B1G1 50% Off Return Policies?

[Geki Brick]

Have you guys ever done a B1G1 50% off sale where you would let's say choose a $60 item, and a $50 (which you would pay $25 for) and then return the $60 item. So, has anybody done that?

[posades]

That's called cheating the system, and something you shouldn't do. I'm not sure what specific store policies are, but sometimes it's nice to have some integrity and not do what you just mentioned.

[Rick]

Agreed, plus wouldn't they want to see your receipt and see that you got 50% off on your second item?

[Geki Brick]

Do you guys think it's ridiculous that some toy retailers mark up Lego prices 5 bucks for small sets and 10 bucks for bigger sets?

Do you guys think it's ridiculous that some toy retailers mark up Lego prices 5 bucks for small sets and 10 bucks for bigger sets?

[Oky]

I'll be honest: Yes, I've done it before, and yes, as long as the item you're returning costs more than the one you're keeping, it works. The ethical question that comes along with it is a different thing. With TRU's ridiculous mark-ups, it almost seems fair, but it's still cheating.

[dhaas06]

Do you guys think it's ridiculous that some toy retailers mark up Lego prices 5 bucks for small sets and 10 bucks for bigger sets?

Ridiculous? Sure, I suppose. But that really has nothing to do with it, because retailers have the right to charge whatever they want. The reason Toys R Us can even do so many B1G1 50% sales is because the sets are marked up the rest of the time. As long as you only buy during good pricing, the markups don't hurt you. It would be nice to get a pure B1G1 50% sale with no markup to get the full discount, but the sale wouldn't happen at all if the prices were all MSRP. That's just how TRU decides to operate.

The real issue here is that looking for shortcuts in retail policies hurts all consumers later. It may seem fair to cheat the system, since you're working within their own rules, afterall, but this forces retailers to change these rules. The more some consumers try to slide companies, the more frustrating the rules become for the honest consumers too. For example, Walmart used to be known for having a very loose return policy and being the last major retailer to not require receipts, hand out cash in return, etc. Now that countless people have found ways to exploit that, the last time I tried returning something there it was very difficult, and even then I only got a "cash card" to use in-store. I would have preferred cash, since I was going to look for a better item somewhere else.

[Stash2Sixx]

Really? Seriously? Remember, if you pull that kind of stuff, you have no room to complain when prices go up. You are causing that company to lose money, therefore they end up raising prices in the future. It's a form of theft.

As an employee at a store that sells LEGO, I think that's just a terrible thing to do.

[RileyC]

That's really unethical. You guys are really lucky to get buy one get one 50% on Lego. I don't even think I've seen such a sale in New Zealand, and then to cheat the system? Pretty poor. I dont know it just seems if you are doing that to TRU then you should have to pay $5-$10 for a set.

[Geki Brick]

Just so you guys know, I haven't done it yet, but I was contemplating it when I posted this thread.

For those of you who follow Power Miners, Lavatraz is noticeably not selling well (knock on wood), and I want the set for the Vending Machine feature, but being that TRU started it off with a price tag of 60 (and now knocking it down to 55), I get these thoughts of cheating the system. I'm just hoping some time this year, prices will go down down enough so that the set becomes more affordable.

When? if you guys know or think because they usually have deals right about when 2011 sets come out (Hero Factory 2.0 etc) in my history of TRU shopping.

[MCNwakeboard]

I thought TRU had a policy that if you returned a B1G1 50% off item and only the un-discounted set, than they would subtract the discount from the amount of cash/credit that you received. Though it seems like a confession would bring on the wrath of the forum, has anyone been able to return the full price set without a problem?

[fred67]

I find the claim that someone has returned the full price set and gotten a complete refund to be quite dubious. It's got the promotion right on the receipt, and I'm certain the computers are programmed to catch it when a refund is requested, and the cashier would have to be an idiot not to catch it on the receipt.

It is also unethical, even if you can get away with it, despite my dislike of TRU.

[TheWarden]

Pretty sure this don't work.

[Big Cam]

I thought TRU had a policy that if you returned a B1G1 50% off item and only the un-discounted set, than they would subtract the discount from the amount of cash/credit that you received. Though it seems like a confession would bring on the wrath of the forum, has anyone been able to return the full price set without a problem?

I think the store should subtract the discount from the returned money, it'd be in their best interest.

If you read all the posts, you'll find that oky wan kenobi has in fact done this.

I have a feeling this would not be successful in all stores as management differs greatly from store to store.

[Enpaz]

Come on guys!

As long as you play by the rules of the store, everything is fine! If the store did not establish a policy to prevent people from doing what Geki Brick suggested, then this is included in the rules of the store! It's your total right to do so.

As a consumer, my job is to get the most out of the system! It's exactly what you do when you are waiting for a discount on a certain product to get it cheaper: if you bought it now, the company would get more money, but you DON'T, and that's the point. It's all about squeezing the fruit as long as what you do is perfectly legal.

Jeez! Toys R Us taking advantage of every situation that offers (e.g. their ability to mark up the prices as high as possible or sending misleading e-mails) doesn't bother you at all, but if the ordinary man has got an opportunity to seize, it really concerns you if he does and it's "morally inacceptable" for you.

It's not a noble service to the society to sell LEGO, they do it because there's profit in it. They want to profit as much as possible, while we try to get the most bang for our buck.

Cheers!

[MacK]

Well they must have something in the way to prevent somebody from doing this exact type of thing. BOGO's have been around for years now so you can't be the first sly customer to think of something like this.

If you really don't want the 60 dollar set then why not just try it? It's not like they'll yell at you or something.

[fred67]

Jeez! Toys R Us taking advantage of every situation that offers (e.g. their ability to mark up the prices as high as possible or sending misleading e-mails) doesn't bother you at all, but if the ordinary man has got an opportunity to seize, it really concerns you if he does and it's "morally inacceptable" for you.

Who says it doesn't bother us? As a consumer your choice it to shop elsewhere. I won't justify an unethical action because I don't like the entity I'm committing it against.

[Enpaz]

Who says it doesn't bother us? As a consumer your choice it to shop elsewhere. I won't justify an unethical action because I don't like the entity I'm committing it against.

Well at least most of you (from what I have read in this post so far) seem to be quite concerned by the action Geki Brick wrote about. If this majority were equally troubled by Toys R Us "actions", they would probably not buy from the company anymore, as it would be morally not sustainable to buy from an unethical company. And I strongly disassume (is that a proper word, disassume? ) that just one of the people mentioned above stricly doesn't buy from TRU.

We're really going into theory here, aren't we?

Enpaz

Edited November 30, 2010 by Enpaz