Returning Boxed Champagne to M&S

B9exchange you could twist it off … 🤔 not sure my wrists are up to the job ..

DrWatson

For Allira -- Gluhwein is never that drinkable. If wine was meant to be heated up, you might as well chuck some brandy into soup?!

Really enjoyed the Gluhwein when I lived in Germany at the Christmas markets… the essence of the Gluhwein aroma made it feel very Christmassy.. not the same as buying it in a bottle here and heating up in a pan - could be wrong though 👀

We were given a bottle of very expensive champagne for our 50th wedding anniversary. On removing it from the box, the security tag was still there, but we had no idea which shop it had come from, it was one of several given on the day, so no idea who had bought it for us either. We tried everything, wire cutters, magnets, you name it, it was certainly secure! However although we could not remove it, we could twist it so that we could eventually open the bottle. Didn't look too elegant pouring it, but at least it wasn't wasted!

😁

For Allira -- Gluhwein is never that drinkable. If wine was meant to be heated up, you might as well chuck some brandy into soup?!

I bought a baby sleeping bag from Tesco which we put through the self-service till. On exiting the till area, the alarm went off. A young female assistant pounced on us with glee and said, “It’s just when you think you’re getting away with it that you get caught, isn’t it?” My husband was furious. Hidden inside the sleeping bag was a security tag, so I showed her the receipt and she seemed rather disappointed. Not an apology was offered. My husband said, “So, do we get a gold star for being honest then?” An older male assistant with her was trying to hide his mirth, but she wasn’t amused. Must have been a slow evening!

Allira

I only realised my new pjs still had the tag attached when I got into bed.
The alarm did go off but I was confident it couldn't be me as I'd paid for them. They got through airport security too, so the tag doesn't set that off.

Security guard in my local supermarket nodded me through when the alarm went off and I obviously knew I hadn't stolen anything even though I had clearly set it off. When I was returning the trolley I realised what set off the alarm - it was the hand held scanner for the smart shop. There had been an issue at the till and I'd inadvertently replaced it in the trolley holster instead of the return slot. I still wonder if he would have stopped me if I had stolen anything.

I would never try to remove tags from clothing myself as they have a very sharp pin which could rip the garment. shows that security is not brilliant as they should make an almighty racket if you pass through security with it still on .

My issue was with my M&S credit card. I bought my DGD a magazine subscription on line using my M&S card but the magazine company charged me twice. I couldn’t get anywhere with the company to phoned M&S to ask if they could raise a dispute. Spoke to an adviser who basically was not listening and thought I meant that someone else had used my card! He promptly cancelled my card (just before Christmas), I was furious and asked to speak to a manager who confirmed it wasn’t possible to un-cancel it. She was very apologetic and said that shouldn’t have happened and promptly credited my account with £50 to compensate. I later got a refund from the subscription company so so harm done except to my nerves

OldHag completely agree with your post.. it’s infuriating isn’t it.. were supposed to be an inclusive society but doesn’t feel like it sometimes 🙏

I totally sympathise with you OP, as being disabled I too find it EXTREMELY difficult to manage the shops these days. Last year I purchased something from Rymans online. It was delivered, but a part was missing. I emailed them, but rather than just sending out the part that was missing, they insisted that the item must be returned and they would send our a replacement AFTER they had received it back - the fact that it was something I needed urgently was irrelevant, as clearly they don't trust their customers at all. I waited patiently for the collection on the allotted day, but no one turned up! I called and they could barely bring themselves to apologise, just saying they would arrange another collection a couple of days later. As it happened, the person who came to collect, must have appeared at a point where both myself and my husband had popped out to the garage at the side of our house. We were only there for 2 minutes, possibly even less. I then received an email to say that they'd called to collect but no one was at home!! The guy hadn't even rung the doorbell, and could have clearly seen that the garage door was open, so had he even called out 'hello', we'd have heard him, but as so many delivery/collection people these days, it was too much trouble to spend a few seconds over and above arriving at the door. I was SO disgusted, that in the end I got a friend to return the item to the store, where apparently it took them an age to process the refund, and I now refuse point blank to ever use this company again.

I really don't think these stores understand how difficult it is for some disabled people to return things that have been purchased for them. I hope you enjoy your bubbles when you eventually get to drink them.

Allira hope to guzzle it - oops no - it’s champagne so sip it within the year🥂

Dickens don’t be sad…i did too 😁

When you finally open the bottle - you'll have a story to mull over with (hopefully) your DD!.

Customer-Service, like so much else these days, ain't what it used to be is i?!

Apparently, there are all kinds of tools for removing security-tags, judging by some of the comments, maybe we should all request a couple as Christmas presents... and hope they are not themselves security-tagged .

How sad am I - I researched it...

tagvault.org/blog/types-of-security-tags-how-to-remove-them/#google_vignette

Bea65

THANK YOU WILL DO THIS😊

Four years
Could you keep it that long?

Although I do have a litre bottle of glühwein that has been on the rack for so long I doubt it will be drinkable!!

THANK YOU WILL DO THIS😊

What a palaver!

It should be fine, store it on its side somewhere cool and preferably dark and I hope you can share it with your DD at some time. Stand it upright to let it settle well before you open it.
Vintage champagne will keep for longer than non-vintage but all should be fine for 4 years.

UPDATE.. went to nearest store .. not near to me but next town- trying to speak to a manager ..took ages but nice woman came and said the tag should have been removed - yes WE all know…she fast tracked me to the self service till … I was trailing behind her with my normal slow shuffle.. shop was busy and nearly lost sight of her and she was waving like a lunatic- people were staring…felt like I was in a Ronnie Corbett sketch
At till finally…manager said I can keep the bottle and would give me full refund 👌 showed manager DD screenshot which confirmed price BUT computer said it was £3.50 less than the screenshot which confirmed- tried to do a refund at correct price…computer still wouldn’t accept the price… so she refunded what the computer said and transaction receipt delivered..
However then she tried to do the £3:50 refund .. dear God .. don’t know how many times she tapped the screen with her MANAGER details but my back was aching…in between all this palaver I told her that I had tried to deal with the issue online with live chat but the bots had ended my chat not once but twice .. Manager said yeah the online service not very good
Then I said I actually rang customer services on the number on the let us help you contact on website finally got through to a human being and she put me on hold forever came back and basically said I have to go to a store said that I was disabled same response - how do housebound people feel about this 🤬
I did say firmly that this was not good service in fact very poor customer service for such a brand like M&S and hung up saying goodbye …people at other tills watching and.listening
Manager was very friendly and helpful but I was very inconvenienced and the sad part of this is I don’t want to open this bottle now it as was meant to be a shared experience with my DD who I hadn’t seen in 4months … I know/hope champagne will be ok🤞🏻

I only realised my new pjs still had the tag attached when I got into bed.
The alarm did go off but I was confident it couldn't be me as I'd paid for them. They got through airport security too, so the tag doesn't set that off.

eazybee

I experienced the same with baby clothes from Tesco, bought and paid for, receipt to prove it, but the local Tesco was unable to remove the tag so I had to go to the original store where it was purchased. The point was it passed the security sensor and the security guard, but apparently it was my fault for not spotting the tag had not been removed.
Which is why I now shop at the Co op and Waitrose.

That happened to me too, and despite my having the receipt for the item I felt the staff were suspicious. How did it pass the sensor in the door? Staff said they aren’t active just a deterrent!

I experienced the same with baby clothes from Tesco, bought and paid for, receipt to prove it, but the local Tesco was unable to remove the tag so I had to go to the original store where it was purchased. The point was it passed the security sensor and the security guard, but apparently it was my fault for not spotting the tag had not been removed.
Which is why I now shop at the Co op and Waitrose.

The Christmas present from brother was a drinks hamper to be delivered to me from Sainsbury's on 27th (yesterday).

What a farce. The delivery was carried to my door in a plastic wire basket, no hamper or box. The large bottle of Baileys had the security tag still on and the driver after tugging and pulling couldn't get it off, so it had to be returned. The bottle of Rose wine wasn't (my favourite) type ordered but one considerably cheaper that I can't stand ('a replacement') and to cap it all the box of chocolates was missing.
So, all in all a bit of a disappointment, brother has complained.

I've not used any supermarket delivery service before and now am sure I'll hang out for as long as possible without doing so.

Calendargirl no apologies necessary 😀
Aldom yes remember they were good in the past .. not now think customer service is not the same …

I bought baby clothes from Boots. When I arrived home the security tag was still attached to one item. As I was unable to return to Boots for reasons I explained over the phone, they sent someone to the house with an exact replacement for the tagged item, taking the other one away. This was over twenty years ago though, so I don't know what their response might be these days.

Apologies!

I didn’t realise about the issue with the security tag!!!

The post makes sense to me now.

JaneJudge yes I’ve had issues with them online using a recipient address which I sent flowers to and then a dress for me which they sent to her! Took me ages to sort out…
DD actually purchased this gift from M&S @ Euston train station so we were surprised to see the tag still on as these tags should have set the door alarm off as she left store?