Complaint Review: Best Buy - Springfield Virginia

"2010 OfficeMac software"

There is no 2010 version of that software.

Unfortunately, due to the large amounts of piracy in this country, most retailers will not take back any kind of copyable media once it has left the store.
- Just about every store will allow the refund of Software/DVD/CD/Games if they are UNOPENED and as long as it falls within their return policy.  However, once it is opened they will only allow an exchange for the same title.

As for piracy.  A person who is going to "pirate" a DVD is not going to go through all the effort to return  the legitimate DVD/Software/ worth probably $50(or a couple hundred when it comes to software) ... when they have hundreds of pirated items worth thousands of dollars.  The legitimate DVD is probably going to just end up in the trash.

But this type of policy still allows a person who just doesn't want it to return it within their policy.  It also stops the regular person who is trying to just "rent" a movie by buying it, and after they are done trying to return it.  Not saying that there are some people who may not try this, but with the security features on the various products now, it is just not worth most peoples time.

Now you say returns cost you enough to where you could hire another employee.  I do not know of any laws that requires that you MUST accept returns.  But what ever your policy is, even if it is to not accept returns, you better have this policy well posted.  If you accept returns because it is more "friendly" then you have to accept this as a cost of doing business.  Out of curiosity what is the percentage of returns compared to your yearly sales, and how strict is your return policy?

Unfortunately, due to the large amounts of piracy in this country, most retailers will not take back any kind of copyable media once it has left the store. It falls along the lines of a few ruin it for all. The store doesn't know if you have copied the software and re-wrapped it. You can get machines that re-wrap cds, etc on the internet. Most stores will, however, exchange the software for the same item, that way if it is defective, you are not out, and if it is not, your not gaining anything from them by cheating them. Buying something at the store and taking it home when you don't need it is not an acceptable excuse to return something. It cost the store money for a customer to come into a store, take something, and then return it. A store is not a rent-a-center. I run a small retail business and I lose a lot of money because of this. Customers will buy an item, take it off the shelf so others can't purchase it (who plan to keep it), and I have to order more. Now I have returned yours because you took it and realized you "didn't need it" after I spent money to re-order the item, and now have more in stock than I need. I have sat down and figured out how much returns cost me in a year and have found that I could afford to employ another person if I didn't have the lowered cash flow from returns like this.

Its the ONLY retail store in recent years that will absolutely not bend their policy in the consumer's interest.
- You may be surprised that this is not the case.  Stores have a policy for a reason, and they tend to no longer "bend" away from that policy.  You sound like the type of person who thinks that the return policies are great...until they no longer work for you.

Now,  I am sure you say that you have had every other store "bend" their policies for you.  That may be true,  But then it is in fact people like you who are a primary reason stores are no longer bending and making exceptions.  Stores were tried of people making excuses as to why they are special.  After all you were gone MOST of the return period.  So are you saying that all policies should be "frozen in time" while you are out of town?   If they allow people who were out of town an extension, how about if your car was in the shop?  What if you just didn't have time?

Oh you are not worried about the time, but think they should give you an exception because of the amount of money you spent.  Okay so I guess your guideline for an exception is if someone spends at least $3500 they are allowed to return things after the return period.  Well what about the person who only spent $3000, or how about $300 why should you be treated any differently than you?

No ripoff here. best buy along with every other major retailer has a posted return policy. How is it a ripoff when these companies stick to their POSTED return policy. You knew that there was a 30 day return policy, and you chose to try and return it outside the period. It sounds like you were not even a day or too but quite a bit outside the policy if this item was purchased prior to the holidays.

I have a question for you: How many days past the posted return policy should a company accept returns? 1 day? 2 days? a week? a month? There has to be a reasonable time limit to returning product, best buy has decided that it is 30 days.

You ripped off yourself, best buy didn't force you to try and return merchandise outside the 30 day period.