# Dear Customer, we get many customers weekly who think their situation warrents us eating $20 to $100 **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 31, 2013, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630 "2013-08-31T02:23:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/121 "2013-09-06T14:13:04Z")
> [@April\_R](#): > > If the store does have to take back an item, they will generally write it off as a loss. The store does not have the authority or the means to issue a product back to the customer in exchange for the warranty product. The store can choose to give the customer a credit or exchange for a similar item, but then the store will be taking an additional loss because it would be literally giving away free stuff. That is not necessarily true. I was in retail optical for 15 years. The manufacturer’s warranty on optical goods is strictly between the supplier and the retailer. The end customer CANNOT deal directly with the manufacturer, if they try they will be instructed to go back to the retailer. Any warranty to the end customer is between the retailer and the customer. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/122 "2013-09-06T14:13:55Z")
> [@NotBob13](#): > > At the Pizza place where I deliver, we take 10-20 pizzas to a nearby school every day that they are in session. They have a sandard tip of about twenty cents per pie. we delivery folk are payed via excess milage payment, and the school settles their account every couple of weeks, including our tips. Your university may have had a similar arrangement, and handled everything via the invoice. That was my guess too; I figured that above a certain number of pizzas, they just put a standard tip onto the bill, much like restaurants do, and therefore the tip was being paid as part of the invoice. ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/123 "2013-09-06T14:51:30Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > That is not necessarily true. I was in retail optical for 15 years. The manufacturer’s warranty on optical goods is strictly between the supplier and the retailer. The end customer CANNOT deal directly with the manufacturer, if they try they will be instructed to go back to the retailer. Any warranty to the end customer is between the retailer and the customer. At the VA Canteen we generally worked as a third party provider for electronics, clothing, and household items, and any warranty was either the manufacturer’s limited warranty or one purchased as an additional warranty by the customer and as an agreement between them and the manufacturer. If a product was shipped to us defective we could return it to the manufacturer in exchange for a working product of the same or similar type. We did not have any “Geek Squad” or enough on hand product to do any type of in-store warranty or return policy. [Even Best Buy has a limited in-store ability when electronics crap out.](http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Returns-Refunds/Return-%26-Exchange-Policy/pcmcat260800050014.c?id=pcmcat260800050014) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/124 "2013-09-06T15:40:44Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > That is not necessarily true. I was in retail optical for 15 years. The manufacturer’s warranty on optical goods is strictly between the supplier and the retailer. The end customer CANNOT deal directly with the manufacturer, if they try they will be instructed to go back to the retailer. Any warranty to the end customer is between the retailer and the customer. Correct, quite a few retailers have such a deal with several of their suppliers. It’s just good business. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/125 "2013-09-06T15:44:33Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Correct, quite a few retailers have such a deal with several of their suppliers. It’s just good business. The bad thing about that is the retailer has no obligation to pass the warranty on to the customers. It wasn’t unheard of for some shops to charge extra for a warranty package or “breakage insurance”, effectively charging the customers for repairs but turning the defective frames in for credit anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/126 "2013-09-06T15:49:24Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > The manufacturer’s warranty on optical goods is strictly between the supplier and the retailer. I should note that this applies to _prescription_ optical goods only. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/127 "2013-09-06T16:05:49Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I should note that this applies to _prescription_ optical goods only. Nope, we sold all manner of non-rx sunglasses–Maui Jim, Ray-Ban, Serengeti, Oakley, Bollé, etc. If something happened during the warranty the customers brought it back to us, we replaced them (or ordered the replacement if we didn’t have it in stock) and returned the defective item to our supplier (usually the manufacturer) for credit. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/128 "2013-09-06T17:08:11Z")
> [@April\_R](#): > > At the VA Canteen we generally worked as a third party provider for electronics, clothing, and household items, and any warranty was either the manufacturer’s limited warranty or one purchased as an additional warranty by the customer and as an agreement between them and the manufacturer. If a product was shipped to us defective we could return it to the manufacturer in exchange for a working product of the same or similar type. We did not have any “Geek Squad” or enough on hand product to do any type of in-store warranty or return policy. [Even Best Buy has a limited in-store ability when electronics crap out.](http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Returns-Refunds/Return-%26-Exchange-Policy/pcmcat260800050014.c?id=pcmcat260800050014) Return policies and warranties vary quite a bit. What ylu described may not be the norm in non subsidized retail. When I worked for Sears and Circuit city it was the merchant who offered extended warranties and service plans that were designed to kick in after the manufacturers warranty or upgrade it to in home service on larger items. LArger itemns were repaired, smaller items were replaced IF you bought their warranty. Best Buy was sued because their employees were lying to customers about the manufacturers warranty in order to sell thier own. Most items have a warranty card with them that explains the details of the manufaturers warranty. Smaller electronics can be very limited. Years ago at Sears we had a RTV {return to vendor} room for returns going back to the manufacturer. It would fill up and empty every few days. eventually Manufacturers offered retailers a discount of they bought the inventory as non returnable, meaning the manufacturer didn’t deal with returns , the store did. So, depnding on the item, the store, and the manufacturer, the details vary. It your case it may have been the middle man supplying you that offered the warranty to customers rather than the manufacturer although some manufacturers do. Some have For warranty issues call this number DO NOT RETURN TO STORE! on their warranty card. We might also note that return policies have changed as shoppers habits have changed. The graudual rise of the rent for free scam caused major retailers to start charging restocking fees. Need a camera for your vacation. Buy it, use it, and then return it for a full refund. Need a laptop to work on a school project. Buy it, use it, then return it. Big Screen for the Superbowl, tent for a weekend camping trip? This becamse so common it was , and likley is costing retailers millions. There are cronic returners wno like to buy something play with it for a while and then return it. I recently read Guitar Center’s return policy. The rent for free thing has cost them millions. People can buy an expensive guitar , use it for a week or two, and then return it. Their return policy is very careful to point out that the item must be in NEW condition. Pick scratches and minor dings mena it isn’t. They also reserve the right to refuse anyone who has a record of abusing the return policy. I take that to mean that anyone who has a history of buying and returning expensive items will be told to shop elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/129 "2013-09-06T17:19:10Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > Nope, we sold all manner of non-rx sunglasses–Maui Jim, Ray-Ban, Serengeti, Oakley, Bollé, etc. If something happened during the warranty the customers brought it back to us, we replaced them (or ordered the replacement if we didn’t have it in stock) and returned the defective item to our supplier (usually the manufacturer) for credit. Then that was an unusual arrangement of the particular retailer you worked for. Oakley (for example) doesn’t even accept warranty returns in person at its own stores, or at least it didn’t prior to the Luxottica buyout. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/130 "2013-09-06T19:23:00Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > Return policies and warranties vary quite a bit. What ylu described may not be the norm in non subsidized retail. > > When I worked for Sears and Circuit city it was the merchant who offered extended warranties and service plans that were designed to kick in after the manufacturers warranty or upgrade it to in home service on larger items. LArger itemns were repaired, smaller items were replaced IF you bought their warranty. Best Buy was sued because their employees were lying to customers about the manufacturers warranty in order to sell thier own. > > Most items have a warranty card with them that explains the details of the manufaturers warranty. Smaller electronics can be very limited. Years ago at Sears we had a RTV {return to vendor} room for returns going back to the manufacturer. It would fill up and empty every few days. eventually Manufacturers offered retailers a discount of they bought the inventory as non returnable, meaning the manufacturer didn’t deal with returns , the store did. > > So, depnding on the item, the store, and the manufacturer, the details vary. > It your case it may have been the middle man supplying you that offered the warranty to customers rather than the manufacturer although some manufacturers do. Some have > For warranty issues call this number DO NOT RETURN TO STORE! on their warranty card. > > . Right so it is perfectly reasonable for a buyer, when a expensive electronics items doesn’t work, to return it to the store. Yes, it’s also OK for the retailer to gently, politely and without eye rolling to explain that this item must be returned directly to the Manuf. ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/131 "2013-09-06T20:27:04Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Right so it is perfectly reasonable for a buyer, when a expensive electronics items doesn’t work, to return it to the store. Yes, it’s also OK for the retailer to gently, politely and without eye rolling to explain that this item must be returned directly to the Manuf. Yep. And the correct response in that case would be for the person working at the customer service desk to help the customer get in contact with the manufacturer in order to return the product. As other posters have pointed out even if that’s not the stores responsibility per say its still good customer service. Also, if the person at the customer service counter is being an ass then it’s likely to customers will be an ass in return. It is a two way street most of the time. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630/132 "2013-09-06T21:13:26Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Right so it is perfectly reasonable for a buyer, when a expensive electronics items doesn’t work, to return it to the store. Yes, it’s also OK for the retailer to gently, politely and without eye rolling to explain that this item must be returned directly to the Manuf. sure [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-customer-we-get-many-customers-weekly-who-think-their-situation-warrents-us-eating-20-to-100/667630.md?page=6)