Customer Care

[Venezia]

To the moderators:

Okay, enough people have complained about the fact that they return an item, pay the postage themselves, then get dinged for the prepaid label fee (deducted from their refunds).

I just sent something back, paid for the postage myself and, sure enough, the refund was too low.  Checked and, yes, the prepaid label fee had been deducted.

I've already contacted CS to get a refund of the $6.95, but the fact is, this shouldn't be happening so often and the customer shouldn't have to keep checking every single thing.  How many customers are missing the fact that their refunds are lower than they should be?

Editing this paragraph, based on what some others have said:  I have to agree with a couple of others who've pointed out some things about the S&H and I've decided that, since they only deduct the actual original S&H (I just checked my revised refund), they are in essence refunding any tax you paid on it.

However....I still stand by:  While I'm at it, I'm in a state that taxes S&H. 

That problem could be solved, if the Q would simply call it "shipping".  My state (and I'm sure others) doesn't tax shipping.  But, by calling it "shipping and handling", it involves a "service" and is, therefore, taxable. 

However, at least fix the issue of the returns department staff overcharging the customer.  Thank you.

[fthunt]

Your complaint is very well written - and paragraph #5 excellent.  I always knew there was fuzzy math with charges of S/H but hid my head in the sand - - knowing I couldn't change anything - so figured what I didn't know - my blood pressure would rest easier.  I always use Q's return label - assuming Q's receiving department for returns know how to deduct $6.95 without complications.  Thanks for your message!

[Venezia]

@fthunt - Thank you.  I will likely send a letter to corporate to ask them for a response to the issue of tax.  Whether I will get a reply is anyone's guess.

I was watching this return because of other comments on the boards recently and, let's face it, this has been going on for years.  Ever since they introduced the prepaid labels and they've had more than enough time to "get it right".

[Kachina624]

Maybe they don't return the s&h because, although you returned the item, that doesn't negate the fact that it was shipped and handled.  Does that make sense? 

[Venezia]

No, because other retailers recalculate the tax on a refund.  My state only collects the tax that should actually have been charged; if the total is adjusted, the tax should be.  (Although, I do see your logic in this. The "service" was provided.  I wonder if that's why they no longer refund the original S&H?)

I can't speak to how other states deal with it.  (I know from what was discussed on a prior thread, that Massachusetts treats it differently.)

I would at least like an answer from corporate.

[Pearlee]

QVC is being "unjustly enriched" by deducting the S&H return label charge when we've paid our own postage.  And yes, many people miss that so Q is making a lot of money off that.

I've often thought of contacting the Attorney General's office in Pennsylvania about it - usually the AG's office has a Consumer Complaint division. Perhaps a Cease and Desist order from the AG would cause QVC to finally act on this. I've complained about it many times to CS who always just sends an email to corporate which for years hasn't stopped this.

[KathyPet]

I fail to understand why customers are entitled to a refund of the original shipping and handling on a item they returned.  QVC paid a employee to get your item from the warehouse shelf, a employee to pack the item and affix the label and the cost of the packaging materials.  THey also paid WHatever shipper they used to get the item to you.  These were services provided and I do not feel they should be refunded with the possible exception of a return on a defective item.

[Pearlee]

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@KathyPet wrote:

I fail to understand why customers are entitled to a refund of the original shipping and handling on a item they returned.  QVC paid a employee to get your item from the warehouse shelf, a employee to pack the item and affix the label and the cost of the packaging materials.  THey also paid WHatever shipper they used to get the item to you.  These were services provided and I do not feel they should be refunded with the possible exception of a return on a defective item.

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@KathyPet That isn't what this thread is about at all. It's about us paying our own return shipping back, not using the QVC return label, and QVC nevertheless deducting the cost of the return shipping (usually $6.95) from our refund.  

The other point was made that some state sales tax taxes the "handilng" part of S&H, so if Q is returning our sales tax to us with a return which of course it does, the sales tax on the "handling" part of shipping should be returned.  I don't particularly agree with this - it wasn't my point.  I do however, think QVC needs to stop deducting the return shipping fees they deduct from a person's refund when the person didn't use the return shipping label.  QVC is making a ton of money off people who don't notice that on their bills, and those who do should not have to take the time out of their day to call QVC CS and get it corrected, which isn't corrected immediately anyway.  And sometimes the CS rep gives a hard time about it or doesn't listen to what we are asking.  It's frustrating.   And the term for the money QVC makes off this is unjust enrichment - Q is being paid for something for giving us nothing (that is, we didn't use Q's return label).

[Just Bling]

The Q charges tax on the shipping and handling.

You buy an item for $1  your sales tax is 5%  the shipping is $3

Your total invoice would be $4.20

Now you return the item, your refund will only be $1.05 not $1.20 (based on paying your own return postage)

because you are not being refunded the original shipping of $3 for which you were charged really $3.15

The Q does not owe you the sales tax, in other words, you bought

the $3 shipping.

[Venezia]

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@KathyPet wrote:

I fail to understand why customers are entitled to a refund of the original shipping and handling on a item they returned.  QVC paid a employee to get your item from the warehouse shelf, a employee to pack the item and affix the label and the cost of the packaging materials.  THey also paid WHatever shipper they used to get the item to you.  These were services provided and I do not feel they should be refunded with the possible exception of a return on a defective item.

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No one is asking QVC for a refund of the original S&H.  We are asking that they not charge us their prepaid return label fee, when we've paid the return shipping ourselves.  They offer the choice:  use their prepaid label or ship it ourselves.

I paid the return shipping and today had to supply them with the USPS tracking number as proof.  I also still have their prepaid label attached to my invoice.

I didn't use it, so I should not be charged.  I did not ask for a refund of the original S&H.