Why do refunds have to take so long?

[chrismillard]

I purchased a bag for my Wife from Debenhams (through Amazon.co.uk) for an anniversary present. The bag arrived damaged, and I immediately informed Debenhams through the claims option of the Amazon portal. I was emailed back fairly quickly to say that because I had ordered through Amazon that they couldn't send a replacement and that all they could do was provide a refund.

 

In light of this, I returned the bag, and ordered a replacement (directly from Debenhams.com this time).

 

The bag was received by Debenhams on 9th May. Today, 14th May I got an email through Amazon to say that the refund was being processed and would be returned to my payment method within 10 business days! Add that on to the 3-4 business days that it has taken them to process the return in the first place, and we're looking at almost 3 weeks!

 

I find it ludicrous and unfair that it should take this long. Someone somewhere is sitting on £125 that belongs back in my account. If payment from the account is authorised immediately then why don't refunds go back just as fast?

[rebel11]

Hi chris

 

It's probably to do with the systems they have in place, the departments dealing with the refund, customer service, accounts, warehouse etc.

[ssparks2003]

I would assume that unlike payment, refunds are a manual process. there is not one dedicated person waiting by the post box to unpackage the bag, check it over, complete their internal paperwork, move it to whereever it has to be moved to (perhaps a SQA area) complete the SQA activity, return it to their supplier, rush upstairs, complete the refunds paperwork, request the refund from the creditcard provider, leap on their moped and ride like a bat out of hell to the creditcard provider to authorise the refund and send the money to your card provider, leap back onto their moped race over to the office for your card provirder (or bank) personally walk the refund through the clearing process, leap once more onto their moped race back to the post box to wait for the next package.

 

Don't know, just saying....

[rebel11]

Hi ssparks2003

 

That was amusing.