Circuit City ripoff - restocking fee on defective items Chandler Arizona
Warning about Circuit City ripoff!
We purchased a digital camera from Circuit City as a Christmas present for our daughter. To our disappointment (and hers), the camera had multiple problems and defects. My sister had also purchased a digital camera made by the same manufacturer that had the same defects. Therefore, we did not wish to exchange the camera for one just like it. Since this Circuit City store did not have any digital cameras less than $200 in stock (out of stock after Christmas), we had to purchase the replacement camera elsewhere. However, when we went to return the defective camera to Circuit City, we were told we had to pay a 15% restocking fee for the defective camera. We were offered an exchange--for the exact same camera (which we knew wasn't even in stock because we had previously checked). This was out of the question since we knew it was a manufacturing defect and had lost consumer faith in that brand.
When we expressed our disbelief in such an unfair policy, the Circuit City employee told us the restocking fee policy was written on the back of the receipt and is posted at the customer service counter. None of this was disclosed to us BEFORE we purchased the camera, or we certainly would not have taken the gamble. Yes, after the fact, upon closer examination we learned that the back of the receipt reads:
"There is no restocking fee for defective product returned in exchange for the exact same product, or for product originally purchased as Open Box."
Obviously, since we had already done research on the camera and found that there were other manufacturing defects we did not wish to exchange for the EXACT SAME product. Furthermore, even if we had wished to, Circuit City didn't even have one in stock to exchange. We were going to be out of luck no matter what we did, and Circuit City was going to benefit. So we ended up taking a 15% loss on our refund, and went away very unhappy.
We will not shop at Circuit City again. Why take the risk?
Where is the accountability for manufacturers who produce substandard products? Why are consumers responsible to pay for the junk that is being mass-produced and marketed as being the best when it is actually junk? And why is Circuit City selling this merchandise and then not standing behind what they sell?
Circuit City has lost our business
Buyer Beware!!
Marty
Chandler, Arizona
U.S.A.
6 Updates & Rebuttals
Marlene
Chandler,Arizona,
U.S.A.
Consumers aren't Criminals!
#7Consumer Comment
Wed, January 11, 2006
Jason said: "We do restocking fees because people like to rent our products and then bring them back... we therefore lose money on that product, not saying that everyone does it... but its something we are safeguarding against"
But Jason, when someone is unlucky enough to buy a defective product, why should they be treated like those who, as you say, "like to rent"? In your efforts of "safeguarding against" this type of behavior, Circuit City is treating honest consumers as criminals, even those who have legitimate returns. With this policy (and mindset), there's absolutely no customer satisfaction. Who needs that? Not me!!
I also find it difficult to believe that stores don't get anything from manufacturers on returns. If that were so, how could any store stay in business with all of the poor quality junk that is being mass-produced? I don't buy it. There has to be a means of returning defective items, otherwise manufacturers would never know of problems in their merchandise.
Ben
Martinez,California,
U.S.A.
Jason your statement makes no sense...
#7Consumer Comment
Wed, January 11, 2006
Jason,
Your statment here shows you have no clue as to how a corporation functions.
"it goes back to the manufactuer and the corporation gets that money, and leaves the store out to dry"
Are Circuit City stores a franchise?.......NO!
Thus if the corporation gets the money....CIRCUIT CITY GETS THE MONEY. Circuit City IS the corporation. It owns ALL the stores. It has NOTHING to do with an individual store.
Your comment means nothing.
Jason
Crystal Lake,Illinois,
U.S.A.
sorry
#7UPDATE Employee
Wed, January 11, 2006
Well first off, sorry to tell you, my dear friend but not all of us look like scumbags, like myself, I do not like that either... I also have obscene amounts of product knowledge...
Also for our returns, the manufactuer does not reimburse the store... we lose money if its returned... it goes back to the manufactuer and the corporation gets that money, and leaves the store out to dry
We do restocking fees because people like to rent our products and then bring them back... we therefore lose money on that product, not saying that everyone does it... but its something we are safeguarding against
Dave
Jacksonville,Florida,
U.S.A.
WELL SAID MARLENE
#7Consumer Comment
Tue, January 10, 2006
Why charge a 15% restocking fee for something that is NOT GOING TO BE RE-STOCKED???? They are going to ship it back to the manufacturer as a defective item, and receive full credit!!!!! It's just another way to capitalize on the consumer. They know they have hundreds of returns a week, so, why not charge to return something?? That way, they can make an even bigger profit.
But will they hire people that acutally know the specifics of the product that they are trying to sell? No, of course not, because they only hire losers for minimum wage that have absolutely no product knowledge.
I went there to buy a high-end surround sound system, and the idiot that helped me couldn't even figure out how to turn on the stereo that was powering the speakers... A complete moron, that had no people skills, no technical skills, who looked and acted like he belonged on a street corner selling drugs, not stereos. Pierced ears, cheek, eyebrows, lip and probably in a few places I won't even think about. Nasty looking piece of human trash. And Circuit City hires these scumbags.
So, I no longer shop there, and never will. Plenty of other places to spend my money, that will treat me like a customer instead of a nuisance.
Marlene
Chandler,Arizona,
U.S.A.
Plenty of Fish in the Electronics/Shopping Sea
#7Consumer Comment
Tue, January 10, 2006
How is it customer satisfaction to FORCE someone to exchange an item for the same or similar item, OR ELSE pay a penalty on a refund? If a customer goes to a store to return a defective item (in its original packaging along with the original register receipt), the customer should be given the option of exchanging or receiving a FULL refund. Besides, at the time we requested the refund at Circuit City, we had already purchased another camera because we had already been out shopping for a replacement. Circuit City was one of the places we shopped and they had nothing left after Christmas that would suit us (as I mentioned previously, all of the cameras under $200 were sold out. And I highly doubt that Circuit City was willing to do an even-exchange for another camera worth over $100.00 more than what we paid. Yeah, right!
You suggest that the defective camera was probably a manufacturing problem. Yes, so where exactly should I have taken the defective camera back, if not to the place I purchased it, and why shouldn't that place refund my money to me and then return the defective product to the manufacturer for their own reimbursement?
You also suggest going to Best Buy or Ritz and checking out their return policies. I already know that Best Buy WILL give full refunds on defective items, regardless of their restocking fee on SOME (not all) items. Fry's Electronics gave me no problems whatsoever when I returned an item to them. Nevertheless, if it ever becomes the norm for all electronics stores to penalize customers 15% restocking fees on defective item returns, I'll just stick to Walmart or Costco who give customers no problems whatsoever on returns. There are plenty of other fish in the shopping sea. Who needs the hassle? Not me, especially when there are so many friendlier fish to choose from!!
If you ask me, Circuit City needs to stop punishing customers for trying to spend their hard-earned money in their store. Circuit City needs to look around and see that they are starting to smell pretty bad right now--like rotten fish! Time to fish elsewhere!
OMeSSiaHo
York,Pennsylvania,
U.S.A.
!!
#7UPDATE Employee
Tue, January 10, 2006
Do me a favour and go to your local Best Buy or Ritz camera and ask them what their return policy is. You'll see that it is the same as our store so no matter what you would be taking that "risk". Every camera/computer/TV/electronic product will have problems and every model will have issues. I bet if you do a little research you'll see something bad about the camera you just purchased.
If something was out of stock the store would cut you a deal on a more expensive camera. Because of our bad return policy you could have walked out that day with a more expensive camera that you didnt have to pay for.
Maybe you should have given the store a chance! =D