Earlier this week, we asked whether our readers had any experience with zombie refunds: items that you sent back to a retailer, only to have your refund later reversed for no clear reason. We heard from a surprising number of people whose transactions have risen from the archives and devoured their bank accounts. [More]
Some Walmarts Still Short-Changing Customers On Gift Receipt Returns
By February 12, 2013
Nearly two years after Walmart stores were first caught short-changing customers who returned items using gift receipts, and following numerous later reports that the practice was continuing, it looks like some Walmarts have just not gotten the message. [More]
Skullcandy Won’t Honor Earbud Warranty Because I Used Logic When Mailing Them Back
By February 5, 2013
Stephen goes through a lot of headphones, apparently. He had three defective pair of Skullcandy earbuds to return, so he complained about them and got return authorizations for all three. He sent them back using the mailing labels Skullcandy had given him. Unfortunately, he didn’t stick all three mailing labels on the outside of the box, and now Skullcandy says that means they’ll only replace one of them. [More]
Target Employee Lies To Me About Refund Policy, Short-Changes Me 25% Of Purchase Price
By January 25, 2013
If you buy something for $10 and have to return it a couple weeks later because it’s defective, you should get the full $10 back, even if it’s since gone on sale, right? This is a lesson that never made it to the employees of one Target in Tennessee. [More]
Philips Takes Headphones Back For A Refund, Check Has Been ‘In The Mail’ Since August
By January 23, 2013
Adam bought a set of really nice Philips headphones, but they wouldn’t play nice with his Nintendo DS. He ended up sending them back to Philips for a refund. While it was good that they offered him a refund in the first place, what they had trouble doing was actually getting that refund to him in a timely fashion. Or ever. [More]
What Information Can Retailers Store When They Scan Your ID For Returns?
By January 15, 2013
For years, we’ve been writing about the now-rapidly growing practice of retailers scanning IDs when customers make returns. It’s never been clear exactly what information is taken when your card is swiped, but we now know that the data could basically include everything on your driver’s license. [More]
Ashley Furniture Wants To Charge Restocking Fee For Out-Of-Stock Item
By January 9, 2013
If you order a backordered item that was never in stock in the first place, should you have to pay a restocking fee when you cancel the order? That’s the quandary that Emmanuel finds himself in. Store employees failed to tell him that the couch he wanted was on backorder until after he had already paid, so he came back to the store a day later to cancel the order. Ashley couldn’t do that…without a 30% restocking fee. What did they restock, precisely? [More]
7 Roadblocks To Returning Gifts
By December 18, 2012
Sure, right now is the season of gift-giving. But soon enough, we’ll change gears and consumers will be lined up to return some of the things they’ve been given. So there are some things you should be aware of before Dec. 26. [More]
Newegg Deducts $70 From Return For Cost Of “Free” Video Game
By December 6, 2012
After years of buying electronics from Newegg, Consumerist reader Willie says he won’t be doing business with the e-tailer in the future because of the way his friend was treated by the company. [More]
Find Out What Info Retailers Have Been Tracking On Your Returned Purchases
By November 19, 2012
A growing number of retailers have been requiring customers not only show a photo ID when returning a purchase, they have also been scanning those IDs into a database that other retailers will use to determine whether or not you’re a problem returner. [More]
If You Get Screwed By eBay Seller, Complain Within 45 Days Or Forever Hold Your Peace
By October 26, 2012
When you pay for something on eBay but it never arrives, you’d expect that eBay would be on your side and work to get your money back. That might be true, if you plead your case within 45 days of making the purchase. [More]
Home Depot Employee Accused Of Making $26,000 Off Of Fake Returns
By October 17, 2012
We’ve heard of shoplifters trying to “return” products they never actually purchased for cash. And we’ve heard of employees pretending to enter a return and then taking that returned item and fencing it. But this may be the first time we’ve heard of a retail employee using customer’s personal info to cook up fake returns for illicit profit. [More]
Check To Make Sure Your iPad Box Isn’t Full Of Notebooks Before You Leave The Store
By October 11, 2012
Once again, a consumer plunks down hard-earned cash for a pricey electronic device, only to find out later that the box is full of something completely useless. And since she had the gall to wait until she got home, the folks at her local Walmart all but accused her of trying to pull a scam. [More]
Saucony Wins Dedicated Customer By Replacing Worn-Out Sneaker Without Hassle
By July 27, 2012
It’s Friday, the Olympics are starting, the sun is shining (though maybe a bit too much for some folks) and well… like we said, it’s Friday. So let’s start the weekend off with a story of a company that looked at a customer’s complaint, dealt with it quickly and without hassle, and earned a loyal supporter in the process. [More]
Best Buy Scans Customer's ID, Tells Him He's Returned Too Many Items
By April 10, 2012
In early 2011, Best Buy began requiring a photo ID with all product returns, even if you had the receipt. As we noted at the time, it wasn’t just to make sure that you were the person who made the purchase; it was also intended to identify people who had a history of returning items. Now a man in Connecticut is finding out just what it takes to end up on the retailer’s bad side. [More]
Best Buy Manager Dismisses Best Buy Twitter Customer Service, Says "It Could Be Anybody"
By January 3, 2012
Consumerist reader Jonathan recently received a box set of CDs from his brother for Christmas. Unfortunately, one of the CDs that was supposed to be in the box was nowhere to be found. Compounding the problem, his brother had lost the receipt. Oh, and did we mention he made the mistake of buying the box set at Best Buy? [More]
How Long Should You Expect To Wait For Refunds From Online Retailers?
By December 28, 2011
We are now three days into the official Holiday Returns & Exchanges Season, and while those shoppers who paid a little more — and put on pants — to go shopping at bricks-and-mortar stores, it’s usually just a matter of waiting in line to get your refund. But for gift-givers who did their buying online this year, that wait for a refund could be anywhere from a few days to several weeks. [More]
