When you return an item, sometimes a store charges a fee. So for example a $300 phone, they take $35 off your return, so you only get back $265 if you decide to return it.
When you return an item, sometimes a store charges a fee. So for example a $300 phone, they take $35 off your return, so you only get back $265 if you decide to return it.
Returns are not a right, no retailer is required to accept them. Most do it for a better shopping experience, people are more likely to spend if they know they can return.
You are protected from defective or dangerous products, but that’s through the manufacturer’s warranty. You are also protected from products that do not work as advertised. I think that’s a law in most countries.
But returns for other reasons like bad clothing fits or you just don’t like it are not legally protected for the most part. There are some exceptions but they’re specific.
So to say restocking fees are greedy is silly.
A return within 2 weeks is a right in the eu actually.
Only for online shopping I think.
No, I think that you have that right for every contract, that you enter (buying contract or otherwise). Though there are exceptions (for example digital goods like ebooks). Ypu can very much bring back a retail good that you bought in a store for 14 days after the purchase. Though I think they can refuse, if you damaged the product in that time.
For example I returned an item I bought in the tool store, because I realized I bought the wrong one.
For online shopping you can annul your order and they have to comply for pretty much everything, with a few exceptions and under a few caveats (such as unopened/original packaging, depending on the item in question)
Buying in-store you can likewise reurn most things, although you have to provide a reason (which the store may or may not accept), and is again subject to some caveats.
For example, for unperishable items you just have to provide the packaging. Foodstuffs must be unopened or have an obvious factory fault that wasn’t detectable without opening. Underwear is generally not accepted back due to sanitary reasons, but other garmets are, including shoes. Medicine from pharmacies isn’t accepted even sealed and unopened.
Of course, you must provide the original receipt, although scans/photos are accepted and some stores go so far as to look up the receipt by CC number.
Oh good point! So. it’s only a right online… weird.
Errm… Sorry to break it to you, but returns are most definitely a legal right in a good chunk of the world, just because they’re not in whatever backwards country you live does not make it a general rule.
That being said OP is likely from one such countries since he mentions restocking fees which would be illegal in any place that has decent consumer rights laws.
In Europe we are paying restocking fees, just not overtly. I have been in the ecommerce business, and know others who have. You just mark up the goods taking into account your returned goods cost.
It’s like physical stores adding a the spread cost of shoplifting into the prices.
You’re not paying a “fee”. Sure, someone is paying for it, but it isn’t a fee.
Returns are a right and a necessity. Just as you take broken, spoiled, lost (and as you said, stolen) goods into account and “mark up” others to make up those losses, you do the same thing for returns.
It’s a business expense that has to be covered by some means (larger margins). But that’s not a “fee”.
Ummm, they’re offering the return.