How many Basses do you Return per Year?

[Cliff Colton]

Except you have to pay the refund and cover that with funds. So you may get a short term "loan" initially the first time a customer has utilized that and would not have purchased if there wasn't a return policy. At some point you need to make a sale.

There is a segment of consumers that refuses to pay retail price. “Open Box” discount sales provide an opportunity for those customers to purchase and enjoy the most recent factory offerings of products they otherwise would not purchase because it carried a retail price.

Tl;dr: Return it.

 

[slagbass]

The "cost of doing business" is always passed on to the consumer. In essence, everyone who has returned a bass has cost me monies. You can ease your conscience by each sending me 1 US dollar. Thank you in advance.

I just converted that into Canadian dollars. My conscience can roast on a spit for that dough.

 

[antfarm]

Just return it if it doesn't feel right. If you bought from a big store, it won't be as big a thing for them as for some of the people in this thread.

 

[Swerve]

Many moons ago I worked at RadioShack, and we would regularly have people buy a metal detector on Friday, and return them on Monday, after they had returned from their weekend at the beach or wherever. Those kinds of people really suck.

 

[2F/2F]

Very rarely. I have developed a very good instinct for what I will like and what I won't, and what I will pay, so the only problems will be with damage, build issues, or warranty issues. If there are serious problems, I will usually make a warranty claim or negotiate a partial refund.

I have done a few head calculations, and I think that over my life, I have returned about 3 percent of basses or guitars that I have purchased sight unseen.

 

[Hardbassjunkie]

Just return it if it doesn't feel right. If you bought from a big store, it won't be as big a thing for them as for some of the people in this thread.

I am still conflicted, but one thing I know for sure is that they will most certainly not care nearly as much as people in this thread if I return it. Certainly the sales person won't care and who knows if it will make it to the manager's radar. I don't think anyone in the store in making morality judgements. Big box stores have bigger fish to fry. If it gets out of hand, I am sure they have a way of speaking to the person or putting them on a list, however I am not sure I would be put in that category.

Who knows if this one is even brand new. If was given to me loose without a box during a curb side pick up. Again, I really like it but not sure its worth $850.

 

[CaptainWally]

I understand your view point...I have a very different viewpoint on this.
I could understand building a little more into the price to compensate for the BUT that is a though things to do.

I will also say there are many things you are “allowed to do”, but on occasion sometimes those things that you are so called “allowed to do” are not the coolest things to do in the world.

I buy that. Although I'm confused by the first sentence a bit.

"Allowed" is not always the same as good faith win/win business. Sometimes a return could fall into the latter category, e.g. I've bought a boat load of stuff from Sweetwater, and, AFAIK, they are good with an occasional return. Context matters, I reckon.

 

[MCS4]

I don't do it every year, but I definitely do it. As a lefty, buying basses and guitars sight-unseen usually is my only option, which really only works if I am prepared to return it if it isn't right for me. I do sometimes feel a little guilty, but given that I am buying from places that have an explicit return policy I don't feel that it is really a big deal.

 

[CaptainWally]

Buying so that you can use the return policy because you want to try a piece of gear is wrong.

That's a pretty broad declaration. At the end of the day, we are talking specific private business transactions over which none of us can/should really claim to be arbiters.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

That's a pretty broad declaration. At the end of the day, we are talking specific private business transactions over which none of us can/should really claim to be arbiters.

I apologize for having an opinion.

 

[SgtHulka]

Strange that so many posters are wearing a badge of honor of their refusal to return a bass.

Today's meta of bass selling denies the customer the opportunity to try a bass, and this results in not being as sure about it as if you were to buy a bass in person. But mostly, I don't see anyone here talking about all the benefits given to the seller. No retail sales people to pay or rent for a store, less taxes, etc... Nortstrand sets up his Acinonyx basses at his home for example. Why should the consumer get shafted while it's primarily the seller that benefits from this sales model?

I'm not suggesting that anyone should abuse return policies to arbitrarily try basses for fun. The OP went in with a good intention, and he changed his mind. He shouldn't have to feel any guilt about returning it because it costs the seller return shipping.

Don't kid yourselves, the sellers are doing just fine.

 

[CaptainWally]

I apologize for having an opinion.

Accepted.

 

[r_bnks]

What? none

 

[blowinblue]

Since returning to bass playing in 2002 after a 17 year hiatus, I've only returned one bass. It was a boutique bass by a builder who no longer builds. It was purchased from a well-known and 'reputable' store in the USA. The photo on the website was of the bass when it was brand new. When I got it it had numerous minor scuffs and marks. I liked the bass enough that my plans were to keep it, in spite of it not being minty fresh as represented.

After closer inspection I noticed the neck was 'curved'. Not twisted, but curved. Imagine a long railroad car sitting on a curved section of track. Looking down from above the railroad car represents the bass strings, the tracks represent the neck. The neck curved underneath the strings. As I recall, on the treble side the G string was much closer to the edge of the fingerboard at the 10-12th fret than it was at the nut and 24th fret.

The day after receiving the bass I called the shop. The owner basically told me I was seeing things. I wasn't. I had to pay shipping back to the store (no surprise), plus he wanted to charge me a restocking fee. We argued over that, but he finally relented and agreed to refund the restocking fee. He told me that he would never do business with me again. I was several steps ahead of him on that sentiment.

I knew he would post the bass for sale as soon as he got it back. He did. Sadly, it eventually ended up with a Talkbass member. He sold it in the classifieds here. It caused a major falling out between the two TB members when the buyer discovered the same problem I had observed. This story makes me sad. I still think about how much that bass spoke to me in feel and tone.

M. M.

 

[Neill Graham]

Since returning to bass playing in 2002 after a 17 year hiatus, I've only returned one bass. It was a boutique bass by a builder who no longer builds. It was purchased from a well-known and 'reputable' store in the USA. The photo on the website was of the bass when it was brand new. When I got it it had numerous minor scuffs and marks. I liked the bass enough that my plans were to keep it, in spite of it not being minty fresh as represented.

After closer inspection I noticed the neck was 'curved'. Not twisted, but curved. Imagine a long railroad car sitting on a curved section of track. Looking down from above the railroad car represents the bass strings, the tracks represent the neck. The neck curved underneath the strings. As I recall, on the treble side the G string was much closer to the edge of the fingerboard at the 10-12th fret than it was at the nut and 24th fret.

The day after receiving the bass I called the shop. The owner basically told me I was seeing things. I wasn't. I had to pay shipping back to the store (no surprise), plus he wanted to charge me a restocking fee. We argued over that, but he finally relented and agreed to refund the restocking fee. He told me that he would never do business with me again. I was several steps ahead of him on that sentiment.

I knew he would post the bass for sale as soon as he got it back. He did. Sadly, it eventually ended up with a Talkbass member. He sold it in the classifieds here. It caused a major falling out between the two TB members when the buyer discovered the same problem I had observed. This story makes me sad. I still think about how much that bass spoke to me in feel and tone.

M. M.

I'm glad that you managed to return a defective bass but it is kind of irritating to see how it was put up for sale in the same defective shape to the chagrin of other buyers. Talk about "passing the bass". I believe that the shop owner had a moral (if not legal) obligation to have the instrument repaired before reselling it. He had some nerve saying he would do no further business with you. I kinda like to think what karma will do to him...

 

[electracoyote]

I have about a 95% retaining rate for new and used. It's rare I return a bass, even one that needs a little touch up or adjustment that I feel is the consumer's responsibility. And if I sense it's going to be a great player, I'd rather touch one up than return it, even if to some it is a "flaw" that should have been caught. That explains why I have too many basses; I have a hard time parting with a great bass. But if I sense a little TLC won't do the trick, or it will take heroic efforts, or it's not going to be a great player, I'd send it back.

 

[Mannyinnewyork]

Per year? Only once - a Hofner with a neck issue. I have been lucky, it’s been 50 years.

 

[Nobis17]

Since the early '90s, I've never returned any piece of equipment. I've definitely sold said equipment further down the line, but never return.

 

[80jazz]

No one can blame you for the EB-0.

What if you are given an EB-0 with plans to turn it into an EB-3?

 

[Black Out Jazz]

Since returning to bass playing in 2002 after a 17 year hiatus, I've only returned one bass. It was a boutique bass by a builder who no longer builds. It was purchased from a well-known and 'reputable' store in the USA. The photo on the website was of the bass when it was brand new. When I got it it had numerous minor scuffs and marks. I liked the bass enough that my plans were to keep it, in spite of it not being minty fresh as represented.

After closer inspection I noticed the neck was 'curved'. Not twisted, but curved. Imagine a long railroad car sitting on a curved section of track. Looking down from above the railroad car represents the bass strings, the tracks represent the neck. The neck curved underneath the strings. As I recall, on the treble side the G string was much closer to the edge of the fingerboard at the 10-12th fret than it was at the nut and 24th fret.

The day after receiving the bass I called the shop. The owner basically told me I was seeing things. I wasn't. I had to pay shipping back to the store (no surprise), plus he wanted to charge me a restocking fee. We argued over that, but he finally relented and agreed to refund the restocking fee. He told me that he would never do business with me again. I was several steps ahead of him on that sentiment.

I knew he would post the bass for sale as soon as he got it back. He did. Sadly, it eventually ended up with a Talkbass member. He sold it in the classifieds here. It caused a major falling out between the two TB members when the buyer discovered the same problem I had observed. This story makes me sad. I still think about how much that bass spoke to me in feel and tone.

M. M.

That is a sad story, man.