Martin Lewis hits back at online troll who said 'there's more pressing problems' than money issues
Martin Lewis has earned himself millions of followers thanks to his money saving tips and tricks, but he’s also sometimes on the receiving end of criticism.
One troll decided to comment on one of the money saving expert’s recent X posts about how “30 retailers including Selfridges, New Look and The Range are publishing misleading return rights information on their websites”.
The troll, called Viv, responded to Martin’s post and said: “The UK has more pressing problems than bloody returns.” Martin then decided to hit back at the comment, quoting the response on his own page, along with his defiant response: “Eh? Really this is what you criticise me for - trying to get retailers to live up to their legal rights. It is literally my job,” he began.
The money man went on: “Are you going to criticise someone who works in a garage for "Fixing bloody cars, the UK has more pressing problems than that car not working". Never mind the fact you could literally say that about almost everything in life.”
He concluded to say that these types of consumer and money issues still matter to people: It doesn't stop small things mattering though, and actually fixing small things that p*** people off are one of the few things we can change.”
Some of Martin’s three million X followers rejoiced at his response. “Well said,” one person simply typed alongside the clapping hands emoji. A second person said: “I can guarantee the vast majority of people in the UK are extremely grateful for all you do. Ignore these weirdos.”
A third person wrote: “Please try to ignore the Trolls. You do a fantastic job and have saved me loads of money over the years. I am very grateful to you.”
Martin’s original X post was referring to new research by MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE), published yesterday (Monday July 7), which found that at least 30 big retailers are misleading shoppers over their statutory return rights when it comes to items bought online. The study also found that areas of their websites list harsher criteria than the law requires them to offer.
Five of the 30 firms, including Monsoon and New Look, are still listing policies which dismiss consumer rights laws despite being named and shamed by MSE in 2018. Meanwhile the likes of HMV, Home Bargains and The Range, all have areas of their websites that state online orders must be returned within 14 days of receipt.
Martin explained, however, that by law customers have up to 28 days after receipt to return an item purchased from a website.
He money hero also published an update earlier today (Tuesday July 8) to inform fans that since the research was published seven firms have already pledged to change their websites. These are Early Learning Centre, ForbiddenPlanet.com, Gruum, HMV, Hotpod Yoga, New Look and Monsoon.
The full list of 30 online retailers called out by MSE in the original research can be found on the official MSE website.