The problem that most
people experience is either trying to replace an item
that they feel is damaged or that wasn’t what they
were expecting. We will begin with the first part of
replacing a defective item.
In today’s world, the
chances of getting a brand new product that is
defective is somewhere around 2% of the time.
Manufacturers know that customers will return damaged
products, which takes up more time to conduct customer
service rather than seeking out more sales. Most
manufacturers have a strict quality control in place to
knock down the number of defective goods sold.
With saying that, we
must reiterate that a defective product is an item
which wasn’t built correctly to a manufacturer’s
specifications. If you buy a leather case that has
single stitching and one rivet that is the manufacturer’s
specifications, that does not constitute a defective
product. They used lower grade materials and expended
less labor costs in producing the product which was
reflected in the price of the item. Do not expect to
get a refund or a replacement in these situations.
Next scenario. You
purchase a battery and charge it up as per the
instructions in the manual that said to charge it for
24 hours. You try to use the battery and find that it
doesn’t work. You go back to the retailer and they
ask you a few questions. They then tell you that there
is nothing they can do and you will have to pay for a
new battery.
Why would you have to
pay for a brand new battery that doesn’t work?
Although the instructions say to charge the battery for
24 hours, most batteries will be overcharged within
that time. That is a lot of electrical juice to be
packing into a small battery. Warranties on cellular
phone products specifically state they are a limited
lifetime warranty. This boils down to saying that if
the product is damaged by operator abuse, neglect, or
misuse, the manufacturer is under no obligation to
replace the product. The lifetime warranty applies only
to the standard life of the product. A battery that is
18 months old has reached it standard lifetime and will
not be eligible for replacement. The same applies to
leather cases and other products.
The dreaded restocking
fee. Most companies offer some kind of money back
guarantee if you return a product within a specific
timeframe -- no questions asked. Where you get nailed
is that they often have a 20% restocking fee that is
deducted from your refund.
As a retail operation,
they are in business to make a profit. If they have to
issue a refund there are additional expenses that they
have to incur in doing so. They now have another
product on their shelves that is unsold. It is taking
up shelf space, diminishing their working capital (cash
on hand to buy more products and advertising). You
should find out what the return policy is of the
company. If you are lucky, the return will cost you
nothing more than the shipping and handling plus the
postage expense of returning the product. Once again,
don’t expect to return a product without a reason
other than it wasn’t what you were expecting and get
all your money back.
For retailers and
consumers, there is a two way street in what is
considered to be an ethical practice. Someone earned a
paycheck by sending the item to you and that expense
has to be covered. It is almost like going
"Dutch" on a date. You both agree to split
the cost.
