Return of Microsoft Vista Ultimate to Walmart

Instead of writing a letter to which Walmart may or may not respond,
why don't you pick up the phone and call your nearest Walmart. This
way you will have a quick response and can make a decision on what to
do next.

I was just informed by an IT guy here at work that you have to install
Vista within 30 days of purchasing it or it locks you out and you have
to jump through hoops with Microsoft in order to use it, AND... ready?
That they're not allowing returns of this software.

I don't think any store in the universe will let you return
merchandise that you weren't even sure was bought there.

Assuming you're telling the truth, if I were you I'd be VERY careful
about proceeding. Such a major product at such a major retailer may
have some way to check if it was theirs (like a different UPC or RFID
chip or something), and if it turns out it was bought someplace else
it'll really seem like you stole it. I don't know any of this for a
fact, but I strongly suggest caution.

You know what? Now that I think about it.. if your asking them if you
can return it w/o a receipt, that comes off as guilty to me now. Do
you know how many people I come across at my job who want to return
software w/no receipt?

Try returning it and see, that is what a logicial person would do.

If the father is a teacher AND has access to the internet, well, this
makes the whole thing even more fishy.
Granted, not everyone with a computer is going to know every little
thing about everything to do with computers, but surely he would have
the presence of mind to know what he was buying?
??
I don't know. The more I think about it and read the complaint and
OP's replies, the stranger it gets.

I find the premise of this letter odd, but in a way it makes some
sense. If Micah is simply asking if an online purchase can be returned
to the store for a gift card fro the price of the gifts(meaning
without a receipt) I find the addition of "meaning without a receipt"
in parenthesis confusing. If this IS the case, then Wallmart truly has
adopted quite a lienient return policy.
I'm not certain, but I've had difficulty in the past returning
software, even with a receipt. The solution is quite simple. And
either of the two choices would give you the answer. One is ask dad
for the receipt Two is , go to the store and see what the manager has
to say. If it says on the site you can return to the store without a
receipt something purchased online, then you have the answer right
there.

I recently had an expensive item to return to WalMart. I had the
receipt, but wasn't sure that this could even be returned. (small Quad
for my son) I called the 800 customer service number - not to get
them to OK my return, but just to find out if there was even a chance
to return this sort of item. At least when I called, they will not
even discuss their return policy, but do refer you to contact a store
and speak with a manager. It was the weirdest thing -I only wanted to
clarify what their policy was so as not to bother if it was an
excluded item, but she kept repeating what sounded like a script.
Anyway, just sharing - I would be surprised if they responded to this.
I think you will have to go to the store to find out.

Considering that my dad and I have talked about it, I have told him
that I can't use the software because it isn't compatible. He said he
was just trying to get me something nice as a college graduation gift.
I have no intentions of just taking it back to walmart and not
telling him about it, I just wanted to know if it would be possible as
a last resort kind of thing. Right now my dad is on a "teachers field
trip" I guess you would call it where a bunch of the faculty takes a
trip to a bunch of tourist locations to take pictures and prepare
presentations about the historical sights they view. I haven't been
able to talk to him about this, but I was just looking at this as one
way of getting his money back. I don't know if he has the
invoice/etc. so that is why I posed the question from the point of
view of someone that doesn't have a receipt or anything.

This sounds super-fishy...

Wal-Mart is not going to go along with this. I wish he'd tell us why
he won't just ask his "dad" where he got the software and return it
there. My dad would be more angry if he later learned that his "good
gesture" got returned for store credit (at Wal-Mart of all places)
than if I just told him it didn't work with my system.

The reason I'm assuming it was bought at Walmart is because I looked
for it in the store and they didn't have it. Then I asked him if it
was expensive and he said that walmart.com had it for whatever the
price is. So I just assumed he bought it from there.

We have a lot of uneducated consumers around here. I think his tone
was quite clear he meant the true definition of the word with no
disrespect:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ignorant

You can call Walmart and ask them. Walmart's return policy is very
liberal and their manager's are often willing to make exceptions, law
abiding. If the software is open you're out of luck and can join the
crowd of attempts in getting a refund from Microsoft. Otherwise call
your local store, BE HONEST, and see what they can do for you.

Am I the only one that doesn't find this letter believable? Someone's
father goes out and purchases them a $400 piece of software that isn't
compatible with their computer? I don't know of anyone who would
spend that kind of money on me without knowing for CERTAIN that I have
a computer that will support it and a need for the software in the
first place. I say that either Dad had a friend that purchased the
software and couldn't use it and needed to unload it, or that this
entire thing is a scam. It would certainly be a good way of getting
in writing confirmation of the OP's ability to return the software
before having to step foot into Walmart itself and risk being caught.
Even if this is a legit letter, how do we know the software wasn't
purchased from Ebay or other reseller? This is the reason why retail
establishments are having to toughen their rules.

Micah,

I completely understand your dilemma with your dad buying you
incompatible software. My parents are also completely clueless with
computers (my mother is afraid to even sit at a computer, and my dad
only knows how to check his yahoo mail from work.) Love them to death,
but so many times did I receive computer parts/software etc that i
just could not use.

I don't know Walmart's return policy with software, but most places
that i worked, software was rarely even allowed to be returned with
receipt due to piracy, so you may run into problems with that alone.
And if its not carried in stores, you're probably not going to be able
to return it without a reciept.

My advice? Talk to your dad, tell him you appreciate the gesture and
is glad that he pays attention to your interests (my parents always
tried to get me to play a sport. yuck!) but you really just cant use
it. He'll understand. Get the invoice. Or, in case it was deleted, im
sure he can call the customer service number from the site it was
purchased from and get a copy of it. They will have that info and will
be more then able to help you.

If you still don't feel comfortable talking to your dad, selling
things on eBay is incredibly easy, i suggest when you sign up for
Paypal to "validate" your bank account with them so you can sign up
for the Paypal debit card. So much easier to get your money that you
won that way.

I don't understand why you are turning this rather simple situation
into some sort of covert operation.

Your generous father bought you an expensive piece of software that is
not compatible with your computer. Why can't you just thank his
profusely but at the same time explain that it's not compatible with
your system and need to return it?

Sounds to me like for whatever reason you don't want your dad to know
you are returning his gift - - that you don't want the refund to go
back to the original form of payment (his credit card?) and just want
whatever you can get (store credit or half it's value on eBay).

But see, the thing about ignorance is that the word just means that
someone doesn't know something. Like, my dad was "ignorant to the
fact that I had a mac, so he bought me a windows operating system."

I wasn't saying my dad is stupid or anything, but I appreciate the
replies.

I think it's beyond harsh to call your dad 'ignorant', especially when
he just dropped that kind of dough (but mostly because it's really
mean and unnecessary).
I have to echo Harleycat's response. Is there a reason you can't just
contact Walmart via phone or their website? And are you sure that he
even bought it from Walmart?

This is an odd letter. The responses don't really, to my mind,
reflect what this letter is about.

As I read it, Micah is looking to get a written response from Wal-Mart
authorizing him to return the copy of Vista without a receipt. He's
pre-checking before he goes into the store and is told (he fears, I
think) that he cannot make the return without a receipt. And
certainly not if they don't sell it. So, he's looking to get
something in writing to show to the person at the customer service
desk that, yes, he is allowed to make the return without a receipt.
And to any store.

OK, but let's take a look at Wal-Mart's policy, as posted on their web
site.

(1) You CAN return to any store.

(2) To do so, you need the invoice.

(3) If you return a gift, the money goes back to the original payment
method (in other words, to Dad's credit card... which requires a
receipt/invoice) OR a store credit. Doesn't say "gift card," so it
may be a different from of store credit.

Seems they have a pretty generous policy. A little too generous, if
you ask me. If I were in Micah's shoes, I might be a little nervous
about them actually allowing such a thing. The wording isn't clear
and they might demand an invoice.

If Wal-Mart really takes anything back that's sold on their web site,
without a receipt... whoa man... that's going to be a e-a-s-y way to
do some serious fraud.

Can't you just ask your dad for the receipt and/or where he got it?
You're not being rude by explaining to him why you can't use what he
bought you.

Micah S.,
First of all. Change your tone.
Your Dad tried to do soemthing nice.
How was he to know you are a Mac?
I am sure if you use diplomacy, plus take a moment and tell him about
the difference in oeprating systems, he can provide you with the
receipt if not the location of the purchase.
If that is not possible you could try eBay but I see that a recent
auction only went for $250.00. You could also try Craig's List.
Make nice to your Dad.
Don't make me come over there.
BillR.

you THINK that is where he got it? If your father bought it online, he
would have am emailed receipt. EAsy enough to return.

It sounds as though you have no idean where your dad bought the
software and have have simply decided you want store credit at
Wal-Mart.

Why don't you call a store and ask? That would be the fastest way to
get the information you're looking for.