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CNN Saturday Morning News
Retailers Strict Return Policies
Aired December 21, 2002 - 07:52 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CLARK HOWARD, CNN POCKETBOOK PROTECTOR: Are you in the stores right not doing all your shopping for the holidays? Are you seeing the bargain signs sale here, sale there, sale everywhere and you want to buy, buy, buy for yourself or for a friend or family member? You're giving a gift to someone?
Well, I want you to know there's one thing about this holiday shopping season that's not as friendly as it used to be, and that's the story policies for you to return stuff that you buy for yourself or as a gift for someone else.
A lot of retailers, all for reasons generally based on problems with internal theft, are treating you like dirt when you go to return an item. And imagine, you've given somebody a gift, they buy something, it doesn't fit right or they don't like it and they want to take it back, you don't want them to be hassled, do you?
So before you buy in a store, you want to know what is their policy on returns, refunds and exchanges. You know, a store can have whatever policy it wants. If they tell you you have no right to return something, that's what it means, you own it.
So, please, know up front. Some retailers also are requiring, even if something's a gift and you return it in that period immediately after Christmas, that if you don't have something known as a gift recipient, a separate recipient that doesn't show the price of an item but is like a little cash register thing with a bar code on it, that they won't take it back even then.
So shop at customer friendly stores, stores that allow you to buy something with the privilege of a right to return. The very best stores smile and give you your money back if that's what you want.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 21, 2002 - 07:52 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CLARK HOWARD, CNN POCKETBOOK PROTECTOR: Are you in the stores right not doing all your shopping for the holidays? Are you seeing the bargain signs sale here, sale there, sale everywhere and you want to buy, buy, buy for yourself or for a friend or family member? You're giving a gift to someone?
Well, I want you to know there's one thing about this holiday shopping season that's not as friendly as it used to be, and that's the story policies for you to return stuff that you buy for yourself or as a gift for someone else.
A lot of retailers, all for reasons generally based on problems with internal theft, are treating you like dirt when you go to return an item. And imagine, you've given somebody a gift, they buy something, it doesn't fit right or they don't like it and they want to take it back, you don't want them to be hassled, do you?
So before you buy in a store, you want to know what is their policy on returns, refunds and exchanges. You know, a store can have whatever policy it wants. If they tell you you have no right to return something, that's what it means, you own it.
So, please, know up front. Some retailers also are requiring, even if something's a gift and you return it in that period immediately after Christmas, that if you don't have something known as a gift recipient, a separate recipient that doesn't show the price of an item but is like a little cash register thing with a bar code on it, that they won't take it back even then.
So shop at customer friendly stores, stores that allow you to buy something with the privilege of a right to return. The very best stores smile and give you your money back if that's what you want.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
