Retail Return Policies

One thing that really impressed me when I first came to US was the return policies in the stores here. Most stores allow you to return the products for up to 30 days as long as you have the receipt. This allows customers to buy the products with complete confidence and peace of mind. You can always be sure that you can return it when you are not satisfied.

This was unheard of as long as I was in India. Things may have changed now. I don’t know. But it used to be quite the opposite a few years back.

In fact the shop keepers used to be very rude to you when you try to return something back to them even if it is for legitimate reason. I have had a few personal experiences on my own. I remember trying to return a defective Iron box a few days after I bought it. The retailer placed the onus on the manufacturer and said that he would send it back to the manufacturer for repair and refused it replace it with a new one even though I bought it only a few days back. Customer satisfaction was the last thing in his mind.

I understand most of the retail shops in India are not giant corporations like they are here. But one thing people have to remember is that some of these giant corporations also initially started out as a small store. It is because of their acute business sense and their emphasis on customer satisfaction that they were able to grow this big.