Is this true? - "You can't bring it back if it doesn't work"

brownca

Hi,

I just had the following exchange with an employee in an electronics store. I was buying a wireless video sender at the time:

Him - "This could possibly interfere with wifi signals and stuff like that, we don't recommend buying this one. You should get the next model up instead."

Me - "Can I just buy this and bring it back if it doesn't work?"

Him - "No."

This sounded like complete rubbish to me, so I bought it anyway. Can anyone more knowledgable tell me if he's telling the truth? Just in case I do need to take it back!

Thanks.

DCFC79

Depends on the shop and the returns policy in place.

mattyprice4004

If the device is faulty, you can take it back. However if the item is simply incompatible with other equipment you have, for example if it works on the same band as WiFi and will cause interference, the shop don't have to accept the return as the unit isn't faulty.

If goods aren't compatible with what you have, you have no automatic right to a return. You need to check compatibility before purchase.

If the device messes about with the WiFi signal due to poor shielding or erroneous output, then it would be classed as faulty.

Edit: Reading again, it looks like the device could operate near to WiFi frequencies, and as such you'd have no automatic right to return as you should check compatibility first.

bris

It may not work for you, but it may not be faulty so therefor you can't take it back. These things are a hit or a miss, I had a couple of different ones over the years but couldn't get them to work properly. There are a few factors that need to be taken into consideration when buying these, distance, walls, interference etc.
If it's not faulty and they can prove it works then they don't need to take it back, if it is a genuine fault then they have no choice.

brownca

OK, thanks for the advice everyone. It is working basically fine for my purposes (transmitting to another tv in the same room), so no need to take it back anyway.

The_Pedant

If the device messes about with the WiFi signal due to poor shielding or erroneous output, then it would be classed as faulty.

How would you say it has 'erroneous output'?. The frequency range than WiFi works in is 2.4GHz which is an unregulated band. I thought companies are pretty much free to use this as they see fit as it's classed as a short-range frequency. As a result, provided it does not cause interference outside that frequency range then it's pretty much legal.

timbstoke

If you were warned by that staff that the device you bought may not be suitable for homes with wireless internet, then no, you wouldn't be able to return it if that was the only issue.

This is the same reason you should ask questions if it's not specified - if you say "will this work with wireless?" and they say yes, then that forms part of the contract and you have a case to return if it doesn't work with yours. By the same token, if they warn you in advance that it's not compatible and you buy anyway, then you're accepting that limitation and they aren't obliged to accept a return based on it.