Warning! Best Buy Charges a Restocking Fee

The next time you make a purchase from Best Buy it will behoove you to inquire about their restocking fee policy. Too bad I did not know about this before I purchased my laptop and software a couple of months ago. Personally, I was not always fond of Best Buy. I cannot place my finger on it but my “gut instinct” made me shop somewhere else before I would go to Best Buy. But that’s just me.

Apparently, the restocking fee varies from purchase to purchase. Check out this email that I received. It was verified on SNOPES.

BEST BUY, MY FOOT

Best Buy has some bad policies….

Normally, I would not share this with others, however, since this could happen to you or your friends, I decided to share it. If you purchase something from, Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, JC Penny, Sears etc. and you return the item with the receipt they will give you your money back if you paid cash, or credit your account if paid by plastic. Well, I purchased a GPS for my car, a Tom Tom XL.S from ‘Best Buy’. They have a policy that it must be returned within 14 days for a refund!

So after 4 days I returned it in the original box with all the items in the box, with paper work and cords all wrapped in the plastic. Just as I received it, including the receipt. I explained to the lady at the return desk I did not like the way it could not find store names. The lady at the refund desk said, there is a 15% restock fee, for items returned. I said no one told me that. I said how much would that be. She said it goes by the price of the item. It will be $45.00 Dollars for you. I said, all your going to do is walk over and place it back on the shelf then charge me $45.00 of my money for restocking? She said that’s the store policy. I said if more people were aware of it they would not buy anything here! If I bought a $2000.00 computer or TV and returned it I would be charged $300.00 dollars restock fee? She said yes, 15%.

I said OK, just give me my money minus the restock fee. She said, since the item is over $200.00 dollars, she can’t give me my money back!!! Corporate has to and they will mail you a check in 7 to ten days.!! I said ‘WHAT?!’

It’s my money!! I paid in cash! I want to buy a different brand..Now I have to wait 7 to 10 days. She said well, our policy is on the back of your receipt. I said, do you read the front or back of your receipt? She said well, the front! I said so do I, I want to talk to the Manager!.

So the manager comes over, I explained everything to him, and he said, well, sir they should of told you about the policy when you got the item. I said, No one, has ever told me about the check refund or restock fee, whenever I bought items from computers to TVs from Best Buy. The only thing they ever discussed was the worthless extended warranty program. He said Well, I can give you corporate phone number.

I called corporate. The guy said, well, I’m not supposed to do this but I can give you a 45.00 dollar gift card and you can use it at Best Buy. I told him if I bought something and returned it, you would charge me a restock fee on the item and then send me a check for the remaining $3 dollars. You can keep your gift card, I’m never shopping in Best Buy ever again, and if I would of been smart, I would of charged the whole thing on my credit card! Then I would of canceled the transaction.

I would of gotten all my money back including your stupid fees! He didn’t say a word! I informed him that I was going to e-mail my friends and give them a heads up on this stores policy, as they don’t tell you about all the little caveats.

Pass this on. It may save your friends from having a bad experience of shopping at Best Buy.

Check out Best Buy’s online policy. Buy.com charges a restocking fee as well and you have 14 days to return your item. Remember that old saying: “Buyer Beware!”