How Much Off on an Open Item?

[MBG]

I bought a special Incra fence to fit my router positioner at a Woodcraft retail store (the last one). Woodpeckers sells it for $189 and I got this one for $163 w/ a coupon about two weeks ago.

I opened it up tonight and was going to use it but found some of the accessory bags cut open, the instruction manual bag cut open, and a few marks on the anti-skid tape on the bottom of the split fence.

Looks like this was a display or a return. I'm going back tomorrow to show it to them. How much of a discount should I be looking for since the fence is not in new condition?


Mike

[gimpy]

I have no idea. That being said, I am not an "A" type person. I don't dicker too well. I would just go in there and talk to them about it and see what they say/had to offer.

Hope someone else can give you a better answer.
Good luck, Frank

[LCHIEN]

I bought a special Incra fence to fit my router positioner at a Woodcraft retail store (the last one). Woodpeckers sells it for $189 and I got this one for $163 w/ a coupon about two weeks ago.

I opened it up tonight and was going to use it but found some of the accessory bags cut open, the instruction manual bag cut open, and a few marks on the anti-skid tape on the bottom of the split fence.

Looks like this was a display or a return. I'm going back tomorrow to show it to them. How much of a discount should I be looking for since the fence is not in new condition?


Mike

Maybe its just me, but you already got 10%+ off, all the parts are there, nothing damaged per se, the fence has some marks but its on the bottom where is will be rubbed anyway, its not perfectly new, yes, but you have 100% functionality and any scuffs won't show.

If we insist on antiseptically clean packaging and sterile sealed bags then the stores are going to start charging us restocking fees (some already do) and restricting the current fairly liberal return policies. Sometimes you have to take parts out of the bags or read the manual to see if its going to work or fit.

You are entitled to go back and bargain if you want, though, have at it.

[ryan.s]

I'm not sure how much off to ask for but knowing me I would just exchange it for a new one. If I'm paying for a new item whether it is with a coupon or not I want it to be new.

[MBG]

Ryan - I'm still with you. The box was all taped up as if it were new - so I should be receiving new/unused. Only problem is I know this was the last one they had. What Loring said makes sense if I knew (or was told ahead of time) before the purchase that it was slightly used.

Mike

[bigsteel15]

Similar thing happened to me.
I bought a 'demo' model Jessem lift.
It was 25% off regular price and the box was tagged with the model that I wanted but when I got it home and out of the box I realized that the unit inside was the wrong model for my routers.
I took it back and of course they didn't have any demos of the correct model.
I ended up paying another 10% for the correct one, so ended up only getting 15% off.
Still an OK deal because now I have a NIB unit.
Kind of p'd me off though because it was their mistake.
Considering how rare it is to get any deal on Jessem up here I was OK with it.

[just4funsies]

I'll lean to the distaff side of this one... There is a difference between NEW and USED. If the item is in new, never mounted condition, and all parts, accessories, packaging and paperwork are there, it is NEW. A couple slits in the cellophane don't warrant an additional discount, especially when you have already been given one (most discounts state that they can't be used in conjunction with any other discount). If a retailer takes something back for full credit that is in new condition, with only the celophane packing slit open, it is likely that he will not be able to return it to his supplier for credit, or will have to pay a restocking charge to do so. Why should he take the loss? The condition of the packaging has caused you no harm, nor any reduction in appearance, functionality, warranty or service life. You are satisfied with, and would be happy to use the item, and are just trying to extract a larger discount. The retailer would be within his rights to tell you that it is what it is, but some might give you a refund anyway, but there is no basis for a further discount, IMHO. It is often difficult to use flea-market reasoning in a retail store. All bets are off, however, if the item is truly used, defective, missing parts, or discontinued.

[LarryG]

If a retailer takes something back for full credit that is in new condition, with only the celophane packing slit open, it is likely that he will not be able to return it to his supplier for credit, or will have to pay a restocking charge to do so. Why should he take the loss?

But by the same line of reasoning ... just putting on my devil's advocate hat here ... if the item is now worth less to the VENDOR, it should be worth less to the CUSTOMER.

But, again, I'm just playing devil's advocate. In practice, I agree with you pretty much down the line. If the item is unused, and everything is there, I don't feel anything has been lost just because someone has opened it up and decided, for whatever reason, to return it. That sometimes happens to me; if I want to be able to return stuff in good faith, I feel I should extend others the same courtesy.

It depends on the item, though. I once bought a "new" kerosene heater and upon unpacking it, quickly realized it wasn't "new" at all (the presence of a few ounces of K1 in the tank being a dead giveaway). With possible safety issues to consider, I packed that sucker up and took it back right quick.

[Deadhead]

If there had been a sign next to it that stated "Returned Item - all parts and manual verified. $163.00" would you have bought it?

[MBG]

Went to Woodcraft and they gave me an additional 10%. I was satisfied and they were apologetic.

[Knottscott]

Went to Woodcraft and they gave me an additional 10%. I was satisfied and they were apologetic.

Sounds plenty fair. I was thinking that they might just offer you a new one with no further discount. Our WC is a nice store and are very nice to do business with, but not overly generous with additional discounts of any kind.

[LCHIEN]

Sounds plenty fair. I was thinking that they might just offer you a new one with no further discount. Our WC is a nice store and are very nice to do business with, but not overly generous with additional discounts of any kind.

yeah, but not likely since he only mentioned twice it was the last one.

[just4funsies]

But by the same line of reasoning ... just putting on my devil's advocate hat here ... if the item is now worth less to the VENDOR, it should be worth less to the CUSTOMER.

It's not that it's worth less to the vendor, it's that it costs the vendor time and trouble to take it back, thus the restocking charge. This does not enter into the equation with the consumer.

[LCHIEN]

It's not that it's worth less to the vendor, it's that it costs the vendor time and trouble to take it back, thus the restocking charge. This does not enter into the equation with the consumer.

On the contrary, i think restocking charges are a way of discouraging returns. So many times we hear that I bought it, but

• if i find a better deal or
• one i like better or
• decide it's not for me or
• it won't work, or
• it doesn't fit

then I'll return it. A 15% restocking charge would put a damper on at least 3-or 4 of the 5 reasons above.
But such a fee also discourages you from taking it home on speculation that you might like it, it might fit etc. The stores actually want you to speculate and hope you'll end up keeping it. That's why most don't have restocking charges now.

U.S. retailers have always been liberal with returns, I think the practice is much less available in other countries, especially when you get away from the tourist markets where tourists expect the same treatment as they get at home (plus the bargaining thing).

[just4funsies]

Back atcha, Loring. As an former associate for a wholesale/retail concern, I can tell you that we had one fulltime employee (sometimes two) dealing with returns. As for the manufacturers, defective items were compensated (sometimes after much haggling), and non-defective returns, if accepted, were usually charged restocking fees up to 25%. IN NO CASE was our cost of taking care of the returns, refunds, monitoring that we were properly compensated, packaging, or other administrative costs, nor the actual salaries of the support personnel EVER repaid. In short, it DOES cost to take stuff back, and your contention that restocking charges are fabricated simply as motivation to get the customers to keep their stuff was NOT in our equation. We always tried to garner good will, but still had to deal with the reality that there was a very tangible cost involved.