I purchased a $99.88 Virgin mobile phone for my niece at store #2137 in Durham, NC. After usage, my niece was dissatisfied with the memory on the phone and we went back to this same store to exchange it. Electronics staff checked out the phone for return and noted it was ok but told us we needed to get the replacement phone and activate it prior to returning the new phone if we wanted to keep the same number. They did not have the model phone in stock that my niece wanted. Several days later we went to another Walmart store and purchased a more expensive $149 Virgin mobile phone that had more memory. She transferred the number successfully to the 2nd phone. We then went back to store #2137 to return the original Virgin mobile phone. They brought someone up to check the phone again. This time they said that although the numbers on the receipt, the box and inside the phone matched, that some of the numbers inside the phone and on the battery were not matching. They called in managers to review and the final feedback was that they could not take back the original phone. I expressed my dissatisfaction with that since we were within the 15 day return policy guideline AND the phone was as it was originally purchased from Walmart. I further stated that if the number matching was so critical it should have been done BEFORE they sold the phone to a customer. Further, that if any components where switched inside the phone, it was done by them since we only had the one model phone and no exchanges had been made. The store manager expressed regrets but noted they could not take the phone back. I expressed my dissatisfaction with that and noted that I intended to further pursue this issue. Further, an electronic clerk stated that staff have indeed switched out internal components in cell phones... So basically it is IMPOSSIBLE for customers to maintain the original components as shipped by manufacturers as Walmart has itself rendered it nonreturnable.
I have shopped at Walmart for years and am EXTREMELY disappointed, dissatisfied and frankly flabbergasted that Walmart is responding in this fashion to something bought in earnest from them. I bought this product from Walmart and now apparently internal practices by Walmart electronics staff have made it IMPOSSIBLE for the cell phone to be returned according to the guidelines as stated by management at this store. When people buy cellphones, they take them and charge them up and get them activated for service. They do not take the phone and break them apart in the Walmart store and try to match up all numbers in the packaging and inside the phone before leaving the store.in fact, Walmart would not permit them to do so. It should NOT be necessary anyway.
I am seeking a return of my monies for the original Virgin mobile cell phone in the amount of $106.08 (tax included). Thanks for your attention to this matter.
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