Gamestation and the return of items

[Steve B]

Hey folks,

Wednesday past, I purchased WarioWare Smooth Moves for the Wii from Gamestation. Thursday, I took it back to return it and the chap said I could only have an exchange or a credit note. I accepted at the time, but now I think its a bit crap that you cant get a full refund. The game had never even been taken out the box.

Is this legal? Is there anything I can do?

[Lucio]

Your staturory rights do not include the ability to return anything for a refund. You have to have a specific reason such as the item is faulty, or not as advertised.

What many of us expect as our "consumer rights", are in fact businesses who take a realistic view to things and realise that people purchase things incorrectly and are willing to accept that if they can resell it to someone else, it doesn't matter in the scheme of things.

I think it's perfectly fair, that if you're returning something as "not wanted" to insist that they give you a credit note, after all they're not obligated to give you anything at all!

NB: This obviously applys to face to face transactions, mail order DOES have a specific right of return for any reason under the Distance Selling Act

[Steve B]

Thats what I expected. It just seems strange that there are regulations for purchasing items from mail order, such as the DSR, but not ones which allow the consumer to walk into a shop.

[JIM_BOB7813]

It does seem a bit strange but buying from an etailer doesn't allow you to view the product properly and their description of it may be vauge/incorrect so it kinda makse sense.

I try as hard as I can to only buy from shops that allow you to get a full refund on return, unopened. It's much nicer

[TheAnimus]

Originally Posted by Lucio

Your staturory rights do not include the ability to return anything for a refund. You have to have a specific reason such as the item is faulty, or not as advertised.

What many of us expect as our "consumer rights", are in fact businesses who take a realistic view to things and realise that people purchase things incorrectly and are willing to accept that if they can resell it to someone else, it doesn't matter in the scheme of things.

I think it's perfectly fair, that if you're returning something as "not wanted" to insist that they give you a credit note, after all they're not obligated to give you anything at all!

NB: This obviously applys to face to face transactions, mail order DOES have a specific right of return for any reason under the Distance Selling Act

Its worth noting if something is fautly in that it doesn't work as advertised, like a PC game which just won't run with your 100% compatable IBM PC (going back a bit now ) then yes you are entitled to a full refund, if its caus you don't like it, your not.

However, there are rules for things imposed by the likes of VISA which change that somewhat.

[Saracen]

Originally Posted by Lucio

.....

NB: This obviously applys to face to face transactions, mail order DOES have a specific right of return for any reason under the Distance Selling Act

Yes, the DSR does have such provisions ..... but it's worth remembering that they don't apply to all products (or services). The exceptions are fairly limited (though do include CDs, DVDs and computer software, if unsealed) and most products and services are covered, but the exceptions are there. Before anyone starts quoting the DSR (it's a Regulation, by the way, not an Act) it's just worth checking that whatever it is you want to return isn't an exception.