I bought this very model of bookshelf stereo system a couple of weeks ago at Big Lots for $32.
The stereo system went tits up a couple of days ago. It powers on, then powers itself off after about 30 seconds. My bad, but I let the receipt get away from me.
I stop by Big Lots today and read their prominently posted return policy – nuttin’ doin’ without a receipt. I explain my situation to the clerk and tell her I’d be happy to exchange it. I’m not after a refund. Quoth she, “Nuttin’ doin’ without a receipt.”
I have the original box, all the original packaging, the manual, everything. I am inclined to pack it up, take it back to the store and ask to speak to a manager. I would say to the manager, “Look, I understand your policy about receipts. And I completely admit fault in having thrown the receipt away. I am a regular and devoted customer of this Big Lots, and I’ve never had a problem with anything I’ve bought here, which is why I got a little careless with the receipt. I have everything boxed up in its original packing material, right down to the box with the Big Lots price tag. I would be very grateful if you would allow me to exchange defective stereo for another one.”
(FWIW, the mfr. warranty requires a sales receipt, too. I think my chances are better with my local Big Lots than the manufacturer.)
Has anyone had any tried something like this and been successful?
Did you pay cash? If so, you are SOL. If you paid by credit card, does your card have a warranty provision?
FWIW, anything I don’t care about, like groceries, I pay cash. Otherwise, I use a credit card. I never use a debit card, except to draw cash from my bank’s ATM.
I would do exactly what you have outlined—Be polite, and let them know you understand its unusual, but you are a regular customer and you only want a replacement, not a refund…
Of course if you used a credit card, bring your statement to prove your purchace, but either way I would bet they will take care of you. In times like these, they will want to keep a loyal customer happy.
Its entire business model is in selling overstocked, broken, or unwanted items. It is to merchandise as trailer parks are to humans. I’d be surprised if you could return something new, in box, with receipt, 5 seconds after you purchased it.
That’s pretty much it. Big Lots is just overstocks, discontinued items, and crap from China that they buy for a dime and sell for a dollar. They compete on price, not quality, and certainly not on customer service. Oh, you can TRY to return something, but without jumping through every single hoop, I’d be very surprised if you get satisfaction.
This isn’t to say that you can’t get a good deal at Big Lots. If you know what you’re buying, and what the original retail price was, and what it’s worth now, and what it’s worth to YOU now, you can come out ahead. But it’s not really a quality store, and I don’t expect to find quality goods at one.
FWIW, my store won’t accept a return without a receipt because the manufacturer will not accept a return without a receipt. We don’t like getting stuck with faulty goods that we can neither resell nor return to the manufacturer for a credit.
If people pay by credit card, we get them to look up the exact date and amount of the transaction on their statement and then we go back through our system to match it up and produce a duplicate of the receipt, which we can then use to process their refund.
I know we’re not supposed to exploit loopholes and show how to cheat the system on these boards but this is the best way to go and doesn’t really cheat anyone.
If you ask the manager to exchange without a receipt he has to do some type of override at the register, it shows up on a report somewhere, his boss asks him why he’s breaking rules. PITA.
Buy a new one, return the broke one with the new receipt. He doesn’t have to break any rules and everyone is happy.
As long as Big Lots has a policy of actually refunding, in this situation (I’ve never shopped at one so I have no clue what their policies are). Otherwise, they might say “we have one in stock, we’ll gladly exchange that for you”… in which case the OP now owns two of the stereos, and is out the cost of same.
If they’ll do a refund, then this is an excellent and workable answer.
You might finesse the situation by sending someone else in to do it for you. I.e. if they see you always coming in asking about stereos and/or refunds someone may put two and two together.
@Hampshire: Yeah, I don’t think it’s really “cheating the system” if OP did buy it there in the first place?
According to the ACCC you have a right to a refund provided you have proof of purchase, they list bank statements as constituting proof of purchase. So even if you weren’t able to reproduce a receipt for the customer you’d still be obliged to take the product back regardless of the manufacturers requirements.