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Best Buy Scans Drivers License For Returns — No More Allowed For 90 Days
rullywowr writes "A customer with a defective Blu-Ray disc returns to the Best Buy store where he purchased it. After having his driver's license scanned into the system, he is now banned from returning/exchanging goods for 90 days. This is becoming one of the latest practices big-box stores are using to limit fraud and abuse of the return system — for example, the people who buy a giant TV before the big game and then return it on Monday. Opponents feel this return-limiting concept has this gone too far, including the harvesting of your personal data."
The guy did A LOT OF RETURN ACTIVITY:
Peel said he had several returns after Christmas, then a few other returns and exchanges — all with a receipt. That, apparently, was enough to put him on The Retail Equation's most-wanted list and Best Buy's no-returns-or-exchanges-for-90-days list.
The Retail Equation says its consumer profiles use frequency of returns, dollar amounts, whether a return-receipt was involved and purchase history. It does not use information on age, race, gender, nationality, marital status or whether the consumer is a Yankees or Red Sox fan.
That depends on the jurisdiction. My province has consumer laws that specifically require goods be sold in merchantable quality, and that defects be corrected by the seller within X days. If I buy a defective TV from Best Buy, they are 100% responsible for correcting the situation. This may be an exchange though, IIRC supporting refunds isn't mandatory.
Here's the returns policy found on their website:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Help-Topics/Returning-Online-Purchases/pcmcat260800050014.c?id=pcmcat260800050014
Returns Tracking
When you return or exchange an item in store, we require a valid photo ID. Some of the information from your ID may be stored in a secure database used to track returns and exchanges. Based on return/exchange patterns, some customers will be warned that subsequent purchases will not be eligible for returns or exchanges for 90 days. Customers who are warned or have been denied an exchange/return may request a copy of their Return Activity Report by calling 1-800-652-2331 or by mail at P.O. Box 51373, Irvine, CA 92619-1373. Please be prepared to provide your transaction ID, ID number, full name, address and phone number.
Valid forms of ID accepted are: US, Canadian or Mexican Driver's License, US State ID, Canadian Province ID, Matricula Consular, US Military ID, Passport, US Laser Visa, or US Permanent Resident Card.
It sounds like only certain customers will be subject to the 90 day policy, depending on their return history.
Most of the manufacturers that sell to big box retailers take the returns back from the retailers no questions asked, too. It's just the price of doing business with big retailers. It works out in the wash.
I first learned this when I was younger... I had a job at a factory owned by a popular carpet cleaner/vacuum/sweeper manufacturer. My job was to manage the returns from Canadian retailers. At first I was doing what I thought was right. They entrusted me to do a job. I had places on the forms I was given to reject the returns, and give a reason. Most of the time the units were just used and jam packed full of dirt, and the reason for the return was "doesn't work". Obviously, it did work. Anyway, the head office got on my ass (yes, the suit talked to me himself on the phone) and basically I wasn't reeaaallly supposed to do that unless they were just some joe blow appliance store. When it was a big retailer I was to just process the returns no questions asked and salvage what I could. Once I received them, they were mine to deal with... clean them up for sale as "seconds" or "reconditioned" or keep any useful parts. It was a big "whatever" to the company.
These big box retailers have a lot of clout and get treated differently than smaller stores. They don't need to give people a hard time about returns.