Dissatisfied WalMart customer

Been here done that. I couple years back, I bought one of the air
beds at Wal-Mart. Got home, blew it up and it deflated within hour.
Packed it back up (do you know how hard it is to put those things back
in the box?) took it back exchanged it. Got home and guess
what...same thing. It would not stay inflated. I took it back
again...by now I was just ready to buy a mattress and slap it on the
floor ...less trouble. Wal-Mart gave me all sorts of grief. However
I did win in the end. I did get my money back. I was able to show
that I had bought them and brought them back within 24 hours. I was
told back then that there was a no return policy. After the God Awful
Hissy Fit I pitched there is now a sign in the air bed aisle. The
reason I was given for no returns by the way....It had to do with
hygiene.

People do tend to return airbeds quite frequently. They use them for a
short period and when no longer needed, return them expecting a full
refund. I have to wonder, how long was it before you returned the air
bed? If you needed it to begin with and found it to be defective after
purchase then why would you want a refund for a product that you felt
you needed at that time instead of exchanging it for a new one?
Spending over $100.00 for an air bed would seem to me unreasonable
unless it was something you needed long term and intended to keep or
just wanted something expensive for a few days with the intent of
returning it for afull refund. If in fact you really wanted or needed
it long term then why complain when an offered an exchange for the
same item??? The whole thing is questionable to me. I always question
when a customer before purchasing asks about the refund policy on any
specific item because that tells me that they want to make sure that
after they get some use out of it, they can return it and get their
money back. Nine times out of ten that's exactly what happens. People
use Walmart's "LENIANT" return policy as a way of borrowing products
till they are no longer needed or tire of them, then return for a full
refund claiming defect. I just find it convienient that the items are
brought back within the return policy's time limit, yet we find
nothing wrong with them when tested. People then complain about the
increase in prices! What do you expect? The stores cannot resell what
you return and that creates losses which in turn causes increases in
prices. When will people learn that when they return items to these
stores and thinking they are getting over, what they are doing is
making a bad economy even worse. Return it ONLY if it is truly
defective or given as an unused, unopened gift. Furthermore, the
stores cannot place return policies on every single item in the
stores. That's why they are in plain sight at customer service. Let's
get real people!

If I bought a airbed and found it defective I would expect an exchange
not a refund. Now if I exchanged it and found that one defective as
well I would at that point expect a refund and would raise a good
little fuss if I didn't get one. I don't see how knowing that it was
exchange only would keep you from buying there. I mean you can still
take it back if it is defective, you just can't take it back if you
change your mind. I wouldn't spend $100 on something I wasn't sure of.
Then again, I wouldn't spend $100 on an airbed when a pile of blankets
acomplishes the same thing and is guarantied not to go flat in the
middle of the night. I've had some embarrising experiences with
airbeds though so that might have something to do with it.

They get a second chance, so I'd do the exchange. but when #2 turns
out to be defective as well, I want my money back. I'm giving up at
that point on that brand/store.

I purschased an air bed from the Leominster, MA location at
approximately 10AM one Saturday. Took it straight home, tried to
inflate it, it already had a hole in it. At appromximately 11:30am I
was back at Walmart, to return it. They tried to deny the refund. They
said its posted we don't do refunds on airbeds. I asked where it was
posted and they said right here in customer service (and pointed to a
sign on the wall). I politely explained I was not in the habit of
dropping by customer service and reading signs. I stood my ground and
got my refund. You want to have a policy, fine, but put it where
people can see it. Put it on your freaking receipts. Spell it out.
Have the cashier say something. Have a sign in the department where
people can see it. I agree 1000001 percent with the letter writer.

First of all, I completely understand why they wouldn't accept a
return on an airbed for the reasons others have outlined below.

Second, both the letter writer and at least one responder have pointed
out that the return/exchange policy on this item should be displayed
prominently. My question is this, would it have made any difference
if it had been? I'm really curious to know. I know that had I been
that concerned about the return/exchange policy on this particular
item, I would have asked. But most likely I would have purchased the
item without thinking twice and then, after the fact, been concerned
with the return policy.

I seem to remember there being exceptions to WalMarts standard return
policy, so I took a quick look. Within their exceptions, along with
the normal electronic stuff, was this:

•Airbeds returned within 15 days with a receipt that are not defective
and have been opened or used will only be exchanged for an airbed of
equal or greater value.
•Defective airbeds will be exchanged for an airbed of equal or greater
value within 90 days of purchase.

My brother works at wal mart - this is why they have this policy in
place. It is a two fold reason.

One - so people dont buy it for a short term thing like a weekend of
camping then try to return it.

Two - in the past - if someone had an air mattress that got a hole or
other defect in it they would purchase a new one, put the old one back
in the box and return it to the store for cash.

I do agree that if an item is only able to be exchanged it should be
displayed prominently.

. . .I can kind of see why they would only do exchanges. 1) As Bill
mentioned, people could use short term and return them and 2) I'd
think that would be sort of like a pillow - no one is gonna want to
use something that someone else slept on. That's pretty gross. That
means they have to defect it out, whether it's really broken or not.

I'm curious what Target and KMart are doing about this? I don't
recall any specific policies that I've seen.

Why didn't you want the exchange? You needed an air bed so what's the
problem?

I suspect Walmart does this so people won't buy the air mattress, use
it for the weekend, then try to return it. You can bet it's happened.
Why not exchange it? Insist on blowing it up in the store to make
sure there's not a leak.

But if you originally wanted the airbed, why was an exchange not good
enough? Obviously you wanted and needed it to begin with so if it not
holding air was the only problem with it, why did you then want your
money back instead of just getting a new one?

Thank the people that used the airbeds for company for several nights
and then returned them for this stricter return policy, instead of
blaming Walmart.

I have to wonder if they do this because they have found returns to be
high for this item when some folks will use it for a weekend, send
their guests home and then try to return it?

I don't know how they could post return restrictions of every item,
but they could have it print out on the receipt.

Better yet when in doubt..ask.