Not signed in (Sign In)
Welcome, Guest
Want to take part in these discussions? Sign in if you have an account, or apply for one below
Statistics
Dashboard
Vanilla 1.1.4 is a product of Lussumo. More Information: Documentation, Community Support.
-
-
CommentAuthorFormer_Frys_geek
- CommentTimeJul 24th 2008
One thing that I think always helped Fry's historically compared to a lot of retail stores is that historically their return policy has been better than most of their competitors. Except for Costco most places that sells electronics have a 15%+ restocking fee on opening virtually any electronics item.
I remember last year Fry's really got harsh on their return policy on A/C units because in '06 people there were a lot of people basically borrowing the A/C units and returning them before the end of the return period. Then later they added a restocking fee on GPS units, then earlier this year they added projectors to the list, and the other day I noticed that digital cameras and camcorders now have a restocking fee. Except for not having a restocking fee on computers there isn't much left that makes Fry's return policy more customer friendly than BB, CC, or any of a number of other retail stores.
While when I worked for Fry's I didn't like people who had no intention on keeping something to just buy it and return it after they were done using it, I do think that there are some products for which it is hard to get a feeling on whether you want to keep the product or not without actually using it. Most retail stores have practically worthless computer demos in my opinion. Beyond knowing how it will look out of the box it doesn't tell me a lot. I understand that they don't want to install software on the machine that isn't included in the box, but how does the customer really get a grasp for the performance advantages of one computer over another without actually running some demanding applications? For anybody who wants to run much beyond M$ Word the demo is almost useless.
Except for a wider selection of products, Fry's doesn't have much going for it. Unless Fry's can dramatically improve their customer service and their POS sytem I think Fry's is going to struggle. A lot of people were willing to put up with a lot of crap because the return privileges were good, but with that slowly going away Fry's is going to have to demonstrate other advantages to retain customers. -
-
To add to the list, I saw Toshiba laptops have a 15% restocking fee sticker on them. Not sure if it's just a mistake and someone just slapped the sticker on them or a foreshadow of what's to come. Weird it's only on Toshiba only. That's all I saw, as of Monday anyways.Store 25 / San Marcos, CA / I shit trains, Now what?
-
I believe all laptops have a 15% restocking fee.
-
My friend is a supervisor at Best Buy and he told me they upped their restocking fee on laptops to 20%. This should help you sell more laptops.i am a worm.
-
That's all stupid, what happens when a customer buys a legitimately shitty product, they shouldnt pay for it. You don't seem to understand the process. When a retailer TAKES BACK a faulty item, they dont LOOSE money, they usually (If unre-sellable) send it back to the manufacturer who refunds them THEIR cost. The restocking fees are usually to cover things like the commission paid out in case they can't get it back. Or if the item still works, actually repackaging it. But mainly they send them back. I bought a camera there and it kept shutting off when I pressed the snapshot button. They gave me SUCH a hassle about returning it, but I eventually called the District Manager who gave me cash back finally. It was a legitimately broken item, or faulty, what have you, and I went through so much just to return it. It was bullshit. I didnt get charged a restocking fee, thank god, or I'd have called up the DMs supervisor. But they probably sent the camera back to the manufacturer. I only used it twice, for very short periods of time.Superhero!
-
AyaHu: That's all stupid, what happens when a customer buys a legitimately shitty product, they shouldnt pay for it. You don't seem to understand the process. When a retailer TAKES BACK a faulty item, they dont LOOSE money, they usually (If unre-sellable) send it back to the manufacturer who refunds them THEIR cost. The restocking fees are usually to cover things like the commission paid out in case they can't get it back. Or if the item still works, actually repackaging it. But mainly they send them back. I bought a camera there and it kept shutting off when I pressed the snapshot button. They gave me SUCH a hassle about returning it, but I eventually called the District Manager who gave me cash back finally. It was a legitimately broken item, or faulty, what have you, and I went through so much just to return it. It was bullshit. I didnt get charged a restocking fee, thank god, or I'd have called up the DMs supervisor. But they probably sent the camera back to the manufacturer. I only used it twice, for very short periods of time.
In Fry's case we just resell returned products.i am a worm. -
AyaHu: That's all stupid, what happens when a customer buys a legitimately shitty product, they shouldnt pay for it. You don't seem to understand the process. When a retailer TAKES BACK a faulty item, they dont LOOSE money, they usually (If unre-sellable) send it back to the manufacturer who refunds them THEIR cost. The restocking fees are usually to cover things like the commission paid out in case they can't get it back. Or if the item still works, actually repackaging it. But mainly they send them back. I bought a camera there and it kept shutting off when I pressed the snapshot button. They gave me SUCH a hassle about returning it, but I eventually called the District Manager who gave me cash back finally. It was a legitimately broken item, or faulty, what have you, and I went through so much just to return it. It was bullshit. I didnt get charged a restocking fee, thank god, or I'd have called up the DMs supervisor. But they probably sent the camera back to the manufacturer. I only used it twice, for very short periods of time.
Generally we do lose money on opened products. If the product is indeed damaged, we will exchange it for a new one, no restocking fee, and I believe we get a chargeback for the faulty product. If there is nothing wrong with the product, we have to keep it. Sending it back to the manufacturer will only gain us a percentage of what we paid if there are no faults. Commission is a non-issue, the salesman gets hit for the amount in question. So generally, opened products sit on the shelf, getting more and more beat up, until one day when we basically throw it away, or sell it at a generous discount. As for your camera, if it was in the appropriate time period for return there should have been no issues. If they were giving you trouble they were clearly in the wrong. However, if it was outside the standard return period, it's pretty much the manufacturer's problem at that point. Generally we will be nice and exchange it [no refunds] up to ninety days after time of purchase, matching other competitor's return policies. The exception, of course, are cameras that capture the souls of man. After just one soul has been harvested, the camera is forever damned, and naturally unsellable. But you can usually throw it up on satan'slist and get a decent return. -
worm:
Superhero!
In Fry's case we just resell returned products.
No you resell the non broken ones.
Sasquatch:
If there is nothing wrong with the product, we have to keep it. Sending it back to the manufacturer will only gain us a percentage of what we paid if there are no faults.
A lot of people return shit just cause they didn't like it. Which is why you see so many returned items at Fry's. But broken products are a full refund for a retailer from a wholesaler. What I mean by commissions is that one kid who sells a bunch of stuff, takes his paycheck and quits. You can't CB him. There are times when it becomes Frys' "loss".
And my camera was returned within the period. Its always hard to return stuff at OUR frys. But I don't return things often so I'm usually in the clear. -
Fry's return policy is "customer friendly"?
One of the reasons I no longer do business with Fry's is because of how "friendly" their return people are. After one too many experiences of buying merchandise (mostly computer hardware) that was damaged/broken with the way Fry's handled it initially (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhoOuxN8cyw), they'd always try and claim that the customer caused the damage.
Although Fry's return policy may be a little more liberal than Best Buy, it certainly does not qualify as "customer friendly" -
You should have used the force.
-
Sasquatch: You should have used the force.
Maybe he used too much force and bent a few pins on the processor..I'm crushing your head... You flathead! -
m_tux:
Sasquatch: You should have used the force.
Maybe he used too much force and bent a few pins on the processor..
I thought the sockets were ZIF meaning zero insertion force... drop in and lock.i am a worm. -
Needs some force to lock.
-
Sasquatch: Needs some force to lock.
Needs ZLF.i am a worm. -
Needs more salt.
-
-
CommentAuthorFormer_Frys_geek
- CommentTimeJul 28th 2008
ObiWan: Fry's return policy is "customer friendly"?
One of the reasons I no longer do business with Fry's is because of how "friendly" their return people are. After one too many experiences of buying merchandise (mostly computer hardware) that was damaged/broken with the way Fry's handled it initially (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhoOuxN8cyw), they'd always try and claim that the customer caused the damage.
Although Fry's return policy may be a little more liberal than Best Buy, it certainly does not qualify as "customer friendly"
Returning stuff has historically been more time consuming than almost anywhere else, but until recently I would have to say that they took back stuff long past when virtually anybody except for Costco would have laughed at you. I used to lose commissions due to returns on computers I sold 2-6 months after I sold it. This certainly wasn't an isolated situation either because a lot of other sales people told me that the same thing happened to them as well. Furthermore, we often had returns on products for which all sorts of things were missing and nobody from returns deducted anything despite the fact that returns is supposed to make a deduction presuming that they even take the item back.
Returns vary from store to store, but in my experience they took back a lot of stuff where it seemed obvious that the customer damaged the product. I remember encountering people who forced DDR2 into a DDR1 slot, Rambus memory into a DDR1 slot, etc. Fry's ate the loss for these people who frankly had no business assembling a computer. Even a lot of customers wouldn't feel like the morons doing stuff like this should get a return, but they Fry's gave them a return anyways. -
-
I really think a flexible return policy is the way to go. It helps the consumer. It just doesn't make sense to feel pressured to buy something and keep it because it doesn't fit my needs. Only very few people will return something that has a ridiculous restocking fee. Why do you think Best Buy sales per store isn't so great?
-
man: I really think a flexible return policy is the way to go. It helps the consumer. It just doesn't make sense to feel pressured to buy something and keep it because it doesn't fit my needs. Only very few people will return something that has a ridiculous restocking fee. Why do you think Best Buy sales per store isn't so great?
I like the Nordstrom return policy. While I've never utilized the Nordstrom return policy, it is a nice policy to have.Superhero! -
AyaHu:
man: I really think a flexible return policy is the way to go. It helps the consumer. It just doesn't make sense to feel pressured to buy something and keep it because it doesn't fit my needs. Only very few people will return something that has a ridiculous restocking fee. Why do you think Best Buy sales per store isn't so great?
I like the Nordstrom return policy. While I've never utilized the Nordstrom return policy, it is a nice policy to have.
Nordstrom allows you to exchange clothing or shoes even after a year of use.i am a worm. -
Actually, they return anything. Period. Year, years. Anything. Even if they never carried it. I used to work there long ago. It was cool I dont think I ever met anyone who utilized their policy.Superhero!
-
Could you imagine if Fry's had a similar return policy? Yikes!
-
Sasquatch: Could you imagine if Fry's had a similar return policy? Yikes!
HECK// I'd bring in an old ibook i have..
mmm I wonder if Nordstroms would take it back...
I'm crushing your head... You flathead!
-
-
CommentAuthorgreenscreen
- CommentTimeAug 5th 2008
Restocking fees for many items help Fry's reduce losses.
Our GPS return rate on GPS used to be around 50% before our restock fee, now it's under 15% -
-
m_tux:
Sasquatch: Could you imagine if Fry's had a similar return policy? Yikes!
HECK// I'd bring in an old ibook i have.. mmm I wonder if Nordstroms would take it back...
They would.
greenscreen: Restocking fees for many items help Fry's reduce losses.
Our GPS return rate on GPS used to be around 50% before our restock fee, now it's under 15%
Good, because most of those idiots bought one without understanding really what they were getting or what they wanted, and unless a product is broken, you shouldnt take it back. A purchase is a purchase. Im sure we'll see a vast number of gps' on ebay and craigslist.Superhero! -
greenscreen: Restocking fees for many items help Fry's reduce losses.
Our GPS return rate on GPS used to be around 50% before our restock fee, now it's under 15%
Why do these have a high return rate? GPS reduces travel cost. It is a smart thing to own. -
-
CommentAuthorgreenscreen
- CommentTimeAug 6th 2008
Pretty obvious, people would "buy" them for their trip, and then return them afterwards.
Happens quite a bit on things like projectors as well, people will buy a $1000 projector for a meeting, then return it when they are done. -
-
greenscreen: Pretty obvious, people would "buy" them for their trip
What a waste of time!! What is the point when you have Google maps on your gps-enabled iPhone 3g? -
I use Gamin mobile for my phone. It has turn by turn navigation. So, in your face sir!Store 25 / San Marcos, CA / I shit trains, Now what?
-
asdf:
greenscreen: Restocking fees for many items help Fry's reduce losses.
Our GPS return rate on GPS used to be around 50% before our restock fee, now it's under 15%
Why do these have a high return rate? GPS reduces travel cost. It is a smart thing to own.
GPS s suck. There is yet to be one with any sense of accurate information. Travel cost my ass. When you have to loop back around because you realize you were supposed to turn left and it told you right, no help. Even pluggining in Long. and Lat. is a hit or miss situation. Smarter to get a map.Superhero! -
AyaHu:
asdf:
greenscreen: Restocking fees for many items help Fry's reduce losses.
Our GPS return rate on GPS used to be around 50% before our restock fee, now it's under 15%
Why do these have a high return rate? GPS reduces travel cost. It is a smart thing to own.
GPS s suck. There is yet to be one with any sense of accurate information. Travel cost my ass. When you have to loop back around because you realize you were supposed to turn left and it told you right, no help. Even pluggining in Long. and Lat. is a hit or miss situation. Smarter to get a map.
Speaking of
http://information.travel.aol.com/article/news-feeds/_a/gps-device-leads-travelers-to-cliffs/20080806102409990001?ncid=AOLCOMMtravdynlsec0145Superhero! -
How do you get stranded in a car??
-
AyaHu:
AyaHu:
asdf:
greenscreen: Restocking fees for many items help Fry's reduce losses.
Our GPS return rate on GPS used to be around 50% before our restock fee, now it's under 15%
Why do these have a high return rate? GPS reduces travel cost. It is a smart thing to own.
GPS s suck. There is yet to be one with any sense of accurate information. Travel cost my ass. When you have to loop back around because you realize you were supposed to turn left and it told you right, no help. Even pluggining in Long. and Lat. is a hit or miss situation. Smarter to get a map.
Speaking of
http://information.travel.aol.com/article/news-feeds/_a/gps-device-leads-travelers-to-cliffs/20080806102409990001?ncid=AOLCOMMtravdynlsec0145
The woman in the GPS told me to do it.i am a worm. -
Precisely.Superhero!
-
-
CommentAuthorgreatqualityCDRW
- CommentTimeAug 7th 2008
AyaHu:
asdf:
greenscreen: Restocking fees for many items help Fry's reduce losses.
Our GPS return rate on GPS used to be around 50% before our restock fee, now it's under 15%
Why do these have a high return rate? GPS reduces travel cost. It is a smart thing to own.
GPS s suck. There is yet to be one with any sense of accurate information. Travel cost my ass. When you have to loop back around because you realize you were supposed to turn left and it told you right, no help. Even pluggining in Long. and Lat. is a hit or miss situation. Smarter to get a map.
My GPS hasnt failed me. I love being somewhere unfamiliar and just looking in my GPS for the nearest Starbucks, McDonalds etc. I love being able to get up and leave without first looking at Yahoo!Maps. -
-
Well it doesn't speak highly of you that you enjoy Starbucks and McDonalds, and you use Yahoo Maps, so I motion to have your opinion demoted.Superhero!
-
LOL. Noice.
1 to 37 of 37