Wednesday 8 February 2023

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Can I get a refund after 2 years?

I paid P1,000 for long sight eye lenses at an optician and did not get my spectacles because they didn't have any frames that I liked, They said they don't have stock because of Covid. This was in 2020. They advised me to go and decide if I'll just take what's available then or wait for new frames. It happened that I was away for some time and I still needed specs so I went to a different optician where I was.

I paid for both lenses and frame with this new optician and got my specs. So this year I decided to go back to my previous optician to tell them I managed to get both lenses and frame from a different optician and I requested for a refund. They refused to refund me for the lenses that I paid for but didn't use. They are saying there is a 3 months period which long elapsed that's why I don't qualify for refund and it's shocking because they never communicated this information the time when I paid for the lenses. Can you help me get my refund?


I think you might be out of luck. Firstly, we need to ask what the first optician did in 2020? Did they do an eye test for you? Did they start to produce the lenses for you? Did they spend that P1,000 getting lenses for you? How much work did they for you?

Then you went quiet on them. For more than 2 years. Is it their fault that you disappeared after they did some work for you?

You later told me that they had given you a receipt but you lost it. I wonder whether that receipt had small print that explained this 3-month period? It's hard to know after all this time.

I think the best thing to do is to ask the first optician for a copy of their standard receipt and then ask them if they might reconsider giving you a refund of the P1,000 you paid them. However, I think we both know what their answer will be.

Can I exchange it again?

Hello Mr Richard you once really helped me around 2021 so I am here once again asking for your help. I bought a polo v-neck T-shirt worth P300 at a store in Game City the size being large for my friend. Unfortunately it was too small, he stays in Jwaneng we then changed it there taking extra large which also did not fit.

Now I took it back to where I first bought it explaining that I would like to return it and top up taking a different one but they refuse to help saying you can only change an item once which is something customers don't have information about. Please please help me we can't keep something that doesn't fit when there could be a solution. Please help. I want to top up and take a different one.

I told them am topping up with P150 to get the other 1 worth P450 because the one I bought was P300. Please ask them to just help. I understand their procedure but I was not aware of it. I plead with them to allow me to top up.


Let's start at the beginning. We consumers don't have a right to change our minds. When we buy something that's in a good condition we don't have a right to take it back because we don't want it any longer. We're only allowed to take something back if it's faulty or if it was mis-sold. That includes buying things following false advertisements or if the seller lied about what the product was or the purposes it could serve.

Of course there are some stores that offer a lot more than that, particularly with clothing. They allow you to return something if it's still in perfect condition. But that's not a right, just excellent customer service.

In this situation you've chosen one of the better stores. The first t-shirt you bought was the wrong size for your friend and they allowed you to exchange it for a larger version. Good service, don't you think?

But a second time? Are they really expected to do allow you to exchange it again? In normal circumstances I'd probably say no, you're asking too much. However, I think that because you've offered to top up the amount they should probably consider it.

I'll get in touch with them and see if they can be a bit more flexible.

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