Fighting Fraud
By Better Business Bureau Serving Greater Cleveland
The COVID pandemic changed the way consumers shop with more customers opting for curbside pickup of items or home delivery of items. According to the US Census Bureau, in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, e-commerce sales increased by 43%. With online shopping growing rapidly, consumers also have to handle online returns. Better Business Bureau Serving Greater Cleveland (BBB®) is providing the following tips for consumers who are wanting to learn the best way to navigate returning online purchases.
Check Before You Buy – Check store policies before making large purchases. In Ohio, retailers aren’t required to have refund policies. However, if they have one, it must be clearly and conspicuously posted. Retailers without refund policies must refund purchases. Additionally, the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Three-Day Cooling Off Rule does not apply to online orders.
Read the Fine Print – Stores may charge restocking fees or ask customers to pay the cost of return shipping. Some retailers may waive the cost of return shipping if the item received was broken, damaged, or was simply not what the consumer ordered.
Brick-and-Mortar Stores May Be A Resource – Companies with both an online and brick-and-mortar presence may allow in-store returns or exchanges. Conversely, some online stores may only take online returns.
Choice of Payment Makes a Difference – Purchases made through an alternative payment method such as PayPal or a “Buy Now, Pay Later” payment plan may not be eligible for an in-store return.
Know Who You Are Purchasing From – Some online retailers, like BBB Accredited Business Amazon and Walmart.com, allow third-party sellers on their platforms. Third-party sellers may have a different return policy than the owner of the website. Always double-check before completing purchases so you know who the seller of an item is and how they process returns.
Keep Original Packaging – Remember to keep original packaging and tags along with receipts, manuals and other paperwork.
Questions? Reach out to your BBB at 216.241.7678 or [email protected]. Have a scam to report? Report it to BBB.org/ScamTracker. For more news and tips visit BBB.org.
Photos courtesy pexels.com
