Officeworks Refused Refund without Bank Statement

Ken1977 on 29/11/2017 - 21:09
Last edited 30/11/2017 - 05:05 by 1 other user

Recently went to Officeworks to return an item, gave the item and original receipt to the cashier. She said she couldn't process the refund because I had to use the card that I purchased the item on, I said the card I was using was the card I purchased it on. She said the card numbers were different and to check my other cards to make sure. I did, and I know 100% which card I used but the numbers were different. She said she could not issue a refund and gave me no options for a store credit or similar. She said maybe you could bring in the bank statement if you're 100% sure.

So I left, went back to the office, dug through the filing cabinet and sure enough there was the purchase on my statement from that card. I went back with my statement and showed the same girl that I did indeed purchase the item with that card. She said no problem I can refund it to that card. I said are you f'ing kidding me, you made me drive all the way to the office to bring in a statement because my original receipt wasn't proof enough, and then you said you "couldn't" refund it to that card, now all of a sudden you can. Thanks for wasting my time. She said it was my banks fault and I should take it up with them.

Why would my receipt state a different card number to the one on the actual card?

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No on 29/11/2017 - 21:15

+2

Did you use android / apple pay or had your card expired in the meantime?
Ken1977 on 29/11/2017 - 21:16

No apple pay and card is the original card.
Ken1977 on 29/11/2017 - 21:18

Does apple pay show a different card number? as I do use apple pay a lot for another card.
- R-Man on 29/11/2017 - 21:22
  
  +9
  
  Yes it does, all tap and pay methods create a virtual card within the phone. This is a problem for the ridiculous "refund on same card only" policy these old merchants have.
  
  Hope this doesnt happen agian but if it does next time i guess you could try explaining how Apple Pay/Android Pay/ pretty much all phone pay solutions work and they'll understand?
  - Tech5 on 29/11/2017 - 23:04
    
    +4
    
    Wouldn't this be to stop people scamming points?
    
    Use AMEX to make a $1000 purchase, get 1000points. If you refund it on that card, the 1000 gets taken away. If you refund to a debit card, then use that to pay your AMEX Bill, you just magicked up 1000 points
    - R-Man on 30/11/2017 - 09:54
      
      +1
      
      That's an interesting point that I did not think of, but i doubt that's what merchants like officeworks have in mind.
      
      They are trying to make sure you didnt 1. find a receipt in the bin and 2. grab an item on the receipt off the shelf and ask for a refund.
      
      I think the policy is still unfair considering these scenarios:
      1. your card expired and you got a replacement before you could come for a refund
      2. you lost your card and got a replacement before this refund
      3. you used a prepaid visa or eftpos gift card, its balance is $0, you threw it out, before this refund.
      4. you used a credit card which you have now closed due to financial circumstances before this refund.
whooah1979 on 29/11/2017 - 21:18

She said it was my banks fault and I should take it up with them.

she is right. refunds goes back to the source account.
- chumlee on 29/11/2017 - 21:24
  
  +3
  
  It's only store policy refunds go back to the source account. They do this to avoid being scammed. It's not the law
  - whooah1979 on 29/11/2017 - 21:27
    
    +3
    
    It's not the law
    
    it doesn't have to be. they, the retailer have a legal rights to refund under the t&c used at the time of the transaction.
    - juventino on 29/11/2017 - 23:29
      
      This !!! While it's not the law, retailers can refuse refund if the refund policy is not adhered to. Because the law says you're not entitled to a refund or exchange for a change of mind, it's up to the retailer's discretion.
Xetrok on 29/11/2017 - 21:21

+2

Apple pay and android pay use a virtual card number.
While it's linked to the same account as your physical card the banks issue a virtual card to differentiate between your card and app-pay purchases.
- Ken1977 on 29/11/2017 - 21:22
  
  So if you do use apple pay you will run into this problem in the future.
  - juventino on 29/11/2017 - 23:33
    
    +1
    
    Apple pay uses the device number. In your wallet setting, you will see both card number and device number listed. Show this to the staff. Then you can get the refund back by tapping into the EFTPOS machine USING YOUR PHONE .Same goes with Android pay.
    - R-Man on 30/11/2017 - 09:57
      
      +1
      
      Good point except if you delete the card from your phone and re-add it for whatever reason (perhaps software update), you will have a completely different virtual number again and face the same issue if the staff member takes a look :/
    - juventino on 01/12/2017 - 00:17
      
      @R-Man:
      easy fix really. most cashiers these days are monitored by surveillance cameras directly on top. Time and date are printed on receipt. Can easily verify if it is the same customer.
Ken1977 on 29/11/2017 - 21:21

Maybe she is is right, but can she refuse a refund with a receipt?
- whooah1979 on 29/11/2017 - 21:24
  
  Maybe she is is right, but can she refuse a refund with a receipt?
  
  yes, they can.
- dizzle on 29/11/2017 - 21:46
  
  +5
  
  If it was change of mind, yes they can refuse for no reason at all, but stores are hesitant to do this as they lose customers. If it was faulty, they would likely be able to offer a repair or replacement (or refund if you have the original card). At their discretion they can go around store policy.
  
  However it's often in the bank's policy and procedures and is for the retailers (and banks) protection. If the retailer does something outside of the policy and there ends up being an issue, the bank won't cover the loss.
  
  The main reason behind this policy is so people can't purchase with a stolen card and return money onto their own card. This has caused issues in the past since partners often have different cards for the same account - hence asking for your statement to verify. It depends how attentive she was, but looking at the date and time on the statement she could match the transaction with the receipt and approve the refund.
- juventino on 29/11/2017 - 23:34
  
  yes she can.
hmac on 29/11/2017 - 21:36

-1

Pretty sure Apple pay uses a different card number but Samsung pay uses the same one
- Sunny84 on 29/11/2017 - 21:42
  
  incorrect… Samsung pay also generates a different virtual card number.
  - hmac on 29/11/2017 - 21:42
    
    my bad. I thought it was the same
    - Sunny84 on 29/11/2017 - 21:43
      
      prob dependent on the bank rather than Apple/Samsung?
    - R-Man on 30/11/2017 - 09:58
      
      @Sunny84: no, there is no way to represent the real original card on a phone, all methods use some kind of 'tokenisation' to create a virtual card on the phone.
  - hogwarts on 29/11/2017 - 21:49
    
    Samsung Pay does not…
    
    I use it all the time
markathome on 29/11/2017 - 21:44

-8

This is pretty poor customer service, Officeworks is part of Wesfarmers Ltd - get in contact with their customer service https://www.officeworks.com.au/contact-us and see if they can do something in relation to what I hope is a one-off bad experience. I wouldn't hold it against the cashier or get irate or anything; just ask if it might be possible to obtain a gift card given the inconvenience it caused you.
- R-Man on 30/11/2017 - 15:27
  
  +2
  
  Good suggestion and disappointing to see the "just following policy" mob downvote you mate.
  
  Letting officeworks head office know is really important so that they can talk about the policy and how it needs changing. No one will get in trouble, and you don't have to ask for a gift card or accept one but that's up to the customer I guess.
  
  Simply raising the issue to officeworks management is a step that helps everyone.
JimmyF on 29/11/2017 - 22:06

+3

Should have asked to speak to a manager……
- ozdesi on 03/12/2017 - 10:50
  
  Or use your phone to show bank statement via bank app rather than going back to office.
  - JimmyF on 03/12/2017 - 11:27
    
    why? They had the receipt for the item. Nothing more was needed than that!
    - ozdesi on 03/12/2017 - 11:41
      
      yes I agree with you. If it was me I would have talked to the store manager
    - JimmyF on 03/12/2017 - 19:18
      
      @ozdesi: Which is what I said in the first place…… :/
Ken1977 on 29/11/2017 - 22:10

I returned a $35 D-link item that was faulty, its a shame because I do use Officeworks a lot for my business. why do they not offer a loyalty card or similar. I go to Anaconda they always ask for my phone number and can look up any purchases, same with RSEA safety shop. Bunnings offers Powerpass and never have any trouble returning items even without a receipt.
- juventino on 29/11/2017 - 23:38
  
  -3
  
  be informed of the refund and exchange policy before you buy anything.
  if Bunning is okay without the recepit, then i'll buy something on sale and i'll return it when it goes back to full price. PROFIT !!!
  - tomsco on 30/11/2017 - 07:43
    
    I think he means they can look it up on their power pass system to find the transaction.
    
    Saying they should have a loyalty card is besides the point, though. If they did, once they found the transaction, no doubt it would list the card digits and the OP would still have the same problem.
    - Ken1977 on 03/12/2017 - 19:33
      
      Yes but they could link me making the transaction, instead of finding a receipt and stealing an item and trying to return it.
    - tomsco on 03/12/2017 - 20:14
      
      @Ken1977:
      
      But the problem is what happens if once refunded, you dispute the transaction on your original card.
      
      Bunning will say but we refunded it. Bank asks for proof, bunnings show them the refund receipt with a different card number and bunnings lose the dispute.
  - Ken1977 on 03/12/2017 - 19:32
    
    Bunnings can look up any transaction paid for with power pass.
    Most times they give store credit for anything without a receipt.
- lupiter on 30/11/2017 - 08:11
  
  Faulty is a different game from Change of Mind. If it's faulty then they should have been able to replace or repair it with just proof of purchase (e.g. a receipt). Were you offered that?
  - Ken1977 on 03/12/2017 - 19:30
    
    No, and I got the impression that they thought I was being dishonest.
- brokenglish on 30/11/2017 - 10:03
  
  Errr, they do have a 30-day business account
  - Ken1977 on 03/12/2017 - 19:30
    
    -1
    
    I don't need a 30 day account, but if they are going to dispute a refund with a Receipt maybe they need something else.
p1 ama on 29/11/2017 - 22:36

+12

It's a problem and I understand you wasted your time, but I sense from your post that you are frustrated with the cashier - I don't think you're taking out your anger on the right person. At the end of the day, she's only following the rules which the store has set out for her, so if you have a complaint, or if you want to be angry with someone, actually take it up to the OW head office, not the person at the counter who has no say in the process.
- jjjaar on 30/11/2017 - 08:15
  
  +2
  
  100% this. You aren't worth her getting in trouble for. She is loyal to her employers not customers.
Unorthodox on 29/11/2017 - 23:27

+2

Android Pay, Apple pay etc generate a unique token as an identifier to prevent skimming. I would say that policies will need to be adjusted to meet this but I don't see the need to get riled up at someone who is simply following policy.

Note that you can often see the transaction itself on the app so that may remove your need to get physical copies of the bank statement.
- R-Man on 30/11/2017 - 10:10
  
  I don't see the need to get riled up at someone who is simply following policy.
  
  When the policy is out of touch and becoming a nuisance, one human is trying to reason with another human. We aren't machines and policy does not always need to be followed, the cashier may or may not use their own discretion. At least you've tried as best as you can anyway.
  
  For example when i was a cashier at coles, I would use discretion in these sort of circumstances and know that if I'm doing what's right for the customer the coles management will back me. The cashier at officeworks might not feel the same way but you dont know until you have an argument about it (civilly and politely of course).
PissLUR on 29/11/2017 - 23:34

Wow. She has such attitude.

I have just returned a phone, never opened. Paid using amex card and was refunded to a savings account. No issue at all.
original15 on 29/11/2017 - 23:57

+8

Couldn't you look your statement up online rather than drive back?
- Ken1977 on 03/12/2017 - 19:20
  
  Statement on App didn't go back far enough.
armdrags on 30/11/2017 - 00:46

+1

You should've made a complaint to their customer service line.
jjjaar on 30/11/2017 - 08:12

You may have been able to get a refund to a gift card instead.
tranter on 30/11/2017 - 14:14

+1

You're just unlucky you had to deal with that particular cashier. Usually refunds are painless at Officeworks. This year I returned a $50 item for refund even without a receipt. They looked up the transaction on their system.
hashtagbargain on 01/12/2017 - 04:06

+1

I would have returned at a different time or tried a different store to get someone else. Personally I wouldn't bother digging through my statements to prove anything to anyone, just coz it's caught their whims and fancy.

That sort of hiding behind the rules and not being accommodative would have had me talking with the manager! You op surely are a saint :)
- Ken1977 on 03/12/2017 - 19:25
  
  I only went back with the statement as they made me feel like I was being dishonest. I know they didn't say that but that's the feeling I got, so I went back with the statement to prove it to her. There's an Office Choice near me so I shop there now. Unless it's something I need pricmatched or on sale, they can jam it.

Officeworks Refused Refund without Bank Statement

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