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#Post#: 113999--------------------------------------------------
Advice on Consumer Law
DIR By: flossy1968
Date: March 22, 2026, 8:19 am
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Hello
My wife recently purchased two T-shirts and a pair of trainers
from my local branch of Sports Direct as a present for me.
Unfortunately none of the items fit correctly. I attended the
branch and asked for a refund. I was told that they could only
offer a credit note or exchange. I pointed out that they were
gifts bought by my wife but the manager said the option to try
them on is in store so a refund could not be offered.
This seems ridiculous to me as it was my wife who purchased
them.
Any advice for recourse on this matter appreciated
#Post#: 114000--------------------------------------------------
Re: Advice on Consumer Law
DIR By: PallasAthena
Date: March 22, 2026, 8:32 am
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If the items are bought in store there is no obligation on the
shop to give a cash refund unless the items are faulty or not as
described (eg if the T-shirts were in fact size Small but had
the wrong label in them saying they were size XL) or do not do
what they're supposed to. The store manager is correct. It's
irrelevant that the buyer was purchasing them as a gift for
someone else.
#Post#: 114003--------------------------------------------------
Re: Advice on Consumer Law
DIR By: flossy1968
Date: March 22, 2026, 9:03 am
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Thanks for reply.
Seems ridiculous that items bought as a gift cannot be refunded.
Anyway currently finding it virtually impossible for me to
launch a complaint via the Sports Direct website. It’s like they
make it difficult or impossible on purpose!
#Post#: 114004--------------------------------------------------
Re: Advice on Consumer Law
DIR By: andy_foster
Date: March 22, 2026, 9:12 am
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When you purchased them, did you inform the store that you were
purchasing them as a gift?
#Post#: 114005--------------------------------------------------
Re: Advice on Consumer Law
DIR By: flossy1968
Date: March 22, 2026, 9:39 am
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Unfortunately I don’t think my wife did as I guess she just
assumed she could get a refund if they didn’t fit. Like most
other places.
#Post#: 114008--------------------------------------------------
Re: Advice on Consumer Law
DIR By: 666
Date: March 22, 2026, 9:55 am
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--- Quote from: flossy1968 link ---
>
> Unfortunately I don’t think my wife did as I guess she just
assumed she could get a refund if they didn’t fit. Like most
other places.
>
--- End Quote ---
"Like most other places." may be the key. Many retailers do give
refunds in circumstances where there is no legal obligation to
do so: your wife has found one which does not.
But even offering a credit note or replacement is above and
beyond what the law requires, so things could be worse. While
Sports Direct are clearly not in John Lewis's league, at least
they're not in Ryanair's.
#Post#: 114009--------------------------------------------------
Re: Advice on Consumer Law
DIR By: andy_foster
Date: March 22, 2026, 10:15 am
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On the face of it, struggling to see the problem (based on the
account as presented). If the problem was that they were the
wrong size, surely store credit would enable them to be replaced
with the correct size?
As far as contract law is concerned, an item is only sold for a
specific purpose if that purpose is either self-evident or
communicated to the seller before the transaction - so from a
legal perspective, whilst it might have been bought as a gift,
it was not sold as one (to the extent that that is relevant). As
regards it being ridiculous that a cash refund is not available
for items purchased in-store where to all intents and purposes
the purchaser simply changed their mind, this forum is for legal
advice, not for entertaining deluded rants from those who feel
hard-done-by from the fact that the law does not give them
unilateral rights to unwind a contract of sale.
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