Shop Closure , Owing Goods.

[g1057]

I purchased goods from a shop and was waiting for delivery. when my goods did not arrive ,I rang to ask why ,no answer so I went to the shop and it has been emptied. No notice of administration or liquidation, just says shop has closed. Is this a police matter for theft. Thanks

[EDDIE51]

Its is only theft if the shop owner has intentionally sold the items you bought (which are yours as you have paid for them.) to someone else and does not intend to supply the items or refund you. It is more likely the shop has ceased trading as it is no longer profitable and the stock has been sold to cover the losses. Banks can order the stock to be sold to repay a loan if the shop defaults on payments. Items which have already been bought and paid for should not be included in the stock sale. But the bank usually grabs everything.You could try asking the trading standards office at your local council if you can put in a claim .(but don't hold out a lot of hope!)

[Islay]

How did you pay for the goods?

[g1057]

With bank debit card. The goods were at the shop ,but they did not deliver them, they emptied the shop,taking with them the goods that I had paid for. Isn’t that theft.

[g1057]

The goods weren’t stock ,they ordered them in after I had paid in full ,so the goods surely belonged to me.

[ubasses]

If it was a limited company that has gone into liquidation you can check whether it is still trading by a search at Companies House. If it is the owners are unlikely to be liable for their debts. If it has just decided to cease trading you have recourse to the small claims court. You could also ask the bank to do a chargeback on your debit card.
If it has gone into administration/liquidation you need to put a claim into the administrators, but you will probably only get a small amount back.
Contrary to Eddies post, Banks may put the Company into Administration/liquidation but once that has happened they follow the law and have very little say in what can happen they may also only get a small percentage of what they are owed. If the Company had secured loans with the Bank they will obviously receive priority over unsecured creditors such as yourself.

[Jackdaw33]

The lesson here is always to pay by credit card. If the debt is over £100 but less than £30,000 (the figures may have changed since I last studied Consumer Law) then the credit card company is liable for your loss.

[g1057]

I will probably get a refund from my bank ,but there are many customers who were asked to pay cash. My goods were in the store and set a date for delivery , they then changed this to a later date ,before which they closed down and emptied the place. They could have delivered the goods or even asked me to fetch them ,they didn’t .Makes me very suspicious of their intentions.

[Jackdaw33]

Is this a branch of a well-known store? Name and shame.

[Peter Pedant]

well trading whilst you know you are insolvent is a crime
( fraud against the creditors in this case you)

and this sounds more like fraud - making a false representation ( would you like these goods sir?) with an intent to gain
I would try consumer standards first
then the police

you are not likely to get your money back
what was the receipt like ?
and you are in the same position of someone who has been burgled ( you bear the loss)

[Peter Pedant]

and very very good advice from jackie

and yes people going under DO trade cash only
and makes me very suspicious

also there are web sites such as tiger box where there credit card facility didnt work and so you had to pay debit.
I shouted no no to the payer - but is was Too Late ! he had pressed the button marked 'Rip me Off!'
later sued them.