Some major retailers are shortening their return windows for large purchases like furniture and appliances, leaving customers with limited options when defects are discovered after just a few days.
Brenda Reynolds experienced this firsthand after spending a significant amount on a motion couch.
A week after delivery, she and her husband discovered a defect with the footrest.
"When we were both sitting on the couch is when we noticed there was a problem," Reynolds said. "He went to push the foot rest back in and it would not stay in."
When Reynolds called the furniture store to request a return, she was denied.
"They said no. They said because we did not report it within 3 days, we had to have it fixed," she said.
We checked and discovered the sales contract indeed specified a three-day window for returns, a policy that's becoming increasingly common in retail.
After 3 days, it instructed her to call a repair company to try to fix the defective couch.
Watch as a woman struggles to get help with a broken couch:
More and more stores shorten return windows
Kristen McGrath with The Krazy Coupon Lady confirms this trend.
"Overall, we have seen a pattern where retailers are getting a little bit more strict about it," McGrath said.
Home improvement retailers Lowe's and Home Depot have implemented even stricter policies, with just a 48-hour return window on major appliances (even though many smaller items give you 90 days).
McGrath explains that larger items cost retailers too much to take back.
However, she offers advice for consumers who discover problems after the return window closes.
"Contact the manufacturer directly and say, hey, this isn't functioning as advertised, or this feature isn't working, or the thing is defective, or this part isn't working, and work with them," she said.
McGrath urges consumers to understand that some large purchases come with sales contracts that include more stipulations than a basic purchase.
"Don't look at the easy and fast returns language that the retailer is advertising. Look at what you're specifically buying," she said. A refrigerator may have a much shorter return window than a vacuum cleaner from the very same stores.
Some stores like Costco still allow appliance returns up to 30 days after purchase, so it is worth comparing retailers for return policies and not just prices.
Reynolds plans to be more vigilant with future purchases.
"They basically can sell you something that's broken, and if don't know it within 3 days, you're stuck with it," she said.
If you're ordering a couch, dishwasher, or refrigerator, try to inspect it thoroughly within the first 24 hours to ensure nothing is missing or defective.
This simple step can save you from being stuck with a problematic purchase, and having to hope a repairman can make things right.
That way you don't waste your money.
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This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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