 | an_honest_opinion | On November 9, 2009, an_honest_opinion wrote: The owner was smooth-talking, a bit hard on the initial sales pitch but otherwise friendly when I went in to purchase over $500 worth of hydroponic equipment for my mentally disabled friend's birthday present, but when I needed to return a couple of items the next day, he became irate, antagonistic and very unaccommodating.
When I first realized I needed to return the duct fan (it was way too loud) that evening after I got home, I noticed some fine print on the receipt he hadn't explained to me at the time of the purchase: "All sales considered final. Some returns may be accepted on a case by case basis with a 25% restocking fee."
I understood from this that they would possibly allow me to return the merchandise and assess this 25% restocking fee. Exorbitant yes, but whatever.
So I got to the store and explained that the $138 duct fan I'd purchased was too loud and I needed to return it along with some $19.95 ducting, he tried to sell me some silencing equipment. When I refused due to concerns about having to pay for 25% of cost if I had to return it, his demeanor became decidedly less pleasant and agreed that I could return the fan and the ducting if I paid the 25% restocking fee.
He gave me a lecture about how it cost him money because he had to reorder new merchandise, and I told him he didn't have to explain it to me -- if that was his policy -- so be it. I would just have to be wary about buying things in the future there, knowing that I would have to pay 25% on anything I had to return.
But after he processed the "return", I noticed he'd only given me store credit, instead of crediting my card for the amount. In other words, it wasn't a return at all! I told him I didn't want store credit and said that was my only option. When I told him I would dispute the charge with my credit card provider, he accused me of causing a disturbance and said I would have to leave. Although I remained surprisingly civil throughout, he told me he would have to call the police and went so far as to follow me out into the parking lot to write down my license plate number! I told him I would rather have the merchandise back than the store credit and he refused to give me the merchandise, and now I couldn't use the store credit if I wanted to.
So he kept the merchandise and the money and I have nothing. Bottom line: if you do decide to do business here, just be very careful about reading the fine print on the return policy.
Also, it pays to do some comparison shopping. I found that the same 6" Active Air duct fan that he was selling for $138.95 could be purchased elsewhere for much cheaper. Likewise, their $189.95 400w Lumatek digital ballast was also available elsewhere at a much lower price.
Had he been more accommodating and pleasant with his return policy, I would've been happy to do more business with him. But in his desire to save himself a few bucks now, he ended up costing himself a lot more later. |
