If there’s nothing wrong with the product, and the customer just changes their mind, then it’s fine for the store to rely on their policies, provided these were made known to the customer before the purchase.

But if the product is defective, or doesn’t do what it’s supposed to, then the law kicks in, regardless of what the retailer and their employees (like “Joe Blow”) would like.

It matters not what the Manufacturer would like, because it’s the Retailer’s responsiblity, under the Sale of Goods Act and the Consumer Protection Act. Sorry, Joe!

It also doesn’t matter what Mr. Blow thinks of consumers who know their rights, or whether J.B. doesn’t like their tone. The consumers have right.

Indeed, you are either with the consumer, or with the retailers.

It’s clear which side Joe is on. Best not to take the retailers’ point of view when deciding if you should get a refund or not!

Dave here though needs to rally against the man…How dare Canadian Tire ask that he follow the manufacturers return policy. Every company has the same agreements with their manufacturers. Buy a wash machine at Sears. A drill at Home Depot. A computer at Best Buy. However he’s entitled to feel how he wants and I would have trolled on by…Until his very last comment…

“Frankly, you sound more like a store owner, than a fellow consumer.”

Rebecca offered some sound arguments and suggestions in a polite manner and he takes a pot shot. I guess he figures you’re either with us or against us. He doesn’t stop to think that even if she is a store owner…She is still a consumer. He just doesn’t like people that don’t agree with everything he has to say.

Anyhoo…Not having a life…A trolling I will go…

Frankly Dave you sound like a lazy primadonna who wants everything done for him and is not willing to accept any responsibility in any situation.

If you and your friend are happy to follow the warranty policies that the manufacturer and the retailer have worked out, that’s just fine. I’m not saying you HAVE to persue a refund, if you and your friend don’t want one.

However, if there are others who do want the refund to which they are entitled, for a defective product, why are you suggesting that they just cave in, and go along with what Canadian Tire wants?

I’m not saying that the purchaser didn’t get proper warning of the manufacturer’s warranty, etc.

But I would definitely say that they did not get any information about their rights under the CPA, and you seem to be discouraging people from asserting their rights.

Frankly, you sound more like a store owner, than a fellow consumer.

My friend recently purchased an eliptical machine from a local Canadian Tire and the first page in the manual states that once the product is assembled that we must deal with the manufactor for problems. As far as I see it, we have been informed how the warranty works and if something breaks on it then we shouldn’t be taking it back to Canadian Tire. It also stated on the receipt (right under where the product code was) that there was a specific warranty that we must read before assembling the item. I think that is enough notice of warranty for a consumer, if you don’t like it return the item in the box unassembled as it says you can.
I see Jason’s point about the return authorization number and I previously worked in a retail store that had to get approval for large returns such as excerise equipment. It usually takes just one day to get ahold of them (since we were on the West coast and the company on the East). So if Canadian Tire is taking more than that, talk to a manager.

The local store (Canadian tire on St-Jacques West in Montreal) said it did not take back bikes. Nothing in its posted “East Return” policy suggested this. The standard receipt says that returned ideas must not have been “used,” however the bike did not look used. It appeared to be in the same condition as when I had bought it, although I had removed the defective fender (and tried to return it along with the bike: a nut was missing that I did not have).

Customer service eventually promised the bike would be repaired so I left it and after a number of calls where I was put on hold was told, two months later, that the bike had been fixed.

I tried out the bike in the parking lot and the chain immediately came off in normal riding. I put it back on and it came off again. I waited a long time at customer service and was finally told that I could exchange that bike for another.

But at the bike counter, the representative refused. He walked with me to customer service and told me that I simply had to remove the key link from the chain and could shorten and tighten the chain. I asked him why his repair people hadn’t done that. He said if I left it another week, they would. I said I was tired of wasting time, I wanted my money back or an exchange.

He refused.

Since I didn’t want unnecessary problems and thought perhaps I could do the repair myself, I asked him which link I should remove and what tool I should use to do so. I remembered back to my youth that there was a fat link, but I didn’t recall the procedure.

He seemed exasperated, told me to get the bike out of people’s way (it wasn’t) and that he wasn’t going to touch the chain with his hands (I didn’t ask him to).

As I turned the chain, he walked off. I continued examining the chain, but couldn’t find a master link.

By then, I was angry. I went back to customer service and, seeing a long, long line, shouted, I want my money back and want to get out of the store!

Customer service told me to calm down. I said I’ve spent many hours on this defective bicycle and I despise the disrespectful attitude of the bicycle department representative. In fact, I used stronger language than that. I got loud and a crowd began gathering. I was so heated up about this in fact, I began sputtering and gasping for breath.

At this point, when I seemed apoplectic, Canadian Tire suddenly changed its tune, the store manager came over, apologized and quickly refunded my money, telling me he was making an “exception” for me.

If you work at a CT in Ontario, I’m surprised you don’t know about the Sale of Goods Act of 2002. It stated that the seller (Canadian Tire, in this case), has an implied warranty of fitness for the product, so if it is defective, it is up to CT to provide a refund (and not just a replacement or store credit).

The Return Authorization nonsense is something that the store has to work through with the manufacturer; the customer doesn’t have to deal with any of this.

That being said, stores have been known to attempt to deny customers their right to a refund, and force the unlucky purchaser to sue the store to get their money back (less the cost of filing the suit).

It’s unfortunate for the stores that legislation like this has been passed, but good for the consumer. Maybe stores will stop selling junk?

I work at a CT in southern Ontario.. and when i worked in sports, this was a perennial problem. A similar warranty exists for ‘lifetime warranty’ taps. an RA number is needed to get a new one.