Comments on: Retail Return Policies 2008: The Fine Print http://www.mouseprint.org/2008/12/29/retail-return-policies-2008-the-fine-print/ Exposing the strings and catches in advertising fine print. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:56:29 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Mark http://www.mouseprint.org/2008/12/29/retail-return-policies-2008-the-fine-print/comment-page-1/#comment-167798 Mark Fri, 16 Jan 2009 11:54:40 +0000 http://www.mouseprint.org/?p=897#comment-167798 Bestbuy is playing games with their returns. I had an unopened Xbox 360 game with a receipt and all I wanted to do was upgrade to the full game package (Rockband 2). They refused to accept the return. There was nothing wrong with it except that I was 5 days outside of their return window. In fact they said the "computer wouldn't let them" and that "there was nothing they could do about it." Instead of spending $60 I wanted to spend $180. I was told too bad, not our problem. Bestbuy is playing games with their returns. I had an unopened Xbox 360 game with a receipt and all I wanted to do was upgrade to the full game package (Rockband 2). They refused to accept the return. There was nothing wrong with it except that I was 5 days outside of their return window. In fact they said the “computer wouldn’t let them” and that “there was nothing they could do about it.” Instead of spending $60 I wanted to spend $180. I was told too bad, not our problem.

]]> By: Mika http://www.mouseprint.org/2008/12/29/retail-return-policies-2008-the-fine-print/comment-page-1/#comment-167000 Mika Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:28:23 +0000 http://www.mouseprint.org/?p=897#comment-167000 While stores are not obligated to return merchandise unless defective the fact is that (large) stores do not lose money off of returns. First of all, all stores markup their merchandise and secondly merchandise that is defective can be returned to the manufacture as a RMA. I owned a computer store and if a product we bought and sold to a customer was bad and returned to us within a certain period of time we could return it to the company and get a refund or replacement ourselves. We never lost money on returns EXCEPT for the cost of us building a customer computer. While stores are not obligated to return merchandise unless defective the fact is that (large) stores do not lose money off of returns. First of all, all stores markup their merchandise and secondly merchandise that is defective can be returned to the manufacture as a RMA. I owned a computer store and if a product we bought and sold to a customer was bad and returned to us within a certain period of time we could return it to the company and get a refund or replacement ourselves. We never lost money on returns EXCEPT for the cost of us building a customer computer.

]]> By: Shawn http://www.mouseprint.org/2008/12/29/retail-return-policies-2008-the-fine-print/comment-page-1/#comment-166645 Shawn Wed, 31 Dec 2008 20:09:59 +0000 http://www.mouseprint.org/?p=897#comment-166645 Retailers are under no obligation to buy stuff back from you, so whatever return policy they have is gravy compared to what they are required to do by law. With that said, some of thier policies could be a little more customer service friendly. Retailers are under no obligation to buy stuff back from you, so whatever return policy they have is gravy compared to what they are required to do by law.

With that said, some of thier policies could be a little more customer service friendly.

]]> By: John P. http://www.mouseprint.org/2008/12/29/retail-return-policies-2008-the-fine-print/comment-page-1/#comment-166433 John P. Mon, 29 Dec 2008 22:19:00 +0000 http://www.mouseprint.org/?p=897#comment-166433 It looks like somebody has to stand up for the retail merchant, so I will. Customers must realize that the acceptance of returns by a store is a courtesy extended for good relations, not a right. No merchant is obligated to accept returns. The acceptance of returns costs the merchant money, which comes out of their operating costs. Unfortunately some people abuse the reurns policies of some stores, hence the tightining of these policies. Having been the owner of a small hardware store and seen what people will do regarding returns, I am not at all surprised to see stores revising their policies. They are doing it out of economic necessity, not because they wish to cheat the consumer. Too many consumers have tried to cheat them and they can't afford it. We should be grateful that merchants accept returns, especially gift returns without a receipt. Without a receipt they have no evidence that they had sold the product to the customer in the first place. By accepting a return, they are, in effect, buying the product at retail and then trying to resell it at the same price. That is a guaranteed loss for them. I agree that defective merchandise should be able to be reurned without cost. My suppliers always gave me full credit for defective merchandise Defective merchandise was usually discarded and not returned to the warehouse. Nobody wanted to pay freight for something which would be discarded. It looks like somebody has to stand up for the retail merchant, so I will. Customers must realize that the acceptance of returns by a store is a courtesy extended for good relations, not a right. No merchant is obligated to accept returns. The acceptance of returns costs the merchant money, which comes out of their operating costs. Unfortunately some people abuse the reurns policies of some stores, hence the tightining of these policies. Having been the owner of a small hardware store and seen what people will do regarding returns, I am not at all surprised to see stores revising their policies. They are doing it out of economic necessity, not because they wish to cheat the consumer. Too many consumers have tried to cheat them and they can’t afford it.

We should be grateful that merchants accept returns, especially gift returns without a receipt. Without a receipt they have no evidence that they had sold the product to the customer in the first place. By accepting a return, they are, in effect, buying the product at retail and then trying to resell it at the same price. That is a guaranteed loss for them.

I agree that defective merchandise should be able to be reurned without cost. My suppliers always gave me full credit for defective merchandise Defective merchandise was usually discarded and not returned to the warehouse. Nobody wanted to pay freight for something which would be discarded.

]]> By: Mika http://www.mouseprint.org/2008/12/29/retail-return-policies-2008-the-fine-print/comment-page-1/#comment-166424 Mika Mon, 29 Dec 2008 20:10:05 +0000 http://www.mouseprint.org/?p=897#comment-166424 In regards to Target. Make sure to keep your receipt because each Target is different. The store policy REQUIRES a receipt for returns or exchanges. HOWEVER, many Targets will return or exchange the item IF the customer paid with a credit card, debit card or check as the store maybe able to look it up with that item. NOT all Targets have that system in place and if you don't have a receipt you may not get an exchange or refund OR you may get the current sale price which maybe up to 90% LESS than what you originally paid. In regards to Target. Make sure to keep your receipt because each Target is different. The store policy REQUIRES a receipt for returns or exchanges. HOWEVER, many Targets will return or exchange the item IF the customer paid with a credit card, debit card or check as the store maybe able to look it up with that item. NOT all Targets have that system in place and if you don’t have a receipt you may not get an exchange or refund OR you may get the current sale price which maybe up to 90% LESS than what you originally paid.

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