What is the office furniture retailer’s return policy and why is it important? I know what I want to purchase, so why should I be concerned?

The return policy of an office furniture retailer is very important, so it should be considered carefully prior to purchase. Although they advertise "easy returns", most online retailers charge both outbound and inbound shipping on returned orders. In addition, they may add restocking charges that can run anywhere from 10% to 40% or more of the purchase price. This means that a typical $500 desk could cost you $350 or more to return. A $200 chair could cost $100 or more. We recently noticed a prominent online office furniture retailer who charges a re-stocking fee of 100% on a particular brand of furniture!!! (In contrast, Modern Office charges no re-stocking fee on that brand of furniture as long as the order is under $2,000.00. Modern Office has a 30 day return period. The customer's only shipping expense is to return their order. There is no re-stocking fee at all unless the order is over $2,000.00 or the item is custom-made.)

Some office furniture retailers will allow a return only if the carton has not been opened. This restriction makes it impossible to return an order in most situations. How do you know if you want to return the order if you can't open the carton to look at the item?

A 60, 90, or 120 day return policy is not of much use with conditions and restrictions such as these.

Most of us are certain that we will not need to return an order, but unexpected events can make a return necessary when we least expect it. A piece of furniture can be too large for a room or not fit into an elevator or stairway, the lease for office space “fell-through”, someone else in the company already purchased the same item, the color doesn’t match existing furniture or others have different opinions on what will look best, the employee the item was purchased for is no longer with the organization, funds or grants for the purchase were never approved or received, financial circumstances have changed, or the company reorganizes. These are just a few of the reasons that can unexpectedly make it necessary to return an order. For these reasons it is very important to familiarize yourself with the retailer's return policy and ask them to clarify any of your questions prior to placing your order.

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