[CaliE90]

Just a quick general question for everyone (vendors opinions welcome as well),

Say you ordered an item from a vendor and it costed 200 dollars, you paid another $25 to get it shipped to you. However, once you received and installed the product you find out that it's defective and unusable at all. Do you believe that you should pay the $25 dollars that it took to ship the item to you and another $25 dollars or so out of your own pocket to ship it back to the vendor for a refund? On the $200 dollar item, you're essentially refunded only $150 since you paid shipping to/ from you.

I personally do not believe the buyer should have to pay for shipping to and from a vendor on returning a product that is defective and completely unusable, however, I would like to hear your thoughts as I am currently dealing with such a problem.

[lemon328]

You're going to need to be more specific as to the nature of the defective item.

[CaliE90]

Originally Posted by lemon328

You're going to need to be more specific as to the nature of the defective item.

Taillights that don't work/flickers.

This isn't my video, but it is the exact same product with the exact same problem and is as bad as it looks.

[fruition3000]

Works like this. Normally you drive to a store pickup the item and drive back home. You "paid" in gas the shipping charge to transport the item. So yes it makes sense but that isn't the way most online companies operate.

You pay shipping when you order the item
If the item is defective you pay shipping to ship it back
When the item is being shipped back by the company THEY are supposed to pay because it wasn't your fault the item was defective.

[John 070]

It really depends on who you're dealing with. To illustrate, say it's Verizon Wireless. No, you wont pay shipping either way in such a situation. But if it's a mom and pop shop? Sure, they will have you pay shipping in both directions.

As far as what's fair, I think that's decided by what is stated in the shipping policy. I wouldn't want to pay $50 for nothing, or if a defective item were sent to me. If that's the policy of the merchant, I may not even buy from them. But there are cases too, where such a merchant is the only game in town.

[Delnari]

Is your car LCI? Asking because I thought LED taillights are not compat. with non-LCI models.

[ABQ325i]

I'm an online retailer, not for car parts though. My policy is that the buyer pays return shipping. However if a buyer is polite and I have no cause for suspicion I usually just send them a replacement or refund in full (including shipping) and have them keep the item, that way they are not out of pocket.

If a buyer starts out with a threatening email I usually tell them to return it for a full refund including shipping but they are responsible for the cost of returning the item.

Try the polite approach and see where it gets you

[phil.]

is there anything on their site about their return policy? it may be addressed for you. i've dealt with online vendors that would email me an RTM label so shipping back ends up on their account with UPS/FedEx etc. now if you get refunded the original shipping cost is probably up to the vendor.