returns-and-exchanges

Last week, we posted the experience of a SIGG customer who received a $50,000 gift certificate credit for the BPA-riddled water bottles she mailed back to SIGG as part of their massive exchange program. SIGG contacted us to clarify what was going on. To sum up: it's intentional and meant to expedite customers' exchanges. And they'll catch you if you try to abuse it, you jerks.  More »

Target recently changed their return policy. It's more consumer-friendly. We think. What we can tell you for sure is that it's more confusing.  More »

The Shack Radio Shack is not known in these pages for its high level of customer service. That's why we were stunned and impressed with Chris's story, where Radio Shack salespeople were not only knowledgeable and immensely helpful, but sent him to a competitor.  More »

No shopper wants higher prices because of excessive return fraud, but many people aren't comfortable having their driver's license scanned when making a return at the store, either. We've covered the reasons for this before, but Retail Customer Experience took a closer look.  More »

Three months ago, I ordered a batch of maternity clothes from the Gap and Motherhood Maternity. Unfortunately, when I returned the pieces that didn't fit - I mixed up the returns! The Gap immediately returned the shipment meant for Motherhood, but Motherhood did not. In emails they have claimed to have 1. never received it (I sent the UPS delivering confirmation), then they claimed to have sent it back (I asked for tracking info what was never supplied), then they just quit answering emails. I reported them to the BBB saying - yes, this was my mistake but they still should have returned it - and they told the BBB that no proof was every supplied that the items were sent to them (I resent the email thread and the delivery confirmation).  More »

Ed went to return a pair of shoes to Finish Line because they were the wrong size. As part of the exchange, the sales associate took Ed's driver's license and scanned it, and he wondered why.  More »

Reader Joe sent us a tip that Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Atheleta have changed their online return policy. "They now deduct 6$ from the return refund, no questions asked... " he wrote. Well, that's not exactly it. Here's the official word from Gap Inc.  More »

Luis dropped his busted LG EnV in the mail at the end of last year and tracked its progress as FedEx delivered the package to Verizon. Verizon, apparently unfamiliar with tracking numbers, doesn't believe that Luis ever returned the phone, and insists that they're owed a $320 replacement fee. Luis disputed the charge, but rather than investigate his claim, Verizon decided it would be easier to suspend his service. Now they want Luis—a customer of seven years who pays over $350 across six phone lines each month—to pay another $15 to reconnect the service they should never have disconnected in the first place. He writes:  More »

Regarding this story, turns out, every year at this time, Target has an internal clash of the titans over whether or not to automatically print guest receipts, according to a former employee.  More »

Reader Jennifer reports that Target doesn't seem to be automatically printing gift receipts at the bottom of the receipts. Clever way of discouraging holiday returns? Target's official policy is no returns without a receipt...  More »

Some retailers are tightening their returning policies this year, while others are loosening them. ConsumerWorld tells you who's naughty and nice this year.  More »

Ever wonder why some places will engrave your electronics for free? It's so you can't return them. Really. That's the reason. Returns of perfectly good, non-defective merchandise account for 95% of returns and "free engraving" is a cheap, easy way to ensure that that item won't be coming back.  More »

Neal Templin at the Wall Street Journal had a defective running shoe. Within 4 months of buying the shoes, an eyelet failed, so he took the defective shoes back to the store. This is where his tragic tale of rejection begins.  More »

Reader Chris spend hours trying to buy God of War 2 from Circuit City, only to get stuck with an empty box. Yuck!  More »

79-year-old Christina Brown had a sales receipt and bank records showing that Target had taken cash from her bank account, but the retailer refused to give her a cash refund -- offering a gift certificate instead. Christina refused. She wanted her money, and said she'd stay at the Target all day if she had to, but she wasn't leaving without $30. Target told her she was trespassing and that they would call the police. Christina said that was fine with her and called 9-1-1 herself. When the police arrived, Target had Ms. Brown hauled out of the store on a stretcher and taken via ambulance to a hospital for a mental evaluation. Does wanting a cash refund mean you're potentially mentally ill?  More »