Flannels Returns: Don’t Get Caught Out! (Read This First)

Planning to splash out on some designer gear from Flannels? You might want to read this first.

While Flannels positions itself as a premium fashion destination, there’s nothing premium about their returns policy.

In fact, it’s pretty much designed to leave you out of pocket if anything goes wrong with your order – which, according to countless customer reviews, happens more often than you’d hope.

From charging you to return faulty items to making you pay separate postage for multiple returns, Flannels’ returns policy seems deliberately crafted to discourage returns altogether – great for their profit margins, not so great for your wallet.

Before you hit that checkout button, here’s what you need to know about the hidden costs and frustrations lurking behind those glossy designer labels.

Are Flannels Returns Free?

Let’s cut straight to the chase – no, Flannels returns are absolutely not free. In fact, they’re among the most expensive in UK retail, especially considering the premium prices you’re already paying for their products.

Every return will cost you a minimum of £4.99 (can go upwards of double digits for a special delivery), and that’s just the starting point.

This fee applies regardless of why you’re returning the item – whether it doesn’t fit, you’ve changed your mind, or even if Flannels sent you the wrong item entirely.

What makes this particularly eyebrow-raising is that most of Flannels’ high-end competitors (think Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, and Net-a-Porter) offer free returns as standard.

It seems Flannels expects you to pay premium prices without the premium service to match.

And here’s where it gets really painful: if you need to order a replacement (for example, different size), you’re staring down the barrel of a triple-whammy of fees:

1. Your initial delivery fee (£6.99 standard or £11.99 express)
2. The return fee (minimum £4.99)
3. Another delivery fee for your replacement item (another £6.99 or £11.99)

Do the maths on the express delivery option, and you’re looking at £11.99 + £4.99 + £11.99 = a whopping £28.97 out of pocket, with no chance of getting that money back. That’s a hefty premium to pay for the privilege of getting the right size.

Flannels Online Returns Process: The Hidden Catches

The Flannels returns process itself seems straightforward on the surface – you have 28 days to return items, you need to keep all tags attached, and you can process your return through their online portal.

But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find several catches designed to trip you up.

One of the most egregious policies is this gem, buried in their T&Cs: “Returns are processed on a per-order basis, so if you are trying to return multiple orders, please return them separately to avoid issues or delays with processing.”

Let’s break down what that actually means: If you bought a t-shirt on Monday and another on Thursday, and neither fits, you can’t simply return them together.

Nope – Flannels requires you to package and pay for two separate returns. That’s potentially £9.98 in return fees for two t-shirts. Efficient for them perhaps, but certainly not for your wallet or the environment.

And there’s more.

Unlike most retailers, Flannels won’t let you return online purchases to their physical stores. Got a Flannels store just down the road? Tough luck – you’ll still need to pay that £4.99+ return fee rather than simply dropping it off in-store.

This stands in stark contrast to other luxury retailers like Selfridges and Harrods, who allow online purchases to be returned in-store free of charge – a service that feels like basic courtesy rather than a special perk.

The Flannels Delivery Dilemma: Paying More for Less

Before we even get to returns, let’s talk about the initial delivery – because Flannels doesn’t do you any favors there either.

For standard delivery using Evri (formerly Hermes), Flannels charges £6.99.

For context, Sports Direct – which is owned by the same parent company, Frasers Group – charges just £4.99 for the exact same Evri service. You’re literally paying £2 extra for the privilege of ordering from Flannels rather than Sports Direct, with no difference in the actual delivery service.

If you opt for next-day delivery, things get even more expensive. At £11.99 for DPD delivery, you’d expect rock-solid reliability for that premium price.

Yet customer reviews are littered with complaints about next-day deliveries arriving late – sometimes several days late – with Flannels refusing to refund the premium delivery charge despite failing to provide the service paid for.

One particularly frustrated customer on Trustpilot wrote: “Paid £11.99 for next day delivery, item arrived 4 days later. Asked for a refund of delivery charge and was told no as the item was ‘dispatched’ the next day – even though it didn’t arrive as promised.”

Faulty Items and Flannels Returns: Paying for Their Mistakes

Perhaps the most outrageous aspect of Flannels’ returns policy is how they handle their own errors.

According to numerous customer reports, Flannels routinely asks customers to pay return shipping costs even when items are faulty or when they’ve sent the wrong product entirely.

Under UK consumer law, retailers are responsible for covering return costs when products are faulty or not as described.

Yet Flannels appears to have a pattern of initially making customers pay for these returns, with a vague promise that the fee will be “credited back” – a promise that, according to many reviews, often goes unfulfilled.

One customer reported receiving shoes with a manufacturing defect, only to be told they needed to pay the return shipping cost themselves. After multiple emails and calls, they eventually received a refund of the return cost – but only after spending hours chasing it up.

Another received a completely different item than what they ordered but was still expected to cover the return shipping cost for Flannels’ mistake.

This practice places the financial burden and inconvenience of their errors squarely on the customer’s shoulders – hardly the premium service you’d expect when spending hundreds or even thousands on luxury fashion items.

Flannels Customer Service: AI Replies and Boilerplate Responses

If you’re hoping Flannels’ customer service team might be sympathetic to your return woes, prepare for disappointment.

A quick scan of their Trustpilot page reveals a pattern of robotic, clearly AI-generated responses that often miss the point of customer complaints entirely.

In a comical display of automated customer service gone wrong, several replies even include visible prompts like “*PERSONALISE*” – apparently instructions for the AI to add a personalised touch that were accidentally included in the published response.

One particularly telling exchange shows a customer complaining about being charged to return a faulty item, only to receive a response thanking them for their “feedback about our website” – completely ignoring the actual issue raised.

When customers do manage to get a human response, it’s often just a copy/past reply that says they’ve sent them a message via email with the subject line “Your Recent Trustpilot Review.”

For a retailer selling premium products at premium prices, this disconnect between price point and customer service quality is particularly jarring.

How to Protect Yourself When Shopping at Flannels

If you’re still determined to shop at Flannels despite these return pitfalls (perhaps they have that exclusive designer piece you can’t find elsewhere), here are some strategies to minimise your risk:

1. Order only when you’re absolutely certain about your size. Check the item’s specific size guide and measure yourself carefully before ordering.
2. Order multiple sizes in a single order if you’re unsure. Since returns are processed per order, at least you’ll only pay one return fee rather than multiple fees.
3. Document everything. Take photos of your items as soon as you unbox them, especially if there are any issues.
4. If an item is faulty or incorrect, be firm about your consumer rights. Remind them that under UK law, they are responsible for covering return costs for faulty goods.
5. Pay by credit card for purchases over £100. Section 75 protection gives you an additional layer of protection if things go wrong.
6. Keep all correspondence. If you need to escalate a complaint, having a paper trail of all communications will help your case.
7. Consider whether Flannels exclusives are worth the potential hassle. Many brands stocked by Flannels can be found at retailers with more customer-friendly return policies.

Flannels Returns Policy: Key Takeaways

Before hitting that checkout button at Flannels, keep these crucial points in mind:

In a world where most premium retailers offer free and hassle-free returns, Flannels’ approach feels outdated and customer-unfriendly.

The policy seems designed to discourage returns – a tactic that might boost short-term profits but risks long-term customer loyalty.

If you’re looking for genuine premium service to match those premium prices, you might want to consider whether Flannels is really offering the luxury experience your hard-earned money deserves.