Best Buy Scans Drivers License For Returns — No More Allowed For 90 Days 503
rullywowr writes "A customer with a defective Blu-Ray disc returns to the Best Buy store where he purchased it. After having his driver's license scanned into the system, he is now banned from returning/exchanging goods for 90 days. This is becoming one of the latest practices big-box stores are using to limit fraud and abuse of the return system — for example, the people who buy a giant TV before the big game and then return it on Monday. Opponents feel this return-limiting concept has this gone too far, including the harvesting of your personal data."
When people abuse prices go up (Score:4, Insightful)
They're on their way out anyways (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:When people abuse prices go up (Score:5, Insightful)
I can see this as a good thing if it's for similar or big ticket items, but a bad thing if it's for DVD's, etc. -DNRTFA
~S
Re:When people abuse prices go up (Score:5, Insightful)
You assume that the store has the right to refuse a return if you refuse to provide this information or if you're a frequent shopper that has more than one purchase of faulty goods. The agreement with the store is to exchange your money for a working product. If the product doesn't work, and the store refuses to refund or exchange it, they may have issues.
They may have a leg to stand on if it were refunds only, but the summary specifically includes exchanges in to this mix.
Well gee.. (Score:5, Insightful)
This kind of anti-customer behavior couldn't possibly have anything to do with Best Buy crashing and burning, could it?
Nah. I'm sure the MBAs must have thought the policy through carefully.
Best Buy fails again (Score:5, Insightful)
A customer who knows they can't return a defective item at Best Buy will simply go shopping somewhere else like Walmart, Target, or Amazon, who have more lenient return policies and/or are just more customer-friendly altogether.
I don't expect this particular decision will hurt too much, but with these kinds of stupid decisions Best Buy will be out of business within 5 years.
Re:When people abuse prices go up (Score:2, Insightful)
Interesting,
When I last purchased a bluetooth ear piece, I went to Best Buy because of their good return policy. I had went online and narrowed my potential list to 3, and was buying them one at a time and returning until I found one I liked. I only had to return one, but had the second sucked I would of returned it too.
They are really eating into their advantage vs the internet here.
Re:When people abuse prices go up (Score:5, Insightful)
It's quite obvious that people are abusing the system and that results in increased prices for everyone. As someone who doesn't abuse that, I welcome the move so we honest people get things cheaper. Screw those who ruin things for everyone else.
The policy is unnecessarily invasive and it will easily hurt legitimate customers. While it might be rare, it is completely possible that a legitimate customer will purchase at least two items in a 90 day window and more than one of them ends up being defective.
They need to find a better way to prevent fraud.
Re:When people abuse prices go up (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:How is this legal? (Score:4, Insightful)
Is it illegal to have an "all sales final" policy? Generally, NO... there are many stores with such a policy... including stores going out of business
Re:fraud (Score:5, Insightful)
If it's defective or was misrepresented on the package or by the store, then yes. If you decided you just didn't want it after all then they should have no obligation to take it back.
Legality? (Score:4, Insightful)
Easy solution - don't buy product from there for 90 days.
In all seriousness - how is this even legal? I know in Canada any goods sold must be of merchantable quality - which means they must work. If they are defective than the sale is void and the merchant must take them back. Even if I've returned another product within the last 90 days. Is there some kind of American consumer protection loophole they're exploiting here or do the laws not protect consumers at all south of the border?
Re:When people abuse prices go up (Score:5, Insightful)
Well said.
If the item is genuinely defective, stores have credit card agreements that REQUIRE them to accept the item for return or exchange. No exceptions.
Even if the store still refuses, you can just mail the item back to the store, use delivery confirmation, and then provide the DC number to your credit card. You will get refunded the money. And the store will lose the money regardless of any 90 day or 3-strike policy.
BTW this is why I like amazon and ebay/paypal - no hassles. Though I've received a lot of junk over the years from dishonest sellers, so far I've not lost any money (except for return postage). Just recently I bought a used Wii that was never delivered and amazon gave me a $105 gift card only two days later. I already spent that cash on another item (kindle w/ web browser).
Re:How is this legal? (Score:5, Insightful)
A lot of people seem to operate under an ethic of "whatever I can get away with".
Yes, that seems to be Best Buy's position...
Re:License scan? (Score:5, Insightful)
Obviously, returning Blu Rays is more dangerous than casting a fake vote.
Re:When people abuse prices go up (Score:5, Insightful)
It's true that the manufacturer is responsible for their products. But then again, I'm not doing business with the manufacturer. I'm doing business with the store.
Re:License scan? (Score:5, Insightful)
Way more people abusing return policies than casting fake votes in person.
Re:When people abuse prices go up (Score:4, Insightful)
I don't know where you live and what the law is there, but I think this is a fable that stores would like you to think. Imagine if you had to research what little manufacturer in western China made the widget you bought, and you had to contact them to get your widget fixed. Nope, that's not what the law says.
Re:When people abuse prices go up (Score:4, Insightful)
Most US states have non-disclaimable "warrant of merchantability" laws for anything represented as "new" - Which means, in summary, that the store guarantees that they have sold you new, fully-functional merchandise. So yes, they have to take it back, end of story.
That said, good luck getting that enforced this without paying more in court costs than most consumer goods.
Re:When people abuse prices go up (Score:5, Insightful)
I'm sorry, but this is abuse. I wish there was an easy way to try before you buy on many products (there isn't), and I understand the logic behind what you're doing - but it's still abuse of the returns system that many stores have in place. You're buying an item at full price, trying it out and returning it. Great, but even if you return it with all parts and in like-new condition the store cannot sell it as new any longer. They'll either need to send it back to the manufacturer or resell it as an open box item (I see Best Buy do this all the time). Sure, you bought another headset from them - but the $50 headset you bought and returned can now only be sold open box for $30.
People really wonder why stores are getting more strict on returns?
Re:When people abuse prices go up (Score:5, Insightful)
A phone call to the company that MAKES THE PRODUCT will give people more information than some sales guy that only maybe know a little about every product. Maybe the sales guys favors another brand and his fix is to return the device and sell another brand that he does know. Calling the manufacture helps keep the sale instead of loosing it.
Re:When people abuse prices go up (Score:5, Insightful)
and they are literally losing Billions to a pretty damn widespread abuse of their extremely friendly return policy
Citation needed. Citation needed to prove that bad management practices are not the real cause of the 1.7 billion dollar loss.
That being said there are a lot of people who are going to legitimately miss them if they do go out of business
They earned the epithet "Worst Buy" through customer abuse and stupid sales practices. So much of what has happened is self inflicted. Do you remember when they fired all their knowledgeable long-term floor sales staff because they were "too expensive?" Go ahead, walk into any Best Buy and try to find a sales clerk that actually knows what he/she is selling and isn't trying to be a bullshit artist. They are few and far between.
Return customers (not customers that return things) are a business' bread and butter. Best Buy went on the "quick cash now" binge to "satisfy investors" while ignoring the long term implications of pissing off the customers. Sure, people are using online retailers. They wouldn't if the brick&mortar service didn't outright suck.
There are electronics retailers that don't suck. One is MicroCenter. You can walk in, talk to knowledgeable sales people, get what you want for a decent price (sometimes cheaper than Newegg), and not hard sold on hundred-dollar HDMI cables and extended warrantees. And I find myself continuing to go back there. Repeatedly.
Best Buy *can* turn the ship around, but they have to abandon the practices that got them to this point to do so. Most businesses in this situation can't or won't because few in upper management are willing to accept the fact they fucked up.
--
BMO
Re:When people abuse prices go up (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:When people abuse prices go up (Score:4, Insightful)
It's high time that USA also gets "All sales are final" rules, like most of the world. Having people return fully working items that then have to be sold cheap drives up prices for all of us who don't play that game.
Liberal return policies make customers more likely to buy items due to the perceived safety net of said policy, resulting in greater sales, driving down prices for all of us. Plus, restocking fees exist expressly to discourage those who "borrow" items. The only time ID should be requested is when the customer cannot present a receipt.
Re:When people abuse prices go up (Score:5, Insightful)
You explain to them, in English: "This item doesn't seem to work correctly. When I pause any song a little longer than 4 minutes and start it back up again, it starts at a seemingly random place." Then demonstrate it to them.
If they insist on an exchange, insist that the new unit doesn't have this flaw as it's unacceptable. If need be, try it in the store and most of them will realize it's better to give back the money than to keep opening new packages. Never go into geek speak with muggles if you want them to understand you.