An Aberdeen shopper waiting to return clothing to Debenhams has been told she must travel more than 300 miles south to England if she wants her refund.
Like many others UK-wide, Angie Steel has some unwanted Christmas gifts still lying unopened in the cupboard.
But unlike Debenhams customers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland she and other Scots are struggling to return items to the department store chain.
Ms Steel, 62, bought two shirts from the Trinity Centre department store as Christmas presents for her partner Graham in November.
After finding they were unsuitable, she’s been patiently waiting to return them once shops reopen.
However, following the news that Debenhams stores across Scotland will never reopen unlike their counterparts elsewhere in the UK, she has now been told to travel more than 300 miles to England to do so in a breach of Covid travel rules.
“The whole idea is stupid,” she said.
“They cannot discriminate and we can’t travel to England right now.
“I don’t think anybody high up in the company has thought seriously about the suggestions they’re making.
“It’s outrageous. You’d think the person that’s written this response just hasn’t got a clue what is going on in the world right now.
“They’re blaming the Scottish Government not aligning with England in terms of opening up at the same time.”
Ms Steel’s gift receipt originally gave her from December 17 to January 15 to exchange or return the goods in store.
However the shop had to remain closed after Boxing Day under tough sanctions brought in to stem the spread of coronavirus.
“I cannot be alone in this”
The department store chain is being wound down and although fashion retailer Boohoo has bought the Debenhams brand and its website, for £55 million, it will not take on any of its stores or 12,000-strong workforce.
A notice was posted online saying stores would reopen for one week only once lockdown restrictions were lifted, to allow staff to clear stock and honour exchanges and refunds, before closing for good.
However, in February Debenhams announced it would not reopen any of its 15 stores in Scotland even once lockdown ends, leaving Scots shoppers such as Ms Steel at a marked disadvantage.
The retired Shell worker, of Peterculter, said she’d held onto the goods in preparation for that seven-day opening in Scotland, which now won’t come.
“I think I’m more livid with the way they have handled it rather than their decision,” she added.
“£27 is not a big amount to lose, but I wouldn’t make that back selling them on again on Ebay and it could’ve been something much more expensive I’m waiting to return.
“I cannot be alone in this. There must be hundreds of people in the same boat. Are they being given the same advice in Edinburgh and Glasgow?”
Ms Steel, who has failed to speak to anyone in person on the phone, replied to her latest email, admittedly sarcastically, suggesting if the firm could send her cash for her plane tickets and lift the ban on travelling from Scotland to England she could perhaps make it in time to exchange the goods in Manchester.
“They replied to that saying their judgement is final and not changing, and that’s that,” she added.
“Really what they should be doing, since they refuse to open Scottish shops, is sending Scottish customers a prepaid label and letting us post goods back for a refund to be processed.
“Instead nobody in Scotland is getting refunds at all. It’s total discrimination and it’s prejudice. Surely it’s illegal.”
“You may travel to a store in England”
Debenhams failed to respond to the P&J’s request for a comment, however the company’s response to Ms Steel’s complaint read: “I am sorry to say our Scottish stores will not reopen. This is due to the Scottish Government’s timeline for the reopening of non-essential stores not aligning with the planned wind-down of the Debenhams business.
“If you need to refund for a purchase of a store-bought item, you may travel to a store in England for a refund. You will have one week to make the return post-store re-opening date. Regrettably, we cannot offer a refund for these items remotely.
“Please do not send any store-bought items via post to our warehouse or store addresses. These will not be refunded, and we cannot guarantee that these items will be returned to you.”
