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Purchasing headphones at retail store then returning them

post #1 of 13
12/28/07 at 5:12pm
Thread Starter 
If one were to buy something like the er4p's online from circuit city, then return them within the specified period, would there be any problems? Would you get a full refund? I checked their site and there is no restocking fee for headphones, but the ety's aren't available in store, so are they returned by mail or something? Also: would retail stores get suspicious if you bought a few pairs of headphones and returned all of the them? I want to try certain ones out for comfort before I buy and I don't know anyone that lives close to me that is really into high end headphones, that's the reason...
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post #2 of 13
12/28/07 at 6:10pm
Depends entirely on the stores policy. I've probably bought and returned 15-20 items over amazon since I've used it. Never had a problem except that they often take very long to process returns. I bought a pair of headphones from B&H and thought they were poor so i returned them for that reason. Hopefully I don't have any issues with them since I purchased another pair from them which are more expensive. IMO if a consumer purchases an item online for a large amount of money and find the product falls below their standards then they should have every right to return it. Especially since you can't demo these items until after you've purchased them.
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post #3 of 13
12/28/07 at 6:28pm
Careful though; some companies have started monitoring how often a person returns items in a month or in a year:

Stricter store rules may stop serial returners - ConsumerMan - MSNBC.com

You may want to find out if they are checking serial returners at Circuit City.
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post #4 of 13
12/28/07 at 7:29pm
I'd stop buying from companies that have overly stringent return policies. The amount of items I purchase, and the amount of money I spend making purchases, means I could very well make the company more money than the average person just because I purchase so often despite that I also return on occasion. I don't like being policed or bullied by a place that's meant to service me and facilitate my needs.

I can see how people could abuse it though. I usually only return very expensive items that fall well below my expectations. I've seen some people who abuse the system (saw a large family at ikea a while back and they were flat out denied) but I'd made a return for an item and they accepted it without issue.

I doubt you'll have a problem but I would avoid doing it too often with the same company. Can't you buy online from other companies?
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post #5 of 13
12/28/07 at 8:09pm
Websites like discountheadphones.com have reasonable return policies. You might want to give that a try if you happen to be looking for Etys.
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post #6 of 13
12/28/07 at 9:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by fetalgoat View Post
I've probably bought and returned 15-20 items over amazon since I've used it.
What percentage of your purchases from Amazon (both dollarwise and in terms of quantity) does 15 - 20 items represent? Prima facie that seems to be a large number of returns. I'm not sure that I have returned more than about 5 items to the place of purchase in the last 20 years, and only once in my life have I ever returned something for no other reason than I thought it fell below expectation (all other returns have been because of DOA or other faults).
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post #7 of 13
12/28/07 at 9:29pm
You're going to have to play it by gut. There are too many squishy words in your question to give any definite answer. What is "high end?" Companies are a lot more tolerant of try-to-buy on items that have high margins, which most high-end phones do. What is a lot of returns?

Also, if you are really going to try this in a major chain, beware of blacklists. Some major chains (best buy the first that comes to mind) have been experimenting with them and from what I've heard sometime in 2008 expect several major chains to start rolling them out in all stores.
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post #8 of 13
12/28/07 at 10:57pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chu View Post
You're going to have to play it by gut. There are too many squishy words in your question to give any definite answer. What is "high end?" Companies are a lot more tolerant of try-to-buy on items that have high margins, which most high-end phones do. What is a lot of returns?

Also, if you are really going to try this in a major chain, beware of blacklists. Some major chains (best buy the first that comes to mind) have been experimenting with them and from what I've heard sometime in 2008 expect several major chains to start rolling them out in all stores.
well, the "high end" comment was in reference to a lack of people I know that are into high end audio, thus I can't go to them to try out their gear, which would be nice.
It's not like I would be renting a different headphone every 30 days to use, but I just want to try them out before I buy. I figured the retail stores would have an easier return policy, and I did stop by circuit city today and the phones you can only buy online are returnable in any store. Not bad.
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post #9 of 13
12/29/07 at 6:24am
I used to work at Circuit City. Anything you buy online can be returned in-store within 30 days (or 14 days if it's a camera/TV/computer). Refunds are 100% unless it's an opened camera/TV/computer, in which you will have to pay a 15% restocking fee.

Items that are not cameras/TVs/computers that are opened and then returned are typically sent back to the manufacturer anyway, and the retailer is reimbursed.
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post #10 of 13
12/29/07 at 6:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by fetalgoat View Post
I'd stop buying from companies that have overly stringent return policies. The amount of items I purchase, and the amount of money I spend making purchases, means I could very well make the company more money than the average person just because I purchase so often despite that I also return on occasion. I don't like being policed or bullied by a place that's meant to service me and facilitate my needs.

I can see how people could abuse it though. I usually only return very expensive items that fall well below my expectations. I've seen some people who abuse the system (saw a large family at ikea a while back and they were flat out denied) but I'd made a return for an item and they accepted it without issue.

I doubt you'll have a problem but I would avoid doing it too often with the same company. Can't you buy online from other companies?
You cost them money doing this.. You seem like a 'renter'.. Infact thats the reason why retailers are getting tough.. You are helping them tighten up the noose on regulars with sincere return issues.. Spending money in a store doesn't give you a free pass to try & return every item you purchase at a store..
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post #11 of 13
12/29/07 at 7:06am
Returned items that are unsellable are usually sent back to the manufacturer and the retail company is reimbursed. The big stores don't lose much money in the end.. not like they should be worrying about it considering how much money they make off you anyway.
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post #12 of 13
12/29/07 at 8:00am
I am slightly suspicious though of stores that offer these full exchanges or money back guarantees on headphones, but they don't have a section on their website devoted to "B" stock", "scratch and dent" or "refurbished". Makes me wonder if some of them attempt to resell them as brand new for the usual new price. It's nice to know a manufacturer will take them back (and presumably they are used as replacements for long term warranty problems, etc), but that might not happen in all cases. I've got nothing against used headphones, so long as I know they are used and they are sold for a price commensurate with them being used.

How many of us though, have received goods that were supposed to be brand spanking new but are obviously someone else's return. I know it has happened to me on a few ocassions and of course I never shopped with those stores again.
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post #13 of 13
12/29/07 at 5:27pm
Sometimes the manufacturer will send stuff to their outlet stores, which is where you'll find the stuff that is "refurbished" or "inspected" etc.

I know that Circuit City (and probably Best Buy) have certain stores dedicated to selling B-stock/open box items, but I don't think that headphones are sent there. Those stores are usually for TVs.
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