🚀 go-pugleaf

I don't like CompUSA's return fee too, but it's their
policy so you can't really complain.

Personally, due to CompUSA's return fee, I hardly buy
anything from them (and there's a store about 300 yards
from where I live).  It's a sad store, hardly shoppers
in it (must be their return policy :)

Here's my set of rules:
1. Buy things from cheapest store that does not
   charge for returns.
2. If a return-fee store (e.g. CompUSA) sells the
   same item at >=20% cheaper than the no-return-fee
   stores, I'd return the item to the no-return-fee
   store and buy it from the return-fee store.
3. If the return-fee store sells the same item at
   less than 20% of my purchase price, I go back to
   the no-return-fee store and ask for a price match.

This way, I reward the no-return-fee AND cheapest
stores.  I hate to have all those return-fee stores
go out-of-business :)  But I also hate to have to pay
a return fee.

However, I live in silicon valley where there are
many no-return-fee stores that is also cheap.

Walt wrote:
> A lot of places charge a fee, nowadays, when you simply return
> an electronic item.  More typically, one OPENS THE BOX and finds

More typically, one sees something interesting, but don't know
if he/she will find it useful (ok, to each his/her own frugal
definition) and buys the item.  So he/she buys it to try it
out.

> the item to be defective, they return for it NEW ONE; not a refund.
> The fee, really relates to something more like a "rental fee"
> since places like CompUSA are faced with a lot of people who
> buy something just to use for a few days, and planned all along
> to return it back when done.

Yes, that's a problem.  Walmart and Kmart (I sure wish they stay
around) probably shouldn't let people return items for the same
reasons.

I mean, is there really a car dealer that lets you return?

Seriously, its a shame for stores to charge a return fee w/o
lowering prices... like CompUSA.

> BTW, I can say that with over 20 years of PC hardware experience,
> installing my wireless 802.11b stuff was the most difficult and
> challenging thing I had to do.  I, too, was sure it was defective,
> but I took a break, a deep breath, thought about it a bit, and
> was able to get it to work OK the next day.
> 
> This also makes me wonder why you didn't bother to ask for help
> in one of the other, more appropriate for 802.11b, newsgroups???

Hmm, installing my 802.11b took less then 1 hour.  I powered
up the Linksys router+wireless access point thing and plugged
in the SMC PC card, and everything just worked.  Then I crossed
my fingers and enabled WIP... and everything still worked fine.
(I was a bit concerned about buying 2 different brands since
when WiFi first came out nobody would work w/ nobody else's.)

> > When I tried to get my money back CompUSA charged me 15% because the
> > boxes had been opened. This is a total of $42 for those who don't want
> > to do the math.
> >
> > How in God's name are you supposed to find out whether a part is
> > defective unless you OPEN THE BOX, is beyond me.

I think CompUSA will exchange (for the same item) for free.  So, if
your item is broken, they shouldn't charge you the 15% for an exchange.

Me ? I'd never buy it from CompUSA in the first place, unless they
are way cheaper, which they are not.  In fact, CompUSA around my
house seems to be consistently more expensive than stores that
charge no return fees and selling the same stuff.

I'm always amazed that CompUSA is still in business.