Reader John bought a Eureka vacuum cleaner from Bed Bath and Beyond in March. When the vacuum stopped working in August, John called Eureka. They asked that he get the vacuum repaired himself. John took said appliance to a local Brooklyn hole-in-the-wall repair place where it was “repaired” and by “repaired” we mean “stored for several days and returned.” From John’s email:

“He kept asking “did you check the hose? there’s probably something in the hose” there wasn’t, we get the “repaired” vacuum back… still broken. I called him back and he repeats the same “something in the hose” story and I decide its time just to buy a new vacuum.”

That’s when John’s wife hears that Bed, Bath and Beyond had a “liberal” return policy:

“I walk in with the credit card I bought the vacuum on and after a relatively short wait in line… done. They’d credited me the full amount back to my credit card no suspicious glares, long interrogations or CSR’s with attitude. So I was in and out with a credit and a new vacuum in about a half hour (most of that was waiting in Manhattan sized lines). The checkout guy was even nice and funny…”

Conglatulations to you Bed, Bath and Beyond. Your gracious acceptance of a broken, obviously well-used vacuum has earned you the love of a consumer and a tip of the hat from Consumerist. We feel warm. We feel fuzzy. We think we’re going to return that broken coffee pot. Read the rest of John’s adventure after the jump.

Hey Consumerist,
Just wanted to drop you a “yay big box store” email. I’m not a big fan of said big box stores in general, but Bed Bath and Beyond wins points for its liberal return policy (as long as you follow the rules).

Last March I bought a Eureka Mighty Mite vacuum at the Bed Bath and Beyond in Manhattan, all was well until about a month ago. The Mighty Mite up and went dead on us, so being past the usual 90 day warrantee for defects I went to the manual to see what to do. Eureka specifically asks that if there are problems take it to an authorized service center instead of returning it to the company. So I hit the web and find the local repair center. I take it to the repair center, its a very small old school brooklyn repair shop where I’m not sure they did anything to it. He kept asking “did you check the hose? there’s probably something in the hose” there wasn’t, we get the “repaired” vacuum back… still broken. I called him back and he repeats the same “something in the hose” story and I decide its time just to buy a new vacuum. I kind of want to rat the place out because they definitely prefer up selling to repairs but that’s not what this letter is about.

Then my wife finds out that Bed Bath and Beyond has a liberal return policy. We have all the parts, we have the receipt, so off to BB&B I got. I walk in with the credit card I bought the vacuum on and after a relatively short wait in line… done. They’d credited me the full amount back to my credit card no suspicious glares, long interrogations or CSR’s with attitude. So I was in and out with a credit and a new vacuum in about a half hour (most of that was waiting in Manhattan sized lines). The checkout guy was even nice and funny…

So hats off to Bed Bath and Beyond they’ve earned me as a loyal customer for a good long while.
Thanks

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