Luckling

Since this has came up alot before. What is the Return Policy of B&M Stores when you have no receipt for the item?
Anyone that works at stores and know their policy please post.

Luckling

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Usually returns without a receipt are accepted or denied on a case by case basis. I always ask the customer if the item was a gift, etc... After 3 returns without a receipt (which we punch in a drivers license) you must wait until the returns are purged from your license number (can take up to 6 months. And, returns are tracked electronically chainwide. If you return something in California and use the same license to return something in Florida it is tracked. If you don't have a drivers license bring someone who does. Drivers License or an official state issued ID is REQUIRED.

by TNDVDFAN
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Yes, they do have a limit of 3 returns w/o receipt within a 6 month period. However, that is not a set-in-stone policy. As long as the CSM will override the transaction, you can return as much as you like, as often as you like. However, after 3 returns, the register will require a supervisor override. Then, it is at the discretion of the "supervisor".

As for returns with receipt, those are unlimited. As long as you have the receipt, you can return as much as you want, as often as you want...

by packaok
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Luckling

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The CSR explained that their new policy is all returns OR exchanges must have a receipt. If you return w/o a receipt 3 times you are blackballed. They track with Driver's license number. This is crappy. I have been a customer for years. It is very easy to garner 3 strikes...

by QuanTum
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Luckling

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I called them up 'cuz I had the same question. They say that they will exchange DVD's if they are sealed, and will either give you store credit for you to use right there or apparently they will give you gift cards which will act as store credit for later use online and offline. This is for both with and without receipt.

by huzefa
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Ben732

This is good to know!

mega

I'm not sure the suncoast/sam goody return policy is observed uniformly. I tried to exchange/return a sealed DVD of the Mummy:UE last week and neither sam goody (two of them in different malls) nor suncoast would take it back unless I had a receipt or "some proof" that the DVD was sold at a MLG store.

Luckling

Probably has something to do with the Nationwide Sale of 9.94 K-Mart Deal. I bet most stores caught wind of it and sent a memo out on it. I don't blame them for that.

Luckling

Should be similar to Walmart

ricwhite

I think Walmart's policy is pretty set in stone. However, one store claims that you can return three times without a receipt in A YEAR while another store claims it's SIX MONTHS. I think the six month period is correct since I have heard that figure used more than the other.

Many other store chains have a "standard" policy but allow individual store managers to alter it. For example: The Media Play, Suncoast, Sam Goody, Oncue and Musicland stores are owned by the same company. They have a "general" policy that merchandise returned without a receipt can be exchanged for in-store credit. However, the four Media Play stores in my city all have altered additions. One store exchanged without question any item they carried. Another store required manager approval for any exchanges without a receipt. Yet another store excluded DVDs and Video Games completely. They made additional signs that were attached to the "general" policy sign hanging by the checkout counter.

Update: The Media Play that accepted exchanges without a receipt without question has now changed their policy again. DVDS and Video Games can only be exhanged WITH a receipt now. They said the change was necessary because people would obtain greatly discounted games and DVDs online or on ebay and then exchange them for credit. They would then be able to purchase the more popular and expensive games and DVDs at a greatly reduced cost.

I know for a fact that this is true because I have done it. I purchased Gone in Sixty Seconds DVD at Kmart for $9.94 (when they had that sale) and then decided I didn't want it and I went to Media Play and exchanged it for $27.95 in-store credit. I was then able to purchase a new release for $19.95 and still had money left over.

So I guess because of that many store managers are tightening their policies on exchanges and allowing only exchanges with a receipt. Personally, I like the "middle ground" policy which limits exchanges without a receipt to a certain number per year. That, I believe, satisfies both the consumer's concern and the store's.

Heat

What's wrong with just returning it to the store where you bought it, and showing your receipt?

All of these scams just make it harder for the more honest people to return legitmate items.

ricwhite

Things are more complicated than they used to be. I hate the hassle of sending something back that I buy online. It would be far easier to take it back to a B & M store.

Sometimes I would rather take an item back to a store that is much closer than the place from which I purchased the item.

And, of course, there's the "gift" problem. Maybe it's just me, but I feel awkward asking the person from whom I received a gift for a receipt so I can exchange it.

So there are "legitimate" reasons to exchange as well as the "scam," and the challenge is to find that "middle ground" that can address both.

Mark Holtz

I know that Target now has the option of issuing "gift receipts".

Of course, it does my friend no good if there are no Target stores near him.

tyear8299

My local Best Buy won't take any DVD returns without a reciept over $50. Seeing as most gift sets are over $50, if someone bought you a gift set you already had you are pretty much screwed. Is this a corporate policy or is this just my local Best Buy? Has anyone returned a DVD purchase over $100 to a Best Buy without the reciept for an exchange of store credit? Also, can someone post which stores will give you store credit for exchanges without reciept and which ones take a different action.

Ty

hypeiv

when i worked at best buy i saw them return $200 printers with no recipt if they were sealed, they also took back video games for store credit (sealed) but i think they kinda stopped doing that. If its only one dvd and you ask to exchange it with another or for store credit as long as best buy has it in stock it should take more than a nice polite chat with a manager to get that done, (most managers i worked with didn't like to help irate customers so nice calm chat)this is assuming that the dvd's are still sealed.

37 In A Row

I exchanged "A Better Tomorrow" (with the bad soundtrack) for "A Better Tomorrow 2" at Suncoast with no hassels. It worked especially well after taking off the K Mart price tag. I mean ... damn not having an inner monolougue.

dvd-fisherman

At the local B&M Tower Records, I have always been able too. But they always tell me "this is the last time," or "only this time." Don't expect it, but you usually should. To them it doesn't make a difference. They always say they need a receipt, but really they don't.

What is funny is that they scanned my dvds to see how much that item is being bought. If it hasn't been bought in awhile they won't take it back. That's what happened with some of my extra dvds from sales. So I ebayed them and came out about $2 ahead for each disc.

tyear8299

Does anyone know what the return policy is at Circuit City without a reciept?

robertmee

Well, I tried to do just that this past weekend. I had a sealed copy of Gladiator that I received and I knew that Best Buy sold them for $24.99. All I wanted to do was exchange it for something else. I had planned on grabbing Blade and Unbreakable, paying the difference, less the credit. But nooooooooooooo.....They took it back with no problems (and for the record, they don't take DL #), but when I looked at the gift card receipt, the CSR only credited me $19.99. I went back to the video section and confirmed that Gladiator was $24.99. Also to my dismay, they no longer had Unbreakable at $17.99 but at $22.99!! I went promptly back up to the CSR, but they wouldn't budge. They said their policy was to only issue credit for the lowest price in the last 90 days that the DVD sold for. D***, they don't sell them for the lowest price in the last 90 days. Now I KNOW that I have never seen Gladiator for $19.99. And I bitched about how Unbreakable was marked $22.99 when a week ago it was $17.99. She told me to bring up a copy of Unbreakable and scan it as most of their DVD's scan less than the sticker price (WTF?). Sure enough, it scanned for $19.99 so I took it in exchange for Gladiator.

I guess I made out alright, but it gripes me. I was ready to spend more money in buying Blade and Unbreakable using the credit, but their unbending CSR cost them money. I somewhat understand the policy, deterring people from buying on sale and returning high, but for those who aren't running a scam, you get screwed.

Oh well. Now I'll just get the price from CC and get the difference back + 10%.

jiggyblau

I had this happen to me at The Wall, one of my least favorite places to shop. Period. Anyway, I took back a Bond set I got and it was selling for $150. They only gave me $130 though, as it was February and they said it had sold at $130 back at Christmas. (Keep in mind, $150 is OVER the list price.) Anyway, I think this is a good policy. If you really didn't buy it there, then it's a little less incentive to try to take it back where you didn't buy it. If you did buy it there, then it's somewhat likely you (or the person who bought the gift) got it for the lower price. If not, then you likely bought it over, say, 90 days ago, and in that case, a lot of stores really don't want you bringing it back, so you pay a minor penalty. But if you can still take it back, it's worth it.

For me, WalMart is the best place to return movies. For the record, Suncoast hasn't ever worked for me.

[post number 300!]

Smangalick

I used to work customer service for Circuit City a while back, and their official policy is for a movie/music/video game that is unopened and without a reciept is to offer a store credit for the lowest price in the computer. Usually if your nice about it, the CSR will take it back with no problems...but if your not then the policy also states that the CSR has discretion over which ones to accept and decline..

Hope that helps

jeyi

My husband received "The ADAM SANDLER Collection" as a gift. It is three dvd gift set with " Happy Galmore" , "Billy Madison" and "Bulletproof".

It is still sealed because we don't like those movies. I would like to bring it back to the store to get store credit or exchang for something else. Does anybody know which store sell this box set ? Does Wal-Mart or Best buy sell this box set ?

jiggyblau

I'm pretty certain I've seen it at WalMart. They have a lot of those 3 disc collector packs that aren't always so good, but make a start for a collection for WalMart shoppers. It's probably worth a try, because even if it isn't out in the aisle, it may scan in the system.

dvd-fisherman

My pops once said to get your way, just tape a nice fat $1 bill on top of the dvd you are trying to exchange. It always works wonders for me.

rile0161

One option that hasn't been mentioned in any thread is Borders....they are usually very good at taking unopened stuff back without a receipt (at least the one in my area) for a Borders Gift Car. I recently got like 4 DVDs I already had and returned them at the same time no problem. I go there a lot though so the people that work there know that I'm a regular customer, which might affect things. Anyone else have good/bad experiences with Borders?

bigjim25

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My Walmart sells this for $49.96!