Alshaya recently stopped cash and credit card refunds in all their stores for returned items. According to the article on Arabian Business, this decision by Alshaya has caused an uproar of a sort with shoppers in the UAE but surprisingly I haven’t heard much about this in Kuwait. I don’t think I’ve ever returned anything back to a store so this won’t have much effect on me but I’m sure it’s going to piss quite a few people off. [Link]
Thanks Fred
33 replies on “Alshaya stores scrap cash refunds to buyers”
It’s fairly stupid to be honest the hassle of having soo many cards already in your wallet and the system is slightly retarded as they are thinking about their own advantage and not the customers convenience
Confashion posted about it as well a while ago
Centrepoint has the same policy, they only give you store credit. Which to be honest is a bit of a pain because then you often find yourself going around the store trying to find something to buy. At least Alshaya gives you an entire year to use up the credit, plus Alshaya has a lot of restaurants too and a huge range of stores, so the credit will definitely be used up, but when given a choice, I would definitely want a cash refund!
true but if the policy before was cash refunds and now they stopped it thats a step backwards not forward for their customers. If it was any other company I wouldn’t think much of it but because its alshaya I always expect more from them. According to the article though they do give cash refunds if the product was defective so that’s a good thing at least.
Well i am in alshaya company, the old policy was good you have 14 days refund & exchange customer came at the right time no issue check the product everything is fine here is your cash customer happy , Now in Kuwait we are famous of creating problems where ever you go instead making everything simple and easy accessible we do the opposite Our aim How To Piss Of Customer as in , we have a lot of problems regarding new pulshity OpPs! i mean policy and no cash refund they will added on a gift card to keep the money within the company. HuH! WTF
I guess we can thank the U.S. for starting that store credit crap! Wal-Mart pisses alot of people off with that and some do win alot of arguments over that because they cause such a big scene.
well the new policy definitely makes good business sense. I can imagine how, under the old policy, many people could buy clothes items on a credit card…come back the next day and take a cash refund!!
Its amazing really…teeming and lading would take you a long way to manage your monthly expenses if u like spending more than you earn!!
In the end, Shaya would be running a financing unit rather than a retail sales unit…
man i’m with the no refund policy all the way.. much better and much convenient cause some people take advantage of that sort of policies and wear the outfit one day and return it the next :S
It makes good business sense. You can still use the store credit in their other 8 million stores and hey – where else in Kuwait are you going to shop? Really. Is there anything here that isn’t Shaya?
What would happen if Shayas and Sultan/Essas join forces and marry each other.. and then, they could pro-create with a few Ghanims and it would be WORLD DOMINATION.
^ Looks like you’re looking forward to the weekend more than anyone else.
Maybe the AlShaya’s should run the country? Instead of 1000KD for everyone, Shack burgers for everyone.
Totally against… so may customers arguing with the store managers & cashiers.. I bet some of those who wrote positively are already Al Shaya employes….
this is the outcome of monopoly, I expect more to come
If it’s true, it goes against the policies of Al Shaya group which I’ve always viewed as positive and fair. IF it’s true…
Just longer queues for the fitting rooms as madam tries 99 different outfits…
People should have a right to cash refunds
Company’s should have the right to implement refund policies as they desire … sorry, i’m playing devil’s advocate 🙂
In Dubai, they enacted a consumer rights bill and you don’t have that in Kuwait, so that is why there no outcry. This policy violates this bill and that is why some people in Dubai may take him to court. I sensed in Avenues today that his stores are in trouble, but hopefully the restaurants will bail him out. Debenhams had this cash refund/credit card refund because it is a British store and that is the policy in the UK. Some people are calling for a boycott of his stores in Dubai because they are angry about this because it works against the consumer and tells me that he is holding his cashflow and is not respecting me as a customer. If I bring back an item that I decide that I don’t want and I concur with all the conditions I should be able to get a cash/credit card refund. This is Western business sense, this is how we operate in the West and many of these stores are US/UK based stores. AND you are not allowed to use it in his restaurants, you must use it in the store where you bought the product. I think one person made that comment. If the people in Dubai get this overturned, I will never shop in his stores again in Kuwait, but travel to Dubai for everything so I have consumer rights.
The restaurants make way less money than the other brands actually.
Honestly how often do you return something in the first place, I never have.
What are you talking about!!
The stores might make more sales but the food side makes way more profit for Alshaya
Plenty of people return goods esp in fashion.
I think you will find a brand like River Island or NEXT is easily over 10% for size style etc
I literally have the profit numbers by brand. Food does not make more. Argument over.
Also no it’s usable in all of the stores not the one you bought it from
“a step backwards for customers”. ROFLMFAO. Do you actually think they care? Typically, you will lose the card, forget to take it ‘next time’ and it’s all free float for a man who has more money than he can already count!
BTW Debenhams here only give the card, defective goods or not. Learnt that last weekend!
Great scam. Sell defective goods, then don’t offer a refund. Profitable work if you can get it!
Someone else mentioned that it seems like Alshaya stores are struggling at the moment in Avenues. I’m guessing their competitors are going to see an uplift in sales now.
اشبعوا فلووس 🙂
I mentioned it on my blog a few weeks ago. it is scandalous but typical of the family ( look what is happening at the Al Shaya group of schools at the minute).
The shops he has the franchise for here in Kuwait are mainly British (excluding Starbucks) and the British law on consumer rights is quite clear -The Sale of Goods Act- and he is quite clearly breaking that ( yes I know BRITISH and we’re in Kuwait) law……does the British company who owns these chains know?
@daily What AlShaya schools? In Kuwait or Dubai?
3adi..because the greedy capitalist in this part of the world which doesn’t know the concept of philanthropy won’t know the concept of customer service anyway!! that’s why I boycott Starbucks that enslaves the workers by the same group.
there are loads of retailers in the West that do not offer cash refunds … only gift cards / store credit … i don’t think its a big deal really … if you don’t mind it, keep supporting those establishments .. if you don’t like, you are free to spend your money anywhere you please as well as voice your displeasure … we as consumers are voters … now get out there and vote!! i mean, spend your hard earned dough!!
Don’t you know how to vote with your wallet? If a monopolist billionaire like Alshaya starts pushing you around, simply stop buying from his outlets and tell him to **** off.
+1. you are so right. The consumers are making the retailers richer than rich, so save your money and don’t shop there. Unfortunately, Kuwaitis and residents complain all the time, yet they still go there. You have the power to hit retailers where it hurts them the most. Restaurant and retail prices are ridiculous because these retailers know that we have the money to pay for it. Remember when Mark posted about the Starbucks bills, of the same order, of the branches in Kuwait and New York? Same order, same size, but it costs more in Kuwait even though it’s tax-free. Al-Shaye’ group shouldn’t use the shipping cost excuse because retailers pay less when they buy in bulk. Like I said, as long as we the consumers keep going back to these shops, cafés and restaurants, prices will still be sky-high. All we do is complain, so nothing is gonna change.
From AB: This is temporary and probably the decision of some idiot bean counters sitting in cubicles in the Al Shaya head office in Kuwait. As soon as a few Jumeirah Janes or Mirdif Marys try to return goods to Pottery Barn, Mothercare or Next and cannot receive a refund believe me, they will freak out and it will be all over expat woman (the website). When prominent locals be it in the UAE, Kuwait or wherever have the same experience they too will contact people “they know” in the government and that will be the end of this policy….or, Al Shaya may start having a hard time with local governments with construction permits, employee visas, clearing import items from customs, etc.
This is a stupid policy but the only question is whether it will change later today, next week, next month or after Al Shaya realizes the damage they have done to themselves.
i think its a retarded decision, but for those who live in Kuwait, fear not, a new was passed by the parliament and any store is in obligation to refund for its customers regardless of their policy if goods are returned in original package within 5 days of purchase.
a new law*