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OT: Best Buy restocking policy 15-25%-- keep in mind during the holidays

Started by bronze_rules,

29 posts in this topic

bronze_rules

bronze_rules

Posted
Posted

Do not know if this is the most appropriate forum; if not, please move, however, I felt the motivation to alert others to this before it comes up as a surprise. It is regarding Best Buy mandatory restocking fee on almost ANY opened electronic item and certain other items (like appliances). On the one hand, I can understand businesses need to protect themselves from abusers, on the other, electronics products are notorious for not working as advertised, or difficult with regards to compatibility with associated peripherals.

 

Considering the current environment, we should be a bit selective about where we are spending our business these days.

 

http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/restock.asp

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"BEST BUY

 

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

 

 

 

'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.

 

 

 

I explained to the lady at the return desk I did not like the way it couldn't find stored 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

 

 

 

 

It's true! Read it for yourself!!

Best Buys return policy"

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Bosco685

Bosco685

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http://www.bestbuy.com/olspage.jsp?type=page&contentId=1043363607042&id=cat12098

 

Restocking Fee

A 15% restocking fee will be charged on opened notebook computers, projectors, camcorders, digital cameras, radar detectors, GPS navigation and in-car video systems. A 25% restocking fee will be charged on special order products, including appliances. These fees apply unless the item is defective or damaged, you received the wrong item, or the fee is prohibited by law.

 

Interesting. I hadn't heard of this before.

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bronze_rules

bronze_rules

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I have never had anything remotely resembling this experience when dealing with best buy. I just returned an ipod a few months ago for no reason other than deciding that I wanted to wait for a newer version. I got my money back in full no questions asked.

 

It's possible that it is subject to management; that being said, please share experiences as I want to pass back to the source if this is bogus. The snope details appear valid from what I can see.

 

I can't say I've had many issues with returns, but I've had to return a lot of routers at Fry's because they just were not compatible with the systems they advertised. And there are many enticing devices (like security cctv for retail) that need to be evaluated against pretty pictures and advertising on the box.

 

I was going to source the BB site for validation, but see it has been done above.

 

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yellow954

yellow954

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I work for Best Buy and its not like the return policy is hidden, there is normally big signs right above customer service explaining the return policy...and the geek squad black tie protection plans are actually pretty good compared to the manufacturers' ... thus being said even though i work Best Buy , I actually hate their guts....

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Smokinghawk

Smokinghawk

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Off topic of the off-topic: Best Western has a similar situation with their cancellation fee. They tell you that if you cancel a reservation less than 24 hours before the reservation, there will be a fee. Well, I had business travel plans that changed without notice and I had to cancel. The fee? The entire 100% of my payment! "That's our policy sir."

 

The sad part is they weren't even full, so a pre-paid reservation hadn't even been necessary.

 

 

As for Best Buy: whether it's disclosed in gigantic 10' high letters or hidden, the policy is appalling. This is an unabashed effort to gouge more profit from customers using the "that's our policy" gimmick. I won't shop somewhere that clearly prioritizes profit over people; the world's petty enough already.

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Mr. Spider-Woman

Mr. Spider-Woman

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The only time I ever had to return anything to Best Buy the whole process went smoothly. I had purchased the wrong memory card for a digital camera and even though I had opened the package they accepted it no questions asked, gave me cash and I went and bought the right card. Obviously, this was not subject to the restocking fee so I would not have expected anyone to tell me about it at the time of the purchase. I did see the notice at the website and it was on the back of the receipt as well.

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Transplant

Transplant

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Why should the store pay for a customer changing their mind about whether they want the item? The store can't sell this as new now. Guess what? Most people want a discount on previously opened merchandise. I might be miffed at the restock if it were me, but it's not uncommon at all with electronics.

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bronze_rules

bronze_rules

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Why should the store pay for a customer changing their mind about whether they want the item? The store can't sell this as new now. Guess what? Most people want a discount on previously opened merchandise. I might be miffed at the restock if it were me, but it's not uncommon at all with electronics.

 

That is not always the case. As I previously mentioned, not all electronics are compatible as advertised. I can say this first hand, as not only have I been on the development side, but have went through many electronics products that simply do not work as advertised on the box (for instance, I once bought a card that simply did not work with my existing router, although it was advertised as fully compatible). Or you see a pretty picture on a camera box, that has actual horrible resolution; GPS that is a pain to operate (unlike the box ad), etc... Should we the consumers eat this or be required to take it all the way to small claims to get back a few hundred?

 

I would argue, that returned items should be sent back to the OEM and they should eat the cost. Nevertheless, why should anyone buy at one store with such a policy, when you can shop at places that value their reputation; such as Costco. The model works for them, and I buy many products there in a heartbeat, precisely because I've never had one problem with taking back items; opened or not. Sometimes you have to eat a little bit of cost to make a reputation for your business.

 

Not here to argue the issue, just to help the community make 'informed' buys. I've been taking my parents to buy electronics equipment, and hate the thought of elderly people having to deal with this stuff-- not everyone has a dual processor upstairs in their 70s.

 

I also hear your side as well though. I've worked in retail and had clowns buy thousand dollar equipment for a wedding and return it all jumbled up in the box. That kind of stuff irks the heck out of me. But this policy effects everyone equally across the board, which my contention has been, is not a good one considering the nature of electronics products.

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bronze_rules

bronze_rules

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Why didn't you purchase the GPS unit at Wal-Mart or Sears?

 

Just to clarify, it was not my personal experience, I am passing along from friends who passed to me. I would likely buy it at Costco, if possible. With respect to GPS, I have an earlier one integrated in a BMW (03) that is just horrible; I've been considering buying a newer (detached) one, as they are improving.

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