Holiday Shopping Countdown Tips - Day 11
Returns and Exchanges: Know the Rules Before Buying
Attention, Holiday Shoppers. It's important to learn about a retailer's return policies before buying gifts.
Consumers often expect stores or catalog companies will give them a refund, credit or exchange when they return items. But that's not always the case. Some companies may have policies that limit exchanges or returns for all customers. Others may claim they can restrict exchange rights for particular customers. So before making a purchase, very carefully check the store's policy. California law gives you the right to know a company's refund policy before you buy.
If a retailer has a policy of not providing a cash refund, credit, or exchange when an item is returned with proof of purchase within seven days of purchase, the store must conspicuously display that policy. This means, for example, the policy must be written in language that ordinary consumers can understand. In addition, the policy must be designed and placed so customers can easily see it and read it. In other words, the policy's message and location cannot be obscured from customers. The policy must be displayed either at each entrance to the store, at each cash register and sales counter, on tags attached to each item, or on the company's order forms, if any. A return policy printed only on a receipt, for example, is not sufficient to allow a retailer to withhold a refund or credit.
There are exceptions, however to the general rules. A retailer may refuse to issue refunds or credit if: the items are perishable goods like food or plants; the items are marked, "All sales final," or something similar; the items are used or damaged; the items are customized for the consumer and received as ordered; or the items are missing their original packaging.
If a store violates this law (California Civil Code section 1723), the purchaser can return an item for a full refund within 30 days of purchase. Consumers who believe a retailer has violated the law can notify the local district attorney's office or the Attorney General's Public Inquiry Unit at P.O. Box 944255, Sacramento, CA 94244-2550. Consumers also may file complaints on the Attorney General's web site at
http://ag.ca.gov/contact/complaint_form.php?cmplt=CL
