Warning about Circuit City ripoff!
We purchased a digital camera from Circuit City as a Christmas present for our daughter. To our disappointment (and hers), the camera had multiple problems and defects. My sister had also purchased a digital camera made by the same manufacturer that had the same defects. Therefore, we did not wish to exchange the camera for one just like it. Since this Circuit City store did not have any digital cameras less than $200 in stock (out of stock after Christmas), we had to purchase the replacement camera elsewhere. However, when we went to return the defective camera to Circuit City, we were told we had to pay a 15% restocking fee for the defective camera. We were offered an exchange—for the exact same camera (which we knew wasn't even in stock because we had previously checked). This was out of the question since we knew it was a manufacturing defect and had lost consumer faith in that brand.
When we expressed our disbelief in such an unfair policy, the Circuit City employee told us the restocking fee policy was written on the back of the receipt and is posted at the customer service counter. None of this was disclosed to us BEFORE we purchased the camera, or we certainly would not have taken the gamble. Yes, after the fact, upon closer examination we learned that the back of the receipt reads:
"There is no restocking fee for defective product returned in exchange for the exact same product, or for product originally purchased as Open Box."
Obviously, since we had already done research on the camera and found that there were other manufacturing defects we did not wish to exchange for the EXACT SAME product. Furthermore, even if we had wished to, Circuit City didn't even have one in stock to exchange. We were going to be out of luck no matter what we did, and Circuit City was going to benefit. So we ended up taking a 15% loss on our refund, and went away very unhappy.
We will not shop at Circuit City again. Why take the risk?
Where is the accountability for manufacturers who produce substandard products? Why are consumers responsible to pay for the junk that is being mass-produced and marketed as being the best when it is actually junk? And why is Circuit City selling this merchandise and then not standing behind what they sell?
Circuit City has lost our business
Buyer Beware!!
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