Do you shop based on return policies?

[PrncessA]

I love Costco for their return policies. If we are looking to make an expensive purchase and Costco carries it, we might pay a bit more to buy the piece of mind that goes along with it.

 

[Julie's Haircut]

I would caution against buying any large purchases at Sears. It will be very difficult if not impossible to return anything when the stores close. With Sears the question isn't if they go out of business just when they go out of business.

Yeah, but analysts have been predicting for at least the last five years that the NEXT year is when Sears goes out of business. Yes, eventually I think they will all close, but probably not before 2020.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I love shopping at Costco and Amazon. Great return policies.

Both are great, in all respects.

 

[RedAngie]

I know people always say to "support local businesses" but return policies are often what keep me away from local stores. I recently bought an expensive sweater at a local boutique type store. I never usually spend that type of $$ on clothes but it was definitely something I knew I'd wear a lot. I wore it once & it was covered in pills. The return policy said exchange only. I figured they would waive that since it was defective. They refused & now I have a credit to a super expensive store where I really don't want anything else. I'll be buying my sweaters at Kohls or Marshalls from now on!

The return policies of some local businesses is the reason I changed my mind a few times about buying there. If I needed to return something, I didn't want a store credit where there might not be anything else of interest to me.

 

[BLAZEY]

I can't remember the last time I returned something. I have exchanged some gifts bought for DD in the wrong size, and exchanged a duplicate BlueRay (still sealed) for another title. Both times had either a receipt or gift receipt no problems exchanging.

 

[Dancind]

Lowe's and Home Depot are both good about returns. When we need an appliance we try to buy it there. If it stops working before the warranty is up, you can usually call the store instead of dealing with the manufacturer. For electronics, Costco is good. For computers etc, Apple gives you warranty for a year even if you don't buy Applecare.

 

[MillauFr]

Lowe's and Home Depot are both good about returns. When we need an appliance we try to buy it there. If it stops working before the warranty is up, you can usually call the store instead of dealing with the manufacturer. For electronics, Costco is good. For computers etc, Apple gives you warranty for a year even if you don't buy Applecare.

I believe Costco gives you a free two year warranty on laptops.

 

[Bluestars]

I never shop based on return policies. I could probably count on one hand the number of items I have returned something in the past 20 years. I do a lot of research before buying the majority of items, including reading reviews.

 

[tvguy]

I would caution against buying any large purchases at Sears. It will be very difficult if not impossible to return anything when the stores close. With Sears the question isn't if they go out of business just when they go out of business.

Any return I would make to Sears would be long long long before they go out of business since their return policy is 30 days. They are our go to place for appliances, They price match.....and unlike many of stores, with appliances, they have it in stock, no 2 week wait.

 

[Nancyg56]

I do. If I purchase an expensive item I expect it to work well. I try to buy at Costco for small kitchen appliances because I want to know that if the thing kicks the bucket well before it should I can take it back. It is unfortunate but it happens. I am taking back some small LED flashlights I bought. The little buttons do not stay on, so the lights go out, and I spent a decent amount on them. Im kind of annoyed because after it happened to one, I took the rest out of the drawer and the lot of them are defective. I bought them to be ready for Winter, and would not have known they were defective if my neighbors kitten dd not get stuck under her vanity.

 

[Owl In The Woods]

I make myself aware of return policies when I make a purchase, but I don't let return policies be a determining factor in where I shop. If I'm unsure of a product, rather than purchase, try it out, and then expect a return if I don't like it, I just research the product before I buy to make sure it's what I want. The only reason I will ever need a return will be due to defects, in which case I'm perfectly fine with making an identical exchange for the same operational product since I know it's what I want. I don't need any longer than a week to figure out if I would need a return unless I'm doing early Christmas shopping, which is an entirely different matter. I would only expect a full refund in whatever form of payment I made if the product was recalled.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Return policy is important to me..part of the overall customer service experience. IMO. There are several reasons that I might return an item..wrong color, doesn't fit, product doesn't meet expectations, damaged item, etc.

As for electronics, 14 days is pretty much standard I thought. We bought a computer and a DSLR recently and were told we had 14 days on them.

14 days and still in original unopened package

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Nope. Never pay attention to return policies. Never will. If a product is demonstrably defective, everyone I've ever dealt with takes em back and gives a refund. If it is wrong size or something, I just go back and get the right size. If it pills up badly first wash, I say so. Despite complaints about best buy, I've never had an ounce of trouble with returns there on a demonstrably defective product either despite the page of 30 rules they hand out.

The only return I ever had any trouble with was at Macy's. I bought a top for my wife. when I got home I noticed two in the stack. I must have grabbed two and the clerk only rang one. So I took one back. It took me half an hour to explain that It was not paid for due to the clerk's error and I didn't want any money back for it or anything. I think they were just shocked beyond any and all comprehension that anyone would be honest with them.

 

[Aliceacc]

I very rarely return anything.

So, no, I don't use that as a determining factor. I'm normally aware of the policy, but seldom really care.

 

[powellrj]

I had a mom who was the queen of returns, so I return very little. I also don't shop in many different stores so I know the return policies of them.

 

[RedAngie]

Any return I would make to Sears would be long long long before they go out of business since their return policy is 30 days. They are our go to place for appliances, They price match.....and unlike many of stores, with appliances, they have it in stock, no 2 week wait.

Well, not always. Sears delivered the refrigerator and range/microwave hood I wanted in a few days, but the dishwasher model they claimed to have 3 of in stock suddenly wasn't available on delivery day. Somehow their inventory tracking got messed up. No big deal, it came a few days later. And it sat in the box for a few more days before my contractor was ready to install it.

In general, I've always been satisfied buying appliances at Sears.

 

[xlxo]

Thoughts....

• I return an average of 1 product every 2nd year. The product is genuine defective.
• I don't believe shopping at places with serial returners. I know some retailers do track who returns things.
• I like to purchase items from brick 'n morter retailers because I can make an informed purchase. To discourage "showrooming", some retailers are willing to match online competitors.

 

[Aliceacc]

My lone experience buying an appliance at Sears was awful.

We ordered a washer when my 3 kids were young. They said the earliest they could do was 2 weeks. Ouch-- that's a long time with 3 kids, but I liked Kenmore appliances so I bit the bullet.

Then, the day before they were due to deliver, they called and wanted to push it back 2 more weeks. (And, not that I imagine it matters, but there's a Sears a mile away from here.)

Sorry, I wasn't going a month without a washer. I cancelled the order. We went to a small local appliance place and got delivery that weekend.

 

[tvguy]

Well, not always. Sears delivered the refrigerator and range/microwave hood I wanted in a few days, but the dishwasher model they claimed to have 3 of in stock suddenly wasn't available on delivery day. Somehow their inventory tracking got messed up. No big deal, it came a few days later. And it sat in the box for a few more days before my contractor was ready to install it.

In general, I've always been satisfied buying appliances at Sears.

At least it isn't the 3 weeks Lowes quoted me. Not much help when your refrigerator has died and you need a new one today.

 

[brockash]

I will say that I'm much more likely to buy something if I know returning it won't be an issue if I want to later. If it's something I'm 100% sure about than I look for the cheapest price and don't worry about the return policy much, but for most things, I won't buy it at certain places due to their return policy, if I'm not 100% sure about it, which isn't often.