Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Fresno City Gets Extension in Herndon 4-Story Apartment Case

9 hours ago

With Major Heat Risk Forecast, This Is a Good Weekend to Stay Indoors in Fresno

12 hours ago

Trump Says Intel Has Agreed to Deal for US to Take 10% Equity Stake

12 hours ago

Epstein Associate Maxwell Says She Never Saw Trump Behave Inappropriately

12 hours ago

Pew: US Immigrant Population Declines for First Time in Nearly 60 Years

15 hours ago

Powell, Citing Jobs Risk, Opens Door to Cuts but Doesn’t Commit

17 hours ago

FBI Agents Search Ex-Trump Adviser Bolton’s Home, Source Says

17 hours ago

Gaza City Officially in Famine, With Hunger Spreading, Says Global Hunger Monitor

17 hours ago

Gavin Newsom’s Redistricting Plan Is on Its Way to Voters. What You Need to Know

1 day ago
Millennial Money: 4 Must-Do's if Your Order Arrives Damaged
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 6 years ago on
October 5, 2019

Share

NEW YORK — Nowadays, consumers shop online for just about everything. So you’ve likely experienced the stinging disappointment when a TV, piece of furniture or something else you ordered finally arrives on your doorstep — damaged.
Here’s what you should do if your delivery comes in less-than-optimal shape.

1. Examine the Item (Thoroughly)

As soon as you receive a dented box or open a package only to discover broken merchandise, get to work. Take pictures to document the condition of the delivery when it arrived — retailers may want proof. Hang onto any enclosed packing slips and return labels.
If the item is brought into your home as opposed to being left on your porch, inspect it for damage before you’re asked to sign off on the delivery. This procedure is common with large products such as a couch or dining set.

2. Contact the Retailer (Quickly)

Most businesses have return policies on their websites, and there will typically be a section within that policy that addresses damaged or defective items. With a quick Google search, you can pull up such policies for big-name retailers like Amazon, Overstock, Wayfair and Best Buy.

“If it’s a defective item, the store should just step up and make it right, get you a replacement item as fast as possible. If it’s a warranty issue — if the thing has broken since you’ve taken delivery — now you have to deal with the manufacturer and possibly their warranty underwriter.” — Kevin Brasler , executive editor at the nonprofit Consumers’ Checkbook
Look for information about how the damaged product should be handled. The return policy at Lowe’s advises contacting customer care within three days of receiving a damaged item.
Best Buy’s policy says customers can return products that were defective or damaged in shipping either to a store location or through the mail during the return and exchange time period. The retailer says to call for return-by-mail instructions and it’ll cover “all reasonable and customary ground shipping fees.”
Report the broken item right away so the retailer doesn’t think you’re responsible for the damage, advises Kevin Brasler, executive editor at the nonprofit Consumers’ Checkbook.
If you don’t notice the damage for weeks, instead of shipping the item back to the retailer for a replacement, you may need to ship it to the manufacturer for repair.
“If it’s a defective item, the store should just step up and make it right, get you a replacement item as fast as possible,” Brasler says. “If it’s a warranty issue — if the thing has broken since you’ve taken delivery — now you have to deal with the manufacturer and possibly their warranty underwriter.”

3. Unpack the Issue (Calmly)

Once you get on the phone with a retailer — or hop into a chat with an online representative — clearly articulate how you’d like the problem resolved, says Nicole Leinbach, founder of Retail Minded and an author of “Retail 101: The Guide to Managing and Marketing Your Retail Business.”
“Understand what you want from that conversation so that you can best lead that conversation to a resolution,” she says.
Remaining calm can greatly benefit your interaction with a customer service rep. Acknowledge that your frustration is not directed at the agent, but rather at the situation, Leinbach says.
Once you conclude the call, see the process through to completion. Ship the product back, if you’re asked to, and stay on top of the retailer to ensure your replacement arrives in a timely manner.
If the seller isn’t willing to work with you on a legitimate issue, tell them you will report them to the Better Business Bureau, recommends Charles R. Taylor, a marketing professor at Villanova School of Business.
If that doesn’t change their minds, and you paid for the item with a credit card, you can dispute the charge. Check with your credit card company for full details, but Brasler says 9 times out of 10, the credit card issuer will side on your behalf.

4. Read Return Policies (Proactively)

To save yourself time and hassle in the future, Leinbach recommends reading return policies before making a purchase. That’s particularly important for large items such as furniture, which may be more of a logistical challenge to send back.

“Understanding the return policy upfront is so important to any online purchase decision.” — Nicole Leinbach, founder of Retail Minded
“Understanding the return policy upfront is so important to any online purchase decision,” Leinbach says.
Similarly, keep time frames in mind. Ask yourself questions like, when is the product expected to be delivered? Will you be home? Will you be able to inspect it before the return window passes?
Even if a damaged product arrives on your porch before you’ve done your due diligence, you can still follow the steps above to make things right. The good news? Taylor says many companies have favorable policies.
It’ll just take a little extra work on your end to follow them.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Fresno Crash Sends Car Into Building After Running Red Light

DON'T MISS

Fresno City Gets Extension in Herndon 4-Story Apartment Case

DON'T MISS

Atwater Prison Inmate Charged for Threatening to Kill Prosecutor’s Family

DON'T MISS

Multiple Passengers Are Killed After Bus Crashes in Western New York

DON'T MISS

Fresno Firefighters Contain Cambridge Avenue Blaze, No Injuries Reported

DON'T MISS

With Major Heat Risk Forecast, This Is a Good Weekend to Stay Indoors in Fresno

DON'T MISS

Trump Says Intel Has Agreed to Deal for US to Take 10% Equity Stake

DON'T MISS

Epstein Associate Maxwell Says She Never Saw Trump Behave Inappropriately

DON'T MISS

Wrongly Deported Migrant Abrego to Be Released Soon, Lawyer Says

DON'T MISS

Remembering Ron McCary, Who Did It All for KMJ

UP NEXT

Texas Senate Debates Redistricting Bill, Is Expected to Pass It Easily

UP NEXT

Trump: DC Mayor Bowser Must Get Act Together or Won’t Be Mayor Anymore

UP NEXT

Wall Street Soars as Powell Hints at Rate Cut in September

UP NEXT

Trump’s Tariffs Could Reduce US Deficit by $4 Trillion, CBO Estimates

UP NEXT

Pew: US Immigrant Population Declines for First Time in Nearly 60 Years

UP NEXT

Canada to Remove Many Retaliatory Tariffs on US Goods, Says Source

UP NEXT

After Joining TikTok, Trump Says He Could Extend Sale Deadline if Needed

UP NEXT

Powell, Citing Jobs Risk, Opens Door to Cuts but Doesn’t Commit

UP NEXT

FBI Agents Search Ex-Trump Adviser Bolton’s Home, Source Says

UP NEXT

More Americans Applying for Refugee Status in Canada, Data Shows

Multiple Passengers Are Killed After Bus Crashes in Western New York

11 hours ago

Fresno Firefighters Contain Cambridge Avenue Blaze, No Injuries Reported

11 hours ago

With Major Heat Risk Forecast, This Is a Good Weekend to Stay Indoors in Fresno

12 hours ago

Trump Says Intel Has Agreed to Deal for US to Take 10% Equity Stake

12 hours ago

Epstein Associate Maxwell Says She Never Saw Trump Behave Inappropriately

12 hours ago

Wrongly Deported Migrant Abrego to Be Released Soon, Lawyer Says

13 hours ago

Remembering Ron McCary, Who Did It All for KMJ

13 hours ago

I Was Preyed On for My VA Benefits. California Can Stop It

13 hours ago

Texas Senate Debates Redistricting Bill, Is Expected to Pass It Easily

13 hours ago

Trump: DC Mayor Bowser Must Get Act Together or Won’t Be Mayor Anymore

13 hours ago

Fresno Crash Sends Car Into Building After Running Red Light

A driver ran a red light Friday at the intersection of Herndon and West avenues, clipping another vehicle before crashing into a nearby buil...

9 hours ago

9 hours ago

Fresno Crash Sends Car Into Building After Running Red Light

9 hours ago

Fresno City Gets Extension in Herndon 4-Story Apartment Case

The crest of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) is seen at their headquarters in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 10, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File photo
10 hours ago

Atwater Prison Inmate Charged for Threatening to Kill Prosecutor’s Family

First responders work at the scene of a bus crash on the New York State Thruway about 30 miles east of Buffalo, N.Y., on Friday afternoon, Aug. 22, 2025. The tour bus traveling from Niagara Falls to New York City crashed on a highway outside Buffalo on Friday, killing multiple passengers, including at least one child, and leaving some people trapped beneath the vehicle, officials said. (Lauren Petracca/The New York Times)
11 hours ago

Multiple Passengers Are Killed After Bus Crashes in Western New York

On Friday, August 22, 2025, Fresno firefighters contained a house fire on East Cambridge Avenue, preventing major damage and reporting no injuries. (Fresno Fire)
11 hours ago

Fresno Firefighters Contain Cambridge Avenue Blaze, No Injuries Reported

Fresno heat hot heatwave High Humidity
12 hours ago

With Major Heat Risk Forecast, This Is a Good Weekend to Stay Indoors in Fresno

A smartphone with a displayed Intel logo is placed on a computer motherboard in this illustration taken March 6, 2023. (Reuters File)
12 hours ago

Trump Says Intel Has Agreed to Deal for US to Take 10% Equity Stake

Ghislaine Maxwell appears via video link during her arraignment hearing in Manhattan Federal Court, in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S. July 14, 2020 in this courtroom sketch. (Reuters File)
12 hours ago

Epstein Associate Maxwell Says She Never Saw Trump Behave Inappropriately

Search

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Send this to a friend