Unedited
1/18/10
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Returns

Businesses have varied policies regarding returns. In many instances, return policies separate small businesses from large businesses. This because small businessmen find taking back merchandise is time consuming and costly. It is one thing for them to take returns that are defective and another to take back a return that the buyer has found elsewhere for a lower price. Returns are offset by a restocking fee or credit towards another purchase.

When a customer returns a product that is defective they sometimes find the business uncooperative and resistive to helping them, referring them instead the the manufacture for warranty service. Some poorly managed businesses see the situation in terms of winning and losing and will do anything to avoid losing even to the point of not even mentioning to the buyer that they can contact the product's company for replacements. The attitude of the business is "I've got mine, too bad."

Here is where the tactic of "fatiguing the customer into compliance" often comes into play.If the customer is elderly and the technical nature of the defect is high the counter person will partially help the customer one small piece at a time until they wear them out. So, when ethically evaluating a business it is great importance to note weather this fatiguing tactic is used to sustain a business.