No exchange or return policy by shopkeepers perturbs consumers

Rawalpindi

Shopping is a complex thing; especially when it comes to the shopping of stuff for women and children when the probability rate for disapproval in comparison to approval is more likely to tilt the balance.

Not just women and children but the men quite often like to either change or return the purchased item when it is not commensurate to their requirement and by the way return or exchange is a consumer right that is widely accepted in the civilised world.

In Pakistan situation is not that consumer friendly and after purchase of a particular item if you realise that it is not according to your choice and you went to market or a shop, requesting the shopkeeper to either return or exchange the item and your request is immediately turned down with a big No! Additionally after growling and grumbling of the shopkeeper.

Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (RCCI) Mian Humayun Pervez has an interesting answer and says, “Once somebody receives some money, it becomes hard for him to return the amount”.

Nearly all shopping malls with dozens of shops and roadside markets may differ in their stuff but one thing that remains constant and common is a hoarding at the counter “No exchange or return for anything purchased”.

So before leaving for shopping in Pakistan, one must be very clear that what kind of stuff he/she is requiring and arriving at a particular shop you are only to answer the question either yes or no. Because once you paid the bill and moved out of the shop, you cannot undo the sale deed and whatever you got you have to live and be content with it. In other words to be a good shopper, one needs to be an expert in assessing quality or the suitability of the items, he/she wants to purchase.

In most the civilised countries you can exchange or return purchased items even fifteen times or more and can claim warranty if the purchased item does not correspond to the specifications mentioned over the wrapping. This attitude of the trading community in the civilised world is far more acquainted with the Islamic teachings. It is being mentioned in Hadith that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) told his companions that there is a great reward in the life to come, for the shopkeeper who pleasantly takes back his sold item from the person who wishes to return.

But in this land of pure this concept sounds quite alien and wherever you go, you shall come across the same snobbish dialect “No exchange or return policy”.

Imagine the agony of a person who purchased a particular pair of shoes, shirt, pants or any other commodity and when it doesn’t fits to him, he is just helpless as there is no exchange or return policy.

This is not just in the case of these smaller items as this correspondent remembers that one of his friend’s purchased a brand new car from a showroom that had some technical faults in it. The man had to file a lawsuit for fixing the technical fault otherwise the showroom administration completely jerked of their responsibility and said no to him.

Focal person for Consumer Protection Court Idrees Randhawa when contacted in this regard, said that the consumer protection law does not envisage any clauses that bounds a shopkeeper to either exchange or return the purchased item. It is however, mandatory under the law that the shopkeeper at the time of selling a particular item would inform the customer about the defects of the commodity. 

Idrees Randhawa said that number of people come to the consumer protection courts with the complaint that they purchased something from a shop and now the shopkeeper doesn’t return it. Shopkeepers on the other side adopt that people uses the items for few days and when their requirement is met, they come to return it.

The RCCI president, when contacted, in this regard, said that the customers also need to change their attitudes. Some customers use particular items for a week or two and then come to return it. To a question that there must be some ratio with only few percent customers causing troubles but what about the large number of people who genuinely suffer when they were left with no option but to use the purchased items as it will neither be exchanged nor returned. Humayun Pervez said that there were some shops who exchange the items but do not take it back as when someone receives the money, it becomes hard for him to return the amount.

Additionally there is no law that bounds a shopkeeper to return a sold item. Consumer protection courts were looking after some other big issues and that the said issue is not addressed under the law, the RCCI president further said.