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Playing Games With Customer Rights | 35 comments (35 topical) | Post A Comment
The reseller may not be able to do anything.[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#22)
by Anonymous User on Fri Nov 12, 2004 at 10:50:57 AM PDT

As a (very) small reseller, I can understand the problem with returning opened software. Personally, I'll accept anything back my distributors will take back from ME. Opened software is NOT among them. Tech Data, Ingram Micro and certainly any third-tier distributor will NOT accept opened software for any reason other than defective CD's. Charging back your purchase will ALWAYS hurt the reseller (who's already been charge commission on the sale and who'll be charged commission on the chargeback) - even if it IS Best Buy. Hurting them certainly won't make them want to be any more helpful than they already are (or aren't). SOME software offers a refund thru the manufacturer - though you never know until after you've already opened and begun installation.

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Big Resellers Will Receive Credits[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#26)
by Anonymous User on Fri Nov 12, 2004 at 11:34:31 AM PDT

Large resellers like Best Buy will receive credits for returns from distributors or manufacturers in most cases, because Best Buy has tremendous clout. In truth, big companies can take back just about anything for just about any reason, and they'll get their money back. Besides, many people buy software directly on the net from the publisher, so there you are punishing the ultimate culprit.

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Resellers can do something[ Parent | Reply to This ] (none / 0) (#29)
by tscoff on Fri Nov 12, 2004 at 12:26:48 PM PDT

There is a lot that you can do as a small reseller that will have a huge impact.

1. Tell anyone who is about to buy a product with a hidden catch that may make it not work on their computer before they buy it that it won't run if the customer has xyz perfectly legal software on their computer.

2. Stop stocking any software which gets returned because it has hidden DRM "features" which keep the legal purchaser from being able to use it and stop stocking anything else from the vendor of that software also.

3. Go to small claims court and file a claim against the vendor for refusing to take back the software when their license states that the end user is to return the software to the reseller for a full refund if the end user does not agree to the license agreement.

You're not helpless, fight back against the vendors who are causing this!

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Playing Games With Customer Rights | 35 comments (35 topical) | Post A Comment
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