what happens to returned defective items? (fan)

[joaks]

Hello all,

Several months ago I purchased a Hunter ceiling fan and after a lot of work on a too-short ladder and calls to tech support they sent me a replacement fan as the original does not work. They should be giving me instructions on how to return the broken unit to Hunter soon.

My question: what will they do with the original? Keep the good parts? Toss everything?

The reason: my wife wants me to keep the remote (receiver and transmitter) and some minor parts before sending back. If I knew they would toss everything I would be okay with this. Otherwise I am not so okay with this...

 

[OneEyeJack]

If they don't ask for everything back do you think it would encourage people to take advantage of the system?

If the product is from an assembly line it probably gets tossed. It would take a skilled person to determine the problem and do something about it.

 

[Syntheticuser]

In my view, that is a form of theft. Are they giving you a new in box replacement? Call them and ask tbem. They might say...awwww just keep it for your trouble. I'd At least do that. Much better than STEALING.

 

[skyactiv]

I've heard some retailers and manufactures auction off returns they cant resell in the store and quite of bit of it goes to Mexico.

 

[3800Series]

They may try to sell it as refurbished but it would really depend on the brand and their price point. I think in most cases they would probably just scrap it. It would probably cost to much for them to look at it.

There is a very high profit margin on many household items so they may not have much in it. Best case they may part out easy stuff in case someone contacts them for replacement parts but it would most likely be the stuff that's super easy and quick to remove.

 

[SZR48207]

I know some items will be refurbished by the OEM and resold as refurbished. Other items will be bought by third party companies who refurbish.

 

[Kira]

I'd bet some items are noted-credited then trashed due to the expense of investigation.
Some of them might have sub-assemblies removed and transferred back to the line (expensive or popular fan blades, in your case).
Things like the remote may very well be expensive (from an outside source) and be recycled if only to a "customer service" supply.
There is common materials recycling (metals etc.)

 

[RichardS]

At my last job, when an item was returned as defective, it was checked for proper function, and then either re-packaged or discarded.

Either way, if a return was missing a piece, it was rejected, and the refund/exchange wasn't processed. This happened surprisingly regularly. The biggest thing was people returning an item, and keeping any "gift with purchase" items

I'd imagine a large company just trashes it, but you run the risk if you keep anything.

 

[spk2000]

Hunter has about $10 in parts in most of their ceiling fans so doubtful they will do anything with it. Huge markups on them

 

[NHGUY]

They would be either scrapped,rebuilt,or sold off as-is to a 3rd party wholesaler (as in the former Building 19).

 

[Eddie]

Hunter will probably request ALL parts and original packaging if possible. If you try to keep/steal major pieces you may get an invoice for the missing remote. Ed

 

[JTK]

Any time I contacted the manufacturer in regards to an inop electrical item in the past ~10yrs, all they wanted to see was proof of purchase, they sent me a new one and didn't want anything back. In one instance, a defect oil filled radiator portable heater, the manufacturer wanted me to cut the power cord off the inop unit and mail that back to them. I did.

 

[Nick1994]

That's stealing? Wow lol.

Just keep the remote, the company won't ask for it back and won't notice if you don't return it.

 

[gman2304]

Dumpster in most cases, then the company gets a tax deduction.

 

[aquariuscsm]

They just dust it off and send it right back to you haha

 

[CKN]

Well-lots of answers here with no substance. There is a place in Riverside, CA called Water Heater Depot (yes-they sell water heaters as well)-they have a Facebook page if anyone wants to verify my post. They buy returned merchandise from Sams Club, Lowes, and Walmart (among others) and they resell it-on an "as is" basis.

When you buy something there you need to check for missing parts. As many parts can be purchased and replaced cheaply. The merchandise is sold for pennies on the dollar.

I have seen many Hunter fans there.

 

[funflyer]

Originally Posted By: joaks
Hello all,

Several months ago I purchased a Hunter ceiling fan and after a lot of work on a too-short ladder and calls to tech support they sent me a replacement fan as the original does not work. They should be giving me instructions on how to return the broken unit to Hunter soon.

My question: what will they do with the original? Keep the good parts? Toss everything?

The reason: my wife wants me to keep the remote (receiver and transmitter) and some minor parts before sending back. If I knew they would toss everything I would be okay with this. Otherwise I am not so okay with this...


These issues are built into the cost of doing business so I would be very surprised if you ever get return instructions. By chance, if you do actually have to send it back, I don't think anyone from Hunter will ever touch or even look at it, or they will just check for the major parts, motor and blades. It will probably get donated with all the other factory rejects, scratch and dent, and returned items for a tax write-off.

 

[Alfred_B]

Originally Posted By: joaks
Hello all,

Several months ago I purchased a Hunter ceiling fan and after a lot of work on a too-short ladder and calls to tech support they sent me a replacement fan as the original does not work. They should be giving me instructions on how to return the broken unit to Hunter soon.

My question: what will they do with the original? Keep the good parts? Toss everything?

The reason: my wife wants me to keep the remote (receiver and transmitter) and some minor parts before sending back. If I knew they would toss everything I would be okay with this. Otherwise I am not so okay with this...


I once had a coworker who had worked in a place that would rehab those returned items. If the returned items were broken, they would fashion a working item out of several products if necessary.

Their client was Walmart.

 

[y_p_w]

Depends on the item and the seller. Often it's just a reseller buying from a contract supplier, and replacements are just a cost of doing business. There might be some items that are worth trying to repair, but for the most part who wants to actually buy a repaired item? The only thing I can think of are returned electronics. Typically they're not defective per se, but they have to at least run a test of them and reset them to factory condition. Then they slap it in a "refurbished" box.

The one return that kind of stuck out to me was when I returned some loppers sold by Fiskars. They had a lifetime warranty on them, and I looked up how to get a replacement. The preferred method was to take a photo of the defect and they would send a replacement without asking for the original back. It was also pretty obvious as one of the aluminum arms had bent and broke off.

I do remember when I returned my boxes to Comcast, I couldn't find the remotes and they didn't say anything about it. They didn't seem to care as long as they got the boxes back. I found them later, but I don't think they really want them anyways.

 

[gman2304]

I once drug a 50 foot water hose into Sears for replacement under a Craftsman life time warranty. They gave me a new hose then told me to just cut the ends off any others that might fail and just bring them the hose ends. I don't know what they did with the hose ends..LOL! I'm still using that replacement, but if this one ever fails I'll know what to do.....if Sears stays in business.