INDEX: Return Policy Store Fixtures

INDEX:
Return Policy Store Fixtures

Return Policy Store Fixtures

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This Return Policy Store Fixtures index page aggregates links
to all posts and photos of retail merchandising, display, and outfitting
as well as deep Background courtesy of Wikipedia.

BACKSTORY: In retail, a product return is the process of a customer taking previously purchased merchandise back to the retailer, and in turn receiving a refund in the original form of payment, exchange for another item (identical or different), or a store credit.

Many retailers will accept returns provided that the customer has a receipt as a proof of purchase, and that certain other conditions, which depend on the retailer’s policies, are met. These may include the merchandise being in a certain condition (usually resellable if not defective), no more than a certain amount of time having passed since the purchase, and sometimes that identification be provided (though usually only if a receipt is not provided). In some cases, only exchanges or store credit are offered, again usually only without a receipt, or after an initial refund period has passed.^[1] Some retailers charge a restocking fee for non-defective returned merchandise, but typically only if the packaginghas been opened.^[1]

While retailers are not usually required to accept returns, laws in many places require retailers to post their return policy in a place where it would be visible to the customer prior to purchase.^[2]

In certain countries, such as Australia, consumer rights dictate that under certain situations consumers have a right to demand a refund.^[3]These situations include sales that relied on false or misleading claims, defective goods, and undisclosed conditions of sale.

There are various reasons why customers may wish to return merchandise. These include a change of one’s mind (buyer’s remorse), quality of the merchandise, personal dissatisfaction, or a mistaken purchase of the wrong product. For clothing or other sized items, it may be a lack of a correct fit. Sometimes, there may be a product recall in which the manufacturer has requested (or been ordered) that the merchandise be brought back to the store. Also, gift receipts are offered sometimes when an item is purchased for another person, and the recipient can exchange this item for another item of comparable value, or for store credit, often on a gift card.^[4]

Some retailers have turned to a practice in which customers who return or exchange items excessively (beyond the guidelines set by a retailer) may be prevented from making a return or exchange with that particular company.

An agency called The Retail Equation (formerly The Return Exchange) collects data from participating retailers via a swipe of a driver’s license. The information found on the license is collected into a database, and other stores operated by that particular retail company can use this information to deny a return. This system can be used to prevent various problems, such as return fraud.^[4]^[5] These controversial practices of collecting information have been addressed by privacy rights advocates and spurned a movement for boycotting chains that collect consumers’ private information and allow third party sources to use it. The request of presenting a form of identification for returning products and collecting the information has stirred controversy, especially if the customer that purchased the product was a minor (under the age of 18). Immigrant rights groups have voiced serious concern over the practice since most illegal immigrants don’t have a state ID or a drivers license and this practice could potentially be used to discriminate against them.

Legislation exists in various parts of the world giving consumers the right to return goods in as-supplied condition for a full refund, within a set period of time, known as a cooling-off period (q.v.). Sometimes this legislation only applies to distance sales such as online (SOURCE: Wikipedia)

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