REALLY, M & S????? Are you taking the you-know-what...

I agree about the chicken. Last weeks' was tough as old boots!

So it’s not just me that noticing a change (and not for the better) in chicken. always bought thighs and legs but now they are cut differently. smaller pieces possibly with less meat. Dry and tough and this is from different supermarkets.

I too have an M&S credit card and would never expect change from a voucher, because it is a voucher.

I used some of my vouchers the other day and because they were in £5 units, rather tahn lose out, I paid the balance of £3.11 by CC.

I also wouldn’t expect change from a voucher.
However I was really annoyed with M&S last weekend. I bought a melon for £3 on Saturday which looked fine on the outside but when I cut into it on Sunday the flesh was completely brown and rotten. As I was going back into town anyway on Monday I took it back and was informed by customer service that as I hadn’t got a receipt ( as encouraged now by most stores to save paper) they wouldn’t even exchange it.
I explained that I had used my Sparks card and showed them the debit transaction on my phone but no good.
Only when I asked for the manager did she agree as a special favour that she would replace it!
So a warning - forget saving the planet, always get a receipt!

Just taken my second jumper back to M and S as had had it one week before it bobbled to a degree that we wouldn’t even sell it in the charity shop
That’s it I won’t get any more jumpers from M and S it was cheap either

I don't expect change from a voucher but beware of the M&S single use ones. I was caught out when I used one of those to buy an item that I later returned. I was not credited with the £10 from the voucher as I was told it could only be used once. A lesson learned to read the small print. I was in my local store today and it is full of shocking pink garments. The M&S fashion plot has been surely lost.

After asking for a supervisor in M&S I was assured a refund for an item part paid for by a single use voucher would be made with a gift card. The staff member who had initially refused said she had no idea. Admittedly this was 2 or 3 years ago. Worth a try if in that situation.

Admit I haven't tried the chicken or melon, but I find M n S customer services really good and pleasant to deal with if I have to ring, and no problems in local shop.
and a voucher, is just that, a voucher. I must admit I prefer a points system that goes on my Nectar card at Sainsbury's, but M n S is generally for treats anyway.

Unhappy with ending of midi knickers, I will admit. Found great alternative on Amazon. they do midi knickers and got some nice ones.

I paid online with a voucher for an item - then realised it was the wrong thing so cancelled the order. It wouldn't let me use that voucher when re-ordering the correct item but I was refunded with an e-gift card.

No problems at all. (This was this month). I wouldn't expect change from a voucher.

p.s. my last lot of chicken breasts were lovely.

Yes, Parsley3, everything shocking pink and very loud rap music, plus a 24 mile round trip as they’ve closed my local store.
My advice to M&S is to forget the rap and get some fashion advice.

Sort of relieved to know that I am not the only one finding the Oakham chicken chewy. I was beginning to wonder if I had lost my cooking mojo but I cooked a bog standard chicken from another place in my usual way and got a good result.

One of the staff on the till commented (when I bought a small pair of men's pjs in the sale for myself) that she wished the quality of women's wear was as good as the quality of men's wear.

I agree about the knickers. I've been to look for some today ... nothing worth buying. There used to be such a good choice.

It's just cheap looking rubbish.

In my rather limited experience most vouchers don’t allow a cash payment if not used up, my recent garden one didn’t.
I don’t buy many clothes, but find M&S jeans excellent, the dressing gown I got for Christmas is lush and clothes bought for our grandchildren in the last few months have been great. I buy online, then collect from the local food hall, rarely buy food as it’s expensive.

cornergran

After asking for a supervisor in M&S I was assured a refund for an item part paid for by a single use voucher would be made with a gift card. The staff member who had initially refused said she had no idea. Admittedly this was 2 or 3 years ago. Worth a try if in that situation.

Oh I have been diddled out of a tenner. Next time I will query it. Thanks cornergran.

silverlining48

So it’s not just me that noticing a change (and not for the better) in chicken. always bought thighs and legs but now they are cut differently. smaller pieces possibly with less meat. Dry and tough and this is from different supermarkets.

Could this be because they have to be kept indoors due to bird flu? I'm not sure there are any free range birds allowed. The poultry industry is having it really tough at the moment so maybe cut them some slack. You can always use vegetarian alternatives.

I'd not expect change from a voucher either.
I almost started a post about M&S on Saturday after visiting a large store. I was stunned that the stock had improved so much. I usually only go to a small local one and am not very excited by what they stock. Obviously, whoever chooses what goes to smaller M&S shops doesn't choose well. I bought one blouse but could easily have bought about six more as well as several dresses - and I don't like dresses!

I rarely go into M & S. I haven’t for many years. I lose the will to live re. Fashion, and I find their food expensive and unexciting…. A reluctant customer.
Returns depends entirely on who is staffing. I have had both excellent and atrocious service; ditto on the shop floor.

A reward voucher for money off is a voucher is a voucher. The reason they issue it is to get you to spend, not to give you back actual money. Sometimes a store will give you change in the form of a new voucher for the difference, but the whole point is that you are getting £X off your bill - if your bill is less than the £X the voucher is worth, then you get your purchase free - if you want to get more back than you were saving, you have to buy something more. It isn't rocket science, it is marketing.

Aveline

I'd not expect change from a voucher either.
I almost started a post about M&S on Saturday after visiting a large store. I was stunned that the stock had improved so much. I usually only go to a small local one and am not very excited by what they stock. Obviously, whoever chooses what goes to smaller M&S shops doesn't choose well. I bought one blouse but could easily have bought about six more as well as several dresses - and I don't like dresses!

The smaller stores of any chain are managed by newly appointed managers getting experience before they are promoted to the bigger branches. By the time they reach the dizzy heights of the flagship stores, they have gained more knowledge of what customers really want. At least, they "should^ have.

You can use the vouchers online as part payment for goods very easily. I still get quite a lot of basics online - bras, thermals, cotton trousers, I think their trousers are still good) and their excellent Formula beauty range. (Their rich night cream is tops)

I haven't actually been into an M n S shop except the local big foodie on for years.
and I like it they now do Seasalt et al other brands.

They had a whole Jaeger shop. V impressive.

I occasionally buy clothes from M&S and their website has numerous other brands now.

It’s easy to knock M&S I but have noticed that M&S brands are usually cheaper than the other brands and have many more positive reviews on their site.

I don’t think you can beat them for quality at the price, but of course have to be picky about what you choose. I like their jeggings, shirts and jeans.

I don’t buy chickens now because I don’t like the conditions under which they are bred and kept, and would only buy free range (as an occasional luxury) which isn’t as possible with bird flu.

Wyllow3, I hadn't realised the midi knickers had been discontinued, I spent far too much time looking for them.
Our local M&S is huge and they have made the food hall even bigger, I can never find anything.

John Lewis give change if you buy something cheaper than the voucher.