[5]Below is a consumer alert that has gone viral and has been confirmed by Snopes (read here [6]): Please read and be advised during your shopping:
BEST BUY ALERT:
If you purchase something from Wal-Mart, Sears, etc. And you return the item with the receipt, they will give you your money back if you paid cash, or credit your account if paid by plastic. Well, I purchased a GPS for my car: a Tom Tom XL.S from ‘Best Buy’. They have a policy that it must be returned within 14 days for a refund!
So after 4 days I returned it in the original box with all the items in the box, with paper work and cords all wrapped in the plastic.. Just as I received it, including the receipt.
I explained to the lady at the return desk I did not like the way it couldn’t find stored names..
The lady at the refund desk said, there is a 15% restock fee, for items returned. I said no one told me that. I asked how much would that be. She said it goes by the price of the item. It will be $45 for you. I said, all you’re going to do is walk over and place it back on the shelf then charge me $45 of my money for restocking? She said that’s the store policy. I said if more people were aware of it they would not buy anything here! If I bought a $2000 computer or TV and returned it I would be charged $300 restock fee? She said yes. 15%.
I said OK, just give me my money minus the restock fee.
She said, since the item is over $200 dollars, she can’t give me my money back!
Corporate has to and they will mail you a check in 7 to ten days.! I said ‘WHAT?’
It’s my money! I paid in cash! I want to buy a different brand.. Now I have to wait 7 to 10 days. She said well, our policy is on the back of your receipt.
I said, do you read the front or back of your receipt? She said well, the front! I said so do I. I want to talk to the Manager!
So the manager comes over, I explained everything to him, and he said, well, sir they should have told you about the policy when you got the item. I said, no one has ever told me about the check refund or restock fee when I bought items from computers to TVs from Best Buy. The only thing they ever discussed was the worthless extended warranty program. He said, well, I can give you corporate phone number.
I called corporate. The guy said, well, I’m not supposed to do this but I can give you a 45 dollar gift card and you can use it at Best Buy.
I told him if I bought something and returned it, you would charge me a restock fee on the item and then send me a check for the remaining 3 dollars.
You can keep your gift card, I’m never shopping in Best Buy ever again, and if I’d been smart, I would have charged the whole thing on my credit card! Then I would have canceled the transaction.
I would have gotten all my money back including your stupid fees! He didn’t say a word!
I informed him that I was going to e-mail my friends and give them a heads-up on the store’s policy, as they don’t tell you about all the little caveats.
So please pass this on. It may save your friends from having a bad experience of shopping at Best Buy
It’s true! Read it for yourself!!
Best Buys return policy