5 tips to make your next return experience easier

WEST PALM BEACH, Fl. -   Knowing a store's return policy, especially in the state of Florida can save a lot of frustration when it comes to returning an unwanted item.

  Here's five tips to make your next return experience easier.

 

#1 Know the policy before you buy.

   Palm Beach County Consumer Services investigator Michele Larkin said, "A lot of our population comes from other states and when they come to Florida, they assume the return policies are uniform throughout. That is very far from the truth."

  In Florida, stores only have to post a notice, like an all sales are final sign, if they don't have return policy.

 

#2 Keep your cool and talk to the right person

  "This attitude of, for one, accusing a store owner of being a scam artitst, he cheated you, that's not communicating what you really want," said Larkin.

  A check-out clerk might not know the best plan of action for a refund, so ask for a manager.

  If a solution cannot be reached, keep calm and possibly contact corporate office.

 

#3 Keep everything when shopping local. 

  Five locally owned businesses in Palm Beach interviewed for this story said they don’t want to alienate customers so they use a fair return policy.

  They add that when a customer returns everything, including boxes, tags and receipts, it makes the return much easier.

   

#4 Don’t expect shipping costs to be refunded when shopping online.

  

#5  The advantages of keeping a receipt.

   If a customer throws away a receipt after shopping and tries to return that item after it's gone on sale, only the sale price might be refunded.

 Keep a receipt could enable a customer to take advantage of a sale that wasn’t available at the time of purchase.

  For example, if an item is returned for something of similar price, there could be a two-for-one sale not available at the original time of purchase.