FurBurglar
Gawd
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2005
- Messages
- 513
I wasn't sure where this post should go but this seemed the most appropriate. I ordered several fans, a bolt through kit for my HSF and a couple clips that hold fans onto my HSF. One of the fans turned out to be defective (noisy, rattling sound) so I contacted svc about a return. They sent return instructions and an RMA number but said nothing about shipping. I inquired about shipping and got this response:
"Unfortunately sir its our store policy that we cannot provide return shipping, even for defective items. If you want to call me I am more than willing to explain to you our store policies and why they are in effect."
I was blown away. I have never dealt with a company that made the customer pay for return shipping for a defective item. Refund or exchange just because I changed my mind I fully expect to pay shipping. Since he offered his phone number and an explanation I figured I would check the return policy on their site. Here is what it had to say:
I received a defective product. Do I have to pay for shipping?
The customer is solely responsible for shipping a product back to SVC. The customer is responsible for all return shipping charges. Similar to a walk-in retail store, they will not send someone to pick up your product or reimburse you for any transportation costs. The customer also agrees to take responsibility for any lost packages sent back to SVC that are not insured. SVC will pay for shipping back to the customer for defective products. Small items can be shipped via First Class Mail, Priority Mail, or Parcel Post. Larger packages will usually cost less with UPS Ground.
Really? Their philosophy is to compare returning an item to a local retail store? I didn't call them up and beg them to ship me stuff. This would be similar to me going to Best Buy (this is only a scenario folks it would never actually happen...lol) purchasing a PC with the Geek Squad setup and having the computer die 2 days later. I return to Best Buy and they tell me that I will have to pay for the Geek Squad service again. Why should I have to pay for something that was directly caused by the defective product? Ridiculous.
Sorry for the long rant but I felt others should know what they might be getting themselves into with this company. Now I am left to decide whether it is worth it to me to spend $5 to exchange a $10 fan.
Edit (03/27/11): I have changed the thread title since I now understand this is standard policy pretty much everywhere. I have ordered TONS of items mail order (before internet) and through internet stores and have never run into this issue. I guess I was just very fortunate in the past that I have not had very many returns due to defect and the times I have return shipping was paid for by the seller. I can't say whether those times the company the company was going against their policy and throwing me a bone or their policy was to pay for return shipping. What I don't understand, and never will, is why we as end users have just accepted this as the status quo? Given the nature of this particular message board I would venture to say we are all above average intelligence here. Why would we choose to accept something that pretty much defies logic? We pay for a product, product arrives broken which causes a return situation. No we have to pay MORE (return shipping) to get the same product everyone else got for the standard price? I realize it's not directly the seller's fault the product is defective but it certainly isn't mine. I'm not buying from some cut rate outlet store or clearance center. I am paying a new price for a new, working product. I didn't request a defective product so why should I have to either A. Accept a defective product or B. Pay more to receive what I originally ordered. I know my ratio of trouble free orders to orders with issues is at least 100 to 1. Either I am the luckiest internet buyer alive or this ratio holds true for the e-tailer as well. With that being the case why do we allow them to force us to pay to correct the issue rather than force their suppliers who are the true cause for the issue? I understand that they are operating on small profit margins. Guess what, so am I and I bet most of the rest of you are too. However, they chose to own their own business rather than "work for the man". They chose to take their business to the internet to tap a limitless customer base as opposed to their local community. If they had not created the internet store I would be forced to buy from a local retailer and there would not be shipping involved. That being said, do I think they should have to eat the cost of the return shipping? No. Why should they? They didn't order a defective product either. I think they should hold their supplier accountable and wouldn't be surprised if in a lot of cases they do receive shipping credits and just pocket that as additional profit. I am not speaking directly of SVC here, I am talking about internet stores as a whole.
I hope I have clarified what my original complaint was. It was directed at SVC because they were the ones that brought this whole issue to light. I have had several orders with them that have been flawless....accurate orders shipped quickly with no defective products. Unfortunately for them and me they had to be the ones to introduce me to this seemingly widespread concept of "let the customer eat it". Basically what I think it boils down to is it is easier to just tell the customer they have to pay to ship it back rather than hold the supplier responsible. So again, why choose to accept it?
Cliffs:
Ordered product
Received defective product
Told I had to pay return shipping
Said WTF?
Came here and was educated to the fact this is SOP for e-tailers
Posed the question "Why do we accept this?"
"Unfortunately sir its our store policy that we cannot provide return shipping, even for defective items. If you want to call me I am more than willing to explain to you our store policies and why they are in effect."
I was blown away. I have never dealt with a company that made the customer pay for return shipping for a defective item. Refund or exchange just because I changed my mind I fully expect to pay shipping. Since he offered his phone number and an explanation I figured I would check the return policy on their site. Here is what it had to say:
I received a defective product. Do I have to pay for shipping?
The customer is solely responsible for shipping a product back to SVC. The customer is responsible for all return shipping charges. Similar to a walk-in retail store, they will not send someone to pick up your product or reimburse you for any transportation costs. The customer also agrees to take responsibility for any lost packages sent back to SVC that are not insured. SVC will pay for shipping back to the customer for defective products. Small items can be shipped via First Class Mail, Priority Mail, or Parcel Post. Larger packages will usually cost less with UPS Ground.
Really? Their philosophy is to compare returning an item to a local retail store? I didn't call them up and beg them to ship me stuff. This would be similar to me going to Best Buy (this is only a scenario folks it would never actually happen...lol) purchasing a PC with the Geek Squad setup and having the computer die 2 days later. I return to Best Buy and they tell me that I will have to pay for the Geek Squad service again. Why should I have to pay for something that was directly caused by the defective product? Ridiculous.
Sorry for the long rant but I felt others should know what they might be getting themselves into with this company. Now I am left to decide whether it is worth it to me to spend $5 to exchange a $10 fan.
Edit (03/27/11): I have changed the thread title since I now understand this is standard policy pretty much everywhere. I have ordered TONS of items mail order (before internet) and through internet stores and have never run into this issue. I guess I was just very fortunate in the past that I have not had very many returns due to defect and the times I have return shipping was paid for by the seller. I can't say whether those times the company the company was going against their policy and throwing me a bone or their policy was to pay for return shipping. What I don't understand, and never will, is why we as end users have just accepted this as the status quo? Given the nature of this particular message board I would venture to say we are all above average intelligence here. Why would we choose to accept something that pretty much defies logic? We pay for a product, product arrives broken which causes a return situation. No we have to pay MORE (return shipping) to get the same product everyone else got for the standard price? I realize it's not directly the seller's fault the product is defective but it certainly isn't mine. I'm not buying from some cut rate outlet store or clearance center. I am paying a new price for a new, working product. I didn't request a defective product so why should I have to either A. Accept a defective product or B. Pay more to receive what I originally ordered. I know my ratio of trouble free orders to orders with issues is at least 100 to 1. Either I am the luckiest internet buyer alive or this ratio holds true for the e-tailer as well. With that being the case why do we allow them to force us to pay to correct the issue rather than force their suppliers who are the true cause for the issue? I understand that they are operating on small profit margins. Guess what, so am I and I bet most of the rest of you are too. However, they chose to own their own business rather than "work for the man". They chose to take their business to the internet to tap a limitless customer base as opposed to their local community. If they had not created the internet store I would be forced to buy from a local retailer and there would not be shipping involved. That being said, do I think they should have to eat the cost of the return shipping? No. Why should they? They didn't order a defective product either. I think they should hold their supplier accountable and wouldn't be surprised if in a lot of cases they do receive shipping credits and just pocket that as additional profit. I am not speaking directly of SVC here, I am talking about internet stores as a whole.
I hope I have clarified what my original complaint was. It was directed at SVC because they were the ones that brought this whole issue to light. I have had several orders with them that have been flawless....accurate orders shipped quickly with no defective products. Unfortunately for them and me they had to be the ones to introduce me to this seemingly widespread concept of "let the customer eat it". Basically what I think it boils down to is it is easier to just tell the customer they have to pay to ship it back rather than hold the supplier responsible. So again, why choose to accept it?
Cliffs:
Ordered product
Received defective product
Told I had to pay return shipping
Said WTF?
Came here and was educated to the fact this is SOP for e-tailers
Posed the question "Why do we accept this?"
Last edited: