Best Buy return policy

[+The Blue Quasar]

Thanks to a great friend of mine for making me aware of this Best Buy - Returns Policy

 

As some of us, or our families, are looking for electronics for our recreational interests it might be best to check return policies. The one above is just an example that is currently "out there" and likely there are others.

 

Excerpts that caught my eye include:

Restocking fee

A restocking fee of 15% will be charged on opened notebook computers, projectors, camcorders, digital cameras, radar detectors, GPS navigation and in-car video systems unless defective or prohibited by law. A restocking fee of 25% will be charged on Special Order Products, including appliances unless defective or prohibited by law.

 

and

Refund method

Refund will be in the same form as original purchase. Exceptions: Cash, debit or check purchases over $250 will be refunded in the form of a mail check within 10 business days of return.

 

Be sure to ask....

 

BQ

[+Keith Watson]

As this is a Canadian thread, I thought I would take a peek at the Best Buy Canada site and found this.

 

June 4, 2008:

 

Dear Valued Customer,

 

We understand that a bulk email message has recently circulated on the Internet that Best Buy charges a re-stocking fee. This information is incorrect – all our stores in Canada do not have restocking fees. Our policy has been and still is to provide convenient, hassle-free returns for our customers.

 

Best Buy Canada Policy

 

I remember that email floating around.

[+Tequila]

Costco has one of the best return policies anywhere.

[+The Blue Quasar]

As this is a Canadian thread, I thought I would take a peek at the Best Buy Canada site and found this.

 

June 4, 2008:

 

Dear Valued Customer,

 

We understand that a bulk email message has recently circulated on the Internet that Best Buy charges a re-stocking fee. This information is incorrect – all our stores in Canada do not have restocking fees. Our policy has been and still is to provide convenient, hassle-free returns for our customers.

 

Best Buy Canada Policy

 

I remember that email floating around.

 

Good to know Keith. As many of us discussed this last night, it still is good advice to check and verbally question the staff when you purchase items. Hopefully they will understand that people are not happy to have something like that American policy adopted here.

 

BQ

[Ken in Regina]

With BestBuy Canada or FutureShop Canada, all you have to do is read the back of one of their receipts. It's pretty clear. And really simple.

 

The biggest thing people do is to NOT read the receipt. They get the thing home, open it up, totally destroy the packaging, throw the packaging and half or all of the accompanying documentation in the garbage, and then try to take the thing back in pieces in a Safeway bag two weeks later. Maybe with the receipt, if they didn't also toss it out with the packaging. I've stood in line behind more than my fair share of these clowns and listened to them whine about how they didn't know they needed the packaging and the receipt and get all outraged and into the customer service person's face that they weren't being treated fairly.

 

A surprising number of people actually get away with it if they at least treat the customer service person politely and apologize for neglecting to keep the packaging and/or bill.

 

The only thing the stores ask for is that you retain the original packaging and documentation and receipt. That doesn't seem like so much. I have never had a problem returning things to either BestBuy or FutureShop.

 

...ken...

[+Keith Watson]

I can understand the American policy. I am sure there are quite a few people that buy a GPS, use it for their vacation, and return it where they get back.

[+Couparangus]

This is your typical Walmart customer's MO. You see losers in the line returning torque wrenches, digital cameras - and big screen TVs after the super bowl.

 

I'm not against re-stocking fees, but have never paid one myself. I usually research the product first before buying and know what I'm getting into. If the sales rep totally mis-lead the customer I think any restocking fee should be waived for a store credit. If the customer wants their cash back, then see re-stocking fee. From a vendor's perspective, the customer obviously has no intention of spending money at your store anyway so you might as well offset the cost of them wasting your time.

[+The CacheHounds!]

We are actually going through this right now with GPS City.ca. My wife bought me an Oregon 300 from their website, which was defective right out of the box.

 

Now they will gladly replace it for me, but I have to pay to ship it back to them, and they currently have none in stock. So I opted for the refund (now that I've finally been able to find an Oregon 300 in a store around here).

 

I guess we didn't read enough into the Return Policy, however a 10% restocking fee on something that was defective right from the start, hardly seems fair.

[Ken in Regina]

I guess we didn't read enough into the Return Policy, however a 10% restocking fee on something that was defective right from the start, hardly seems fair.

Did you pay a restocking fee? Or just the return shipping?

 

It sounds like there are two issues here.

 

First is the warranty issue. Perhaps as a defective unit out of the box you should have gone after Garmin on the manufacturer's warranty. Does GPSCity have a warranty? What did they say about warranty?

 

In my experience, most retailers have return and/or exchange policies but few have warranties. Most leave it to the manufacturer's warranty.

 

Second is the GPSCity return/exchange policy. Here's my experience. I bought a Venture HC from them. When it arrived I took it out of the box, tried it and immediately discovered didn't like the limitations of not having an expansion memory card. I phoned them and told them I wanted to return it for a Legend HCx. We decided that a refund on the Venture and new purchase on the Legend would be the easiest way to do it because on an exchange they won't ship until they receive the returned unit (a reasonable policy, IMO). They gave me an RMA and I shipped the Venture back at my cost (again, reasonable, IMO).

 

There was never any discussion of a restocking fee. Not even a mention of one. I found them quite reasonable to deal with. I'm surprised they would charge you one to return a defective unit.

 

...ken...

[+Keith Watson]

Ordering on-line has the advantage of sometimes getting a better deal. One of the draw backs is you will most likely have to pay shipping to send it back. That goes with just about every on-line sales company.

[+The CacheHounds!]

I guess paying approx. $10-$15 for shipping costs is not that bad. But I have a huge problem with this 10% restocking fee on refunds. I mean the darn thing was broken right out of the box.

 

Garmin was not much help either, they wanted me to ship it to Quebec, for repair or a "newly refurbished" model. Of course shipping at my expense, they did mention that if I was in the USA they could have sent me a free shipping label.

 

That being said, I have chosen to do a straight exchange through GPS city.

 

I think I am a fairly reasonable person, but this whole process has been shi**y!

 

On a side note, I was able to get a couple of caches with the Oregon and it was pretty sweet

[+Tequila]

They shouldn't charge a restocking fee if the unit was defective. I suspect it is because you have asked for a refund.

 

BTW, if you ever do send a unit to Garmin in Quebec, stay on top of them. They are notoriously slow. I wasted 5 weeks last summer waiting for them to replace a defective Colorado.

[+The CacheHounds!]

My GPS City invoice does say "defective items returned for a refund will be subject to a minimum 10% restock fee" Totally crappy

 

The only reason I wanted the refund was because the Super Walmart in Aurora, has the Oregon 300 in stock. Who's to say my next Oregon from GPS City won't be defective, then more shipping costs and delays.

 

I have to stop thinking about it, it makes me too angry.

[+Red90]

It is quite clear that they will replace at no fee. If you want a refund, they charge. If you don't like it, return it to Garmin.

 

http://www.gpscity.ca/help/returnpolicy

My item is defective within the first 30 days - will you replace it?

Yes. If your item proves to be defective within the return policy period of 30 days, we will happily replace it with another of the same item only. After the return policy period expires, the terms of the manufacturer's warranty will apply and you should contact them directly for repair. We recommend that you double check to ensure that the reported defect is real - we thoroughly test all defective returns and if the defect cannot be verified, the item will be returned to you at your expense. To return your defective item: 1) obtain an Return Authorization (RA) number via the Return Request form and 2) return the unit to us (see address info below). We will ship the replacement to you using GROUND service. You are responsible for return shipping costs to return defective items. If you opt to not have the defective item replaced and request a refund, a refund restock fee will be applied.

[+northernpenguin]

They shouldn't charge a restocking fee if the unit was defective. I suspect it is because you have asked for a refund.

 

BTW, if you ever do send a unit to Garmin in Quebec, stay on top of them. They are notoriously slow. I wasted 5 weeks last summer waiting for them to replace a defective Colorado.

 

Yup same experience building here. They've had my unit now for two weeks. I called to find out what's happening and was told a replacement is on "back order" for three weeks. I'm hoping to get it back before the warranty runs out on it in May.

[+Red90]

We are actually going through this right now with GPS City.ca. My wife bought me an Oregon 300 from their website, which was defective right out of the box.

 

Now they will gladly replace it for me, but I have to pay to ship it back to them, and they currently have none in stock.

 

http://www.gpscity.ca/item-garmin-oregon-300/oreg300.htm Sure looks to be in stock to me....

[+Tequila]

3 days ago, when Cache Hounds posted, they might have been out of stock.

 

Or they are not conscientious at keeping their website up to date.