I hate shipping back defective products on my own dime

[mommy24babes]

Originally Posted by southernbelle04 Wait, what??? I've shipped covers before & it was barely over $2! Yikes!! Posted from my iPhone while nursing...or just procrastinating

I'm in Canada. Minimum I can ship any parcel for is $5.97

[RockinLou]

I recently had a warranty return on a high chair. It cost me $38 to pack it and ship it back (I had to get it packed " professionally" to not risk damage during transport....) it was used for five months though, in the first 30 days you bet I would have asked for a shipping tag. They were wonderful about it (Oxo) especially as I basically just didn't like the chair and they refunded the price under their satisfaction guarantee...

[RissaMamaRex]

I had to return my crib to Babies R Us because it had a huge scratch in it as soon as we opened the box and they paid for shipping and scheduled UPS to come get it from us.

[triplem_mom]

Most companies (at least, larger ones) get shipping discounts from UPS or whoever they use. Reimbursing you the cost of your return shipping, whether for a defect, warranty, or error is the cost of doing business by mail. I say that as a retail owner, and former catalog customer service rep. If you pay to send an item back for something other than your own fault, request your shipping to be reimbursed. Any decent company will pay it. If its a warranty or manufacturer issue, they have ways of getting reimbursed from the original manufacturer, if it wasn't them. So not all returns result in a major hit to a company. That being said, WAHMs are different, but that doesn't sound like the case here.

[lrgs]

Wha???? Why would I have to pay shipping back for a defective product? That isn't even logical........it's not my problem that product is defective so why should I be out money? I would not be okay with that and thankfully I've only dealt with good companies who have good customer service so it hasn't been an issue.

I had a GAD fleece pocket that had a snap break and she sent me a whole new diaper and a replacement snap so I could fix the old one........amazing!!!

I had a Tots Bots EasyFit with a PUL issue.....I emailed pictures and they sent me out a new one right away.....easy peasy (and no questions about what temp I washed the diaper in...haha).

Those are the kinds of companies I like to support.

[mibarra]

I have never paid to return a product that came to me damaged/defective for an immediate exchange/return. I went through 4 cribs that all came damaged the same way, and never paid shipping on any of them.

Now, if I've had the product awhile, it gets damaged, and I need a warranty replacement, I've always paid shipping. Paid $60 to ship a double stroller back to Graco, but it was cheaper than another $250 stroller.

[Joyful Tie Dyes]

I had to pay return shipping for a Flip that the elastic came loose on the first wash. Part of the reason I no longer buy CB products.

[marisolstice]

Originally Posted by m&m&m I totally see it from both sides. On the one hand how you put it above, but on the other hand, if it was in store, you wouldn't be compensated for the gas to bring the item back in for warranty repair and many manufacturers (not just cloth diapers, but other items) have you mail in for warranty work and don't compensate. Shipping is shipping and isn't going to the manufacturer but rather to the carrier to bring the item back for you. I do see the other side though about needing to return the item in the first place. But again on the other hand warranties are not a requirement to do business and defects are a fact of life. (lol, just reread and saw how back and forth I am on this lol)

I kinda see your point about gas, but if I shop at a B&M store, I inspect whatever I'm buying to see if there's any damage before I pay for. You can't do that when shopping online, so I see it as the retailers responsibility to make it right if they send a defective product. Besides, even with high gas prices, shipping an item back is going to cost way more than gas. It beats standing in the returns line at Walmart, though

[marisolstice]

Oh, and I meant to say I think Alva's policy is win-win. They had me take a photo of some bad PUL, and then mailed me a new pocket. So neither of us were out return shipping, though they had to eat the replacement shipping cost. I would definitely buy from them again because of their good CS.

[MamaJules]

I have never had to deal with this on diapers (the vast majority of ours I bought used). But anything else I have had an issue with, the company made it right. Hanes underwear -- I had a 5 pack for my son when he starting potty training, one started unraveling after being used only a few times, they sent a whole new pack. Dr. Pepper, one bottle out of an 8 pack was flat, they sent a coupon for a whole new pack. Beatrix New York -- the stainless steel water bottle I bought my son for Easter started leaking after a couple months, they asked me to email a picture and they immediately sent out a new one. While a company might lose money by paying your shipping, I think it definitely leads to repeat customers. I would gladly buy any of these products again.