Ten years ago, I did a series of columns on Future Shop’s unfriendly customer service policies. They had a 15-day return period and a 15 per cent restocking fee if you bought computers or accessories, camcorders or large-screen TV sets and returned them within the 15-day return period.
Future Shop soon revamped its policies, extending the return period to 30 days and socking the restocking fee. The Canadian-owned was trying to fend off a U.S. takeover, which happened anyway when Best Buy swallowed it up. But the customer service policies remained the same. Read More…
Restocking fees arent gimmics, sometimes cant be return to manufacturer because nothing is wrong so the dealers have to charge fee in order to discount product for resale.
Although Best Buy bought Future Shop there is still large competition that forces them to scrap things like restocking to keep customers coming back.
You can be assured if they brought it back that i would be shopping elsewhere.
Not sure where everyone is at but here in Alberta Future Shop does charge a restocking fee at 15%.
It all depends. Some stores classify routers as computer and others dont. Its a case-by-case thing. In my mind routers are not part of this and you were correct in your assumption that it should have been for 30 days.
Most stores these days dont charge a restocking fee.
I remember returning an item at Wal-Mart during the 30-day return period for a router which the receipt states that only computers were for 15-day returns but made no mention of computer accessories. Well when i went to return the router (which i deem an accessory) they would not allow me because they felt the router was classified under “computer”.
Luckily i convinced them that since it still had its original plastic seal that i should still be allowed and they eventually agreed.
Restocking fees are gimmicks to net these retailers extra profit. I’ve seen shelved items with no repackaging work done on them, just taken from the customer service desk to the selling isle.