Return without Receipt?

[mickeyfan2]

This reminds me of a funny story when I was a teen working at the discount mall store service desk.

We did allow returns without receipts but you got the lowest price back only. One day a lady walked up and wanted to return a shirt. She did not have a receipt but insisted she bought it at our store. I told her that it did not come from our store so I could not return it. She kept insisting, so I showed her the J.C Penney price tag hanging from it. She said oh and left since we were not J.C. Penney.

 

[noodleknitter]

Walmart will make the money back when they sell it so no harm, no foul.

OK, I admit to hating story problems, but how will Walmart make a profit on an item such as this?

 

[drgnfly30]

OK, I admit to hating story problems, but how will Walmart make a profit on an item such as this?

Because while at Walmart not only did I purchase that returned item but $100 worth of other goods...

Enough of the debating... sheesh....

 

[Hannathy]

Walmart will not make money! They will at best break even I don't understand how that is hard to understand. They give you 100 then sell it to someone else for 100 or 100-100= 0. They will actually lose money because they have to pay that person who did your return and then the person selling it etc. I have returned with out a receipt but only to the store that I bought it at. I agree this is why stores aren't taking returns any more.

 

[mandysbus]

Here's your straight answer....If they sell them at walmart, return it to walmart. You will get store credit on a giftcard. I had this problem the other week. An item I had bought DS for xmas, he ended up getting the same from someone else for his bday. I bought it at toysrus but lost the slip. they would not let me exchange it or anything and well, money is tight here and I was one gift less so I took it back to walmart and got something else for DS. Hey, I'm not proud...thats how it goes sometimes.

I don't see what everyone is in a huff over, you are not walking away with the cash...they get the item to resell and you get a giftcard that you must spend at that store anyway. Besides, I thought walmart had all these bad points against them (bad working conditions, taking over an area and putting lots of smaller store out of business...). I've seen walmart taking returns on items that they don't even carry (ex. the other week we bought a Lego Mindstorm set there that they had marked $100 that someone must have returned...toysrus and other stores sell these for $250). Most of the stuff they sell they make little to nothing on, they are just doing it as such a high level. A lot of times they loose money on stuff that is not a fast seller, they sell it at a loss to get something else on the shelf that may be more popular.

oh yea, Flame away

 

[bartleby1]

Walmart will not make money! They will at best break even I don't understand how that is hard to understand. They give you 100 then sell it to someone else for 100 or 100-100= 0. They will actually lose money because they have to pay that person who did your return and then the person selling it etc. I have returned with out a receipt but only to the store that I bought it at. I agree this is why stores aren't taking returns any more.

I completely understand what you are saying, but I am curious about if they give you a store credit instead of cash back. I'm thinking, that if they are giving you a store credit of $100, then they aren't really giving you $100 out of their pocket because when you spend that $100 in their store, they are receiving the profit of whatever you are spending it on. Am I thinking right on this? My brain is kind of fried after a full day of shopping with my kids, lol! Also, I'm sure that just like gift cards, a certain percentage of store credits are never redeemed. In that case, the store would definitely make a profit. I certainly can understand the store not making out on a cash back deal, but unless I'm not thinking logically (which is entirely possible, lol!), it seems that they would make a small profit on giving store credit, besides the benefits of making a customer happy. I know that TRU has lost much of my business due to their poor customer service and new policy of no returns without a receipt.

 

[tycopj]

I would try Walmart. I have returned items there, not knowing where they were purchased. When a gift is duplicated, I would rather exchange it than try selling it on Ebay. I'm sure the person that gave the gift would like you to get something else of the same value.

So, when no receipt is available, or the original store is not close by, I don't see anything wrong with trying to exchange it. Especially when Walmart will allow it. It is their policy, if they were losing money, they would/will change their policy. Until then, go ahead and return/exchange.

 

[summerrluvv]

My Walmart doesn't take returns without a receipt.

Also, someone posted about a restocking fee. I was under the impression that the OP bought the item for a gift, changed her mind and that's why she is returning it. Restocking fees only apply to open items.

I don't see how returning it wherever it will be accepted for a return is any different than your kid getting a duplicate toy for xmas or bday and you returning it to Toys R Us or the like for something else. You have no idea where the gift giver bought it at so therefore you have no idea where to return it to. I know my son has received numerous duplicates and I don't at all feel bad about returning it to Toys R Us or the like, eventhough it may have been purchased at Target, etc.

 

[Mono~rail]

Wal-Mart will let you make three returns without receipts in a 12 month period. I'm not sure if that means 3 items or 3 groups of items. But to answer the OP's question - WM will accept up to three receiptless returns in a 12 month period.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I completely understand what you are saying, but I am curious about if they give you a store credit instead of cash back.

No store is going to give you cash back without a receipt. And only if you paid cash in the first place and it isn't too high an amount. Some stores make you wait while they mail you a check back for a cash purchase return.

 

[carmie3377]

I bought it at toysrus but lost the slip. they would not let me exchange it or anything and well, money is tight here and I was one gift less so I took it back to walmart and got something else for DS. Hey, I'm not proud...thats how it goes sometimes.

Similar thing happened here. I bought a video baby monitor at TRU. Never used, it sat in the corner of my baby's room for six months unopened. It was past the 45 day deadline at TRU but my son needed a new carseat. I took the item to Target, got the same credit I paid for it, and purchased a car seat.

Now, say Target pd 45.00 for the car seat (from manufactuer) and 100.00 for the video monitor (from me ). They sold the car seat to me for 100.00 and the monitor to someone else for 100.00. They net 55.00 just like they would have only involving the car seat. I did not profit because I paid the same price as I received credit for.

Is it right, probably not, but it's not like I (or anyone else on here) stole the merchandise being returned. And what if it was a gift? How do you know if you're actually returning to the store it was purchased at?

 

[1-AlterEgo]

I won't comment on that specific situation, but I can't even return something to target, that was purchased at target....I got a candle set as a secret santa gift and it is obviously from target because it has their logo on it....but I don't need any more candles, and they will only let me exhange for another item from the candle department.....

They had told me in the past you only get two non reciept returns per year and they can not be over $25.00. I don't like them for that. Just give out a gift card so we have to spend the money in that store.

 

[Sunshineanddaisys]

I know, I wouldn't have had a problem if they gave me a GC, i just don't need any more freaking candles....

 

[GalDisney]

Without a receipt, espcially being an electronic item, i doubt any store will accept it.

 

[plummer925]

Okay - ethical dilema aside.

I attempted to return an air matress pump to WalMart that I didn't buy there - I truly thought I had bought it there (as it was where I normally shopped) but it turned out I had bought it at Ames (before they closed) (this was a few years ago...lol). How did Walmart know I didn't buy it there? Because they have special UPC symbols on some products.

IF you were going to return to Walmart (or another store) after Christmas, make sure to investigate that they actually sell that EXACT product with that EXACT UPC first!

Oh - and no, Walmart didn't take the pump back - I was quite embarrased by it...

 

[disneychrista]

Do IPOD's have serial numbers? If so it is possilbe that Walmart (or any other store) will know that it is not from there and refuse return. Even if they have the same UPC code.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

Do IPOD's have serial numbers?

That is what I was thinking - like I know when you buy a gameboy, I think they scan a number that is particular to that particular unit.

I don't know, it is worth a try. This time of year Wal Mart is used to people returning items that they aren't sure where exactly they were purchased. The worst they could do is say no.

 

[jeankeri]

I would say try returning it after Christmas, but check out the department first to make sure the packaging is the same. I got my DS the super huge roboraptor for Christmas last year, had to look like crazy online, and come Christmas morning the thing did not work!!! Returned it to BB for a store credit.

 

[M 'n C]

Do IPOD's have serial numbers? If so it is possilbe that Walmart (or any other store) will know that it is not from there and refuse return. Even if they have the same UPC code.

I think walmart can tell by serial codes. That is why when people's ps2 or xbox breaks they go to walmart and buy a new one and then switch out the serial number stickers (I think they use to be stickers at one time) and then go back and return the broke one with the new serial. I would assume ipods have serial numbers since most electronics do.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Sometimes things you buy in the Caribbean might be gray (grey) market purchases. I bought a Seiko watch several years ago in the Bahamas. It broke after a few years and I wanted to get it fixed. The jeweler I brought it to for repair said that gray (grey) market products are not the same as the original item. Not black market, but not that bad.

Your IPod might be a gray (grey) market IPod and not the same as sold in the US stores.