Have you ever made a purchase and then struggled on whether or not to take it back to where you bought it?

Let me be a little more in depth.

Have you ever bought something because you really thought it would be a great piece for your collection, even though there was a whole lot of bad reviews on said piece? Have you guys ever struggled to find reasons to keep a piece despite all the hatred for it? I usually never listen to the reviews or the hate threads, but it's starting to get a lot tougher due to the fact a lot of the points are really valid.

I have been struggling pretty bad with the back-n-forth's on wether or not to return all 5 Generations FOC Combaticons to TARGET.

My reasoning is because It's not that i hate them, but there's alot of things I dislike about them. But honestly it's the only official combiner out right now here in the states. and despite all it's flaws, it's still kinda cool to stare at on a shelf. and it's also kinda cool that you can swap the limbs. but that gimmick i feel is what also strongly hinders the toys, especially as individual robots in their own right.

I also feel that the scramble city gimmick is kinda wasted since we may never see any other combiners that can use such a feature. and no, I'm not counting repaints or slight retools as more combiners.

 

These are figures you have bought, opened, and decided you didn't like?

I kind of think that's shitty. With Christmas coming up, you don't want some little kid to open up your sloppy seconds Combaticons and think Santa is a cheap bastard, do you?

If you buy something and later don't like it, I say you sell it on the boards or on eBay or something, but not return it to the store. Unopened figures are a different story, of course.

 

Guilt trip or not, A return is a return.

Nothing is missing, nothing is broken, nothing is loose, nothing is scratched, in fact they are in the same condition I bought them in 2 or so days ago.

and why would I bother selling something to another board member when I wouldn't get a full refund?

You act as if i'm doing this to be a dick. people return crap all the time not just toys but anything and everything, including groceries.

If the customer is dissatisfied with the purchase, it's usually store policy that we can return it, unless the store's policy is otherwise stated.

 

I personally don't return toys unless there is a pretty big flaw in them. There's too much information out there for me to determine if a toy is worth the initial investment: reviews, message boards, social media, friends ...

 

I've picked up figs to determine if I like it or not, if not, then I return it (making sure to have all the parts, put together neatly.

Now now, hold on a moment there, that just ain't true. A deal is a deal is a deal is a deal, the ability to return it is a PRIVILEGE and it is SOLELY at the discretion of the company. So many companies allow returns that it has skewed the general public's images of them so that now we feel entitled to something that we're not. It's gotten so bad that now some companies have to put disclaimers that 'all sales are final', where rather, we should be notified if returns are allowed. I love that most retailers allow for returns, but in no way is it a "right". If I walk in with one of those purchases where I "feel out" an item like a library book, and they don't allow me to return it, well the yolk's on me then.

 

I've personally never returned a figure unless it broke or was defective. But if they'll accept a return because you don't like it, then go nuts.

Honestly, if I bought retail Bruticus then I might have been in the same boat. I'm considering getting mine and it was the Amazon version, which was cheaper, has a better deco, and awesome packaging. There's pretty much no way I'd bother keeping them if I had paid more or gotten an inferior deco.

Good god I am happy I didn't get the SDCC version.

 

Speaking as a long time retail professional, I agree, what you say is functionally correct. Certain retailers have accomplished a scale where they can absorb frivalous returns in exchange for "happy customers" and to survive, every one else has pretty much been forced to play the same game.

That said, it's hardly an inalienable "right" and it's not really a stand-up or responsible thing to do, not to the retailer, not to the next customer who might get your repackaged junk, and not even to Hasbro and the fandom at large, as these sorts of stupid returns end up eating into the margins and are part of why inflation continues to creep in around the edges of the hobby.

Clearly you FEEL some of the cruddiness of the idea, otherwise you wouldn't be posting.

Given how well documented the designs of these toys were from day one, and by and large EVERYONE'S reaction has been 'Well, MAYBE they won't suck as bad as they look like they will', there's no way any internet-fandom-active buyer is going to pick these guys up without knowing it was a risky-purchase.

You rolled the dice, in your experience they came up snake-eyes. Keep 'em, sell 'em, but don't return 'em, no one wants your stapled-closed bubbles at retail.

D/L

 

okay it isn't a right. pardon my wording *edited*.

 

Can't do that in UK. It's an exclusive statement that means they'd be voiding your statutory rights to return a product which isn't of reasonable quality, fit for purpose or as described. To do so is a criminal offence.

Ah, consumer rights laws.

 

Ditto.

When I buy a figure, I'm well aware of all the flaws and what people don't like. For the figures I'm on the fence about due to their flaws, like Prime Kup or some of the DOTM figures, I wait for a sale and pick them up then.

Chances are the figures everyone thinks are bad (Airachnid excluded, but even she could be found for $10 at Aldis) are going to be the ones that hang around on the pegs while you wait for a sale.

 

To address the OP's topic, whether it is a right or a privilege, I've never returned an opened toy. (I would if it was broken but that has luckily never happened to me.) I usually decide before I open it whether I want to keep it. I'd just feel bad for whoever might get stuck with it later, especially since for most Transformer toys it's practically impossible to re-seal them and have them look like new. That's sort of not fair to the next consumer, let alone the retailer who might end up stuck with inventory. I think the more "fair" thing to do, once you've opened it and decide you don't want it, is to resell it as used. You're taking a loss? Next time think harder before you open it, that's your own fault.

As for still sealed product? Sure I agonize all the time over that and do end up returning a lot of the time. Sometimes I regret it later, most times I simply forget about it so it was the right call (i.e. I'm not missing anything).

 

except for the fact you opened them, displayed them, and now have zee buyers remorse. Buyers remorse isn't a reason to return something. show a little self control before buying something you are unsure of. I mean, if I went to your target looking for a set and the only set they had were stapled together packages I would leave empty handed. I don't want somebody else handling my shit before I do when buying retail.

Now if you didn't open it, whatever, return it because someone else can enjoy it

 

Only if they are broken, misasembled, defective, etc. If they are perfectly fine, then no.

 

Dude as long as you have the receipt you can return any toy you want. I've returned figures I ended up disliking (once or twice). They're not gonna be resold. They're gonna end up in a bin in the back of the store and get shipped back as defective items. Though you are gonna get a weird look from the store employee helping you out since you are returning FIVE perfectly fine opened figures lol.

 

I would say no to returning them.

my personal standard operating procedure for returns is this :

1. is the toy defective due to major manufacturing defects?

2. is there a major issue with paint apps?


1. major to me is that it is broken in package in such a way it could not be seen until removed and /or transformered. things like a little flash left from the mold or minor molding defects that to not impeed the functions of the toy are not grounds for a return.

2. this is for major lapses in paint that are critical to the appearance of the figure. minor stuff as a misaligned or missing paint app thats a minor detail do not qualify as a reason to return.

Finally if i broke the figure i do not return it.

Figures that are just bad it is on me( or other buyers) to be informed and avoid them.

That is how i do it, others methods will vary.

 

  I'm not giving you a guilt trip, because I couldn't give two tugs of a dead dog's dick what you do. I was answering the question as stated by you as to what I would do.

And yeah, selling it to a member here, you would probably take a loss, and that's on you for buying a toy you were not sure you wanted and rolling the dice. You have to pay to play. If you are returning something opened, it is not in the same condition as when you purchased it, so (IMO) I don't feel a person deserves a full refund if the condition is altered in any way.

Again, this is my opinion, and not an attack on you, Mr. Guilty Von GuiltersonPants.

 

Well after speaking to my Target's store manager I found out where many of the returned opened products go to. they all go to goodwill. and you know what? that's awesome! tons of folks shop at goodwill so the toys are going to a great place. So I have absolutely no regrets returning them now.

and if i get frowns from fans, so be it. The thing is I don't care about being judged or ridiculed. it's not why i posted this thread. I posted this thread to see what you guys would do if you were in this sort of situation.

But it was very cool to read each person's response, some of you had some pretty interesting points. it really helped me to make up my mind.  

 

This attitude of "no one else wants your sloppy seconds at retail" is hilarious. As if people don't know when they are buying an opened item, often at a discount. Since we are talking hypothetical, how the hell do you all know that there isn't some kid who won't receive a Bruticus (or any other toy) n Xmas unless their poor parent can find a returned, discounted item?

I don't think the Op was asking a moral question here. There isn't even a moral question to be asked. It's not a moral issue. The issue is, keep them even tho they aren't great because the money is already spent so its not like the purchase put him in the poor house, and hope they grow on him, or return the, and cut the losses and be left with no combaticons at all.

 

If I buy it, I keep it unless there's an actual issue with the figure. If I buy something and it turns out I don't like it, rather than return it to the store, I'll sell it or give it to someone.

 

NO COMBATICONS AT ALL? WHATEVER WOULD HE DO?!?!?

  I don't think anyone here was playing at morality police.