Introduction
Whenever customers go shopping, they only think of buying the best product, which they can use for years and there is no need of returning the product.
Thus companies not only focus on selling best in the class products to their customers but also focus on providing best return experience to their customers.
Still, there are some products that don’t perform well or are not well suited for customer requirements and they look for ways to return the product and company’s support in getting a better product.
However, some stores don’t have return policies matching customer expectations and have to suffer due to bad customer reviews.
Several companies that have return policies that are not suited for customer requirements either they have less time to return or charge higher restocking fees from the consumers. Here we have selected 10 worst companies for you according to their return policies.
Following is the list of companies with their return policies.
1 – Barnes and Noble
Barnes and Noble is the first one to enter into our list of worst companies according to their return policies.
Introduction
Barnes & Noble (B&N) is a Fortune 1000 firm based in the US. B&N mainly operates through its chain of bookstores.
Most of the company’s products need to be returned within 14 days of a period.
B&N operates one of the worst return policies, the basic time frame to return most of its products is 14 days. However, there are a few exceptions to the policy.
Here is the list of different exceptions to the company’s return policy.
| Products and purchases | Product Condition | Return Policy |
| Gift receipt | You need to provide the gift receipt within 60 days of purchase | You will be credited through store credit |
| Bulk Purchases | 50+ items purchased | Can’t be returned |
| Magazines, newspapers, ebooks, digital downloads, Access Codes, gift cards, and shrink-wrapped item | NA | Can’t be returned or exchanged |
| Opened music CDs, vinyl records, electronics, and toys | These items should be in original condition | Can’t be returned, only exchangeable |
| Undamaged Nook devices | Accompanied with the sales receipt | 14 days return policy |
| Unopened music CDs, vinyl records, electronics, and toys | These items should be in original condition | 30 days return policy |
Moreover, the company requires you to for shipping and handling charges
2 – Payless Return Policy
Payless ShoeSource is an international discount footwear chain with corporate offices in the US and various countries. The company was founded in 1956 as a retailer of footwear. If you have bought some products from Payless and you think they are not worth your money, you can conveniently return to the company but you will have to pay more to return the products back to the company.
Payless gives you two options to return – in-store and online returns. You can either visit the store or return your product by mail.
The period for return – No Limit
Before going for shopping to Payless, do take time and think once more about it. The company boasts of providing easy return service, as you can return your order at any Payless store, and you will be refunded via cash, credit, and PayPal.
If you have purchased any shoes via Payless store or online mode and you wish to return the product, then you will not get the 100% back to your account; rather, Payless will charge shipping and handling charges from you and in some case you will also have to pay a restocking fee for your purchase.
So, if you are not 100% sure about your purchase, don’t purchase from Payless or you will have to pay extra.
3 – Eddie Bauer’s return process
Eddie Bauer is an American LLC, headquartered in Washington. The company operates its stores through three independent channels, retail stores, outlet stores, and phone sales. Return policy. Eddie Bauer’s return policy is quite simple and if you are not satisfied with the company’s products, you can easily return to its outlets.
The return policy of the company is counted among the worst due to its stringent requirements to return the products with tags in 14 days period.
Eddie Bauer operates a bit tricky return policy for its customers, the basic time frame to return most of its products is 14 days. Eddie Bauer.
However, the return time frame for most of the products is not appropriate and it is very less.
You can check the company’s return policy for more information by visiting this link.
4 – Apple return policy
Apple is the world-famous retailer of mobile phone and computer accessories based in California, US. The company is truly global in the sense that it operates in 500+ locations around the globe and employs around 137,000 people across the world.
Apple also operates a very time-restricted return policy and the company requires you to return the products within 2 weeks period of time.
Apple includes most of the products bought from the Apple store online and Apple retail stores in its return policy. All other purchases are not considered valid for return.
Before processing your refund Apple will make sure that the items are in original condition and original packaging. The warehouse will inspect merchandise sent back for a refund and reserves the right to reject returns the company requires 10 business days to return your product.
The whole return process at the company’s end is very cumbersome and it is not at all convenient for the Apple customers who get defected product or the product don’t match their requirements.
For further details on the return policy of the company, visit this link.
5 – Amazon Return Policy
Amazon is a well-known e-commerce giant based in Seattle, US. The company was founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos and it operates in areas such as cloud computing, AI, electronics, Digitalization, and many more.
For most of its products, Amazon has 30 days standard return policy. Also, there are many exceptions to the company’s return policy.
The return process of the company is a lot more cumbersome and it may take up to 25 days to reach the product back to the company, once you initiate the return. Further, it will take 4-5 days more to show up the refund in your original form of payment.
However, Amazon sells most of its products under third party vendors and these vendors have different return policies. So if you plan to buy anything from Amazon you will have to read individual seller policy and then plan anything from Amazon.
6 – Kmart
Kmart is a US-based retail store chain based in Illinois, US. Kmart is very well known among customers for its stringent return policy. The return policy of the company requires you to return the products within 30 days.
For returning any product you need to have a receipt with you and the company will not return your products without the receipt.
If you have accidentally opened games and movies bought from the company, you will not be able to return them to the company.
This link will help you in further understanding of the company’s return policy.
7 – Best Buy
Best Buy is a US-based electronics retailer engaged in the supply of consumer electronics. The company was originally founded as Sound of Music by Robert Schulze and James Wheeler in 1966.
Best Buy as the name suggests is not the best place for returning your items and it doesn’t operate a very customer-centric return policy.
Best Buy has kept 15 days’ time limit for the return of the most of its products and even if you are Best Buy elite member, you will only get a slightly longer period to return the merchandise
In the general sense, Best Buy operates a very time-bound return policy, which is not praised by its users.
Here is the detailed description of the company’s “not-so-best” return policy.
8 – Sears
Sears is the American department store chain founded by Richard Warren Sears Alvah Curtis Roebuck. The company is headquartered in Illinois, US, and operates in 200 places around the globe.
You all must have heard the name of Sears if you didn’t hear in the past, we are here to briefly describe Sears’s worst return policy, which draws ire of the company’s users.
Sears doesn’t accept the returns without return receipt and you are required to return the product within 30 days of period. Gifts are only permissible to be exchanged in any of the company’s stores.
Moreover, the company also requires you to return the purchase only in original packaging
9 – GameStop
Headquartered in Texas, US the company operates as the seller of video games, consumer electronics and gaming items.
The return policy of GameStop is similar to Sears, as the company asks you to return the product within 30 days of purchase in the original condition along with original packaging.
GameStop doesn’t accept the returns without return receipt and it has a policy of refusing the returns if they don’t match the company’s requirements.
10 – Forever 21
Forever 21 is remembered by its unsatisfied customers, who complain of the company’s return policy, which is not even a bit customer-centric.
Forever 21 has a return window of 21 days for most of its products. The company’s return policy draws ire by its customers due to its policy of refunding the purchase in from of store-credit and not in the original form of payment.
Also, the products should be in unworn condition with tags intact.
Conclusion
Here we have captured the major players, who operate one of the worst policies among retail store owners.
If you think you know a few more players operating worst return policy, you can comment and we will try to include them in the next article.
We have tried our best to provide the best of insights related to 10 worst stores according to their return policies.
We understand that you had a lot of the questions before and a lot more of your doubts must be cleared by now. We hope that you liked the article and got answers to your questions related to the return policy of the company. You can share your experiences in the comment section below
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