Avoid Holiday Hassles – Ask Questions Before Buying

Consumers can avoid post-holiday headaches and hassles by taking a little extra time to check for refund and exchange policy information before making purchases. New York’s Deputy Secretary of State Marcos Vigil said refund and exchange problems account for the greatest number of complaints his office receives.  He recommends shoppers check for that information which should be visibly posted at stores before they buy merchandise and ask questions about it. 

Vigil appeared at the Palisades Center in West Nyack, one of the nation’s largest shopping malls, to speak about the top five holiday season shopping complaints.  He advised consumers to be practical and keep their receipts. He noted people who shop early could have problems if they want to return something and the retailer has a 30-day return policy for refunds. 

The second highest number of complaints deals with online shopping. Vigil said consumers should review terms and conditions before buying, deal with reputable merchants, understand delivery costs and print out their receipts.

Third on the list were orders and deliveries. Vigil said customers should track the status of their orders online if possible and open the packages immediately to make the items are correct and not damaged. Vigil said buyers should make sure the product comes with a warranty and understand the process for returning a defective item and contact the retailer immediately if there are problems. 

He said people often do not read the fine print to find out what they are paying when they sign up for wireless service. 

“Before you sign up for them understand what are the charges that they’re going to give you on those data plans,” Vigil said.” Once it is signed like any other contract it is legally binding. And usually you are the one that is going to pay for any mistakes.”

He said people should buy only the services and features they need because it is easy to upgrade service plans later. He pointed out people may be drawn to the offer because of free phones and neglect to ask about monthly rates, early termination charges and replacement costs for lost or broken equipment.

State Senator David Carlucci (D-Rockland/Westchester) said every year the same types of issues come up and consumers can avoid those problems by being proactive, doing their homework and asking the right questions.

“An educated consumer is a protected consumer that will save a lot of heartache and a lot of money if they ask the right questions upfront and that’s why we’re here today,” said Carlucci. “We want consumers to shop till you drop not shop till you call a cop.”

Rockland County’s Director of Consumer Protection Terry Grosselfinger said the complaints received by his department mirror the types of complaints that the state Division of Consumer Protection gets.

Ted Potrikus of the Retail Council of NYS said with the economy on a rebound, it is especially important for retailers to make sure their customers get their questions answered and are satisfied. 

Consumers can call the state’s toll free hotline for help in resolving complaints at 800-697-1220 or file an online complaint at www.dos.ny.gov.