Faulty Item returning without packaging

Blondetotty

I visited a well known Retailer doing a mystery shop last week. I'm not saying who it was for as I don't want to breach confidentiality details.

Anyway, the brief called for me to ask a member of staff about returning a large games console which had stopped working. I 'purchased' this item with cash in May this year and have the receipt. The member of staff I spoke to informed me that unless I had all the packaging and box they wouldn't accept the item back for a refund even though I had the receipt. She said her Manager wouldn't allow it and it was the same for any product like games consoles or phones.

She was actually quite patronising and said that her son had kept his box for his games console and that most people did even though I pointed out that the boxes were quite large to store and that I wasn't told that I needed to keep the box when I purchased the item. She waffled on about matching serial numbers from the box to the console and I started to argue my point with her as I was getting quite het up about it.

It then dawned on me that I actually didn't have a faulty games console so I simply said thank you and left!

I'm interested if anyone actually knows who was right and who was wrong, for no other reason than curiosity
I was under the impression that I didn't need boxes and original packaging to return an item if faulty but would be really grateful if someone could clarify? I'm hopeful not to be knocked of my high horse about this!

McKneff

Sit comfortably on your horse, you were completely right and the patronising little madam and her manager were completely wrong.

Original packaging is not required when returning a faulty item.

(mind Im a clever clogs, I always keep mine up in the loft with the original receipt safely stored inside it for at least the warranty period)
Then I know every time exactly where the receipt is instead of having to rifle through drawers and archives.

Blondetotty

Thank you! I'm finding this horse very comfortable, and its just a shame I can't go charging in there and set them both to rights!

Hell, they've really irked me. :mad:

Kingsd316

im quite interested in the member of staffs comment about matching serial numbers, surely this is a very valid point, whats to stop you buying a console, in cash (no way to trace you)to replace a broken one and just returning the broken one back to them a month later for a full refund, doesn't sound right to me, surely the shops have to protect themselves somehow?

arcon5

If the serial number is on the console then they should surely be able to match that up to their records. I don't see how matching it up to the box helps at all, if you still have the box for the broken console in your example you would put it in that.

Blondetotty

arcon5 wrote: »

If the serial number is on the console then they should surely be able to match that up to their records. I don't see how matching it up to the box helps at all, if you still have the box for the broken console in your example you would put it in that.

Which is exactly what I thought. I don't suppose there is anything stopping people buying an identical new replacement product and taking the faulty one back in its place for a refund but thats where things get a bit dodgy.

My question was purely as an 'honest' consumer returning a faulty item but now thinking about it, how do shops protect themselves? Another argument for another day maybe.

Thanks to everyone that replied. I appreciate it.

molerat

If retailers wish to protect themselves from serial number linked fraud the option open to them is quite simple really but most are too lazy to implement it.

unholyangel

molerat wrote: »

If retailers wish to protect themselves from serial number linked fraud the option open to them is quite simple really but most are too lazy to implement it.

Deter would be fraudsters by issuing a KOS (kill on sight) order on anyone found to be doing so?

Oh darn, i've been playing too much black ops. I really must remember that killing people is not acceptable in real life

paddedjohn

There is no need to return faulty goods in their original packaging, the goods cant be resold