Martin Lewis issues major warning to shoppers seeking refund on unwanted purchases

issued an important piece of advice to shoppers looking to return unwanted goods they’ve bought in person.

The founder recently received a letter from a disgruntled shopper who voiced their frustration over not being able to get a refund.

“Dear , I was horrified yesterday when I went into a store to return the shirt that I decided which was not suitable for me and they said that I could not return it,” they wrote in the letter, shared on the Martin Lewis MSE .

“I’m sure you will be aghast too and will tell them how wrong they are in the eyes of the law. Yours sincerely,” they added.

shared the letter and his response, which contained a warning to all those in a similar situation.

“Well afraid I’m not, the shop is right,” he said. “Many people don’t know this but if you buy something in a shop as opposed to online you only legally have a right to return it if it’s faulty, you changing your mind or saying the colour isn’t right, does not mean it’s faulty and you have no legal right of return though if the shop has a published returns policy, that’s part of the contract and you can use that.

He added, this means that they say “you can only get a full refund if you’ve got the receipt and you’re hopping on one leg when you hand it in then start to hop cause you haven’t got a legal right”.

In the UK, retailers have no obligation to accept returns simply because you’ve changed your mind about the product, as reported by .

However, you are legally entitled to return faulty items bought in-store.

But Martin explained that many outlets have more generous returns policies than they are required to by law.

If a store offers refunds, exchanges, or credit in its returns policy, its typically down to the store’s own decision and part of the contract you enter when you buy something, the outlet explained.

Some stores will accept returns but only within a certain timeframe, and provided that you have proof of purchase and the item is in a saleable condition.

Keeping your receipt is key as many stores won’t process returns without one, even if the item is as new.

With that in mind, it’s always best to check what a store’s policy is before making a purchase, and always hanging on to your proof of purchase just in case.