Picture this...It's bright and early on Christmas morning. Santa has left bright, shining new bikes with matching coordinated helmets for the children. The Christmas tree lights are glowing and soft, holiday music is playing in the background. (It really could be a scene from a movie!) As the excited children are inspecting the new bikes and preparing to take them outside for a "test drive", they attempt to put the helmets on and find that they are the wrong size - way too small! Now what? It's one thing to explain that Santa got the helmets mixed up with some other boys and girls but quite another to return helmets that have already been opened! Here are a few tips for many happy merchandise returns...
1. Learn about the RETURN/EXCHANGE POLICY before making the purchase. Most stores will have their return/exchange policy posted. If you don't see it, ask about it. Especially when purchasing gifts and/or items that may not fit, it is necessary to be able to return purchases. When purchasing SALE merchandise, be especially mindful that sales of most markdown merchandise are considered final.
2. Keep all receipts and present them when making returns. Receipts are the key to any return. Original sales receipts are the documentation needed for accurate and fair merchandise returns. When making a return with a sales receipt, most stores will return the money from the purchase in the same manner that it was originally paid (i.e. cash, check, credit card, etc.). Debit card transactions are often treated as cash purchases, although some merchants will credit the refund amount back to the card. Often, there is a waiting period to receive refund checks so the merchant can make sure that funds are available to cover the original check. Increasingly, gift receipts are being offered for customers to give to recipients. A standard practice for customers presenting
gift receipts is to issue them an exchange OR a store credit and NOT a refund.
3. Be prepared to show ID when making returns. This will add a little time to the process and can be an annoyance but it helps the merchant make sure that refunds are legitimate.
4. Returns should be made sooner rather than later. In most cases, there ARE time limits in place for returns to be made. This protects store owners from fraud and outdated merchandise. Generally, return time limits range between 30-90 days. During peak shopping and holiday periods, many retailers offer extended return dates to make it easier for customers that must return merchandise via mail and/or out of town.
5. Bigger stores and chain retailers offer more return options. Smaller, local merchants may only offer
exchanges or store credit while larger stores can afford to provide refunds. Also, larger retail stores are more likely to have multiple locations that provide a more convenient way for returns to be made.
6. Original packaging and paperwork should accompany returned merchandise. Stores do not knowingly accept returns of merchandise that has been used. So, when making a return, be sure to ALSO return any original packaging, paperwork and/or tags that may have been on the items when they were bought. Even with a receipts, merchants are not required nor are they likely to accept returns on merchandise that has obviously been used or worn. In particular, any packaging that shows the
UPC code will be necessary for a successful return.
7. Not all returns are the same. There are as many different return/exchange policies as there are merchants with merchandise to sell! That means that it is up to customers to know when and how to return merchandise that they buy. From time limits to
return authorizations, exchanging or returning merchandise can be very smooth or very difficult. Merchants have to have policies and restrictions in place to allow them to be fair to customers while making sure they are not being cheated out of money and merchandise that belongs to them. Many return/exchange policies are printed on the back of receipts so that customers can access it easily and quickly.
In particular, return/exchange policies for video and electronic equipment are more restrictive than other types of merchandise. The amount of time allowed for return is shorter and the restrictions on open and original packaging are tighter.
Additionally, returns/exchanges for items purchased online are somewhat different than a return/exchange to a "brick and mortar" merchant. Many online retailers require returns to be authorized BEFORE they are sent back. Items purchased from 3rd parties and/or drop shipped to a customer may require the return to be made to someone other than the original merchant. Customers returning online purchases may also be subject to restocking fees and/or shipping charges to get the merchandise back to the seller.
Certainly, if you received 3 copies of the same book or your Aunt Susan didn't realize you were a size 10 instead of a 4, you have some returns to make. Before heading out to find the RIGHT gifts, make sure to take everything you need to make your returns happy ones. As for the bike helmets, that scene played out in OUR living room a couple of days ago. Today, they are packed with the appropriate paperwork and headed back to their original destination...the North Pole, of course!
