Why Is US Return Policy for Stores So Much More Relaxed than Here?

PuntyBrah on 03/11/2022 - 12:15
Last edited 03/11/2022 - 12:28

First of all, I'm not born here, had always thought that Aus would be similar to US or other first world countries when it comes to consumer rights and freedom.

I'm geniune curious as to why there is such a huge difference to shopping experience here to US.

I'm sure everyone has experience shopping around and choosing between products, searching online and having some guy on the internet telling you to just buy both and return the one you don't like. That guy is most likely from the US, and you'd reply that you can't do that here…

What's the story behind this? why can't we have a more relax return policy from retailers? (or am I not shopping at the right store?)

As far as I know, change of mind returns mostly apply to unopened items in original packaging, I can't tell if I like a TV or speaker if I haven't tested them out…

General Discussion

Comments

  • Hybroid on 03/11/2022 - 12:20
    +35

    It depends on the store, some do allow change of mind returns. Some charge restocking fee, others don't. Some don't allow change of mind returns at all.

    The answer to your question is purchasing volume power. Australia is a very limited market compared to USA and it's a lot more challenging to absorb returns costs at a smaller scale.

    You could ask the same in reverse for video games, why do they drop in price rapidly here vs USA? There just isn't enough demand buying them post-launch so they reduce price to shift them. Not the same issue in USA with much larger market population.

    • HeWhoKnows on 04/11/2022 - 12:33
      +11

      The correct answer is America's sharp focus on providing exceptional custoimer service as a competitive advantage.

      • paloverde88 on 04/11/2022 - 19:51
        +6

        Totally agree total customer satisfaction has always been a hallmark of American retail that sets them apart even from Europeans. Americans pioneered complete customer satisfaction. Everyone else is just a copy cat and a bad one at best dismal failure at worse.

        Like waitering in Paris, customer service in America is serious business. Ignore it you get no sales bankrupt even. Here they tell you to leave the store or yell at customers.

        • Cluster on 05/11/2022 - 01:18
          +39

          If you really want to see great customer service, go to Japan. Leaves the USA behind. And Japanese staff don't expect a bribe to offer great customer service.

          • berry580 on 05/11/2022 - 02:09
            +1

            @Cluster: Lol, a forced bribe.

          • paloverde88 on 05/11/2022 - 03:24
            +10

            @Cluster: Japanese are not serial goods exchangers or returners its embarrassing in the culture

            • Meconium on 05/11/2022 - 08:50
              +4

              @paloverde88: Not “serial returners”, but they expect good quality and value for money and they will return even relatively inexpensive items if not up to expectations.

              • dbmitch on 05/11/2022 - 13:32
                +1

                @Meconium: So Japanese only return if its legit a quality issue.

                While the rest return if a product is even slightly off a shade of red, even if it works perfectly?

          • tolchok on 06/11/2022 - 07:54
            +1

            @Cluster: In my experience, this it’s correct. I only have moderate experience shopping in both (I think 7 or 8 trips to the US, 4 to Japan), but customer service for US shopping was about the same as Aus (maybe slightly better), lots of places in Japan customer service was exceptional.

            If people have significantly more experience shopping in both, they will have more data to go off.

          • HeWhoKnows on 08/11/2022 - 19:03

            @Cluster: We are simply answering OPs question here

      • tonka on 05/11/2022 - 07:06
        +2

        I thought Americans were known for poor customer service. I would suggest a hyper competitive retail environment encourages more flexible policies. Also perhaps the economy of scale enables them to absorb waste into the retail margin and may not be the case with smaller retailers we are less familiar with.

        • monkeyfood on 05/11/2022 - 09:09
          +6

          Try returning something in russia or china and you will see what poor customer service is

          • paloverde88 on 05/11/2022 - 09:47
            -1

            @monkeyfood: Try defending yourself in a Russia or Chinese court enough said why compare with places with zero score in human rights compare apples with apples not with oranges

            • monkeyfood on 05/11/2022 - 10:41

              @paloverde88: He said he thought Americans were known for poor customer service, im pointing out in the big picture they are quiet good compared to the majority of other places on earth

              • tonka on 05/11/2022 - 14:03
                -3

                @monkeyfood: Giving you a neg vote for assuming everyone is male.

          • tonka on 05/11/2022 - 13:55
            -1

            @monkeyfood: Is that something you've done?

        • TEER3X on 05/11/2022 - 13:11
          -2

          I thought Americans were known for poor customer service

          You thought wrong

          • tonka on 05/11/2022 - 14:02
            -1

            @TEER3X: Haven't spent a lot of time there but all with my main impression being advance aggressive lectures about giving tips and a disengaged retail environment. Granted in the last 20 years we have lowered our standards to a similar benchmark.

  • foxmulder on 03/11/2022 - 12:21
    +1

    Most large retailers here have very relaxed return policies, provided item is unopened and never used. Most marketplace is the same, with exception for eBay of which depends on the sellers to accept return or not. Warranty wise in USA I believe after 30 days you will deal with manufacturer, while here you still deal with retailer.

    • Kangal on 04/11/2022 - 21:12
      +1

      Three prevailing hypothesis:

      A) Guns. Everyone has them. Better not piss off the customers.

      B) Karens. They're everywhere, best to comply otherwise they "want to speak to your manager".

      C) Taxes. Those large retailers don't really pay any, so they have massive profits. And can take financial hits like this, unlike small businesses. The US Daddy will just print more money for them anyways, and the burden of that must be lifted up many other nations since International Trade is mandated by it (see what happened to Gadafi, Saddam, etc).

      • zruins on 05/11/2022 - 01:21
        +9

        cringe

        • dbmitch on 05/11/2022 - 13:34

          the truth is usually cringe but sad

      • superuser on 05/11/2022 - 07:34

        Seems true, i agree👍

      • paloverde88 on 05/11/2022 - 09:49
        -5

        Despite guns no one has ever heard of a gunshot over poor customer service it’s always targeted people because of love jealousy or drugs not over a return item

        As for Karen there is a reason why Donna Karen of New York has done so well

        • TEER3X on 05/11/2022 - 13:06

          Elementary school shooting????

        • NoApostrophePlurals on 05/11/2022 - 16:08
          +1

          Her name is Donna Karan, not Karen.

          • paloverde88 on 05/11/2022 - 19:43

            @NoApostrophePlurals: Karans or Kareems , all the same they want value for their money that's why Now Donna's clothing are sold in clearance
            cages in America

  • ankti231 on 03/11/2022 - 12:21
    +19

    We have less Karens to bully retail brands into submission with unreasonable return requests

    But you might be surprised what places like Bunnings are willing to take as returns

    • outlander on 03/11/2022 - 13:05
      +16

      Bunnings goes way overboard with their returns. I've taken things back 2 years after I bought them and they haven't made a peep

      • Jimothy Wongingtons on 03/11/2022 - 13:48
        -4

        The rate my local bunnings has staff turn over the people on counter probably only been there a week or so anyway so probably dont know better..

      • Heaps for Cheaps on 03/11/2022 - 14:18
        -1

        I was looking at their returns policy and it's now 30 days for change-of-mind…

      • apsilon on 03/11/2022 - 20:10
        +19

        That's because they don't wear the cost, they pass it back to the supplier/manufacturer. You can do that when you're a monopoly and having your product stocked by Bunnings can make or break a company.

        • love2buy on 04/11/2022 - 15:03
          +6

          I'm saddened that alot of people can't see pass their own selfishness.

      • paloverde88 on 04/11/2022 - 19:58

        They took spades that just dug a grave with soil still intact

        They'll take potted plants back if it didn't bloom last spring.

  • xdigger on 03/11/2022 - 12:23
    +13

    They've got more rights…. and guns

    • aelix on 04/11/2022 - 20:16
      +5

      They really don't have more rights, because they tend to dislike regulations that hinder companies from profit-making (except in California). So there are a range of consumer protections that we take for granted here but don't exist there.

      • [Deactivated] on 05/11/2022 - 07:55
        +1

        Gun battle was a very likely scenario for toilet paper rolls here.

    • TEER3X on 05/11/2022 - 07:58
      -2

      They've got more rights….

      Unless you're female… Or a minority.

      Imagine being a female and a minority over there.

      • GandalfTheCheap on 06/11/2022 - 01:54

        Lucky we don't have any discrimination whatsoever here in Australia…

      • Grazz989 on 06/11/2022 - 12:41

        Oh get lost. The constitution doesn't say anything about those things, their anti discrimination laws are heavy, just like ours.

        Say what you want about how the people act in practice, but don't talk nonsense about legal rights.

  • Cheaplikethebird on 03/11/2022 - 12:28
    +31

    Pretty sure our consumer rights slam dunk on those in the US. Right to repair and statutory warranty off the top of my head.

    • PuntyBrah on 03/11/2022 - 12:31
      +3

      maybe I shouldn't have included consumer right in this discussion, I meant to discuss about change of mind/shopping, return policy as a centre of discussion more. You're right our consumer rights are pretty solid.

    • USER DC on 03/11/2022 - 14:25
      +7

      Pretty sure there is no like proper RIGHT to REPAIR in ACL. There is one but its more of like Right to getting item repaired, getting refunded, or getting a replacement.
      The right in ACL is more related to getting your item repaired (aka you getting your stuff fixed from the seller/business)

      Its not same as manufacture's giving consumers a right to repair the items on themselves. This is what US/Europe is arguing stronger on, i.e. e.g. microsoft makes their surface product so difficult to repair. aka POOR REPAIRABILITY OF THE ITEM (Planned obsolescence) , or apple voids your warranty because you got it repaired from non apple repairer.

      • TEER3X on 05/11/2022 - 13:16
        +1

        Anterior cruciate ligament?

        • GandalfTheCheap on 06/11/2022 - 01:56

          I'm guessing Australian Consumer Law but not sure why that'd be considered well-known enough to just give the acronym.

          • USER DC on 06/11/2022 - 21:08

            @GandalfTheCheap: Its still better than saying old trade pratices act or competition and consumer protection act.

    • Pinchy on 05/11/2022 - 16:50
      +1

      Depends on the consumer rights..
      USA have lemon car laws. And Gift cards laws - they can’t expire over there.

  • jv on 03/11/2022 - 12:41
    +6

    Why Is US Return Policy for Stores So Much More Relaxed than Here?

    In which states?

    • PuntyBrah on 03/11/2022 - 12:55
      +5

      United States.

      • jv on 03/11/2022 - 12:59
        +25

        which ones are united? they all have different laws.

        • capslock janitor on 04/11/2022 - 19:30

          Which are the majority unity?

        • TEER3X on 05/11/2022 - 08:25

          None of them, the us is 50 separate countries

      • SydStrand on 03/11/2022 - 23:53
        +6

        I've never had a problem with returns, but I've never tried to push the envelope, either. Just today at Aldi, an old woman cut the line and demanded refund for a bag of something she bought last week. Receipt? No. Fine, and she was refunded to card on the spot. The cashier didn't even check the contents. Bunnings is the same. Amazon AU pays out your refund before the item arrives at their depot, even before they can verify contents or condition, pretty much exactly what you described. Walmart and Best Buy return policies are comparable to what we get, so please clarify what exactly you think is so onerous here.

        • 811b11e8 on 05/11/2022 - 07:22

          This is one of the reasons I buy Bunnings branded tools. If it's a Ryobi they don't need a receipt and just swap it normally.

          • TEER3X on 05/11/2022 - 08:25
            +1

            @811b11e8: Stupid question, is Ryobi Bunnings branded?

            • trongy on 05/11/2022 - 11:04

              @TEER3X: Ryobi is a brand of Hong Kong based Techtronic Industries.

              However, Bunnings has been the exclusive retailer of Ryobi tools in Australia since 2008. I'm guess they can tell one of their own from an imported on based on model or serial number.

        • Grazz989 on 06/11/2022 - 12:43

          Amazon AU is a us modelled company, and ALDI a European one. Can't argue too much about Bunnings but their main customer is businesses/tradies so likely they treat the relationship as more b2b-like than most retailers.

          • SydStrand on 06/11/2022 - 15:23

            @Grazz989: Multinationals still have to abide by local laws and adjust policies accordingly. They don't just copy paste T&Cs for every territory. I linked the return policies of the two largest big box retail stores in the US, Best Buy and Walmart, and asked the OP why he feels it's so different to a local chain like Officeworks or JB, but it's just another 'post and ghost.'

  • Ughhh on 03/11/2022 - 12:57
    +4

    , I can't tell if I like a TV or speaker if I haven't tested them out…

    Isn't that's why there's demo's in store?

    • johnno07 on 04/11/2022 - 15:58
      +24

      Good lord that's a lot of apostrophes.

      • McFly on 04/11/2022 - 18:23
        +5

        S'entence look's fine to me.

      • OZKap on 04/11/2022 - 19:13
        +4

        He's has's a's lisp's, be's more's considerate's.

        • Ughhh on 04/11/2022 - 19:46

          I found your glasses.

      • Ughhh on 04/11/2022 - 19:45

        Lol I cbf editing after swiping (the keyboard).

    • Antikythera on 04/11/2022 - 16:54

      no. but it is why some TV's have a specific "store mode" which has higher brightness and higher power usage, and probably shorter lifetime to failure, than default settings. it only has to look better than the other brands in the store. once you get it home the default settings are fine.

    • capslock janitor on 04/11/2022 - 19:31

      they don't display everything on demo tho , just best-sellers maybe

  • outlander on 03/11/2022 - 13:06
    +4

    I find returns are pretty good here. Much better than they used to be, although many used COVID as an excuse to axe returns for a while

    • capslock janitor on 04/11/2022 - 19:33

      i found jb hifi returns were easiest during covid since they didnt bother checking/didnt wanna get infected

  • GG57 on 03/11/2022 - 13:12
    +1

    Is the USA return policy the best?

    • saltysalt on 05/11/2022 - 22:12

      In the big box stores its your g-dam right!

  • autolux on 03/11/2022 - 13:14
    +2

    generally just a scale issue. you want the full answer tho its economies of scale meeting arbitrage of empire/monopolies… all of these consumer products, shipped to your local store or door, from god knows where around the world, which you enjoy in todays globalist economy, are only made possible by the subjugation of people in other countries. ie. you are complicit in the cheap labour exploitation of workers in foreign countries by a ruling class in your own economy or whom are transnational.

    the entire west is complicit in this as it has become the default economic model underpinning the financial system, which it has hegemonic control over, and which allowed it to pursue the long process of undermining all local workers and offshoring everything in order to generate more return via this model in the first place.

    Australia is only a tiny slice of this humble pie, especially compared to America, which obviously runs the whole shebangabang. This is the main reason for your question, America is king and their companies can generally afford to be more 'relaxed' because at the end of the day they're running the show and don't need to nickel and dime things, which they know they're pillaging from other countries for cents on the dollar… Australia, is a fraction of the weight & scale of America's economy & is more bureaucratic in general for these reasons (just walk down a street and look at the ridiculous signage), and thats why theres more tug'o'war over the rights of buyers & sellers and closer nick & diming for companies here.

  • kerfuffle on 03/11/2022 - 13:42
    +1

    Probably because people abuse the policy. DJs had a no-time-limit returns policy, but now it’s sixty days.

    • runamuck on 04/11/2022 - 18:52

      Its now 30 days

      • paloverde88 on 04/11/2022 - 20:01

        Will be 3 weeks soon

  • Topdog on 03/11/2022 - 13:45
    -1

    because in America if they dont accept the return a ar15 will probably start firing

  • stemcell on 03/11/2022 - 13:50
    +12

    You try returning a fetus to Jesus in the USA

    • Cluster on 05/11/2022 - 01:27
      +1

      Try even getting fetus deletus in quite a few states over there. They won't even allow it if the father is your father.

    • Empharand on 05/11/2022 - 20:18

      No, but I have tried returning the USA to Jesus as a Fetus, didn't go well…

  • apple2016 on 03/11/2022 - 14:32
    +1

    why can't we have a more relax return policy from retailers?

    generally its to keep costs down. Not sure of US, but at least costco used to have a relaxed policy which was abused to an extent that they have updated their policy.

    • Grazz989 on 06/11/2022 - 12:47

      Genuinely curious, how did people abuse it? What would you buy from Costco that you'd then went to return, especially in unmarketable condition so it costs them money?

      • airtime on 06/11/2022 - 23:59

        Prescription eye glasses are an example. They destroy them when returned. Hearing aids are probably the same but I don't have first hand knowledge.

  • BewareOfThe Dog on 03/11/2022 - 14:50

    Returns are a lot easier now under ACL, than they were up until 10-12 years ago.

    • apple2016 on 03/11/2022 - 16:31
      +3

      OP is talking about change of mind returns and this is not included in ACL. I also feel ACL is much better

  • freefall101 on 03/11/2022 - 15:26
    +3

    When I lived in Canada, there was an open box table at a lot of major stores. It was great, a lot of the time it was just change of mind stuff that had barely been used at all. But I also found that regular retail prices tended to be a lot higher, which is why Amazon decimated retail stores there and why times like black friday have such deep discounts - it's because retailer markup is higher and they do better volume deals with suppliers. So the cost of selling an item at an open box price wasn't that hard on them, they still make a profit. And salaries being lower there meant having more staff to deal with that kind of stuff is easier - here all retail seems to run on skeleton staff.

  • Ocker on 03/11/2022 - 18:44
    +4

    In general terms the Yanks have an over-powering feeling of self entitlement and they complain about the smallest of issues. Viz. the world revolves around their own personal situation, whereas the Aussie are far more laid back and accepting.
    FWIW, we sell items to countries around the globe, with the EXCEPTION of USA. I got sick of buyers whinging and complaining about nonsensical issues and put the country on our blacklist of buyers.

    • saltysalt on 05/11/2022 - 22:15
      +2

      Wow, what type of items were you selling?

  • Cave Fire on 03/11/2022 - 20:42

    Fyi, went to South Africa and mom bought clothing that was the wrong size (unused with tags on). They wouldn't exchange without a receipt, where most shops here will. So it can go the other way as well.

    • mini2 on 03/11/2022 - 21:53
      +2

      Probably a theft-related thing.

      • Cleartripe on 04/11/2022 - 19:03
        +1

        Change of mind returns, or even wrong size/faulty returns in most places in third world countries. They use the flakiest of reasons to deny a return

  • BertieBrown on 03/11/2022 - 22:28

    Costco used to have a great returns policy but my understand is that people would return items and then expect to get a new product. It’s now much more limited.

    That’s the nature of such policy - if you have it people will surely abuse it unfortunately. It’s a matter of deciding if the payoff is worth it. In Australia I think most retailers feel it isn’t, but I think on the whole if you have a problem (change of mind because what you bought is a piece of shit sort of thing) Aussie retailers want to help.

    Anecdotally the best stores I’ve found for returns are JB HiFi, Bunnings, Costco, Big W, K Mart and Woolworths/Coles. The worst, again anecdotally mind you, would be Harvey Norman. That’s for stuff that has bitten the dust, or change of mind per se because it’s not doing a good job.

    Most Australian large department stores are pretty good, but that’s generally for things that have gone wrong, rather than just change of mind.

    We also don’t really have the big super stores like US does, in places like Walmart, or Home Depot that kind of seem to able to just take returns willy nilly.

  • bigsaver on 04/11/2022 - 10:18

    Never had a problem returning anything including groceries… It's a lot less stressful than going to us and trying to figure out how much the bill is going to really be after sales tax, tips, etc.. and also constantly worrying about how much to tip as $5 is not enough for someone to push your luggage into the lift in the US ..not going back ;)

  • Sleeqb7 on 04/11/2022 - 11:14
    +5

    If I had to choose between regularly being able to change-of-mind return VS having robust consumer protections surround product quality and longevity, I would choose the latter every day of the week.

  • DiscoJango on 04/11/2022 - 13:33
    +3

    America: crappy public healthcare, rubbish public education, high gun violence

    Ill take Australia any day of the week

    Wouldnt mind a $20k Mustang tho

    • Randolph Duke on 04/11/2022 - 14:42
      +2

      Would you rev it past 3,000 rpm?

      • DiscoJango on 05/11/2022 - 15:54
        +3

        Straight into a crowd, yes.

    • virhlpool on 06/11/2022 - 17:37

      Wouldnt mind a $20k Mustang tho

      Or a $600k, 6-bedroom two-storey house with 4 bathrooms and 3 garages.

  • OzzyOzbourne on 04/11/2022 - 13:46
    +3

    Consumer laws are not widely undersood here nor enforced. There's little publicity about them to educate people, little action is taken against stores who ignore consumer rights or mislead customers about guarantees and who to contact and there's a general public attitude of 'suck it up and don't complain' if consumers get screwed over, especially if there's some unrelated aspect that Australia is better at in some way. (Pretty common actually, rather than trying to address a problem or make improvements, the suggestion is to sod off if you don't like it).
    So basically most people don't care and so it won't improve.

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