If you purchase something from Wal-Mart, Sears, etc. And you return the item with the receipt, they will give you your money back if you paid cash, or credit your account if paid by plastic.
Well, I purchased a GPS for my car:
a Tom Tom XL.S from
Well, I purchased a GPS for my car:
a Tom Tom XL.S from
'Best Buy'.
They have a policy that it must
be returned within 14 days for a refund!
So after 4 days I returned it in the original box with all the items in the box, with paper work and cords all wrapped in the plastic. Just as I received it, including the receipt.
So after 4 days I returned it in the original box with all the items in the box, with paper work and cords all wrapped in the plastic. Just as I received it, including the receipt.
I explained to the lady at the return desk I did not like the way it couldn't find store names.
The lady at the refund desk said, there is a 15% restock fee, for items returned. I said no one told me that.
I asked how much would that be. She said it goes by the price of the item.
It will be $45 for you.
I said, all you're going to do is walk over and place it back on the shelf then charge me $45 of my money for restocking? She said that's the store policy.
I said if more people were aware of it they would not buy anything here! If I bought a $2000 computer or TV and returned it I would be charged $300 restock fee? She said yes. 15%.
I said OK, just give me my money minus the restock fee.
She said, since the item is over $200 dollars, she can't give me my money back!
Corporate has to and they will mail you a check in 7 to ten days.! I said 'WHAT?'
It's my money! I paid in cash!
I want to buy a different brand..
Now I have to wait 7 to 10 days.
She said well, our policy is on the back of your receipt.
I said, do you read the front or back of your receipt? She said well, the front! I said so do I. I want to talk to the Manager!
So the manager comes over, I explained everything to him, and he said, well, sir they should have told you about the policy when you got the item. I said, no one has ever told me about the check refund or restock fee when I bought items from computers to TVs from Best Buy. The only thing they ever discussed was the worthless extended warranty program.
He said, well, I can give you corporate phone number.
I called corporate. The guy said, well, I'm not supposed to do this but I can give you a 45 dollar gift card and you can use it at Best Buy.
I told him if I bought something and returned it, you would charge me a restock fee on the item and then send me a check for the remaining 3 dollars.
You can keep your gift card, I'm never shopping in Best Buy ever again, and if I'd been smart, I would have charged the whole thing on my credit card! Then I would have canceled the transaction.
I would have gotten all my money back including your stupid fees! He didn't say a word!
I informed him that I was going to e-mail my friends and give them a heads-up on the store's policy, as they don't tell you about all the little caveats.
So please pass this on. It may save your friends from having a bad experience of shopping at Best Buy
I asked how much would that be. She said it goes by the price of the item.
It will be $45 for you.
I said, all you're going to do is walk over and place it back on the shelf then charge me $45 of my money for restocking? She said that's the store policy.
I said if more people were aware of it they would not buy anything here! If I bought a $2000 computer or TV and returned it I would be charged $300 restock fee? She said yes. 15%.
I said OK, just give me my money minus the restock fee.
She said, since the item is over $200 dollars, she can't give me my money back!
Corporate has to and they will mail you a check in 7 to ten days.! I said 'WHAT?'
It's my money! I paid in cash!
I want to buy a different brand..
Now I have to wait 7 to 10 days.
She said well, our policy is on the back of your receipt.
I said, do you read the front or back of your receipt? She said well, the front! I said so do I. I want to talk to the Manager!
So the manager comes over, I explained everything to him, and he said, well, sir they should have told you about the policy when you got the item. I said, no one has ever told me about the check refund or restock fee when I bought items from computers to TVs from Best Buy. The only thing they ever discussed was the worthless extended warranty program.
He said, well, I can give you corporate phone number.
I called corporate. The guy said, well, I'm not supposed to do this but I can give you a 45 dollar gift card and you can use it at Best Buy.
I told him if I bought something and returned it, you would charge me a restock fee on the item and then send me a check for the remaining 3 dollars.
You can keep your gift card, I'm never shopping in Best Buy ever again, and if I'd been smart, I would have charged the whole thing on my credit card! Then I would have canceled the transaction.
I would have gotten all my money back including your stupid fees! He didn't say a word!
I informed him that I was going to e-mail my friends and give them a heads-up on the store's policy, as they don't tell you about all the little caveats.
So please pass this on. It may save your friends from having a bad experience of shopping at Best Buy
18 comments:
Same thing happened to me last year. Bought a lap top for my son and he didn't like it. I returned it the same day I bought it and had to pay this crazy re-stocking fee. I have not and will not step foot in Best Buy ever again.
i've known this for a long time and that's why i refuse to shop there.
Best Buy should not even be in business and if "stupid" people would quit shopping there, then they wouldn't be in business. I say stupid because who in their right mind would want to take something back, brand new, just purchased, and have to pay a 15% restocking fee. Not me. When you walk in any store, go to customer service and ask the question - do you have a restocking fee - if they do leave.
Since Circuit City went bankrupt they have a monopoly on technological items.
best buy sells lower end items to mid grade items but charges as though you were buying the higher end items in the same line of products. Anyone with a brain who does a bit of research on this would know that. hence I never shop there!
Wow!! After reading this I will not shop at Best Buy. What a crazy policy!!!
It is the fleecing of America people. In May I purchased a warrenty/ protection planfor athletic shoes from Dick's. Sounded good, just like the clothing warrenty that Sears offers on childrens clothing. If the product has sole seperation, seam rips & seperation, fabric discoloration, broken fasteners, anyway you get the jist. So, my son's shoes are coming apart therefore I'm going to take them back to Dick's after all I have this protection. NOPE-I have to call an 800 number, put in a claim, pack up the shoes, send them in for some random person to determine if it is a "covered" claim then I will get my money back in the form of a Dicks gift card. In the meantime, I have to purchase yet another pair of shoes for my son to wear as I have sent his current pair away to be examined and MAYBE I will get my money back for the defective pair AND I asked the rep on the phone, if whomever determines that this is NOT covered, do I get my shoes back? He couldn't answer that. CRAZY!!!
no wonder walmart does so well. they'd take back a piece of crap wrapped in tissue.
Most of the time they won't charge you a fee if you exchange the product. Or if it is defective and you just don't want it anymore.
Read the receipt people. Use credit cards whenever possible. Avoid large purchases you aren't sure about. Common sense.
if you dont buy your small electronics on the internet, you are an idiot. you probably paid $45 more buying it from best buy in the first place.
Buyer BEWARE!
Retail stores used to have a "customer is always right" policy. Well, that has changed and we don't read the fine print on recipts to now what their new policies are. As many of us have learned, times have chnaged and big corporate retailers will try to get your money anyway they can.
Buy local when you can. They want and need your business and many still will treat the customer as "always right".
I bought 2 wireless modems from Best Buy last year, on two separate ocassions, in an attempt to get a wireless camera working....no such luck. Returned both modems and got a full refund both times.
I might go to Best Buy to look at the stuff but I NEVER buy from them, not since the restocking fee got me a few years ago on a printer.
So let me get this straight. They say the return policy(s) are on the back of the receipt. Well call me stupid but i cant read the back of the receipt until AFTER i bought the product. What good is it to me then to learn the policy after i bought it!!!!!
What good does it do to read the receipt. At that point you are stuck with paying the fee anyway. Remember you don't get a receipt until AFTER you buy the product. How can they give you the rules after you pay for it.
They have to charge the re-stocking fee on items that are opened, then boxed up and brought back for refund. They can no longer sell that product for full price after its been opened so they have to charge the fee. You could buy that GPS for your vacation, use it for 10 days, then try to take it back to the store and get a full refund. People buy big screen TVs for super bowl parties, then try to return them right after for full refund. Its because of people trying to use and abuse the system that stores like this have to charge the restocking fee.
I'm not sure I completely believe your story. I have worked at Best Buy - and have given out over $200 for a return. I can't remember what the max cash return is, but it is definitely not $200! If you tried to return early or late on a weekend when there wasn't enough cash, that would be the only way I'd believe you HAD to get a corporate check for $200. If you pay cash, check, or debit card, you get cash back, if you pay with credit card, gift card, or store credit, it goes back on that card. Sometimes the system will ask if you would rather have a check if the amount is somewhat larger but the cash option is still there.
You pay a 15% restocking fee (only on items like cameras, GPS, laptops, etc.) when you return an item that has been opened / used because the item has to be resold as an open box and then the item is also discounted 15-20%. What customer would want to pay full price for an item you didn't want anymore even though it worked just not the way you wanted it to?
If the item is defective, you would not have had to pay a restocking fee.
Sometimes the warranties are a good idea. Sometimes not! I have seen plenty of people come in near the end of the warranty period with items like IPODS and exchange them. If the item is no longer available and it's an upgraded model the customer would only have to pay the difference. I've seen people get brand new items after 2 years - and they get the Geek Squad Black Tie Protection Plan again - so basically a new $200 item for $30-40.
Pretty much would only pay for it for an item that I might drop and break, though.
Also, the return policy is actually at all the registers and great big on the wall behind the cashier area. I think they've got extended returns on items purchased after Nov. 1st. I think it's until Jan 31st - excluding laptops & cameras.
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