what exactly is Foschini's Lay-bye policy?

I took out my lay-bye a few weeks weeks ago, only to find out that the item was big. It was a present for a friend, so it could not have been fitted. When i returned it to the store one Sunday, i was told that lay-bye items could only be exchanged for items at exactly the same price in the store. I didn't find anything that i liked, so i asked if the money couldn't at least be put in a gift card, and i was told that it wasn't possible. What was strange was that, about a month prior to that, my sister returned a laybye item and she was refunded. Now i'm not sure if the policy had changed within a matter of just weeks or what? I would like a valid explanation from Foschini on this regards please? As the lay-bye receipt only states under \30-day return policy..."that"