sake of QR29 it is really not worth arguing about but the way they dealt with it made me mad and to have staff in the background discussing that I was trying to return a book I had read did not help my blood pressure.
So, the moral of this story the returns policy of Virgin, Qatar is not worth the receipt paper it is printed on.
Well it took an email to the customers service manager in Doha and a further email to Dubai but I did get the matter resolved and a refund was offered. Althouh this was not the intention I did appreciate the offer.
Most imposrtantly I got an apology and told that as per the policy they could not justifiably refuse my request to return the book.
So now is all well in the land of Kerrie and I can get back to the important matter of buying more books! I promise not to buy any more duplicates.
that and thank you for the warning Kerrie! but i must admit i always can get things returned and exchanged its about making as much of a nusiance of yourself as possible!! You can get things returned! one incidnet of mine stick out - once i brought a book in Waterstones back in the Uk and somehow managed to drop the carrier bag which i was carrying the newly purchased book in... so i went back to the shop and compaliend about the quality of the carrier bag and if it had been decnet i wouldnt have dropped it! Eventually they gave into me and repalced the book i lost ....its not a case of being rude or aggresive, you just put your bag on the table sigh loudly and keep telling them they have to accept the return - of they say no then say im not leaving, then start singing or something and refuse to move till they see things your way- always works! I mean we work hard for our money you know!
love life!
think you are just unlucky. i have taken things back to clothes stores that i havent even had a week and that i have washed how they have said on label and has shrunk ect.. and its like i was asking them to take out of there own pocket. i think shops have to look at it this way, you could have exchanged this book and been happy and come back again spending your money. its called customer relations but instead now you will tell everyone about what happened to you and thats not good for the shop. i work for a company as a merchandiser and they also do mystery shopping and sometimes i have to do store visits to buy and return things to see how there staff deal with the customers. the other day i phoned sky and the women started shouting at me. said i wasnt a customer and she didnt need to tell me anything. i asked her to lower her tone of voice and asked to speak to her boss. she said she woundnt talk to me as i didnt pay sky anything and wasnt a customer and put the phone down. will be funny when her boss call's her in to listen to the play back, but then people do have bad days.
I did not ask for a refund, I would have been happy to exchange.
I am well to aware that it is my fault I bought a duplicate book but unfortunately I cannot remember all 400 book titles that I have. To be honest I really do not care about the money as I said it was the principle.
I understand the British legal system which is why they clearly state the return policies, some will only provide provision by the letter of the law whilst others widen their policy. My objection is that if they choose a particular policy ie that they will exchange or refund ALL items then they should adhere to it. Most stores will place restrictions within their policies such as they will not take back underwear or ear-rings for pierced ears etc. That is fine on the basis all understand the provisions made by that particular store.
How many times have you returned something that was fit for purpose but you changed your mind? Where you made to feel fraudulent?
I object to the implication that I am dishonest and would read a book and then return it.
As for the same happening in the UK, I have returned books (gifts) there and it has never been a problem.
It is the same even for almost all the things over here. THere's nothing new in what you say. But its a fact thqt most of the shops will agree for an exchange. But in the case of a book three days is a long way off. I definitely dont think anyone will agree for an exchange.
"If your number one goal is to make sure that everyone likes and approves of you, then you risk sacrificing your uniqueness and, therefore, your excellence."
It was more reasonable if you could have exchanged the book with another book rather than asking a refund of Qr. 29 from the virgin mega store.may be another book or CD woth Qr. 29....
It's a relatively common policy in media stores, I think, despite what the terms on the receipt say.
You don't usually get to return stuff like CDs, books or whatever unless they are faulty/damaged, precisely because they are easily copied, or used and returned.
That's the same for stores in the UK, too, so Qatar isn't any different in that respect.
It's my understanding of English consumer law, for example, that you have no 'right' of return in any event; if you happen to change your mind, it's only possible at the discretion of the store as an act of goodwill. The only 'right' to return goods in English consumer law exists if they are faulty.
You are no worse off being in Qatar than you would be in the UK. In comparative terms, you aren't being treated disrespectfully or being denied any rights you would otherwise have in the UK. (I obviously can't comment on the Qatari legal system and whether or not you have any rights in Qatari law that are being denied to you.)
And tbh, it's hardly their fault that you bought a duplicate of a book you already possessed!