We have all had those times where something that we paid for just didn't do what it was suppose to do or broke within months of us getting it. It's frustrating and annoying but also a waste of money. How do you get what you want when things go wrong?
There is a right way and a very wrong way and if you know the insider secrets your complaint can easily and effectively be taken care of.
The first question you have to ask yourself is if your compliant is valid. Did you treat the purchase in the manner it was suppose to be used? Was it neglect that broke it? That means that if you have dropped the brand new remote 14 times and then the casing broke it's not the fault of the store, or if you decided to use the electric beater to mix paint and it got clogged up then you're out of luck. But if you bought a quality item and the first time you used it the product didn't do what it was suppose to or it broke, then you have every right to complain.
What you have to realize that there is no universal policy that states a store has to refund or replace anything that you bought from them. Every store has a different policy and you should find out what that policy is before you go to return an item. If you bought your item at a place that had a huge sign over the cash register that stated, "NO RETURNS NO REFUNDS" then you are out of luck. If they are a large chain store then most likely their return policies will be stated on their web sites, check their policies under their Customer Service or FAQs. What stores want more than anything else if you are going to return an item is the original receipt. They have every right to ask you for this as one of the biggest frauds that stores face is shoplifters trying to return items for cash. When they state it is policy to only accept return items that you have receipts for it is to protect themselves.
Stores will often have time lines that you can return items in, such as 90 days from purchase or 30 days if it is an electronic item. If you are a day or two over this time line and you complaint is valid many stores will refund you but if it is more than a week over the time line then you will probably have to deal with the manufacturer. Don't wait to return an item, do it as quickly as possible.
So your item broke/ripped/tore/fell apart the first time that you used it. You have checked the store website and you are in their return policy time line. Gather your receipt go to the store and......? Some stores will give you problems on returns and some will not. If you are a hesitant or tentative person then it would be best if you wrote down exactly what happened to the defective product so when you are asked then you can confidently tell them what the problem is.
When you are dealing with someone in customer service you have to remember that they are being paid to do a job, and it might not even be a job that they like. NEVER swear or use nasty language to the person serving you. As soon as you do that they have the right, and it probably is store policy, to have you removed from the store by security and maybe even bar you from the store forever. You want to state your problem and tell them what you want the solution to be. So you would tell them that you bought the item, it is not working, you want your money back. Be prepared to give them information like your name, phone number and address and if you paid on credit card, your card for refund. Some stores will only give you credit slips to be used in the store again instead of full refunds.
If the store does not think that your complaint is valid listen very carefully to what they are saying. I once stood behind a woman who was trying to return an electric item after her house had been struck by lightening. She did not understand that it was not the stores fault and that she should be dealing with her insurance company not the store and left the store screaming at the poor sales person.
If the person you are dealing with does not want to accept the return because they do not think that there is a problem when there is one, (such as "Well I don't think that it's broken because the gears jam and you have to take it apart to get it working again.....) then ask to speak to their supervisor and be prepared to wait. Some stores will deliberately try to make it very time consuming for you to return anything so you will think twice about doing it again. When speaking with the supervisor again clearly state the problem with the item and what you want the solution to be. If they also try to convince you that there is no problem with your item it might be because you are the 10th person returning it that week and they will be losing money on it because they can't return it to the manufacturer for what ever reason. Stay calm and repeat that the item does not work satisfactorily you want your money back and you are willing to talk to the store owner/manager. Most of the time they will be willing to back down at this point and will give you a refund or store credit but if they don't you have a choice of voicing a complaint to their head office or dealing with the manufacturer. At this point you need to ask for the names of the people that you have spoken to and start writing everything down. So you would find out the name of the clerk, note the day and write down the time you spoke to them and what their reply was, the name of their supervisor, the day, time you spoke to them and what their reply was and continue to do so with every person that you deal with.
If the store will not refund the item because the return time period has passed or they just don't think that you have a valid complaint then you will have to deal directly with the manufacturer. Before you contact the company search their name and the product on the web to see if other people have had similar problems. You want to find out in the case of electronic items if there is a regular problem with their item and if it might be on a recall list. If you do notice that the same problem keeps popping up, such a oven door not closing or hair dryers over heating, then make a note of it and when you contact the company by e-mail phone. Again you need to tell them when you bought the product and exactly what the fault of the item is and what you want the solution to be. Again, be prepared to wait, they do not want to make this easy for you. At this point most major manufactures will be willing to work with you especially if you state to them, "I went on line and saw that this is a common problem, is there going to be a recall?" Continue to ask for names and keep a record of when you spoke to them and what their reply was.
If you can not contact the manufacturer because they are overseas or they will not return your calls or e-mails then it might be time to ask advise from your local consumer protection agency. They might advise you that you have to do one more thing, such as send a registered letter, before they get involved with helping you.
Most retail stores are willing to work with you when you have a valid complaint but they are trying to protect themselves from unscrupulous people who through misuse or neglect damage their goods and then try to return them. If you have a valid complain and remain polite but firm, state what the problem is and what you want the resolution to be you will find making a return on a defective item easy.
Photography and Content
Copyright Ingrid Talpak 2010
Morestylethancash
What you have to realize that there is no universal policy that states a store has to refund or replace anything that you bought from them. Every store has a different policy and you should find out what that policy is before you go to return an item. If you bought your item at a place that had a huge sign over the cash register that stated, "NO RETURNS NO REFUNDS" then you are out of luck. If they are a large chain store then most likely their return policies will be stated on their web sites, check their policies under their Customer Service or FAQs. What stores want more than anything else if you are going to return an item is the original receipt. They have every right to ask you for this as one of the biggest frauds that stores face is shoplifters trying to return items for cash. When they state it is policy to only accept return items that you have receipts for it is to protect themselves.
Stores will often have time lines that you can return items in, such as 90 days from purchase or 30 days if it is an electronic item. If you are a day or two over this time line and you complaint is valid many stores will refund you but if it is more than a week over the time line then you will probably have to deal with the manufacturer. Don't wait to return an item, do it as quickly as possible.
So your item broke/ripped/tore/fell apart the first time that you used it. You have checked the store website and you are in their return policy time line. Gather your receipt go to the store and......? Some stores will give you problems on returns and some will not. If you are a hesitant or tentative person then it would be best if you wrote down exactly what happened to the defective product so when you are asked then you can confidently tell them what the problem is.
When you are dealing with someone in customer service you have to remember that they are being paid to do a job, and it might not even be a job that they like. NEVER swear or use nasty language to the person serving you. As soon as you do that they have the right, and it probably is store policy, to have you removed from the store by security and maybe even bar you from the store forever. You want to state your problem and tell them what you want the solution to be. So you would tell them that you bought the item, it is not working, you want your money back. Be prepared to give them information like your name, phone number and address and if you paid on credit card, your card for refund. Some stores will only give you credit slips to be used in the store again instead of full refunds.
If the store does not think that your complaint is valid listen very carefully to what they are saying. I once stood behind a woman who was trying to return an electric item after her house had been struck by lightening. She did not understand that it was not the stores fault and that she should be dealing with her insurance company not the store and left the store screaming at the poor sales person.
If the person you are dealing with does not want to accept the return because they do not think that there is a problem when there is one, (such as "Well I don't think that it's broken because the gears jam and you have to take it apart to get it working again.....) then ask to speak to their supervisor and be prepared to wait. Some stores will deliberately try to make it very time consuming for you to return anything so you will think twice about doing it again. When speaking with the supervisor again clearly state the problem with the item and what you want the solution to be. If they also try to convince you that there is no problem with your item it might be because you are the 10th person returning it that week and they will be losing money on it because they can't return it to the manufacturer for what ever reason. Stay calm and repeat that the item does not work satisfactorily you want your money back and you are willing to talk to the store owner/manager. Most of the time they will be willing to back down at this point and will give you a refund or store credit but if they don't you have a choice of voicing a complaint to their head office or dealing with the manufacturer. At this point you need to ask for the names of the people that you have spoken to and start writing everything down. So you would find out the name of the clerk, note the day and write down the time you spoke to them and what their reply was, the name of their supervisor, the day, time you spoke to them and what their reply was and continue to do so with every person that you deal with.
If the store will not refund the item because the return time period has passed or they just don't think that you have a valid complaint then you will have to deal directly with the manufacturer. Before you contact the company search their name and the product on the web to see if other people have had similar problems. You want to find out in the case of electronic items if there is a regular problem with their item and if it might be on a recall list. If you do notice that the same problem keeps popping up, such a oven door not closing or hair dryers over heating, then make a note of it and when you contact the company by e-mail phone. Again you need to tell them when you bought the product and exactly what the fault of the item is and what you want the solution to be. Again, be prepared to wait, they do not want to make this easy for you. At this point most major manufactures will be willing to work with you especially if you state to them, "I went on line and saw that this is a common problem, is there going to be a recall?" Continue to ask for names and keep a record of when you spoke to them and what their reply was.
If you can not contact the manufacturer because they are overseas or they will not return your calls or e-mails then it might be time to ask advise from your local consumer protection agency. They might advise you that you have to do one more thing, such as send a registered letter, before they get involved with helping you.
Most retail stores are willing to work with you when you have a valid complaint but they are trying to protect themselves from unscrupulous people who through misuse or neglect damage their goods and then try to return them. If you have a valid complain and remain polite but firm, state what the problem is and what you want the resolution to be you will find making a return on a defective item easy.
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Photography and Content
Copyright Ingrid Talpak 2010
Morestylethancash
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