When shopping online, it’s not uncommon for items to arrive looking very different from what was advertised. This is exactly what happened when a customer purchased an oversized teddy fleece for £39.95 from Allure Avenue.

Instead of receiving the cosy, oversized clothing she expected, the item resembled a cropped jumper and was made of poor quality material. Disappointed, she contacted the trader to return the product and request a refund.

The trader, however, informed her that she would need to cover the cost of returning the fleece, with costs higher than the price of the item itself. Instead of a full refund, the trader offered her just 50% of her money back. Feeling she had no other option, the consumer accepted this partial refund, unaware of the full extent of her consumer rights.

That’s when she reached out to the UK International Consumer Centre (UKICC) for help.

On her behalf, we contacted the trader and explained her rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which protects UK consumers when goods are not as described. As a result of our intervention, the trader agreed to issue a full refund without requiring the consumer to cover any further costs.

The consumer later confirmed she had received her money back in full and expressed her appreciation for the support we provided.

This case highlights how important it is to know your consumer rights and how the UKICC can step in to help when things go wrong with oversees shopping.

For further assistance, please contact the UKICC at [email protected], or call us on 01268 886690.