I have known my friend Jerry for a number of years now and he tends to very reasonable in his business dealings. So when I received his email today I could tell he was upset and even before reading the entire email I had a feeling that I would think he had good reason to be so when I was finished.
I also have purchased a number of electronic items over the years from the Best Buy chain and if I have had occasion to return something I don't really remember it. I do know that I have left the store on a number of occasions feeling that I knew far more about the products I had been looking at than the person trying to sell them to me.
Now this is nothing unusual. I grew up in a time when the number of stores that sold and serviced electronic equipment were much greater than today. Along with increased numbers these stores were staffed by men who you could bring a schematic or a wiring diagram and they could advise you on the best way to go about constructing your circuit. Typically they knew much more about what you were trying to do than you did. I often refer to these as the "good old days" of the hobby. But I digress.
Best Buy has done nothing illegal or even morally wrong that I can tell from Jerry's story. What they have done is something that as far as I'm concerned is at least a very poor business practice. I normally cast a very suspicious eye on the details of some of the chain stores that I deal with and I can assure you that I had no idea of Best Buy's return policy and probably would have felt about the same that Jerry did when he attempted to return his item. I will let you the reader be the judge. You read about Jerry's exerience and think about how you would have felt in the situation.
"BEST BUY, MY FOOT
Best Buy has some bad policies....
If you purchase something from, Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, JC Penny, Sears etc., If 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 XLS 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
could not 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 said
how much would that be.
She said it goes by the pr i ce of the item. It will be $45.00 Dollars for you. I said, all your going to do is walk over and place it back on the self! Then charge me $45.00 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 $2000.00 computer or TV and returned it I would be charged $300.00 dollars 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 200.00 dollars, she cant 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 no, only 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, whenever 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 45.00 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 had been smart, I would have charged the whole thing on my credit card! Then I could have canceled the entire 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 this stores policy, as they don't tell you about all their little caveats.
So please pass this on. It may save your friends from having a bad experience of shopping at Best Buy. Check it out .."
Link to Best Buy's return policy
