COMPUSA’s return process is broken

Could someone help me understand the following habit at big box retailers?

1. I buy item x.
2. Item x is defective, I find, after I’ve returned home.
3. I return item x, with my receipt, expecting an exchange (a trade)
4. (item x is still tag-attached, brand new, never used)
5. Merchant requires me to fill in a form.
6. Merchant requires me to have the credit card used to buy the item.
7. Merchant never, ever appologizes for the trouble

Let’s examine the scenario a little deeper.

a) you have a paying customer at your store (marketing paid off)
b) the customer has bought something (a conversion was made)
c) you, or your manufacturer, have put that customer in a difficult position
d) they must now return to the store with the product. Gasoline $2.94/gallon.
e) they must display their receipt.
f) they must FILL OUT A FORM.
g) they must withstand your “we don’t have to do this” treatment.

It’s a TRADE. It’s the SAME PRODUCT. The one I brought back was NEW. I had my receipt. YES, I do deserve to be treated differently than the box-opened, no receipt returns of items with spilled coffee on them.

Am I missing something?

If the customer has a defective product, merchants should be appologizing, offering up $20 off coupons for the trouble or at least saying “Mr. Clark, we are really sorry we inconvenienced you with this.” They should remember that it’s far harder to get a new customer than to keep a current one. And they certainly shouldn’t make you fill in a form unless there is some specific security threat perceived.

And to top it off, you shouldn’t treat a customer as if THEY did something wrong by receiving a defective product from YOUR store. I am not a thief. I am not gaming your system, and I am not going to stand for it.

Another thing, COMPUSA. I only bought this product because I needed it TODAY and couldn’t wait for Amazon to send it to me. So, I pop out of ecommerce serenity to buy a product in a bricks and mortar store, and this is what I get. Do you realize how easy it is to click from site to site? Do you think I’ll shop at compusa.com?

I should have demanded a refund, and walked out empty handed. I miss the choices of larger cities when it comes to computer stores. I wish Fry’s would open something here in Lexington - we need the competition!

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