Jim WinsettQ: I tried returning an item I had bought at one store, because I found it in the color I really wanted at another store, but found out that I couldn’t return it. Are not all stores required to offer a refund policy?
A: In actuality, refund and exchange policies are not required by law. In fact, retailers offer refund policies as a voluntary practice. There are no laws that require merchants to offer refunds, exchanges or credit on merchandise they sell, although laws do protect consumers from misrepresented or defective products.
Do not assume you can get your money back just by taking the unwanted item into the store and asking for it. Return policies should be specifically stated by the store, but it is up to the consumer to know what those policies are and to realize they can change from store to store.
A policy is often printed in plain sight like on a sales receipt or posted at the Point of Sale (POS). If you do not see the policy, ask up front. Understand the policy of the store before you pay for the item. Keep your receipt and any packaging the item came in.
Different policies mean different things. Ask up front and do your part when returning a purchase in order to have a successful return experience.