Restocking fee for machinery?

[J.R. Rutter]

I should clarify that so far, I have not been charged a restocking fee at all. The local counter guys have known me for close to 20 years, so it was no big deal to show up and return it. It was the corporate customer service people over the phone who wanted to do an RMA process and charge the $190. Maybe they will try to charge it to my card after the fact, but hopefully not.

I guess I started the thread because I got to work this morning after the return and got the VM from yesterday mentioning the 10% restocking fee. No harm, no foul at this point. It just surprised me.

This was a machine accessory that ended up being designed differently that I thought it would be based on a data sheet and catalog photography. If I give any more details, you will all know who the company is. :-) No point in bringing them up as it stands now. If they do charge me, you will hear about it.

[Peter Quinn]

What do you mean by critical dimension? Was it something that could reasonably be foreseen a necessary for the user to know?

Judging by your post I'm assuming there are large bits of cast iron and steel involved. I, for one, think its unreasonable for retailers to absorb the cost of every impulse buyer who decides he/she would rather have his/her $2000 than the machine theythey just bought. Not that you are one of these people, but rules aren't made to protect us from thoughtful, responsible folk.

I live I'm the area where Sandy just did a heap of damage. Before the storm all our local borgs posted a no returns on generators rule. This was necessary to protect themselves from profiteers who would blow there life savings buying up generators to sell after the storm withwith the idea that the store would just take back anything they couldn't sell.

I know plenty of guys in my field who would have no problem buying a large machine just to get one big job out the door, then return it. Its these guys who make the testy of us pay restocking fees and such.

My SIL works for a big box hardware chain, we are in North East. She has told me too many stories about shameless customers buying merchandise, using it, returning it for credit. Yard machines, power tools, you name it. Taking advantage of the stores liberal return policy. Yes, people will buy a snow blower, use it for some period, return it for refund. Sometimes turn around and buy a second one, return it later. Or buy a generator, use it for a week, return it. Need a deck, buy a miter box, return it when you are done! Its not just profiteers, its some portion of the public that feels entitled to use a store's CS policy as a free of charge rental center. So there are two reasons for those no return policy's.

Sandy largely missed us thankfully, but last year we got the Irene/Halloween Storm double whammy. I bought a generator and was given the stern "No returns" speech upon check out. I'm was LOL at the whole situation. House cold, natural disaster, several days without power, no generators anywhere, the Borg jumps through hoops to make them available quickly, and at a very reasonable price too IMO, and some people will actually take advantage of that, then try to return the device once the need is satisfied. Gross.

I can sort of see the restocking fee as a policy, but I can also see waving it for good customers. Hopefully thats what they have done. I really don't like buying tools I haven't seen in person and touched for just this reason. It might not be what you though, may be different in some critical way. I wish you could take machines for a test drive like cars. Most times you can't.

[Larry Frank]

I would not want to pay a restocking fee of that much. I think that they avoided the restocking fee because he is a good customer and carefully opened and re-closed the item.

I think that companies have to protect themselves from people who return things or packaging in poor condition.

I almost never will buy an open package item unless I am really certain what I am getting. If the packing tape has been previously opened then it is an open package in my opinion.

[Rick Fisher]

I am in the building supply business.. When BORG opened in our area, allegedly one of our contract sales guys wrote a quote for a half dozen circular saw at about $20.00 below cost so that the contractor could take it to BORG and have it beat by 10% ..

I got a call from upset BORG manager ..

Pretty funny, but not good policy..

[Ronald Blue]

It sounds like you are okay on the return. However as has been alluded to the unscrupulous cause us all to pay. I won't say I was recently burned by this because it worked out. But I for one think some retailers probably need to be more careful of open returns. I bought hardwood flooring and had it delivered for convenience. It was hickory which is a mixture of light and dark. All boxes but 4 out of 18 were still factory banded. It's rather ironic that the first of those that weren't sealed contained 100% all light colored hickory and I think was short a few boards. I did not open anymore of those and had 3 "full" boxes to return. At least they were full and complete if someone hadn't done the same trick. I am always leery of packaging that isn't "right". I am NOT accusing you of that. But most places including Best Buy can't sell as new if the packaging is open. That's why you can find open box specials at Best Buy. It sounds like all is well for you and that's great. You had a valid argument as well it sounds when it didn't meet your needs and the description didn't supply the information needed.

[John Coloccia]

I don't think a restocking fee is unreasonable if I just change my mind on an order. It costs money to take the order, crate it, uncrate the return, repackage it if necessary...that's a lot of time and money so it's reasonable to charge a bit for my own mistake.

Now, if it came to me damaged or substantially different than what I had ordered and I couldn't use it, they would take it back with no restocking fee. The alternative is I call my CC company, contest the charge, and if the dealer wants it back they can send someone to my house to pick it up if they'd like but I'm done with it. Once I have to pull the nuclear option, I'm not lifting another finger. I've only had to do that exactly once, I think. Most dealers are pretty reasonable.

[Steve Griffin]

Pay the restocking fee. It costs the rest of us every time someone thinks they deserve special treatment.

You bought the tool fully knowing that you had incomplete information and voluntarily took a risk that the product might not work for your space. Take responsibility for your choices.

[Matt Meiser]

No he didn't. He specifically said he found out after he opened it and that he pictures were misleading.

[Bob Wingard]

Put the charge in dispute with your credit card company ... they can't ADD a fee after the transaction has occurred without your permission !!!

If it IS their policy, and they goofed ... it's also their loss. Policy must me posted in a conspicuous manner ... BEST BUY gets away with printing it on the back side of your receipt in light blue ink, using about 6 point type. THAT tactic has been challenged and defeated. Better Business Bureau and your state consumer fraud dept. can be your friends in disputes such as this.

[John Coloccia]

I don't know if anyone noticed, but JR wasn't charged a restocking fee. Also, I don't think BB charges a restocking fee as far as I know. That may be an old policy.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

J.R.

Question?

Could you have examined one on the showroom floor prior to buying and bringing one home?

[Phil Thien]

JR, I agree that 10% under the circumstances would have been excessive. Glad you didn't have to pay anything.

Now if the vendors are smart, they will fix their sales literature so there is no doubt about the aspect that put you through this exercise.

[David Kumm]

J. R. is probably heard enough but keep in mind the manufacturer and the seller appear to be different parties here. Problem may have been caused by the mfgr but the seller is stuck just like J.R.. He is the one that likely bears the cost or lost revenue selling an opened package. Like much of life the people who cause the problems and the ones who pay are not the same. Dave

[J.R. Rutter]

J.R.

Question?

Could you have examined one on the showroom floor prior to buying and bringing one home?

They did not have a showroom model available.

[J.R. Rutter]

J. R. is probably heard enough but keep in mind the manufacturer and the seller appear to be different parties here. Problem may have been caused by the mfgr but the seller is stuck just like J.R.. He is the one that likely bears the cost or lost revenue selling an opened package. Like much of life the people who cause the problems and the ones who pay are not the same. Dave

Good point, David, but in this case the mfgr and seller are the same. So they also were the ones who did not do a very good job with the literature. For many people, the dimension that I needed probably would not be a big deal. But the way the product was designed differs from similar products in this one little area that ended up being the dealbreaker for my application. And I was using it for its intended purpose.