My opinion of OWC's product return policies
I ordered this piece of hardware (additional RAM) from OWC Computing. When I installed it in my computer, it was DEAD ON ARRIVAL. Defective. I contacted the company informing them of the situation and asked how we should proceed. They responded with a return merchandise authorization number and had me send it back to them for a refund. Easy enough. When i checked to confirm that a refund had credited my account I saw that the money had been refunded minus $13.50. This, I found out, amounted to a restocking fee. Why would a company charge a restocking fee when they ship a defective product? I get penalized for the company's wrong doings? So I raise objections to this "policy" and they insist that in making my online transaction I was agreeing to the terms of their policy which apparently state that ANY return of product is subject to a 15% restocking fee. I feel this policy is too vague and ambiguous. I could understand this policy if the product was in good working order and the buyer simply changed their mind but I've never heard of such a policy applying to an item that simply does not work. There is no mention in this policy about DEFECTIVE/DOA/NON-WORKING merchandise. So in a nutshell, the buyer was charged a fee as a result of the seller shipping faulty merchandise. In essence, I feel defrauded. In theory, the company could send out defective products to all its customers and then make a profit when all those customers return their defective products and get chargd 15% to do so. This is just wrong.
Comments
Originally posted by BrunoBruin
Call them again and if you get the same runaround ask to speak to their supervisor. I have bought a lot of RAM from OWC and the only time I got a bad stick (a 512 that the Mac read as 256), they overnighted me a replacement the day I called; they did not even wait to get my faulty chip before sending a new stick.
Originally posted by tripleo
Oh I've already dealt with 2 levels of salesmen/supervisors. This may have all turned out differently had I simply exchanged the stick for another. I requested a refund which, last time I checked, was a right afforded to any buyer who has received faulty, Dead-On-Arrival product. Their response to my objections are that a return is a return... no matter what the reason. So they want to charge me a restocking fee. Does this mean they plan on restocking a bad RAM stick? doubtful. This is just bad business.
a return is a return. you refuse to replace the faulty ram with good ram, so they see it as wanting a return for the good ram that you refuse to purchase.
do i see their point? yes.
is it bad business? yes. you will never purchase from them again and you will give bad referrels.
Originally posted by progmac
a return is a return. you refuse to replace the faulty ram with good ram, so they see it as wanting a return for the good ram that you refuse to purchase.
do i see their point? yes.
is it bad business? yes. you will never purchase from them again and you will give bad referrels.
Now, your credit card might offer some sort of purchase protection. Look into it. Otherwise, if you didn't let the company send you a replacement stick, and instead wanted a refund, I'm quite confused...
Consequently, the CRUCIAL RAM works just fine.
Originally posted by LoCash
Well, first off, what they're doing is by no means fraudulent. Second, a company doing what you propose would very quickly be taken down thanks to our legal system.
Now, your credit card might offer some sort of purchase protection. Look into it. Otherwise, if you didn't let the company send you a replacement stick, and instead wanted a refund, I'm quite confused...
Despite whether or not you were aware of the restocking fee, it was apparently listed on their site in the fine print. Saying, "Nobody ever reads that" isn't a good enough excuse. It's all about the fine print.
Crucial probably delivers just as many lemons as OWC does... I don't think there is a company on the planet that hasn't delivered a lemon before. But you know what? When they do, they tend to fix it by sending a replacement to you. By not asking for a replacement, you're missing two things...
1) Every once and a while bad RAM gets through. Let the company send you a good stick.
2) By asking for a refund, you're taking your business elsewhere because you happened to be the unfortunate soul that got a bad stick, and you're all upset about it thinking that this just isn't possible.
Ultimately, you'd not of lost $13.50 if you'd just paid attention and exchanged the bad stick...
I don't work for OWC, I've never purchased anything from them either. This is just what I do when I do get a lemon. And it happens. Not trying to be mean, but suck it up.
How do you charge a restocking fee when you don't plan to restock the item?
I think I'm confused as to why *I'm* being made out as the bad guy here. Anyone else in my position would feel the same way. If it's in their policy, it's a bad policy.
Every other company in the world refunds in full when they send a faulty product. Does sh!t happen and bad product make it through everyonce in a while? Sure. But why must the buyer be penalized when it is the seller who has erred?
If you for some reason want to immediately take your business elsewhere, that's your problem. Sorry to be blunt, but that's the way it is. They should have their chance to replace the RAM.
Life lesson - $13.50
Again, I didn't realize it was considered"wrong" to ask for a refund when you receive a product that is dead on arrival. It's all a matter of preference. Some people will take an exchange...some will ask for a refund. I'm not quite understanding the logic you guys have about this. The attitude is "how DARE you ask for a refund!". Unbelievable. And yes I read the policy but since the policy does not mention anything about DEFECTIVE product, it seemed to me that the policy refered to those customers who merely change their minds and return perfectly good merchandise which in turn must be restocked. If the merch was good and had to be re-stocked, then I would completely understand the fee. In my situation, this is not the case. There will be NO restocking of this RAM. It is simply no good. If they incur charges as a result, it's something that should be worked out between OWC and the vendor they buy their RAM from. The cost should not be transferred to the buyer.
Am I living in another world where *I'm* the A-hole?
Incredible.
Originally posted by Eugene
I've purchased many things from OWC. This just sounds like sour grapes to me. So you not only asked for a refund instead of an exchange, but you didn't read their policies?
Originally posted by tripleo
It's bad business, pure and simple.
How do you charge a restocking fee when you don't plan to restock the item?
Well, it depends on what your definition of good business is. On one hand it is bad, as they have apparently upset you. But it is also a means of protecting them so that they don't get shafted on returns. And if you are returning the product, their policy said there was a restocking fee. Like it or not, policy is policy. They would have very well sent you a replacement, but for some reason that was just unacceptable.
I think I'm confused as to why *I'm* being made out as the bad guy here. Anyone else in my position would feel the same way. If it's in their policy, it's a bad policy.
I'm certainly not trying to make you sound like the bad guy. I'm just saying that you're wrong. I think most anyone else in your position would have accepted the exchange, accepted an apology, would not have been out $13.50, and would be over it.
Instead, here's what you did.
You got a bad stick of RAM, and in your ordering haste, did not read their return policies. Reading those policies is your obligation. You get all heated up over how this could have possible happened to you. I mean, how on earth could a company in the 21st century deliver a faulty product? It's just ludicrous!
So you demand a refund and return the product, because a company that ships a defective product every so often is obviously in the league of Satan and accepting a new working stick to be sent to you would just be totally unacceptable.
You take your business elsewhere, and come to learn that they charge a 15% restocking fee! The bastards! Even though it is their policy, you think they should make an exception for you, because you a) Didn't read their policy, and b) Don't agree with it because the policy favors them.
Every other company in the world refunds in full when they send a faulty product. Does sh!t happen and bad product make it through everyonce in a while? Sure. But why must the buyer be penalized when it is the seller who has erred?
First off, I think we both know that OWC is not the only "rogue" company that does not refund in full when you want to return a product. The policies tend to state that defective product will be exchanged, but if you just want to return, you're subjected to their restocking fee.
So why must the buyer be penalized? Well, They offered a solution, and it just wasn't good enough for you, so you wanted a return, and as we've gone over before, they have a policy about this. The policy is there to protect the company, and was by no means written with the explicit intent of screwing you over.
You should have let them exchange the stick for a good one. I still can't understand why you did not let them do this.
On the bright side, you've learned something today. Read the order/return policies when placing an order (and in turn be an informed consumer), and use a credit card that protects your purchases in these instances. My American Express and Mastercard both have protection.
We don't think you're evil, we just think you're wrong, not accepting the responsibility of making a bad decision, and attempting to blame the company whose policy you didn't read and who would have fixed the problem for you by sending a working stick had you let them. That aside, we're sure you're a very good person :P
It simply is.
There are laws against this. And I do intend to forward the matter to a family member who is an attorney just to get some input about the legality of a policy of this nature. Like I said before, I DID read the policy but since the policy was vague and didn't specifically mention faulty product, it seemed to me that it was refering to people who return good merch. This makes sense, doesn't it?
2ndly, they never attempted to "rectify" the situation by offering an exchange. I went to the customer service section of their web site and entered info to receive a Return Merch Authorization number. I returned the item and that was that. In my dealings with the customer service employee explaining that the ram was bad, he never once warned me of the pit falls of making a return of ANY nature (not his duty..fine). Point being, there was never any effort on their part to make things right by offering an exchange.
So it wasn't like an exchange just "wasnt acceptable". I never turned down any offers to rectify the situation because no offers were made. It just didn't seem like a big deal to me. Some people like refunds.. some people like exchanges. >shrug<
I DO realize that bad product will slip through the cracks every once in a while. I'm not faulting the company for that. I'm faulting them for their return policies.
AGAIN, do you think it's fair to charge a restocking fee for an item that is not going to be restocked? Yes or no?
Originally posted by LoCash
Well, it depends on what your definition of good business is. On one hand it is bad, as they have apparently upset you. But it is also a means of protecting them so that they don't get shafted on returns. And if you are returning the product, their policy said there was a restocking fee. Like it or not, policy is policy. They would have very well sent you a replacement, but for some reason that was just unacceptable.
I'm certainly not trying to make you sound like the bad guy. I'm just saying that you're wrong. I think most anyone else in your position would have accepted the exchange, accepted an apology, would not have been out $13.50, and would be over it.
Instead, here's what you did.
You got a bad stick of RAM, and in your ordering haste, did not read their return policies. Reading those policies is your obligation. You get all heated up over how this could have possible happened to you. I mean, how on earth could a company in the 21st century deliver a faulty product? It's just ludicrous!
So you demand a refund and return the product, because a company that ships a defective product every so often is obviously in the league of Satan and accepting a new working stick to be sent to you would just be totally unacceptable.
You take your business elsewhere, and come to learn that they charge a 15% restocking fee! The bastards! Even though it is their policy, you think they should make an exception for you, because you a) Didn't read their policy, and b) Don't agree with it because the policy favors them.
First off, I think we both know that OWC is not the only "rogue" company that does not refund in full when you want to return a product. The policies tend to state that defective product will be exchanged, but if you just want to return, you're subjected to their restocking fee.
So why must the buyer be penalized? Well, They offered a solution, and it just wasn't good enough for you, so you wanted a return, and as we've gone over before, they have a policy about this. The policy is there to protect the company, and was by no means written with the explicit intent of screwing you over.
You should have let them exchange the stick for a good one. I still can't understand why you did not let them do this.
On the bright side, you've learned something today. Read the order/return policies when placing an order (and in turn be an informed consumer), and use a credit card that protects your purchases in these instances. My American Express and Mastercard both have protection.
We don't think you're evil, we just think you're wrong, not accepting the responsibility of making a bad decision, and attempting to blame the company whose policy you didn't read and who would have fixed the problem for you by sending a working stick had you let them. That aside, we're sure you're a very good person :P
Look at Dell.com. Their policy for RAM returns = a case by case basis.
Look at Apple.com:
Please note that Apple does not permit the return of or offer refunds for the following products:
Product that is custom configured to your specifications
Opened memory
Opened software
Electronic software downloads
GoogleGear's:
SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS
CPU | Hard Drive | Memory | Monitor
Arrangement for a return must be made within 15 days from the date the item is shipped.
15% restocking fee applies to all refunds.
Sour, sour, sour grapes.
What are their policies on defective, DOA product?
You say sour grapes. I say it's wrong to penalize the customer for a mistake the company makes.
Originally posted by Eugene
You do know that most places do not even take RAM returns .. at all?
Look at Dell.com. Their policy for RAM returns = a case by case basis.
Look at Apple.com:
GoogleGear's:
Sour, sour, sour grapes.
Originally posted by tripleo
For returns of OPERABLE MERCHANDISE. I don't refute their right to charge fees when there's nothing wrong with the product
What are their policies on defective, DOA product?
You say sour grapes. I say it's wrong to penalize the customer for a mistake the company makes.
Those *are* their policies for DOAs.
Apple's is under NO circumstances can any of that stuff be returned.
Googlegear's caveat:
All refunds, including defective and DOA CPU's, will be charged a 15% restocking fee.
http://www.googlegear.com/jsp/Service/Return.jsp
A company is setting themselves up to be sued if they offer NO refunds what-so-ever for DOAs.
If this was legal, nothing would stop companies from adopting a similar policy and purposely shipping out DOA that they gathered from the trash can at FRY's.
Originally posted by Eugene
Those *are* their policies for DOAs.
Apple's is under NO circumstances can any of that stuff be returned.
I've seen this game far too many times at a brick-and-mortar retail store I used to work at.
I'm not accusing you of bait and switch, I'm just giving an explanation of the policy... and I don't really agree with it either. But, that's life.
Except possibly with nForce 2 MSI mobos.
Originally posted by tripleo
B.S.
A company is setting themselves up to be sued if they offer NO refunds what-so-ever for DOAs.
If this was legal, nothing would stop companies from adopting a similar policy and purposely shipping out DOA that they gathered from the trash can at FRY's.
And those companies would eventually get no business whatsoever. If you really want, you can complain to the BBB. Go ahead. Complain about Apple's no-return policy while you're at it.