Jul 1, 2009 4:36 pm US/Pacific
Call Kurtis: Pool Refund - Sink Or Swim?
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) ―
Consumers have come to believe they have the right to a refund. But it's not always the case, as a viewer in Sacramento found out when she tried to get a refund on a pool.
It's one of those above ground pools; the instructional DVD shows exactly how to set it up.
Konnie Martin, and her husband Les, bought the pool at the Toys-R-Us on Bond Road, in Elk Grove.
They set it up in their backyard and filled it.
The shocker came the next morning.
"We looked out at the pool, all the water was out and the pool was drooping over" Konnie says.
She bought the Intex 15' Easy Set Up for her grandkids.
"They were excited that once it filled up they'd be able to swim. Like we said it just never happened."
They didn't' know how the water drained but believed there was a defect.
So they drained the remaining water and took it back to the store.
Then she got another shocker from a store clerk.
"We don't take back pools. Once you've put water in them we don't take them back" was the message to Konnie.
"It's unreturnable because it was a seasonal item. And I informed her I just bought the pool, I had my receipt, and I wasn't happy with the pool and I wanted my money back."
Toys-R-Us said their policy was posted on the box itself, which stated "do not return product to store. Consumer service 1-800-234-6839" -- she'd have to deal with Intex.
She called the number, but they sent her back to the store. That's when she called us.
State law says retail return policies must be posted either at each public entrance, on the product itself, at the registers and sales counter, or on order forms.
Our trip to the bond road store showed none of these postings, for the pool involved.
And that policy printed on the box appeared to be the manufacturers, not the stores.
"Even if it wasn't defective, if I wanted to return it I should be able to."
Not necessarily.
Stores can set their own refund policies.
I
f nothing's posted, state law says you have seven days to return it.
We reminded Toys-R-Us of that, as well as the fact they didn't post a seasonal item return policy.
They eventually agreed to make an exception and refund the cost of the pool.
But as thankful as she is, Konnie isn't ready to do the backstroke to Toys-R-Us.
"I don't know about shopping there too much in the future because I really didn't appreciate that."
Toys-R-Us policy regarding their pools is essentially "all sales are final -- no refunds."
They say they have to protect themselves against customers who want to use a pool, and then return it when they're done.
Toys-R-Us also says it will make sure their stores have their policy on "seasonal item returns" clearly posted.
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