Bexley shoes: my terrible experience

[dbrn]

This isn't my preferred topic for a first post, but I want to warn the community about the incredibly bad treatment that can be expected from Bexley shoes, a French company with a large online store. The gist is, don't trust them.

This summer I ordered 2 pairs of Oxfords from them, both size US 10. I took the chance of ordering without trying, specifically because their Exchanges & Returns page specified two and only two criteria: within one month of delivery, and in original packaging (well, and because the shoes looked nice). After trying the shoes for a few weeks and finding they hurt my feet due to being too large, I set up an exchange through the Bexley site and paid for return shipping (from Canada to France).

Upon receipt of the shoes Bexley informed me they were refusing an exchange because the shoes showed signs of having been worn. I replied that of course they had been worn, since their website didn't require 'unworn' condition for return. In turn they pointed me to a sub-page deep inside their Terms & Conditions page that did state returns must be unworn. I pointed out that this relatively hidden page directly contradicted their very up-front Returns & Exchanges page, explained that I had bought the shoes in good faith and asked again for an exchange for a smaller size. They repeatedly refused to take any responsibility for their misleading website in any way despite the fact that, since my complaints they have added the single word 'unworn' to their Returns page. They sent back the original shoes and even refused a partial refund for my troubles.

To make matters worse, when I took the shoes to a cobbler to try and make them wearable at the end of this drama, he told me they were both size 11 (Bexley doesn't stamp shoe size in the shoe)!

Bexley is the worst kind of semi-honest online retailer. In a time when most online retailers go out of their way to help their clients, Bexley will do whatever it takes to protect themselves at the expense of clients. I don't think we should support vendors who treat their clients like this, and I urge readers to look for more trustworthy vendors.

 

[Ich_Dien]

Whilst you may have had a bad experience I can think of practically zero online and brick and mortar menswear retailers who accept returns of worn non-faulty merchandise.

Didn't you think this would be the case?

 

[dbrn]

Thanks for asking. I know 'unworn' is standard for brick-and-mortar shoe stores, but don't have extensive experience with online menswear retailers beyond shirts. As a result, I was going by what the retailer advertised on its website. I honestly did not think this was the case with Bexley, and was encouraged along that line of thought by two factors. First and foremost, the fact that their website articulated conditions for returns without mentioning this; second, the trend among retailers in general toward easier returns/exchanges.

I think Bexley has de facto accepted their lack of clarity/honesty around returns by changing their website accordingly; I think a better retailer would also demonstrate some responsibility for the trouble and expense they caused to a client with some kind of compromise.

 

[Ich_Dien]

It would be an idiotic policy...free shoes for a month then exchanged or refunded no questions asked? If something is too good to be true it usually is.

I'm sorry, however, that you weren't satisfied.

 

[dbrn]

Thank you. I understand your perspective, but I'd respond that 'it's obvious' really doesn't work in the context of a return policy. In addition, I have used two online shirt retailers who have exactly that kind of policy for first-time customers: free alterations. They accept that selling menswear at a distance (i.e. without trying first) implies more risk for consumers, and work to mitigate that. Obviously, altering a shirt is not the same as repairing shoes. However, I still say that consumers are better off sticking to retailers who go out of their way to clarify their policies and to satisfy clients rather than leave them feeling taken advantage of (I'm not wealthy; a partial refund would have gone a long way to removing the terrible taste this experience has left).

 

[Caustic Man]

It's too bad you had this experience but even if they didn't explicitly say it, it's the right thing to do to return items in an unworn condition. We get used to thinking that because we are customers that we are always right, however, I would personally feel wrong about expecting a company to eat the cost of two pairs of shoes simply because I decided to wear them for a bit before returning them. I imagine that's what you did, right?

All this having been said, I'm surprised they didn't throw you a bone with a partial refund or a discount on your next pair. Not that they would have been obliged to.

 

[dbrn]

It's too bad you had this experience but even if they didn't explicitly say it, it's the right thing to do to return items in an unworn condition. We get used to thinking that because we are customers that we are always right, however, I would personally feel wrong about expecting a company to eat the cost of two pairs of shoes simply because I decided to wear them for a bit before returning them. I imagine that's what you did, right?

All this having been said, I'm surprised they didn't throw you a bone with a partial refund or a discount on your next pair. Not that they would have been obliged to.

Thanks, Caustic. I'd have to respond that I honestly find returns and exchanges to be a total crapshoot these days, both online and brick-and-mortar, and that's why I always ask/research every retailer. As compared to when I was younger, I find there's much more inconsistency across retailers' policies, and flexibility within those policies. That, combined with the inherent risk of buying without trying, is why I tried Bexley: they SEEMED to have a clearly outline policy which, to my mind, made the risk much more reasonable.

And to be clear, I never asked for a return in the sense of a refund - I just wanted shoes that fit (and don't forget that I discovered at the end that they had sent the wrong size!).

Bexley could have accepted that I tried their products in good faith, and met me halfway for their responsibility in the outcome. That they chose not to is the main reason I'm posting about this here - retailers should do better by their clients than this.

 

[NJE66]

I still say that consumers are better off sticking to retailers who go out of their way to clarify their policies and to satisfy clients rather than leave them feeling taken advantage of (I'm not wealthy; a partial refund would have gone a long way to removing the terrible taste this experience has left).

Clarify their policies, obviously a good thing. But given circumstances and the situation I basically sharing the same perspective as Ich_Dien and CM.


Obviously it hit you financially and leaving you feeling taken advantage of, for that I´m sorry. I really can't see them handling the return any different, but regarding Bexley some good margins are to be expected due to quantity. I genuinely believe some kind of goodwill act would benefit the company on long term, but I think that’s another matter.

 

[Caustic Man]

(and don't forget that I discovered at the end that they had sent the wrong size!)

Are you sure about that? You said they don't stamp the sizes on their shoes and some manufacturers interpretation of a specific size can be radically different than another's, especially when considering the nuances of various lasts, etc. Their size ten might simply be closer to what your cobbler thinks a size 11 should be, but it would be hard to say one of them is right or wrong.

Anyway, you seem pretty adamant about your perspective on the matter so I'll just conclude by saying I wish you luck moving forward.

 

[dbrn]

I genuinely believe some kind of goodwill act would benefit the company on long term, but I think that’s another matter.

I'm not sure why it's another matter, but I appreciate your feedback.

 

[dbrn]

Are you sure about that? You said they don't stamp the sizes on their shoes and some manufacturers interpretation of a specific size can be radically different than another's, especially when considering the nuances of various lasts, etc. Their size ten might simply be closer to what your cobbler thinks a size 11 should be, but it would be hard to say one of them is right or wrong.

Anyway, you seem pretty adamant about your perspective on the matter so I'll just conclude by saying I wish you luck moving forward.

I hadn't considered that size could vary quite that much across manufacturers (the cobbler found one pair to be an 11, the other closer to a 12). For the record, the Bexley website noted that these pairs should be ordered according to one's actual size, and the research I did online indicated that Bexley shoes usually fit true-to-size. But you're right that I don't know for sure what they thought they were sending me.

I don't mean to be caustic (ha), but you're correct that I'm adamant! And I appreciate everyone's feedback so far.

 

[NJE66]

As I understood the problem, partially you consider their return policy being misleading, though not actual deceiving.

I consider an act of goodwill being in the interest of the company rather than a duty in this case.

 

[dbrn]

As I understood the problem, partially you consider their return policy being misleading, though not actual deceiving.

I consider an act of goodwill being in the interest of the company rather than a duty in this case.

I see the distinction now - thank you. I don't think Bexley was being intentionally deceptive, but I do think they were misleading enough that what you've nicely called an act of goodwill would have been appropriate.

 

[GBR]

Why on earth should any supplier take back anything which has been used? It is plain stupid to expect them to do and the fact that this is not specifically pointed out is perfectly fine. Must they point out specifically that they are made of leather so that Vegans can be accommodated? That point too is obvious.

As to claiming 'goodwill', there is no good will in stocking unsaleable shoes; How on earth does wasting money in 'goodwill' do them any good - are you going to take a half page advert in a couple of newspapers to tell others of it? No you won't and the matter will remain known only to the pair of you. You are finding little sympathy here which sums up the value of goodwill to this vendor.

It is time people realised that making a mistake, however unfortunate is a facet of online retail and sometimes you will get bitten. Try better next time.

 

[atia2]

I don't know if Bexley has changed its website since the OP used it, but "unworn" is stated clearly and early on the returns page, which is a single click from the landing page.

https://www.bexley.com/Bexley/en/ECHANGE