Enter to Win: HDMI Cable from DVIGear

[Brandst]

A nice return policy is a minor consideration when I buy online. The main thing I want to know is if it is defective can I exchange it. Most of my purchases online are for items that I have researched and am as close to 100% as I could be. If I receive the item and it is defective I think I should be able to exchange it within at least a month, that will allow for at least a week of travel to and from for the item and a reasonable amount of time for me to have installed/tested it before the return. I'm not a fan of restock fees but understand them being in retail myself. That said if it is a mere return 5%-15% depending on item seems fair too me, there should not be one on a defective product however.

Steve

 

[viking68]

When buying from an online retailer, how much do you take into consideration their return policies?
A: Depends on the product and the potential for it to have a problem, either due to malfunction or shipping. Definitely important, though.
What do you think is a fair and realistic return window (days after purchase) for an online retailer like DVIGear?
A: 21 to 30 days from date of purchase should do it.
What do you think is a fair restocking fee percentage when products are not returned in immediately saleable condition?
A: 20% seems to be typical, and I'm not sure if 10% is worth your time and effort, so I'd split the difference and make it 15%.

 

[briggek8717]

Price is the most important consideration for me when buying online with the return policy right behind it. I can't test out the item in store, so there is always a chance I might need to return it

30 days

5-10%

 

[masak_aer]

DVIGear wants your opinion about Return Policies
…and we’re willing to give you the shirt off our backs for it !

In the competitive world of online retail, policies and customer service can make or break a company. We want your opinion on return policies for online retailers, so we’re giving away our extremely popular HDMI Super High Resolution cables to five (5) randomly selected winners that respond to the questions below. Each winner will be able to choose one cable of his or her choice up to 7.5 meters. Also, five (5) randomly selected winners will receive a DVIGear t-shirt in the size of their choice. Each t-shirt and cable will be delivered at absolutely no charge!

To be eligible to win, you must: 1) Be a registered Audioholics forum member, 2) Answer the following questions in this contest thread.

1. When buying from an online retailer, how much do you take into consideration their return policies?
2. What do you think is a fair and realistic return window (days after purchase) for an online retailer like DVIGear?
3. What do you think is a fair restocking fee percentage when products are not returned in immediately saleable condition?

Extra BONUS for Audioholics Readers!!!
Don't want to wait for the contest? As they say, “Seeing is Believing”. Use discount code AH-0306 to get a 5% discount on ANY of our Super High Resolution DVI and HDMI cables.

• Return policies is my second highest factor after price. The third factor would be shipping cost.
• For me the fair time frame should be 30 days.
• If the returned item is not in immediate saleable conditions, 10-15% should be fair enough.

 

[RudeDog]

1. Return policy is very important with items that I am not sure will work for me. Something like a cable might not be a big deal (if the item isn't defective of course) but a receiver would need a good return policy.

2. 30 days gives you time to install and try it out.

3. 15-20% for an opened, non-defective item.

- RudeDog

 

[s002wjh]

1. When buying from an online retailer, how much do you take into consideration their return policies?

If the product is not sold in any retail sorry then I do care about return policies. Since I don't have much ideas regarding the product.

> 2. What do you think is a fair and realistic return window (days after purchase) for an online retailer like DVIGear?

30 days after delivery (or 45 days after purchase).

> 3. What do you think is a fair restocking fee percentage when products are not returned in immediately saleable condition?

It may depend on the product, but restocking fees generally annoy me
and make me much less likely to purchase a product. If the product is
damaged, that's my fault and a restocking fee is fine. If it simply
had packaging opened in such a way as to be not immediately saleable,
there shouldn't be a restocking fee within the return window.
This should be baked into the cost/markup of the product or otherwise
absorbed as a part of doing business. Providing opened products
for sale at a 10-15% discounted price (but still having them be returnable)
seems like a way to limit the losses from getting products that need
to be restocked.

 

[brmiller88]

1. When buying from an online retailer, how much do you take into consideration their return policies?
I have to be able to return a product if it's DOA. Other than that, being able to test out a product for a little while does add a small amount of appeal to purchasing from a vendor.

2. What do you think is a fair and realistic return window (days after purchase) for an online retailer like DVIGear?
30 to 45 days is about right

3. What do you think is a fair restocking fee percentage when products are not returned in immediately saleable condition?
If it's just an opened package, 10% should be sufficient. Especially with higher priced merchandise. If there is more going on than an opened package, 20% may be more appropriate.

 

[brucewoodington]

1. When buying from an online retailer, how much do you take into consideration their return policies?

Very little. If I'm buying, I've researched what I'm looking for, and would be more concerned about warranty replacement than return policy.


2. What do you think is a fair and realistic return window (days after purchase) for an online retailer like DVIGear?

30 days seems fair.

3. What do you think is a fair restocking fee percentage when products are not returned in immediately saleable condition?

15%, if the returned merchandise is being re-sold at a "open box" discount. It's a bad experience to open up a package you believe to be new, and find it was a re-package. Makes you wonder why it was returned, and reflects poorly on the selling company. I typically will not buy if there is a "final" sale policy on open box merchandise, because, again, you don't know why it was returned in the first place.

 

[BTT917]

1) When buying from an online retailer, how much do you take into consideration their return policies?

It's a very important aspect to me when buying online, since I can't see/hold/use it before purchase.

2) What do you think is a fair and realistic return window (days after purchase) for an online retailer like DVIGear?

I think 30 days after purchase is fair. That should give anyone enough time to determine if the cable meets the customers' expectations

3) What do you think is a fair restocking fee percentage when products are not returned in immediately saleable condition?

In the case of cables, I think as long as the cable is in like-new condition, </=5% to make up for the new packaging. Obviously, if the cable has been damaged it would require a higher %.

 

[ctwed]

1. Very important. I wan to know the retailer will stand by its product and will be there in case of product failure.

2. 14 to 21 days is fair.

3. No restocking chARGE IN THE FIRST 14 TO 21 DAYS. 15% THEREAFTER IS FAIR.

 

[mattweber]

"When buying from an online retailer, how much do you take into consideration their return policies?"

Very little. I usually check to see what the return policy is, however it normally doesn't affect if I buy the product or not.

"What do you think is a fair and realistic return window (days after purchase) for an online retailer like DVIGear?"

I believe 30 days is a realistic return window.

"What do you think is a fair restocking fee percentage when products are not returned in immediately saleable condition?"

I believe a 15% restocking fee is fair, however, on cables I believe there should not be a restocking fee due to the fact they can be resold at full price after being re-packaged.

 

[Duffinator]

Did I win?

1. When buying from an online retailer, how much do you take into consideration their return policies? A lot, it's very important.

2. What do you think is a fair and realistic return window (days after purchase) for an online retailer like DVIGear? 30 days.

3. What do you think is a fair restocking fee percentage when products are not returned in immediately saleable condition? 20%

 

[stiletto pat]

HDMI Contest Entry / Question Response...

1. When buying from an online retailer, how much do you take into consideration their return policies? Well, as others have stated, I think it depends a bit upon what type of products one is purchasing. Cables can be somewhat abstact and challenging to less informed people, so it might be reasonable to assume that those people would be likely to return products. However, I think that most people buying hi-tech cabling products online are fairly informed consumers, otherwise they would go to a retailer to be hand-held through the process, so the need to return products should not be overwhelming. This is the long way to get to the answer of I always look at the return policies, and so long as they aren't overtly unreasonable, I move back to my primary considerations, quality and price.

2. What do you think is a fair and realistic return window (days after purchase) for an online retailer like DVIGear? 30 days after receipt of the product, or in the alternative, approximately 45 days after the order is placed.

3. What do you think is a fair restocking fee percentage when products are not returned in immediately saleable condition? That's a tough question, since you didn't define "immediately saleable condition" Does that mean that the packaging is broken, or that the cables are damaged in some manner? I'm going to say 15% to 20% under the assumption that there is merely packaging involved that has to be replaced.

Okay, I'm now ready to win....

Pat

 

[ht_addict]

1. When buying from an online retailer, how much do you take into consideration their return policies?

Very rarely as I believe the industry standard is 30days. Now if an online retailer offered free shipping back within the first 7days after receipt and returns for the first 30days it would make me give them a second look.

2. What do you think is a fair and realistic return window (days after purchase) for an online retailer like DVIGear?

See question 1.

3. What do you think is a fair restocking fee percentage when products are not returned in immediately saleable condition?

10-15% for unsaleable condition. But the online retailer has too take into consideration the packaging the product is shipped in. To often they are package in sealed plastic casings that have to be cut or ripped open making the packaging unusable. If they shipped in clear ziplock or resealable packaging I would understand the need for a restock fee if everything shipped with it or the product is damaged when returned.

Kevin

 

[Zaoc]

1. Return policies are important. If a company has a poor return policy they will not get my business.

2. I like to have a 30 day window for possible returns. If they have a strict no return policy or a short one (aka 10 days) I will be buying somewhere else.

3. 15 % is fair. When you get a product most times you will know real quick if you are going to be returning it.

Zaoc

 

[nosaj]

Contest replhy

I consider return policies to be very important.

I believe 30 days is suffiicient.

I believe a 20 percent re-stocking fee is appropriate.

 

[jzac]

1. When buying from an online retailer, how much do you take into consideration their return policies?
2. What do you think is a fair and realistic return window (days after purchase) for an online retailer like DVIGear?
3. What do you think is a fair restocking fee percentage when products are not returned in immediately saleable condition?

1) I take it seriously.... it gives buyer some satisfaction to know you can return the stuff if its defective or not liked. Good companies offer good return policies.

2) I would think 30 days window is fair... and many good e-tailers give you that freedom of 30 days.

3) 15-20% restocking fee based on the product you are selling sounds reasonable.

 

[baudilus]

It all depends...

1. When buying from an online retailer, how much do you take into consideration their return policies?

In my opinion, it is directly related to the cost of the product. If it's a $5 cable adapter that I need, I'm likely to buy it regardless of return policy (as long as the retailer is reputable enough for me know that I won't be 'stiffed'). If it's a $2000 subwoofer, the return policy is much more important; I won't buy something that expensive if there are "no returns."

2. What do you think is a fair and realistic return window (days after purchase) for an online retailer like DVIGear?

I think it depends on where you are located, but generally 3-5 business is quite fair.

3. What do you think is a fair restocking fee percentage when products are not returned in immediately saleable condition?

I think this should be related to how easy / costly the item is to repackage. Getnerally 5-10%, nothing more.

 

[mytzen]

1 - It is very important because the consumer may be seeing/testing the product for the first time if they can't find it in a store. You can read all of the reviews you want but nothing compares to actually using the product in your own home. If I decide that I don't like the product then it is nice to know that it can be returned to the retailer. It is very comforting to know that you won't have to be stuck with a product that you don't want after buying it.

2 - It should be 30 days in order for the consumer to determine if the product meets their expectations. This will give them plenty of time to fully test and use the product. Also the 30-day return window should start on the day the products are delivered, not purchased. I am sure that everyone has bought items online before and had to wait a few days before receiving the product and by following this policy it would make sure that the consumer had a full 30 days to test the product.

3- I think this depends on what the retailer is planning on doing with the package. Such as, if the retailer is going to sell the product as new then I think a 10% fee is appropriate (materials can't cost more than that). In another case, assume the retailer will offer the item as "open box", and then there should be no restocking fee. I feel both of these methods are fair to both the retailer and consumer (assuming the restocking fees are disclosed to the consumer).

 

[expose11]

When buying online, I will not purchase from retailers who do not allow returns. I think 14 days is long enough to see if the product you purchased is working for you. %15 is the amount most often seen for a restock fee. I think that is ok as long as they dont charge it unless the item is beyond repackaging. Example, no box.
Expose11