Returns

Returns require more care than a sale. Before you begin a refund in the register, work through the four questions below to decide whether we can accept the item.

Once you have decided to accept the return, go to Processing a Return. If the customer does not have a receipt, see Returns Without a Receipt.

1. Is there a problem with the product?

• If no, go to question 2.
• If yes, find out what the problem is. Take the time to open the product and inspect it, and ask a co-worker for help if needed.
  • Customers sometimes return a product because they did not follow the instructions. That is not a defect.
  • Damage caused by use or by a child is not a defect.
  • If a customer reports a missing piece, check the contents. The product may not include that piece.
  • If the product is defective or damaged, apologize to the customer and note the problem so you can complete the Defective form afterward. Then go to question 3.

Note

We want customers to feel respected, and we also need to protect the store from misuse of our return policy. If you cannot accept a return, you can say: “I’m sorry, but we’re not able to take this back.”

2. If the product is fine, why is it being returned?

Customers often return an item because they have tried it and decided it isn’t right for them. We can accept this in some cases, but not all.

• We cannot accept a puzzle that has been assembled, or a game that has been played through.
• We cannot accept an item whose packaging is torn or damaged to the point that we are unable to return it to the shelf. If a product is not defective, we must be able to resell it.

Can the item go back on the shelf?

• If yes, go to question 3.
• If no, explain that we are unable to accept an item we cannot resell.

Tip

If the customer becomes upset, offer to call a manager. If the situation escalates, accept the item to avoid disturbing other customers. Repackage it as well as you can and move it to clearance, then continue to question 3.

3. Does the customer have a receipt or gift receipt?

• If yes, go to question 4.
• If no, check whether they are a Rewards member:
  • Rewards member: see Rewards member, no receipt.
  • Not a member: we cannot accept the return, except as described in the tip below. If you do accept it, see Not a member, no receipt.

Tip

If a customer without a receipt becomes upset, offer to call a manager. If the situation escalates, you may accept the item only if it has a Snapdoodle price tag, since otherwise it may not be from our store. In that case, issue a gift card rather than a refund. To look up an item that was purchased, see Looking Up an Item.

4. Was it purchased within the last 30 days?

Check the date on the receipt. Items must be returned within 30 days of purchase. We may still accept an item purchased shortly after that window.

• Within 30 days: go to Processing a Return.
• Well past 30 days: explain that we are unable to accept the return. Use your judgment to decide what counts as well past the window.

Tip

If the customer becomes upset, offer to call a manager. If the situation escalates, you may accept the item only if it has a Snapdoodle price tag. In that case, issue a gift card rather than a refund.