I like this sign I saw on the counter of a newsstand in the US a few weeks ago. It’s a straightforward statement about what shoppers can and cannot return. I especially like the message at the bottom: MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS ARE NOT RETURNABLE. I thought about this because of the newsagent who called yesterday asking what to do about customers who return weekly magazines for exchange.
I have never permitted magazines being returned for exchange except in rare circumstances like a regular customer with a good story – like a family member purchasing the same issue and it’s brought to our attention in a day or two.
On a semi related note: I had to throw away a couple of boxes of recalled frozen berries this week. I couldn’t be bothered going through any refund process, but it got me thinking, how would one go about “returning the product to place of purchase for a full refund”?
I don’t remember if I bought them at Coles, Woolworths or IGA, and since they’ve been in the freezer for a number of weeks or months (ie, I haven’t a clue when I bought them) I’m sure I don’t have any receipt.
In these cases, do retailers just take back anything presented because there is an understanding that the manufacturer will reimburse them?
To put it in relevant terms to our industry, if a toy that came with a magazine was found to be dangerous, and was recalled say 6 months after sale (so no one can reasonably expect to have kept a receipt), how would I handle 10 customers wanting a refund if I only was supplied 2 copies?
Reg in the situation of the berries where there has been a supplier / manufacturer recall, you can take them to any point of purchase without proof of purchase. It all depends on the type of recall.