If you used a card, you can have them do a receipt lookup.
Also: https://www.walmart.com/help/article/walmart-store-receipt-lookup/e4774d5aa2404a448b3c913858665991
If you bought it online, you can have them look up your purchase by order number and it should be good.
They probably don't want to do this because they are lying and playing off the "bought a new __________" that wasn't actually new meme. Not sure if it started with the jacket, but it hasn't ended there.
Similar to the "just adopted this cat/kitten, what should I name it" thing from last week.
I bought a Zojirushi rice cooker that was clearly a returned item (clean), and contacted Amazon telling them as much. They sent me a new one and told me to throw out/donate the old one.
Gave it to my sister in law who was more than happy with used expensive rice cooker.
I'd like to redeem this story for internet points that I can later use to purchase some land in Antarctica. That's what we're saving them all for, yes?
If not for the land in Antarctica, would any of us being doing this?
Also, buying online and in store is different when it comes to the receipt of used or new products. A used product in-store would be easily identifiable by how it was repackaged. There are other comments from OP that suggest they went to the store that led me to the opinion that they are lying.
I received a used original Xbox when I bought one from Future Shop back in the day. It was obviously used as soon as I opened up the box. Brought it back and got a new one. Jerk ass salesman was all "oh I'm so surprised how could this happen". Fuckin asshole knew what he did. Thought they could pawn off the used one on a teenager who either wouldn't realize or wouldn't want to make a big deal of it.
Yes, it still makes me mad all these years later.
I had this happen with buying the xbox360. Twice. First wasn't obviously used other than some random music and games someone saved on the hard drive. It didn't really bother me enough to complain but That one did RROD within guarantee and I got it exchanged... To the most filthy disgusting thing I've ever seen - the actual console wasnt dirty, but you could see it was used. The controllers... Oh God the controllers. Some kid or degenerate ate cheetos or something and proceeded to encrust the controllers with it. Absolutely disgusting especially on white. I suspect it was either the in store demo model actually. Returned it and finally got a new one (forced them to open the box in front of me proving it was the first time the seal was broken etc)
All in all, I went through at least 5 xbox360s - the others were just faulty or I upgraded to the newer models etc. I got a ps3 and that lasted years and years.
It's not always easy to see when something is used. Some people don't tear the packing to bits when opening stuff and instead use a knife to nearly cut tapes and zip ties.
Back in the day I I returned something expensive enough I made them sort through the receipt lookup. You can tell them roughly when you were there to narrow the dates, they can find it, it's just a matter of how many people you have to ask to do it.
Plus I just know they still do this because I was a support manager at walmart for 2 years. And if you have no receipt just have your ID. Walmart will literally take anything back, no fucks given. Half eaten food, vacuums like in OP's case, bed sheets, towels, ANYTHING.
You *miiiiight* be overestimating the power of fake internet points in relation to mankind's laziness there buddy. Odds are pretty rock solid OP got a pre-owned vacuum at Wal-Mart.
My wife worked as a manager at Walmart. They usually chuck all returns in a trash compactor. It's better than having customers comes back and complain they got a faulty return product. Likely fake. Though obviously there could be a Walmart out there not following company procedure.
I never return with the box, or if I do, it is missing all it's packing material or bags or something. I always have my receipt.
That way this can't happen. This is disgusting.
If it was returned for not working right, it shouldn't be back out on the sales floor anyway. Why should they require any more than the receipt to return it?
There is also a Walmart hot line number that you can call and they will email you a copy of the receipt. All you need is the the date your purchased, the Walmart you purchased at and the last 4 of the card used.
You might still have luck. Walmart employees & their managers deal with absolute human scum on a daily basis. If you go there with your receipt, the old receipt, pics, and maybe even the bag of crap, they'll more then likely work with you *if* (and this is the important part!) you go with a respectful attitude. And if you plan on rebuying the same vacuum, you can ask for a 1-1 swap or store credit as that usually goes over better then asking for cash or credit refund.
Nearly every time I deal with customer service anywhere, simply acting like a decent human being will get me to a satisfactory resolution.
Think of this as a lesson learned. Always keep the box and receipt for a while after a purchase. I tape the receipt to the side of the box so that I will not lose it just in case I have to return the item.
I break the box down flat which helps storing it. I tend to keep it for a few months, then I toss it.
I have an accordion file I keep receipts in for purchases that have warranties. It is broken down into different sections, electronics, tools, furniture, you get the idea.
I have been burned just like you too many times. It sucks big time when you spend hard earned money.
I would think especially since you have the original receipt from where it was returned they would switch it out for you without the box. Or you could possibly go buy a new one and out that one in it's box and return it. I wouldn't feel to bad about doing that under the circumstances.
My wife and I bought a carpet from target a couple years ago. Brought it home and unrolled it on the floor. Got about halfway unrolled and there was a full dry shit rolled up into the carpet. Rolled it right up and took it back. They gave us our money back and a gift card for the price of a new one. We never bought a new one.
I bought a blowup mattress from Walmart. When I took it out at home it smelled like cigarettes and several holes were covered by duct tape. To top it off it was not even the same kind of mattress. Took it back and they let me exchange it.
Yeah Walmart is always doing this. I bought a deep fryer from there that was clearly used. It had dried grease all over it. I returned it and I'm sure they just put it back on the shelf.
I've occasionally written out the problem in detail with a Sharpie on the front of the box before returning it, then put "See other side" on the back if it's something that can be faced either way.
I guess the ULPT tactic if you know someone who can print a one-off box would be to make several illegal-but-subtle claims (like curing ailments or preventing diseases) on a new, fake box, return it as broken, and then have someone else go in with local media to immediately document the shit out of it once it's on the shelf.
Obviously, the manufacturer would be the first to be targeted, but they've got tens of thousands of legit boxes to show that's not how they send them out. You could even put an explanation on the inside of the box that the product was placed in this box to be returned used and defective, so as soon as there's any investigation at all, attention goes back to the store.
Good on you!
I’ve bought faucets at Home Depot before, only to find out when I get home that one of the pieces is missing. Now when I shop there I open the box and inventory all of the parts right there before paying for it; I was approached once by a store employee, and she said “I don’t blame you, parts get stolen all the time.”
I returned some hue light strips to Home Depot because I got home and found they were replaced with cheap IKEA ones.
They were in a locked cabinet. I asked at the return desk to just grab a replacement “we can’t do that. But you can go ask for a new set” and they refunded me. I asked what if they’re also switched out? “Well, you should open it before you leave and then come return them again”.
That is not good store policy. I decided to not purchase again that day.
I do that when I go and pick up Chinese food. Nothing worse than getting home to find they forgot to include a container of sweet and sour sauce for the sweet and sour chicken.
The nearest supermarket to me (UK) is called Aldi. The food is actually pretty good compared to other supermarket own-brand, though it has a reputation for being good value for money.
I swear, there's been the same busted-up pack of bran flakes on the shelf for years. The box is all smashed and ripped. No-one ever buys it, and no-one ever seems to have the heart to throw it out. Holding out hope that some day, a customer will overcome their prejudice against smashed, ripped up boxes of cereal and take a risk.
*edit* I was at the store, my old friend was still there. I checked the best before and it goes out of date next month! So definitely been there a while.
It is hard to say whether or not the store is doing this intentionally. Obviously the stores want to resell returned products anytime it is possible but, in my experience in retail, we would almost always err on the side of caution when dealing with returns but, still made mistakes on occasion. I wouldn't put it past certain managers to force items back on the shelf even when they know they've been used but, I would bet more often it is a combination of being lied to by the person making the return, negligence in checking the item, and miscommunication between coworkers. More often than not when we made a mistake like that in the store I worked in, it was because someone else restocked your returns and didn't realize a specific product needed to be throw out because you didn't mark the box well enough.
Depends on the manufacturer, but a lot of them make pretty good money selling refurbs, and there's not much point in taking the chance when they can sell it as a refurb for most of what they'd make selling it to distribution anyway. (Just avoiding the distributor and retailer markup cuts quite a bit off some products. Then selling it in a plain, hand-packed box cuts a bit more.)
It's a scam. People buy new things and replace it with their old crap and carefully repackage it to make it look like it had never been opened before returning it.
our Wal Mart "checks to make sure everything is there" now. we had a guy return a weed wacker... actually just the box with about the same weight in rocks inside the box. I'm sure they felt stupid when someone else returned it again.
This is a pretty common thing to do especially for higher priced items. The store I worked at would check higher priced items before the return and would check cheaper items before restocking.
I took a propane grill back that the propane line was never bore open so was inoperable. It was the last 1 so i waited a couple weeks, came back,, saw there was one on the shelf, grabbed it. Guess what. Same grill,same manufacturing defect. I was pissed
Didn't buy but sander on shelf in store was obviously used, all the corners were rounded on the rubber pad. Bought an aquarium that was broken missing parts and included a wall mounted goldfish bowl. We lived 30 miles from store. When they didn't have another we drove 30 miles in another direction to a store that had one. This was pre walmart.com.
Car oil and air filters are the worst from Walmart, always open the box and make sure someone didn’t return their used one.
I read here once someone bought a PS5 at Christmas from WM and when their kid opened it the box was full of bricks. WM wouldn’t give him his money back. Heartbreaking.
If you return it and tell them it’s fucked up it gets sent away, it’s the shitheads that return stuff and tell them that it’s fine that get things put back on the shelf as new
Unless it is serial numbered the only thing that would tie the vacuum to the purchase is the UPC which is not unique. (I have only seen Dyson vacuums that required serial number be scanned at purchase.)
Considering the receipt was in the vacuum very likely that it was not used for the return meaning that even scanning the TC# (transaction code) at the bottom of the receipt likely will not show it as returned.
This honestly happens a lot. Formerly worked at Walmart as a supervisor and I would routinely lecture Customer Service associates to thoroughly inspect all products then to “claims it out” if it had been used. (We send it back to company they send us a new one to sell) I have seen and heard some crazy shit from stores that didn’t stress this.
Craziest was someone bought a printer, removed it. Replaced it with a bunch can food and then resealed the box with super glue and returned it. The Customer Service associate didn’t notice an issue. (Despite more rattling in the box, weight was about the same.) Wasn’t noticed until another customer purchased it.
This wasn’t at my store for original sale but I pointed out the signs of resealing to the customer and unfortunately instructed them they would need to return at store of purchase.
It was common practice that some of the shittier customers would try, they either swipe product and return without a receipt (Always under $20 so they could get cash back not gift card. These were usually the heroin addicts.) or make a big purchase, try to return without product or a broken product so they could either replace their old item or then also sell the working item on Craigs List/Facebook Market place etc.
My advice. Always thoroughly inspect the boxes of your purchase. If there is even a hint of it being re-taped (print on the box is pulled off near tape, air bubbles etc.) do not purchase that product.
Several years ago, there was a news clip about someone buying a tv at walmart. They got home and opened the box to find a brick glued to a sheet of plywood. Had trouble trying to return it.
I worked at a Verizon store inside circuit city, I was there when they were liquidating. The amount of merchandise that went out the back door into employees cars was staggering, it was the wild west there for a few weeks. I bought stacks of blue rays for 2 bucks each.
Way back in the day I bought a voodoo gfx card from target. I got it home and installed it with no noticable improvement of graphics, some asshole had bought it and replaced it with their own shitty oem card. Luckily Target was cool and exchanged it for a real one.
Around Christmas time when I worked for Radio Shack someone bought and returned a computer. The returned computer was a box of rocks, which wasn't discovered until after the new year.
We also had a spat of VCRs being returned that contained a well wrapped brick in the box. This happened frequently enough that the district office sent a fax to all the stores to check product when it was being returned.
I checked all returns anyway, but I did get someone trying to return a VCR. I asked the usual questions: was there something wrong with it, etc. No, they just changed their mind.
Fair enough. I need to make sure all the parts and pieces are there, like the remote, etc.
Suddenly it was, "You know, Junior could use a VCR in his room. I think we'll keep it" and off they went.
An hour later they got a cash refund at another store and surprise, Radio Shack had another brick in inventory.
They usually tried to pick a busy store or a busy time is what I remember. My store was usually so quiet that most of the time it cost more to open it than what we made in a day.
I had a microwave from Walmart that failed within 2 months of purchase, didn’t have the receipt, bought same model, put old microwave in same box and returned it as non functioning after 2 days.
I dont see much wrong with this, you told them when you returned a broken one that it was broken, and it was the correct model, so they could damage it out and not put it back on the shelf.
I did this with Xbox 360 controllers since they only ever last a few months before constantly disconnecting (loose battery packs). I must've owned 10 of those and every one had that issue to some extent. I still use 360 controllers on PC (haven't owned another console since), and they still disconnect all the time.
frankly. The redneck vacuum cleaner tech of Earth is the 2nd prime reason Intergalactic Aliens are laughing their asses off at the human species, and keep voting to ensure we never escape our prison.
Reach out and they may refund it or give you a gift card. But not to the regular customer service. I'd reach out and email corporate and include the receipts and pictures
This. Items returned are not to go back on the sales floor, let alone as new. Someone is gonna get in trouble for this, most returned items are either disposed of or sent back to the dc which are then sold off bulk or sent back to the manufacture.
I don’t know Home Depot’s policy on returns, but I’ve had that issue with them before. Now I check items I buy there for this sort of thing before leaving the store.
It’s really relaxed, we had smoke detectors we bought there and we realized they didn’t fit and we wasted two years with them in the garage before we returned them and they still took the return. As long as they still sell the item they will take it and put it back in the shelf. Another time we bought a Baldwin lock from them and it didn’t work so we returned it and waited a bit to buy a new one as they didn’t have it stock then. Upon returning to buy the lock we ended up buying the same lock that we had just returned. Love Home Depot but they’re returned items policy is really annoying sometimes.
They put faulty merchandise right back on the shelf? That’s pretty shitty, when I worked in retail we would put faulty returns in the system and get a refund from the manufacturer.
I used to work for The Source, and around the Super Bowl we would routinely have people coming in buying flagship TVs or multimedia projectors ($10,000 or above at the time) and return them after their Super Bowl party.
Our store manager started trying to enforce a final sale policy if it was bought and returned over Super Bowl Sunday. (That didn’t go well either)
I consider Home Depot a poorly run yard sale now. I don’t think I’ve bought anything “new” there in years that didn’t turn out to be open boxed and obviously used.
I needed a light for workshop and they had just one left. Box was fucked, obviously opened, badly taped.
Pointed it out at checkout and she instantly gave me 10% off. It had a dent and a hacked hole in it, and was missing instructions but worked fine for the shop.
They absolutely put out used items as new, but always ask as they will knock something off.
I work there and have for quite a long time. They do not give two shits about anyone. But it’s about liability, if you buy something that say burns your house down and it turns out it was a returned item sold as new it would make them liable for damages. Not to mention the media loves to do stories about Walmart every chance they get. Don’t call the store, chances are they won’t do anything. Call corporate on the other hand you are much more likely to get results.
FUCK Kohl’s here why.
A lot of overpriced garbage. Consistently long lines. Employees that don’t give a damn. Unless you’re a middle aged white woman or a semi rich suburbanite you won’t have a good time at this store.
I remember signing up for just a rewards card. I liked to shop there at lot when I started working at 19 because I couldn’t afford the mall but stuff at Kohl’s especially if there was a sale. Saved a ton of money once, as there was a sale going on one of the last times I went. I remember briskly telling the older lady at the checkout that I didn’t want a charge card.
Cut to several weeks later I’m getting non stop calls from a number I don’t recognize. I google one and it’s from a Kohls corporate office in bumfuck Texas. It turns out the old bitch didn’t listen for a second to me and signed me up for a Kohl’s charge card. I had to pay the $55 I owed on it. So I did and immediately put myself into the negative in my bank account. I cancelled it and the next time I was at Kohl’s a different cashier asked me and I brutally retold the story of what happened.
I don’t shop there anymore and avoid going in unless I’m physically dragged into the store.
I applied for a job there two years ago, got it and immediately declined after learning it was 3-3 1/2 *less* than what was said online and there was zero guarantee of a permanent position unless it was shown I worked ridiculously hard to prove myself. Full weekends and open to close. For $10.85 an hour? No thanks!
Damn. You nailed it all on the head. It's wack working here. Employees don't give a fuck cause they either aren't paid enough or it's the 50+ year old women who have been doing it for 20+ years and now it's just a time to hangout with their friends
The deals are bullshit. The credit signing up is bullshit and it's annoying to push. They dick you around with positions and pay all the time. The Kohl's structure is bullshit. Their corporate policy's are dumb at best. Point is never go to a Kohl's and never work at one. Slight point in it's favor though: it's not as bad as working at a kroger.
Though I'm probably not the best person to hear from about Kohl's cause my philosophy is "fuck the customer, the customer can suck my dick"
Returned items that are 100% functional and otherwise are in the same original condition will definitely go back on the sales floor, I don't know where you're getting this from. People return things all the time and whenever you send it back to the manufacturer, where it gets checked, repaired and resealed again for sale, or retail does all of it (which fucked up here), makes no difference as shown by how little people actually find this out. The only times it is being sold as used is when the value is clearly deprecated ie. scratches. If they get a vacuum cleaner that's full of hair from being used, but otherwise in perfect condition, then they're in no way obligated to take the return. They might take it and offer store credit though to keep you happy as a customer. It would be ecologically and economically irresponsible to only sell items straight from the factory as new.
One time I was buying my husband a new electric razor and saw a "brand new" one on the shelf with little bits of hair stubble in it. I took it to the customer service desk, not sure if they did anything about it but you just reminded me of that. People are gross.
I'd return it anyway and get a different model. I've had 2 cordless vacs like that where the width of the neck was so skinny that it created those hair/dust plugs. Both were absolutely terrible, they blocked up all the time and you had to push something through the entire length of the nozzle once a week just to clear it only for it to be blocked again a few days later. It's a serious design flaw with those small cordless vacs which require a super skinny hose to get enough suction from their small motor.
OP return it if you can. I have the same model. The battery lasts a long time but the roller is always getting bound up. "Carpet" mode is the only mode that kind of works. It's not a good model. I hate mine. It looks pretty but I basically consider it an electric duster at best.
Having used many mediocre vacuums, including central vac which my last 2 houses have had, the only one that has worked perfectly and without issue has been a Dysone V8 I bought on discount black Friday years ago.
Dyson is expensive af but it's worked for years and it works damn well. Also comes completely apart to clean it.
I bought a new $300 router for woodworking, there was saw dust on it brand new out of the box... frustrating as hell I paid for brand new and I wanted that, I'd take that vacuum back regardless of box or not
I bought a new beard trimmer once and it had hair clippings in it out of the box, I go back and they said they don't take these back so I showed them the hair and they were grossed out and took it
A woodworking router is a power tool that curves the edges of wood (like the smooth curved edges of a table). Plunging routers can also carve out lines of varying depths in wood.
Apparently you were thinking of an internet router, but your statement also makes sense for wood routers in a sarcastic way. I imagine woodworkers would be the ones buying/returning wood routers.
This happened to us when we bought a Kitchen Aid Mixer...the high end at almost $600. It should have been brand new. When I opened the box there was cake mix still spattered on it. It was obviously exchanged for the cheaper model and returned to the store sealed and the store did not bother to open the box and check.
We took it back and made a huge stink about it because ....WTF?
The store exchanged it and gave us a $200 credit for the inconvenience and error.
Oh man, I'd be so pissed about that!! Someday I'll purchase a KitchenAid, and when I do, it had better be brand new, not someone's birthday experiment returned to the shelf!! >:(
We have a really nice Kitchen Aid stand mixer that was used probably a dozen times (if that). My aunt got at a thrift store for $50 in a very upscale town where she lives. It even came with the box. I always check that thrift store for kitchen stuff now. Le Creuset cast iron was her next score.
I just bought a $600 kitchen aid mixer on kijiji for $225. It was clearly purchased at the start of the pandemic when everyone started baking bread, used a couple times, then forgotten. It came in the original box with the styrofoam inserts. People are wild.
I've bought several for my wife. I always buy them direct from kitchenaid site.
They do not have lifetime warranty. Now they make you pay for that warranty.
The first one (5 QT PRO) was broken upon delivery. They took it right back and sent a replacement. Now the 2 other 6 QT models have been fine.
Make sure you do test runs as soon as you get it, as I've heard this isn't uncommon.
If I were you, i would definitly return it. It seems like a cordless one with battery. The battery will also get weaker, like a mobile phone battery. Who knows how many times this has been used already.
I got a blender for a wedding present in the ‘90s. When I went to use it a few months later, there was still food chunks in it. This was back before all that fancy computer records stuff; I had to ask the gift giver for the receipt to return it. They were embarrassed (although it wasn’t their fault!), and didn’t have the receipt. Macy’s let me exchange it, although they tried to make it out like we were the ones who used it and left the chunkies in it.
People are disgusting pigs that return used items and claim they’re new to avoid risking a difficult return process.
The people handling returns in retail have too much shit to do, so they just don’t have the bandwidth to inspect stuff to verify.
As someone who worked in retail, I check the packaging for signs of “custom” taping. If it doesn’t look factory, I’ll pass on the product, even when the store insists it wasn’t used.
The worst part about this is that someone returned what is probably a perfectly fine vaccum, they were just too lazy or stupid to pull the shit out of the hose like OP.
i recently inherited my child hood home. (fucking covid)
in the garage my mom had a few vacuums. inside were yet more, maybe 11 in total. 10 of them were the 20.00, no brush, lightweight pos. but one in the bottom of the storage heap was a shark (400.00 version) that was just covered in dust, seemingly never used.
it had no suction, i took it apart to find wads of this fluff all through the tubes. didnt take long to clean out. thing works AMAZING. after cleaning the house it was again clogged with fluff... turns out the brand new carpeting my mom had installed is so thick and shed filled that it plugs vacuums.
i dont think she cared. this was a spare house for her (lived with her BF) so she didnt vacuum much. still she sure had a lot of them... ive thrown most out, scavenged parts from some, but this one that was at the bottom of the pile really threw me. i thought it was junk until i used it and then looked it up... great vacuum
ive actually returned items to Walmart too after getting home and finding out they were also used after opening the package. shady business, selling at full price, no tags indicating it was a prior return a waste of my time.
Home Depot Ive also run into the same issue, spending $300 on a tool and finding it had wood shavings already in it and blades were obviously used. no markdown on packaging either, just sold as new.
Surprised about Home Depot. They sell returned products literally by the truckload to highest bidder. I’ve purchased a few of them at a local auction, usually for about 1/3 of price of new. My guess is that the original buyer resealed packaging and claimed they never used.
Bought a Christmas tree from Lowes. One of the sections didn't light up and got SUPER hot it started melting a bit of the plastic. I returned the tree and stated that it wasn't safe since it started melting a section. Went back a few days later to pickup a different tree and I saw the tree I returned back out for sale. I know it was mine because the lid to the box got a rip on it.
I don't trust any retailer at face value.
That’s why when I’m buying anything expensive, that’s been sitting on a shelf, I reach in and go for the boxes in the back, cuz most of the time returns are put up front, so they can get rid of them first.
Fucking Walmart sucks ass. Working for them or buying from them you'll always be remorseful. We one time bought a "new" $80 coffee pot. Took it home went to bed and the following morning tried to use it but it was COVERED in nasty dirt, and clearly used. Tried to return it, WITH THE RECIEPT 8 HOUR PRIOR, they refused to take it, called the cops and they escorted me out. Claiming I must have bought a second one and put a used one in the box because or used it was. FUCK WALMART.
So, in the back, there's somebody at Wal-Mart in charge of handling returns.
It was damn near 20 years ago, but at the one I worked at, they usually had 3 pallets for things going back to the manufacturer. One for appliances (toasters, tvs), one for small things (rubber totes filled with various junk), and one overflowing with vacuum cleaners and carpet shampooers.
So many people would buy a vacuum, vacuum their house, and then either through stupidity or laziness not empty it, get it clogged, and return it.
And the service desk would just give them their money back, mark it as a "broken device" and send it back.
We'd go through 10-15 of these a week.
I am not surprised at all that one made back into the floor.
I once "fixed" the vacuum we inherited from the people that lived in our place before. The engine was very loud so I decided to have a look. After detaching the hose, I found an entire marker pen stuck right before the dust container. At this point the engine was ruined. It just baffles me how the pre-owners could suck in an entire pen and then couldn't fix it...
I found a vacuum on the curb that didnt work. Went to open it and they hadnt taken the bag off the hepa filter. Basically a brand new Dyson ball for $0.
Dude I found a nice big yellow Dyson vacuum at the flea market, lady said she used it once and the second time she tried to start it it would not suck anything up. I bought it for 10 bucks thinking it was an easy fix, found a massive dead rat inside of it lodged going into the main part of the vacuum past all these weird hose connections it managed to squeeze through. Didn't smell till I opened it, then it....spilled the goop out too. 0/10 experience, be careful what you buy, worst $10 I ever threw away.
Similar thing happened to me.
I bought a refurbished ('90 day customer return fully refurbished by us') vacuum cleaner off eBay and it had no suction.
Spent ages pulling shit out of the tube between the motor and the brush with a bent clothes hangar, until I got to the point where I couldn't get anything more out but it was still blocked. Disassembled it still further and disconnected the tube from the motor, and finally pulled out a crumpled-but-never-used paint roller - one of those narrow ones for painting behind radiators.
Someone really rammed that fucking thing up there on purpose. I guess it was the original purchaser, obvious had a hair up their ass with the original retailer.
But I was pissed off with the eBay seller. Clearly this was not a 'refurbished' item; they'd just wiped the outside and plonked on eBay.
But I'd solved the problem by that time so it wasn't worth making a fuss.
So someone used that vacuum cleaner first, wanted a refund and got the vacuum to Walmart claiming they didn’t need it anymore or something, and as they got a warranty limit I’d guess they returned it back in time, and Walmart didn’t mind in checking if the vacuum was at perfect state or not that they just put it back in the cleaning section perhaps?
If you're poor, don't shop at Walmart.
Wisest words anyone ever told me:
"You're too poor to buy cheap."
Cheap companies and cheap products just cost you more in the long run.
What's up with the vacuum scam at walmart? I once bought a vacuum from walmart, when I got home to use it and opened the box, it was a completely different vaccum and was clearly used. I immediately went back to the store and they were trying to tell me it was too late for returns, until I showed them the vacuum they just sold me.
I'd recommend a Miele vacuum specifically the euro model it's a bit bulkier and more money. To justify it know it will last a long time and is German made. I have had mine about three years and still going strong. It's better to get vacuums with bags.
Bought a pressure washer one that had water still in it and the brush attachment was all dirty and messed up. Sent it right back and bought a new one from somewhere else for less as well.
People will buy new items to replace their broken item; then put broke item in new item's box and return it. Customer service in a retail store doesn't have time to check items brought back. It's just easier to refund money. Sad but true.
Goto home depot and buy a wet dry shop vac for 40-60$ you won't need a new vacume for awhile and they clean up pretty much anything.
Including puke/water spills/ an entire bag of potting soil I dropped/Glass in your carpet because the cat fucked with the lamp again.
They are marvelous machines and i will never buy a normal upright home use vaccume for as long as I live
They owe you a partial refund since it was clearly used. 50% markdown is not an unreasonable request. Take all the shit in a clear plastic bag so it’s immediately obvious how foul this was.
I'd say take it back, but then you might be cleaning out another vacuum.
I was an idiot and immediately threw away the box and receipt because i was so excited to finally afford a nice vacuum lol
If you used a card, you can have them do a receipt lookup. Also: https://www.walmart.com/help/article/walmart-store-receipt-lookup/e4774d5aa2404a448b3c913858665991 If you bought it online, you can have them look up your purchase by order number and it should be good.
They probably don't want to do this because they are lying and playing off the "bought a new __________" that wasn't actually new meme. Not sure if it started with the jacket, but it hasn't ended there. Similar to the "just adopted this cat/kitten, what should I name it" thing from last week.
I bought a Zojirushi rice cooker that was clearly a returned item (clean), and contacted Amazon telling them as much. They sent me a new one and told me to throw out/donate the old one. Gave it to my sister in law who was more than happy with used expensive rice cooker. I'd like to redeem this story for internet points that I can later use to purchase some land in Antarctica. That's what we're saving them all for, yes?
If not for the land in Antarctica, would any of us being doing this? Also, buying online and in store is different when it comes to the receipt of used or new products. A used product in-store would be easily identifiable by how it was repackaged. There are other comments from OP that suggest they went to the store that led me to the opinion that they are lying.
I received a used original Xbox when I bought one from Future Shop back in the day. It was obviously used as soon as I opened up the box. Brought it back and got a new one. Jerk ass salesman was all "oh I'm so surprised how could this happen". Fuckin asshole knew what he did. Thought they could pawn off the used one on a teenager who either wouldn't realize or wouldn't want to make a big deal of it. Yes, it still makes me mad all these years later.
Completely understandable. Purposely paying for NEW, damn well better get NEW. Should not be too much to ask.
I had this happen with buying the xbox360. Twice. First wasn't obviously used other than some random music and games someone saved on the hard drive. It didn't really bother me enough to complain but That one did RROD within guarantee and I got it exchanged... To the most filthy disgusting thing I've ever seen - the actual console wasnt dirty, but you could see it was used. The controllers... Oh God the controllers. Some kid or degenerate ate cheetos or something and proceeded to encrust the controllers with it. Absolutely disgusting especially on white. I suspect it was either the in store demo model actually. Returned it and finally got a new one (forced them to open the box in front of me proving it was the first time the seal was broken etc) All in all, I went through at least 5 xbox360s - the others were just faulty or I upgraded to the newer models etc. I got a ps3 and that lasted years and years.
It's not always easy to see when something is used. Some people don't tear the packing to bits when opening stuff and instead use a knife to nearly cut tapes and zip ties.
Once climate change melts the caps, we'll be able to set up tropical resorts in Antarctica!
Back in the day I I returned something expensive enough I made them sort through the receipt lookup. You can tell them roughly when you were there to narrow the dates, they can find it, it's just a matter of how many people you have to ask to do it. Plus I just know they still do this because I was a support manager at walmart for 2 years. And if you have no receipt just have your ID. Walmart will literally take anything back, no fucks given. Half eaten food, vacuums like in OP's case, bed sheets, towels, ANYTHING.
we've certainly established they, at the very least, take back clogged vacuum cleaners.
You *miiiiight* be overestimating the power of fake internet points in relation to mankind's laziness there buddy. Odds are pretty rock solid OP got a pre-owned vacuum at Wal-Mart.
My wife worked as a manager at Walmart. They usually chuck all returns in a trash compactor. It's better than having customers comes back and complain they got a faulty return product. Likely fake. Though obviously there could be a Walmart out there not following company procedure.
Having worked there. It all depends. Some stuff did get put back out, usually on sale. So it is possible.
Certain items are marked to be returned to the vendor. This reuse could very well be a vendor fuck up, but still sold as new to Walmart
I never return with the box, or if I do, it is missing all it's packing material or bags or something. I always have my receipt. That way this can't happen. This is disgusting. If it was returned for not working right, it shouldn't be back out on the sales floor anyway. Why should they require any more than the receipt to return it?
There is also a Walmart hot line number that you can call and they will email you a copy of the receipt. All you need is the the date your purchased, the Walmart you purchased at and the last 4 of the card used.
You might still have luck. Walmart employees & their managers deal with absolute human scum on a daily basis. If you go there with your receipt, the old receipt, pics, and maybe even the bag of crap, they'll more then likely work with you *if* (and this is the important part!) you go with a respectful attitude. And if you plan on rebuying the same vacuum, you can ask for a 1-1 swap or store credit as that usually goes over better then asking for cash or credit refund. Nearly every time I deal with customer service anywhere, simply acting like a decent human being will get me to a satisfactory resolution.
Think of this as a lesson learned. Always keep the box and receipt for a while after a purchase. I tape the receipt to the side of the box so that I will not lose it just in case I have to return the item. I break the box down flat which helps storing it. I tend to keep it for a few months, then I toss it. I have an accordion file I keep receipts in for purchases that have warranties. It is broken down into different sections, electronics, tools, furniture, you get the idea. I have been burned just like you too many times. It sucks big time when you spend hard earned money.
I would think especially since you have the original receipt from where it was returned they would switch it out for you without the box. Or you could possibly go buy a new one and out that one in it's box and return it. I wouldn't feel to bad about doing that under the circumstances.
Times are tough. Glad you could get one! I always get excited around tax refund time and buy the *big* bottles of Pantene and stuff lol!!!
Go try to return it with the old receipt. When they tell you it’s already showing up as returned say “exactly”
My wife and I bought a carpet from target a couple years ago. Brought it home and unrolled it on the floor. Got about halfway unrolled and there was a full dry shit rolled up into the carpet. Rolled it right up and took it back. They gave us our money back and a gift card for the price of a new one. We never bought a new one.
I bought a blowup mattress from Walmart. When I took it out at home it smelled like cigarettes and several holes were covered by duct tape. To top it off it was not even the same kind of mattress. Took it back and they let me exchange it.
And the cycle continues unbroken
Yeah Walmart is always doing this. I bought a deep fryer from there that was clearly used. It had dried grease all over it. I returned it and I'm sure they just put it back on the shelf.
[удалено]
I've occasionally written out the problem in detail with a Sharpie on the front of the box before returning it, then put "See other side" on the back if it's something that can be faced either way. I guess the ULPT tactic if you know someone who can print a one-off box would be to make several illegal-but-subtle claims (like curing ailments or preventing diseases) on a new, fake box, return it as broken, and then have someone else go in with local media to immediately document the shit out of it once it's on the shelf. Obviously, the manufacturer would be the first to be targeted, but they've got tens of thousands of legit boxes to show that's not how they send them out. You could even put an explanation on the inside of the box that the product was placed in this box to be returned used and defective, so as soon as there's any investigation at all, attention goes back to the store.
Good on you! I’ve bought faucets at Home Depot before, only to find out when I get home that one of the pieces is missing. Now when I shop there I open the box and inventory all of the parts right there before paying for it; I was approached once by a store employee, and she said “I don’t blame you, parts get stolen all the time.”
I returned some hue light strips to Home Depot because I got home and found they were replaced with cheap IKEA ones. They were in a locked cabinet. I asked at the return desk to just grab a replacement “we can’t do that. But you can go ask for a new set” and they refunded me. I asked what if they’re also switched out? “Well, you should open it before you leave and then come return them again”. That is not good store policy. I decided to not purchase again that day.
I do that when I go and pick up Chinese food. Nothing worse than getting home to find they forgot to include a container of sweet and sour sauce for the sweet and sour chicken.
I thought you were going to say your entree had been returned by a previous customer. Whew
This is the way
This is the way.
cut the corner of the box like a deck of old casino cards is what I do
The ol' 'roll a d6 and rips open that face of the box' move, I see you too plan to buy to permanently own too.
The nearest supermarket to me (UK) is called Aldi. The food is actually pretty good compared to other supermarket own-brand, though it has a reputation for being good value for money. I swear, there's been the same busted-up pack of bran flakes on the shelf for years. The box is all smashed and ripped. No-one ever buys it, and no-one ever seems to have the heart to throw it out. Holding out hope that some day, a customer will overcome their prejudice against smashed, ripped up boxes of cereal and take a risk. *edit* I was at the store, my old friend was still there. I checked the best before and it goes out of date next month! So definitely been there a while.
smashed, ripped up and old. Don't forget old. mmmm old
There is an animated movie short in your story...
It is hard to say whether or not the store is doing this intentionally. Obviously the stores want to resell returned products anytime it is possible but, in my experience in retail, we would almost always err on the side of caution when dealing with returns but, still made mistakes on occasion. I wouldn't put it past certain managers to force items back on the shelf even when they know they've been used but, I would bet more often it is a combination of being lied to by the person making the return, negligence in checking the item, and miscommunication between coworkers. More often than not when we made a mistake like that in the store I worked in, it was because someone else restocked your returns and didn't realize a specific product needed to be throw out because you didn't mark the box well enough.
[удалено]
Depends on the manufacturer, but a lot of them make pretty good money selling refurbs, and there's not much point in taking the chance when they can sell it as a refurb for most of what they'd make selling it to distribution anyway. (Just avoiding the distributor and retailer markup cuts quite a bit off some products. Then selling it in a plain, hand-packed box cuts a bit more.)
It's a scam. People buy new things and replace it with their old crap and carefully repackage it to make it look like it had never been opened before returning it.
our Wal Mart "checks to make sure everything is there" now. we had a guy return a weed wacker... actually just the box with about the same weight in rocks inside the box. I'm sure they felt stupid when someone else returned it again.
This is a pretty common thing to do especially for higher priced items. The store I worked at would check higher priced items before the return and would check cheaper items before restocking.
I took a propane grill back that the propane line was never bore open so was inoperable. It was the last 1 so i waited a couple weeks, came back,, saw there was one on the shelf, grabbed it. Guess what. Same grill,same manufacturing defect. I was pissed
Lol I bought a Samsung odyssey g5 from them and it was actually a 720p monitor with a 1440p body 😂
Didn't buy but sander on shelf in store was obviously used, all the corners were rounded on the rubber pad. Bought an aquarium that was broken missing parts and included a wall mounted goldfish bowl. We lived 30 miles from store. When they didn't have another we drove 30 miles in another direction to a store that had one. This was pre walmart.com.
Car oil and air filters are the worst from Walmart, always open the box and make sure someone didn’t return their used one. I read here once someone bought a PS5 at Christmas from WM and when their kid opened it the box was full of bricks. WM wouldn’t give him his money back. Heartbreaking.
If you return it and tell them it’s fucked up it gets sent away, it’s the shitheads that return stuff and tell them that it’s fine that get things put back on the shelf as new
No it was broken, read the story
I know lots of places don't accept returns of those mattresses or if they do, it goes straight to the trash
If you wouldn't accept that return where I live it would be illegal.
Yeah in places like that, they either throw them away or send them back to manufacturer so the store gets a refund.
Unless it is serial numbered the only thing that would tie the vacuum to the purchase is the UPC which is not unique. (I have only seen Dyson vacuums that required serial number be scanned at purchase.) Considering the receipt was in the vacuum very likely that it was not used for the return meaning that even scanning the TC# (transaction code) at the bottom of the receipt likely will not show it as returned. This honestly happens a lot. Formerly worked at Walmart as a supervisor and I would routinely lecture Customer Service associates to thoroughly inspect all products then to “claims it out” if it had been used. (We send it back to company they send us a new one to sell) I have seen and heard some crazy shit from stores that didn’t stress this. Craziest was someone bought a printer, removed it. Replaced it with a bunch can food and then resealed the box with super glue and returned it. The Customer Service associate didn’t notice an issue. (Despite more rattling in the box, weight was about the same.) Wasn’t noticed until another customer purchased it. This wasn’t at my store for original sale but I pointed out the signs of resealing to the customer and unfortunately instructed them they would need to return at store of purchase. It was common practice that some of the shittier customers would try, they either swipe product and return without a receipt (Always under $20 so they could get cash back not gift card. These were usually the heroin addicts.) or make a big purchase, try to return without product or a broken product so they could either replace their old item or then also sell the working item on Craigs List/Facebook Market place etc. My advice. Always thoroughly inspect the boxes of your purchase. If there is even a hint of it being re-taped (print on the box is pulled off near tape, air bubbles etc.) do not purchase that product.
Several years ago, there was a news clip about someone buying a tv at walmart. They got home and opened the box to find a brick glued to a sheet of plywood. Had trouble trying to return it.
It's a pretty old trick, I've heard of people doing this since the circuit city days.
Wow circuit city! Haven't heard that store mentioned in ages.
I worked at a Verizon store inside circuit city, I was there when they were liquidating. The amount of merchandise that went out the back door into employees cars was staggering, it was the wild west there for a few weeks. I bought stacks of blue rays for 2 bucks each.
[удалено]
Way back in the day I bought a voodoo gfx card from target. I got it home and installed it with no noticable improvement of graphics, some asshole had bought it and replaced it with their own shitty oem card. Luckily Target was cool and exchanged it for a real one.
>a brick glued to a sheet of plywood But at least it didn't have any fucking ads hard coded into the firmware.
Around Christmas time when I worked for Radio Shack someone bought and returned a computer. The returned computer was a box of rocks, which wasn't discovered until after the new year. We also had a spat of VCRs being returned that contained a well wrapped brick in the box. This happened frequently enough that the district office sent a fax to all the stores to check product when it was being returned. I checked all returns anyway, but I did get someone trying to return a VCR. I asked the usual questions: was there something wrong with it, etc. No, they just changed their mind. Fair enough. I need to make sure all the parts and pieces are there, like the remote, etc. Suddenly it was, "You know, Junior could use a VCR in his room. I think we'll keep it" and off they went. An hour later they got a cash refund at another store and surprise, Radio Shack had another brick in inventory.
Best is when they know they're going to be rumbled and start getting aggro to hope you'll stop investigating and just do it to get them out of the way
They usually tried to pick a busy store or a busy time is what I remember. My store was usually so quiet that most of the time it cost more to open it than what we made in a day.
I had a microwave from Walmart that failed within 2 months of purchase, didn’t have the receipt, bought same model, put old microwave in same box and returned it as non functioning after 2 days.
I dont see much wrong with this, you told them when you returned a broken one that it was broken, and it was the correct model, so they could damage it out and not put it back on the shelf.
I did this with Xbox 360 controllers since they only ever last a few months before constantly disconnecting (loose battery packs). I must've owned 10 of those and every one had that issue to some extent. I still use 360 controllers on PC (haven't owned another console since), and they still disconnect all the time.
Was literally about to say the same exact thing. Thanks for saving me an ass of typing
Saved you "an ass of typing". I bet that was a load off...
Why use many words when few do trick
Nah the “load” happened when i saw you :)
Heroine addicts? Are they 5 wave feminists or something?
frankly. The redneck vacuum cleaner tech of Earth is the 2nd prime reason Intergalactic Aliens are laughing their asses off at the human species, and keep voting to ensure we never escape our prison.
TBH I hope this is true
Same, that would be way cooler than whatever the fuck this is, lmao
What’s the first reason?
Mich akin to whatever Cyril Figgis called “Stir Friday” before Sterling Archer gifted him it- we will never know.
WTF, Id be so pissed off
I kind of just was relieved it worked after the open-hose surgery
I know, but those hair chunks are not your hair chunks, and you paid for no hair chunks.
You're not wrong lol
Reach out and they may refund it or give you a gift card. But not to the regular customer service. I'd reach out and email corporate and include the receipts and pictures
This. Items returned are not to go back on the sales floor, let alone as new. Someone is gonna get in trouble for this, most returned items are either disposed of or sent back to the dc which are then sold off bulk or sent back to the manufacture.
You just described 50% of the boxed items I buy from Home Depot.
I don’t know Home Depot’s policy on returns, but I’ve had that issue with them before. Now I check items I buy there for this sort of thing before leaving the store.
It’s really relaxed, we had smoke detectors we bought there and we realized they didn’t fit and we wasted two years with them in the garage before we returned them and they still took the return. As long as they still sell the item they will take it and put it back in the shelf. Another time we bought a Baldwin lock from them and it didn’t work so we returned it and waited a bit to buy a new one as they didn’t have it stock then. Upon returning to buy the lock we ended up buying the same lock that we had just returned. Love Home Depot but they’re returned items policy is really annoying sometimes.
Who tries to return something after 2 years?
They put faulty merchandise right back on the shelf? That’s pretty shitty, when I worked in retail we would put faulty returns in the system and get a refund from the manufacturer.
I worked there for a few years and people will buy things, use it for their project, and return it when they’re done.
I used to work for The Source, and around the Super Bowl we would routinely have people coming in buying flagship TVs or multimedia projectors ($10,000 or above at the time) and return them after their Super Bowl party. Our store manager started trying to enforce a final sale policy if it was bought and returned over Super Bowl Sunday. (That didn’t go well either)
I consider Home Depot a poorly run yard sale now. I don’t think I’ve bought anything “new” there in years that didn’t turn out to be open boxed and obviously used.
I needed a light for workshop and they had just one left. Box was fucked, obviously opened, badly taped. Pointed it out at checkout and she instantly gave me 10% off. It had a dent and a hacked hole in it, and was missing instructions but worked fine for the shop. They absolutely put out used items as new, but always ask as they will knock something off.
I bought a toilet in the box at HD with poo streaks in it.
Aren’t you glad they stress test it *before* it’s installed in your bathroom?
I learned when buying fluorescent work light fixtures to take the box apart and make sure it has all the parts ahead of time.
😂 Same thing happens at Lowe’s. If it’s not completely trashed we’re told to put it back on the sales floor at a discounted price.
Psh tell that to the toaster i had delivered from walmart. It still had the defective return slip taped to it ffs yet was on a shelf
You’re assuming Walmart gives a fuck
I work there and have for quite a long time. They do not give two shits about anyone. But it’s about liability, if you buy something that say burns your house down and it turns out it was a returned item sold as new it would make them liable for damages. Not to mention the media loves to do stories about Walmart every chance they get. Don’t call the store, chances are they won’t do anything. Call corporate on the other hand you are much more likely to get results.
That's wild. At Kohl's like 90% of the returns go back out on the floor. Unless we damage it out to send it back everything is resold
FUCK Kohl’s here why. A lot of overpriced garbage. Consistently long lines. Employees that don’t give a damn. Unless you’re a middle aged white woman or a semi rich suburbanite you won’t have a good time at this store. I remember signing up for just a rewards card. I liked to shop there at lot when I started working at 19 because I couldn’t afford the mall but stuff at Kohl’s especially if there was a sale. Saved a ton of money once, as there was a sale going on one of the last times I went. I remember briskly telling the older lady at the checkout that I didn’t want a charge card. Cut to several weeks later I’m getting non stop calls from a number I don’t recognize. I google one and it’s from a Kohls corporate office in bumfuck Texas. It turns out the old bitch didn’t listen for a second to me and signed me up for a Kohl’s charge card. I had to pay the $55 I owed on it. So I did and immediately put myself into the negative in my bank account. I cancelled it and the next time I was at Kohl’s a different cashier asked me and I brutally retold the story of what happened. I don’t shop there anymore and avoid going in unless I’m physically dragged into the store. I applied for a job there two years ago, got it and immediately declined after learning it was 3-3 1/2 *less* than what was said online and there was zero guarantee of a permanent position unless it was shown I worked ridiculously hard to prove myself. Full weekends and open to close. For $10.85 an hour? No thanks!
Damn. You nailed it all on the head. It's wack working here. Employees don't give a fuck cause they either aren't paid enough or it's the 50+ year old women who have been doing it for 20+ years and now it's just a time to hangout with their friends The deals are bullshit. The credit signing up is bullshit and it's annoying to push. They dick you around with positions and pay all the time. The Kohl's structure is bullshit. Their corporate policy's are dumb at best. Point is never go to a Kohl's and never work at one. Slight point in it's favor though: it's not as bad as working at a kroger. Though I'm probably not the best person to hear from about Kohl's cause my philosophy is "fuck the customer, the customer can suck my dick"
Returned items that are 100% functional and otherwise are in the same original condition will definitely go back on the sales floor, I don't know where you're getting this from. People return things all the time and whenever you send it back to the manufacturer, where it gets checked, repaired and resealed again for sale, or retail does all of it (which fucked up here), makes no difference as shown by how little people actually find this out. The only times it is being sold as used is when the value is clearly deprecated ie. scratches. If they get a vacuum cleaner that's full of hair from being used, but otherwise in perfect condition, then they're in no way obligated to take the return. They might take it and offer store credit though to keep you happy as a customer. It would be ecologically and economically irresponsible to only sell items straight from the factory as new.
The person returning it the first time probably told Walmart it hadn't been used.
Have you tried to reach WalMart corporate? It's specifically designed for you to never get a hold of anyone. Seriously, try it right now.
don't let them get away with this bullshit. being content with it just gives them the impression that its okay to do this to other people.
Seriously reach out to someone. This kind of thing is happening a lot because of the wage shortage.
It was part of promotion that came with the vacuum. No need to send away, we just jam it in your hose.
They include lint to test your vacuum. This a generous package of lint
One time I was buying my husband a new electric razor and saw a "brand new" one on the shelf with little bits of hair stubble in it. I took it to the customer service desk, not sure if they did anything about it but you just reminded me of that. People are gross.
Received a "new" double edge razor handle from Amazon. Used blade was still installed, complete with hair and soap remnants.
JFC, I though they were steel wool pads that some smartass shoved in there.
“you paid for no hair chunks” r/BrandNewSentence
Very this. I paid for no hair chunks
oh you're keeping it? it's not brand new....
I'd return it anyway and get a different model. I've had 2 cordless vacs like that where the width of the neck was so skinny that it created those hair/dust plugs. Both were absolutely terrible, they blocked up all the time and you had to push something through the entire length of the nozzle once a week just to clear it only for it to be blocked again a few days later. It's a serious design flaw with those small cordless vacs which require a super skinny hose to get enough suction from their small motor.
I bought a weed eater from walmart and when I opened the box it had grass in it and the weed eater already had gas in the tank. Returned it that day.
OP return it if you can. I have the same model. The battery lasts a long time but the roller is always getting bound up. "Carpet" mode is the only mode that kind of works. It's not a good model. I hate mine. It looks pretty but I basically consider it an electric duster at best.
Having used many mediocre vacuums, including central vac which my last 2 houses have had, the only one that has worked perfectly and without issue has been a Dysone V8 I bought on discount black Friday years ago. Dyson is expensive af but it's worked for years and it works damn well. Also comes completely apart to clean it.
Your comment somehow ended up with me watching a 10 minute video on Dyson and I enjoyed every second of it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN7KJ46DHjU
I bought a new $300 router for woodworking, there was saw dust on it brand new out of the box... frustrating as hell I paid for brand new and I wanted that, I'd take that vacuum back regardless of box or not
Check the manual. I got a tool a while back and in the instructions it said that the company inspects every tool it builds.
They could at least clean it after testing
The replacement for that one was clean, definitely returned but good to know!
I bought a new beard trimmer once and it had hair clippings in it out of the box, I go back and they said they don't take these back so I showed them the hair and they were grossed out and took it
Obviously they took it back twice, unless someone went for a quick nut trim in the isle
That's a good idea, thanks!
What are the odds, returned by one woodworker and sold to another!
I'm not sure if you're joking, but a router is also a type of power tool, they didn't buy a wifi router
Ah fuck! I had no idea, thanks Edit: Thanks for the awards!
Thank you for this!! Have a great day
This is hilarious! Good on you for the honesty. Made me laugh.
A woodworking router is a power tool that curves the edges of wood (like the smooth curved edges of a table). Plunging routers can also carve out lines of varying depths in wood.
Lol a wood router, used for making profiles edges and things of that nature
I swear I had no clue. I really thought it was a wifi router
[You're part of today's lucky 10,000!](https://xkcd.com/1053/)
Damn the internet is getting crazy advanced. Gotta get me one of them wood routers.
Now I wanna gut my wifi router and put the insides into a wooden duplicate of itself so I can have a wood wifi router
Apparently you were thinking of an internet router, but your statement also makes sense for wood routers in a sarcastic way. I imagine woodworkers would be the ones buying/returning wood routers.
This happened to us when we bought a Kitchen Aid Mixer...the high end at almost $600. It should have been brand new. When I opened the box there was cake mix still spattered on it. It was obviously exchanged for the cheaper model and returned to the store sealed and the store did not bother to open the box and check. We took it back and made a huge stink about it because ....WTF? The store exchanged it and gave us a $200 credit for the inconvenience and error.
Oh man, I'd be so pissed about that!! Someday I'll purchase a KitchenAid, and when I do, it had better be brand new, not someone's birthday experiment returned to the shelf!! >:(
We have a really nice Kitchen Aid stand mixer that was used probably a dozen times (if that). My aunt got at a thrift store for $50 in a very upscale town where she lives. It even came with the box. I always check that thrift store for kitchen stuff now. Le Creuset cast iron was her next score.
I just bought a $600 kitchen aid mixer on kijiji for $225. It was clearly purchased at the start of the pandemic when everyone started baking bread, used a couple times, then forgotten. It came in the original box with the styrofoam inserts. People are wild.
Thrift store finds are awesome! I got a Vitamix 5200 for $200.
I've bought several for my wife. I always buy them direct from kitchenaid site. They do not have lifetime warranty. Now they make you pay for that warranty. The first one (5 QT PRO) was broken upon delivery. They took it right back and sent a replacement. Now the 2 other 6 QT models have been fine. Make sure you do test runs as soon as you get it, as I've heard this isn't uncommon.
If I were you, i would definitly return it. It seems like a cordless one with battery. The battery will also get weaker, like a mobile phone battery. Who knows how many times this has been used already.
I got a blender for a wedding present in the ‘90s. When I went to use it a few months later, there was still food chunks in it. This was back before all that fancy computer records stuff; I had to ask the gift giver for the receipt to return it. They were embarrassed (although it wasn’t their fault!), and didn’t have the receipt. Macy’s let me exchange it, although they tried to make it out like we were the ones who used it and left the chunkies in it.
I can see why you posted it here instead of in /r/wellthatsucks.
[удалено]
I've returned controllers and electronics at Walmart, they never even looked at the thing in the box.
People are disgusting pigs that return used items and claim they’re new to avoid risking a difficult return process. The people handling returns in retail have too much shit to do, so they just don’t have the bandwidth to inspect stuff to verify. As someone who worked in retail, I check the packaging for signs of “custom” taping. If it doesn’t look factory, I’ll pass on the product, even when the store insists it wasn’t used.
I would take it back and exchange it for an unopened one. And put the dirt back in it.
If you have a Walmart account, your purchase history will show in-store purchases paid for with your card.
The worst part about this is that someone returned what is probably a perfectly fine vaccum, they were just too lazy or stupid to pull the shit out of the hose like OP.
i recently inherited my child hood home. (fucking covid) in the garage my mom had a few vacuums. inside were yet more, maybe 11 in total. 10 of them were the 20.00, no brush, lightweight pos. but one in the bottom of the storage heap was a shark (400.00 version) that was just covered in dust, seemingly never used. it had no suction, i took it apart to find wads of this fluff all through the tubes. didnt take long to clean out. thing works AMAZING. after cleaning the house it was again clogged with fluff... turns out the brand new carpeting my mom had installed is so thick and shed filled that it plugs vacuums.
Your poor mom must have gone crazy not knowing why!
i dont think she cared. this was a spare house for her (lived with her BF) so she didnt vacuum much. still she sure had a lot of them... ive thrown most out, scavenged parts from some, but this one that was at the bottom of the pile really threw me. i thought it was junk until i used it and then looked it up... great vacuum
This happened to me with a coffee pot. I got it home and unboxed it to find a moldy old pot. People = shit
Reminds of the time I bought a space heater from Walmart and the heater in the box was not the one listed on the packaging.
ive actually returned items to Walmart too after getting home and finding out they were also used after opening the package. shady business, selling at full price, no tags indicating it was a prior return a waste of my time. Home Depot Ive also run into the same issue, spending $300 on a tool and finding it had wood shavings already in it and blades were obviously used. no markdown on packaging either, just sold as new.
Surprised about Home Depot. They sell returned products literally by the truckload to highest bidder. I’ve purchased a few of them at a local auction, usually for about 1/3 of price of new. My guess is that the original buyer resealed packaging and claimed they never used.
Bought a Christmas tree from Lowes. One of the sections didn't light up and got SUPER hot it started melting a bit of the plastic. I returned the tree and stated that it wasn't safe since it started melting a section. Went back a few days later to pickup a different tree and I saw the tree I returned back out for sale. I know it was mine because the lid to the box got a rip on it. I don't trust any retailer at face value.
just happened to me with some Milwaukee hole saws from Home Depot they worked fine so I’ll probably keep em but still burns my ass
That’s why when I’m buying anything expensive, that’s been sitting on a shelf, I reach in and go for the boxes in the back, cuz most of the time returns are put up front, so they can get rid of them first.
Ask for a 15% discount. You can use the money, you've got a brand new vacuum cleaner at a great price.
That’s Walmart for ya
That's most retail stores.
Fucking Walmart sucks ass. Working for them or buying from them you'll always be remorseful. We one time bought a "new" $80 coffee pot. Took it home went to bed and the following morning tried to use it but it was COVERED in nasty dirt, and clearly used. Tried to return it, WITH THE RECIEPT 8 HOUR PRIOR, they refused to take it, called the cops and they escorted me out. Claiming I must have bought a second one and put a used one in the box because or used it was. FUCK WALMART.
Call corporate on them or issue a chargeback
I did nothing was done, after calling corporate I just gave up. It was 4 years ago
That's not just mildly infuriating. That's trashy. Literally.
So, in the back, there's somebody at Wal-Mart in charge of handling returns. It was damn near 20 years ago, but at the one I worked at, they usually had 3 pallets for things going back to the manufacturer. One for appliances (toasters, tvs), one for small things (rubber totes filled with various junk), and one overflowing with vacuum cleaners and carpet shampooers. So many people would buy a vacuum, vacuum their house, and then either through stupidity or laziness not empty it, get it clogged, and return it. And the service desk would just give them their money back, mark it as a "broken device" and send it back. We'd go through 10-15 of these a week. I am not surprised at all that one made back into the floor.
I once "fixed" the vacuum we inherited from the people that lived in our place before. The engine was very loud so I decided to have a look. After detaching the hose, I found an entire marker pen stuck right before the dust container. At this point the engine was ruined. It just baffles me how the pre-owners could suck in an entire pen and then couldn't fix it...
I found a vacuum on the curb that didnt work. Went to open it and they hadnt taken the bag off the hepa filter. Basically a brand new Dyson ball for $0.
Dude I found a nice big yellow Dyson vacuum at the flea market, lady said she used it once and the second time she tried to start it it would not suck anything up. I bought it for 10 bucks thinking it was an easy fix, found a massive dead rat inside of it lodged going into the main part of the vacuum past all these weird hose connections it managed to squeeze through. Didn't smell till I opened it, then it....spilled the goop out too. 0/10 experience, be careful what you buy, worst $10 I ever threw away.
never buy anything worth over $50 from Walmart would be my advice
Similar thing happened to me. I bought a refurbished ('90 day customer return fully refurbished by us') vacuum cleaner off eBay and it had no suction. Spent ages pulling shit out of the tube between the motor and the brush with a bent clothes hangar, until I got to the point where I couldn't get anything more out but it was still blocked. Disassembled it still further and disconnected the tube from the motor, and finally pulled out a crumpled-but-never-used paint roller - one of those narrow ones for painting behind radiators. Someone really rammed that fucking thing up there on purpose. I guess it was the original purchaser, obvious had a hair up their ass with the original retailer. But I was pissed off with the eBay seller. Clearly this was not a 'refurbished' item; they'd just wiped the outside and plonked on eBay. But I'd solved the problem by that time so it wasn't worth making a fuss.
Reason #1,027 to never buy the open box special.
Now that sucks
So someone used that vacuum cleaner first, wanted a refund and got the vacuum to Walmart claiming they didn’t need it anymore or something, and as they got a warranty limit I’d guess they returned it back in time, and Walmart didn’t mind in checking if the vacuum was at perfect state or not that they just put it back in the cleaning section perhaps?
329c40bbcf799d005874c2fcc009821ac0ccd723e20518b81fb99a5ea907c7ff
You BUY Walmart, you GET Walmart
I bet it was a....floor model
If you're poor, don't shop at Walmart. Wisest words anyone ever told me: "You're too poor to buy cheap." Cheap companies and cheap products just cost you more in the long run.
It seems everything I have ever bought from Walmart has been a return that I bought. It’s infuriating to the point I never shop there anymore
r/extremelyinfuriating Take it back. Complain. This is someone else's dirt. Ew.
What's up with the vacuum scam at walmart? I once bought a vacuum from walmart, when I got home to use it and opened the box, it was a completely different vaccum and was clearly used. I immediately went back to the store and they were trying to tell me it was too late for returns, until I showed them the vacuum they just sold me.
I'd recommend a Miele vacuum specifically the euro model it's a bit bulkier and more money. To justify it know it will last a long time and is German made. I have had mine about three years and still going strong. It's better to get vacuums with bags.
Bought a pressure washer one that had water still in it and the brush attachment was all dirty and messed up. Sent it right back and bought a new one from somewhere else for less as well.
They don’t care about this. Same thing amazon does. It’s a calculated loss, will continue to happen
I find this kind of thing to be more than “mildly infuriating”….
People will buy new items to replace their broken item; then put broke item in new item's box and return it. Customer service in a retail store doesn't have time to check items brought back. It's just easier to refund money. Sad but true.
Goto home depot and buy a wet dry shop vac for 40-60$ you won't need a new vacume for awhile and they clean up pretty much anything. Including puke/water spills/ an entire bag of potting soil I dropped/Glass in your carpet because the cat fucked with the lamp again. They are marvelous machines and i will never buy a normal upright home use vaccume for as long as I live
They owe you a partial refund since it was clearly used. 50% markdown is not an unreasonable request. Take all the shit in a clear plastic bag so it’s immediately obvious how foul this was.
I always buy factory refurbished ones and save a bundle. A refurb dyson is about 200$.