As with any policy, there will always be someone who figures out how to abuse it, or circumvent it.
I saw a woman try to retun a 1/2 dead flat of annuals. It was very early in the season and we had a frost. She had planted them and dug them back up post-mortum.
They wouldn't allow the return, because the flat was sold as a flat, not the few individual plants she wanted credit for. I was glad HD stuck to their guns, but, if I were a lawyer, I'd claim they did at the time, have banners all over proclaiming "Satisfaction Guranteed or your money back." No conditions, no "*" followed by fine print.
Taken to the letter, if I were to purchase a lawn mower and become dissatisfied
3 years into use, i *should* be able to return it, no?
It's very true that no matter how many restrictions you put on your return policy, eventually someone will find ways to abuse it. The trick is to find a policy that you can use as a selling point, without loosing more than you're gaining with it.
A certain technology company offers paid support at $xx an incident, or you can buy annual contracts for $xxx-$xxx, depending on how much you want covered. The per-incident charge can't be reversed if they fix the problem, but they provide a 30-day full refund for the annual contracts, even if you've made a call to tech support every day.
There are lots of advantages to the 30-day return policy. Most people who call weren't even aware that these programs were available, and haven't had a chance to evaluate whether the price is worth it. But they have an immediate problem they need solved. The return policy gives them the chance to make what could be considered an impulse buy, but they now get a 30-day cooling-off period.
Of course you already know what happens. People call in and buy annual contracts to avoid paying an charge for the single incident.
When the company rolled-out the return policy, they knew some people would do that. The policy wasn't created by idiots. But the numbers they ran said that the additional sales of annual contracts they could make because of the policy outweighed the amount of revenue lost to people who find the loophole.
Retail stores that have the "no questions asked" return policies know that they're going to spend more giving money to people who should have been asked to justify their returns, but they believe that they are making additional sales because of the policy.
This is especially good for hardware items. Some people will still return that extra nut and bolt they grabbed, but many people won't. And, more importantly, given the choice of going someplace that'll take back the excess bought, and someplace that all sales are final, people will go to the place with the better return policy -- especially people like contractors who can be repeat customers.
People returning using and ladders could be a problem. The guy who cleans out his gutters, and brings it back is a sale lost. But the guy who bought a 14' ladder, got home, got the job halfway done, and realized he needed an 18' ladder instead is different. A store credit, allowing the guy to buy that 18' ladder, might be a good solution, but what if the store doesn't have 18' ladders? Who's going to decide which customer has a valid reason for returning something, and which doesn't? What criteria will they use? How much will it cost to train people to apply the standards fairly and consistently? How many sales will be lost because potential customers won't buy because the return policy isn't liberal enough? How many customers will walk out the door scared away by an angry customer complaining (loudly) that the store won't take a return?
Sometimes the bottom line is served best by having an outrageously liberal return policy that is obviously abusable. Sometimes the bottom line is served best with a "no returns" policy. The bigger the company, the more they've likely pondered the return policy, and it's big-picture effects. And it is the big picture that counts whether you're Sears, Home Depot, or Joe's Dollar Store. You can't focus on that guy who just left the store with a refund he didn't deserve.
Good point. I'd love to chat, but I need to run to HD and buy a conduit bending tool for a once in a lifetime outdoor electrical wiring project. Sure hope it's not the wrong color or I'll have to return it. :)
Seriously, I understand your point. I guess that HD and others have evaluated their policy and decided its just too darned liberal.
The blame is squarely on the shoulders of those who abuse the liberal policy, not those who are forced to rescind it because of jerks.
There is another consideration. All product in HD is placed there on consignment by the manufacturers. Returns do not hurt HD's bottom line, they affect the manufacturers who supplied and bankrolled the product. I suspect that quite a few are bitching. Worked for one who was placing product from Canada, heard all about, had to design packaging for a situation where people need to touch the stuff, but we don't want too many opened.
Costco indulges in similar practices.
Shirley Hicks Toronto, Ontaro "A liberal is a conservative who's been through treatment."
Why is it peculiar? The OP made a point of stating that Mr. Banks is Republican and supports Republican politicians, and therefor gardeners (this IS a gardening forum, is it not?) should not shop at HD.
It was a statement of fact (albeit incorrect),not an opinion.
Statements of fact don't start with a disclaimer about hearing something second-hand from a friend The reason that your assumption is wrong is that nowhere did the OP say that if you were a liberal you shouldn't shop at HD. He/She only pointed out that you should consider the possibility that HD is a source of RNC funding and act accordingly - and only then if politics permeates your life. I'm sure that there will be a significant number of Republicans who don't vote for Bush this year. Some will simply stay home, others will leave the box for president blank, and still others will vote for another candidate. The Republican party has deviated away from reasonable conservative values into the land of NEO-conservatism, AKA, fascism. Not wanting to support Bush is not proof that your aren't conservative. In fact, it doesn't look like Nancy Reagan supports Bush and I sincerely doubt that a true conservative like Barry Goldwater would wipe his ass with the likes of Bush.
Now if you're insinuating that _I'm_ being narrow-minded and/or bigoted, then your "Pot, Kettle, Black" comment makes some degree of sense.
My point, however, is that Liberals have a penchant for calling Conservatives narrow-minded and bigoted (among other things) and yet Liberals are not only capable of having such mind-sets, but are actually more prone to it.
Liberals, however, deny (based on moral superiority) that they can even have such thoughts/motives.
Their actions, however, speak louder than their words.
get free agent. click on message, filters, kill filter and the whole thread goes away. simple. Ingrid
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Being one of those mean rich conservatives myself, I'd be more inclined to shop at HD if I really believed the initial premise that HD supports the Republican party. However, most big businesses butter both sides of the bread to help ensure their future regardless of who is in power; big bucks from HD have probably made it into the hands of the Dems too, it just may be hard to trace. I'm fairly confident Lowes does this too (no facts, just presumption on my part).
If one wishes to choose a store based on reasons other than price, quality, and selection of merchandise at each store (since the box stores are pretty similar in most aspects), I'd suggest a more positive approach. Reward the stores that help your community the most, and be very vocal about it so the store managers know why you're shopping there.
For example, although Wal-Mart has become a China-product outlet mall, the stores usually really make an effort to improve the communities they're in (I know, blanket statement that will have plenty of bad examples; but there are still plenty of parks and playgrounds that wouldn't exist if it weren't for organized Wal-Mart employees volunteering and putting out a lot of hard work). I know Lowes has received many non-monetary honorary awards for their hiring practices. Although Lowes doesn't have an official policy of hiring the disabled or handicapped, it seems they're far more likely than most businesses to hire those people who are often discriminated against elsewhere. I like that, so I lean toward shopping at Lowes, because I think they're doing the right thing by helping those who have a hard time getting hired anywhere. Lowes managers have said it's strictly good business on their part (less employee turnover saves bundles on training losses, happier stores bring return customers, etc.), but I say good on 'em for a history of good hiring moves and being decent human beings. Plus, unlike other companies that hire the disabled but then keep them hidden from the customers like they're hiding a disease, Lowes just mixes the disabled in with everyone else and doesn't try to hide them--they're just regular employees like everyone else. To some people with mental disabilities the whole concept of being treated the same as everyone else, being considered just an average American by others, can often seem beyond their reach; but Lowes has repeatedly proven it's not. (Search for the DC Melwood clinic article about Lowes if you doubt my words).
So from this crusty, mean-spirited, rich, grouchy, middle-aged male capitalist pig (never wore Birkenstocks in my life, probably never will; only hug a tree when I'm climbing into my deer stand; go ahead and stereotype me as you will), thank you Lowes and Wal-Marts of the world for trying to do the right thing while still making a buck and surviving the capitalist marketplace.
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