A topic that deserves its own thread is the Canadian Tire policies for the return of unwanted goods.
Note that this is NOT the same thing as a consumer returning:
- A defective product.
- A product that is not fit for its intended purpose.
(Defective and unfit products are discussed under existing threads.)
The first thing to note: in most provinces, if a customer changed their mind about an item, a store is not required (in that specific situation) to give a refund or exchange.
Reasons that a customer might change their mind include:
- They don’t like the item any more.
- They want a different colour, size of style.
- They decide it was too expensive.
- They found it cheaper elsewhere.
See
Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA) - Common consumer questions for related information on general Canadian laws on unwanted goods.
Please note that consumer protection laws are under provincial jurisdictions, so it is important to check the laws in your province or territory.
It is worth repeating at this point that there are specific laws in various provinces and territories that cover
defective goods, and goods that are
not fit for the intended purpose.
That being said, most retailers allow the return of products if a customer is not satisfied with the product, as a courtesy to customers.
Costco:
Costco Canada’s policy says, “We guarantee your satisfaction on every product we sell and will refund your purchase price”. Of course, this includes outdoor power equipment. Here are some links describing their policies:
https://www.canadiantiresucks.net/g...rranty-no-refund-no-exchange-20.html#post3166
https://www.canadiantiresucks.net/g...rranty-no-refund-no-exchange-20.html#post3179
Note that Costco puts the restriction that the product must be “in the original packaging”, but the packaging does not need to be unopened, and the product does not need to be "unused”.
Walmart:
Walmart Canada has similar policies, as described in this posts:
https://www.canadiantiresucks.net/g...rranty-no-refund-no-exchange-21.html#post3238
One Walmart restriction is that, for gasoline-powered equipment, the gasoline should be drained before returning it for a refund. This is for safety reasons, and not some excuse to deny a refund.
Home Depot:
Home Depot Canada also has a “satisfaction guarantee”, and will provide refunds for at least 30 days on items such as pressure washers and lawn mowers, if the customer is unhappy – even if the customer used it, and even it if is gas-powered.
See
https://www.canadiantiresucks.net/g...rranty-no-refund-no-exchange-28.html#post3445 for details.
Canadian Tire:
And so, we come to the store we all love to hate, Crappy Tire.
As with so many of Canadian Tire’s other policies, these are far worse than those of other major retailers. Plus, they are not clearly stated.
Let’s look at the web page (
Returns, Refunds & Exchanges | Canadian Tire) and at a receipt, to see what they say about unwanted goods.
“Easy returns: Save your receipt”
Sounds good - maybe things will be easy, if you just save your receipt, right? Wrong!
The site and the receipt both go on to state, “in its original condition and packaging”
That’s a pretty broad statement. It means that most items cannot be used, if doing so will change it from being in “original condition”, such as putting gas in the tank of a gas-powered machine.
Speaking of “unopened”, does that word appear on the receipt? No, it does not. On the web site? Only for specific products like ink, media and some beds/mattresses.
But what will befall the innocent consumer who brings in an opened (but unused, original condition) item for a refund, in accordance with the terms on the receipt and web site?
They will likely be told that they can't get a refund unless the package is still “sealed” or “unopened”, and maybe even that must be “unused” (which is redundant for anything that was in a package).
Surprise! CT has your money, and won’t be giving it back!
Conclusion:
Consumers have a choice: do their shopping at CT, or do it at any of the other major retailers, who are honest and open about their policies, stand behind what they sell, and offer refunds if the customer is not happy.
It is worth repeating that, if a consumer is not 100% sure they will continue to like the product, they should check the store’s policy for the return of unwanted goods before they buy.
It is also worth repeating that the store’s policy is irrelevant when it comes to a defective product, or to one that is not fit for its intended purpose. In those cases, check the legislation in your province or territory.
Recommendations:
- If you think you want to buy something from Crappy Tire, be sure to use 17-step process for “Easy Returns” (here:
https://www.canadiantiresucks.net/personal-stories/32-return-policy-8.html#post3806).
- Always keep the original packaging, tags, etc., until you are certain you will not need to return the product for a refund or exchange, or (once the return period has elapsed) for warranty repairs.
- Do not buy from CT, because they have the worst policies (including for returns of unwanted goods) among major Canadian retailers.