FASHION retailer M&Co has gone into administration – here’s everything you need to know, including your refund rights, as the fight continues.
M&Co revealed its collapse yesterday (December 11) after losing the same battle “many retailers” have been fighting amid the Covid pandemic.
Its administrators Teneo Financial Advisory, are currently working to find a buyer for the brand.
M&Co currently has 170 stores across the UK – all of which are at risk of potentially closing if a sale doesn’t go through.
Currently all stores should be open as normal and shoppers can continue to buy items.
M&Co also announced it is hosting a “closing down” sale, in store and online.
The website currently shows a 50% off sale, while one shop wrote on social media that everything in store is 25% off.
Before taking part in the sale, it’s worth checking online and in store at your local M&Co first before making any purchases as prices can vary.
However, shoppers need to be careful as your refund rights will be different depending on how you purchased the item.
Here’s what you can do.
Refund rights online v in store
If you bought the item online, then M&Co should provide you with a full cash refund.
Of course, the item needs to be in its original condition and you will have to send it back yourself via Royal Mail for free – if you use other couriers then you’ll have to pay.
If you purchased online and want a refund in store, you’ll only get a gift card or be offered exchange.
But if you purchased in store, then M&Co will give you the chance to exchange the product for an item of the same value.
This may vary from shop to shop and of course, sometimes stores may honour a full refund anyway, but they aren’t obliged to.
You can use gift cards in store, but there’s a catch
If you have a gift card, you won’t be able to use it online but you can still use it in-store.
But annoyingly, there is a catch as shoppers can only use their gift card is the total price of your purchase is double than the value of the gift card.
For example, if your gift card is worth £100, your overall purchase must total £200 for you to be able to use it.
It’s always worth complaining about this if you’re unhappy, though you won’t be guaranteed an alternative.
How do I request a refund if I can’t get in touch with the company?
If you can’t get hold of the company or they fail to respond to your request for a refund, there are still ways to get your money back.
If you paid by credit card
If you paid for the item using a credit card, you’ll be covered by Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.
This means that if you pay for a big purchase on your credit card and something happens – like the goods aren’t delivered or the shop goes bust – your card provider is just as responsible as the retailer to refund you.
To make a claim, contact your credit card provider – your first port of call should be its customer services phone number – and tell them you want to make a claim under Section 75.
It should then send you a claim form which you can fill-in and your provider will use to process your application.
Your card firm might ask you to provide evidence such as a receipt or a report verifying that the item is faulty.
If you paid by debit card
If you didn’t pay for the item with a credit card – don’t panic. If you paid with a debit card you’ll be covered by chargeback rules.
Chargeback can be used to reclaim cash for goods and services you don’t receive that have been paid for by debit card, or by credit card for purchases under £100.
Claims must be made within 120 days of the transaction and to start a chargeback, you need to contact your card provider.
If you paid for an item using a buy now, pay later provider, you’ll need to contact them first to check if they have a process for you to reclaim the cash.
This sector is largely unregulated and it doesn’t offer customers the same protections as those who shop with a credit or debit card.
