Returns in the US have gotten to easy over the years. I remember needing a gift receipt to exchange birthday clothes that didn't quite fit for the right size when I was a kid. Now stores can look up transactions by your credit card and put the money back on it instantly. Is that a good thing??? Costco has an amazing return policy and I've brought back a defective appliance years later for store credit. In Cyprus I ran into the same problem as you have, that stores didn't do returns, only exchanges, sometimes. Oddly, knowing a local who knew the manager at a store facilitated an exchange for me once when they wouldn't otherwise do it. I found its all about who you know!
Well, it is sad to read your experiences. Our law states that ALL defective products can be returned... Items with no problems face - sometimes - the "nope" you have experienced. Here is our law, in English: «If you purchased the item in a store, the legislation does not provide for the right to repentance. In other words, if you purchased a faultless item, but regretted the purchase, there is no room for an exchange or return.» Nevertheless, many stores do it as a means to keep their clients happy. (Leroy Merlin is the best example: many contractors/regular customers go there and buy lots of stuff, what they really need, what they think they will need and stuff "just in case". Later, they just return what they didn't need or use - of course, purchased items need to be in the boxes, unused, with the receipt. And they just give you your money back. Smiiiiile!)
On "consumer problems", it is true: asking for the Livro de Reclamações works wonders! (Please don't be afraid to ask for it when in trouble, especially in restaurants: it is amazing to see how fast they admit they made a mistake or they correct the bill...).
Thank you very much for sharing your experiences. I think we can all learn a little bit from your trial & errors.. You are an inspiration! Keep up the good attitude. You have accomplished so much already.
Another "all-Amazons-are-not-the-same" is that it is NOT possible... or at least it is confusing and difficult... to do international cross-border Amazon gifting. I wanted to give a Mexican language companion an English-language Amazon Kindle eBook, so, from my amazon.com account, I bought and sent her an Amazon "gift eCard." When she got it, she found that the only Amazon she could use was the Mexican Amazon, amazon.com.mx. She could use the gift card all right, it did the currency conversion, but she could only use it to buy items offered by the Mexican Amazon... and it didn't offer this book. And she couldn't open an account at the US Amazon.
Wow! Super grateful that, despite the lack of decent cadeiras (chairs) for sale on the island, we have not experienced those problems ... Yet? Don't jinx us! :-) Our Chinese stores do not issue receipts or take returns, but, mostly, we've purchased €1-2 items - erroneously on our part - and so, we just now have a huge collection of ill-fitting hose connectors. If you need one - male-male, male-female, whatever, I'll bet we have it!!!
Well written. I learned right away that even the big chains have a time limit on their returns. When we first bought our place here we were alternating between Portugal and our then country of residence, Latvia. I bought a chain saw at MaxMat in January, 2020 right before I went back to Latvia. When I came back a month later and tried to get the chainsaw running I found it was missing a key part. I took it back to MaxMat and, sorry, you only have 30 days to exchange the product. Fortunately a local shop was able to get it to work for an extra €35
Unrelated but thought you'd find this interesting. Bobi, a Portuguese pup certified by Guinness as the oldest dog ever made it to 31 years old. Could have been the Portuguese lifestyle...?
I hope it has gotten easier since you have arrived. Love you guys. ❤
Returns in the US have gotten to easy over the years. I remember needing a gift receipt to exchange birthday clothes that didn't quite fit for the right size when I was a kid. Now stores can look up transactions by your credit card and put the money back on it instantly. Is that a good thing??? Costco has an amazing return policy and I've brought back a defective appliance years later for store credit. In Cyprus I ran into the same problem as you have, that stores didn't do returns, only exchanges, sometimes. Oddly, knowing a local who knew the manager at a store facilitated an exchange for me once when they wouldn't otherwise do it. I found its all about who you know!
Love that fan!
Well, it is sad to read your experiences. Our law states that ALL defective products can be returned... Items with no problems face - sometimes - the "nope" you have experienced. Here is our law, in English: «If you purchased the item in a store, the legislation does not provide for the right to repentance. In other words, if you purchased a faultless item, but regretted the purchase, there is no room for an exchange or return.» Nevertheless, many stores do it as a means to keep their clients happy. (Leroy Merlin is the best example: many contractors/regular customers go there and buy lots of stuff, what they really need, what they think they will need and stuff "just in case". Later, they just return what they didn't need or use - of course, purchased items need to be in the boxes, unused, with the receipt. And they just give you your money back. Smiiiiile!)
Now, for those who are brave to translate, here's the important information on returning stuff: https://www.deco.proteste.pt/familia-consumo/orcamento-familiar/noticias/devolucoes-trocas-produtos
On "consumer problems", it is true: asking for the Livro de Reclamações works wonders! (Please don't be afraid to ask for it when in trouble, especially in restaurants: it is amazing to see how fast they admit they made a mistake or they correct the bill...).
On product warranties it is different. Again, for the brave: https://www.deco.proteste.pt/eletrodomesticos/equipamentos-cozinha/dicas/garantia-reparacao-troca-desconto-reembolso-sao-solucoes
Great to read you!
Thank you very much for sharing your experiences. I think we can all learn a little bit from your trial & errors.. You are an inspiration! Keep up the good attitude. You have accomplished so much already.
Another "all-Amazons-are-not-the-same" is that it is NOT possible... or at least it is confusing and difficult... to do international cross-border Amazon gifting. I wanted to give a Mexican language companion an English-language Amazon Kindle eBook, so, from my amazon.com account, I bought and sent her an Amazon "gift eCard." When she got it, she found that the only Amazon she could use was the Mexican Amazon, amazon.com.mx. She could use the gift card all right, it did the currency conversion, but she could only use it to buy items offered by the Mexican Amazon... and it didn't offer this book. And she couldn't open an account at the US Amazon.
Wow! Super grateful that, despite the lack of decent cadeiras (chairs) for sale on the island, we have not experienced those problems ... Yet? Don't jinx us! :-) Our Chinese stores do not issue receipts or take returns, but, mostly, we've purchased €1-2 items - erroneously on our part - and so, we just now have a huge collection of ill-fitting hose connectors. If you need one - male-male, male-female, whatever, I'll bet we have it!!!
Well written. I learned right away that even the big chains have a time limit on their returns. When we first bought our place here we were alternating between Portugal and our then country of residence, Latvia. I bought a chain saw at MaxMat in January, 2020 right before I went back to Latvia. When I came back a month later and tried to get the chainsaw running I found it was missing a key part. I took it back to MaxMat and, sorry, you only have 30 days to exchange the product. Fortunately a local shop was able to get it to work for an extra €35
Unrelated but thought you'd find this interesting. Bobi, a Portuguese pup certified by Guinness as the oldest dog ever made it to 31 years old. Could have been the Portuguese lifestyle...?
https://www.morningbrew.com/daily/issues/latest
Can you share which airline lost your luggage? Was it TAP?