Canadian Transformers News and Discussion Forum

[Scrapper6]

I too have been reluctant to return items, because chances are if it isn't obviously broken, as in the customer receptions person can't see that it's broken then they will automatically put it back on the shelf.

Case in point, when the Cybertron line was in full swing I purchased a Mini-Con Class Thrust vs. Anti-Blaze (Or whoever he was packaged with.) and the figure of Thrust was literally missing an arm. Somewhere on the production floor the figure failed to recieve one of the parts he was meant to have.

At first I contacted Hasbro themselves about the complaint (still have the pre-paid mailing slip they sent me to return the item.), but when I heard I might not get the exact same figures I opted instead to go back to Wal-Mart and exchange it.

I even made a point of telling the damn woman that a piece was missing from the item and that it was incomplete, straight out of the package. But what do I see a few weeks later? My returned item put back on the shelf to sell. So that if any kid bought it or unsuspecting parent/grandparent they'd be left in the same situation I was in.

Stupid frakking Wal-Mart employees.

I'm certain some of you also remember my HftD Terradive issues, with the nosecone being glued in place on the factory floor for whatever reason forcing me to return the item after buying another one from TRU. I don't like this, I know the toy broke and wasn't working the way it was meant to, but I just don't feel comfortable returning an item due to the fact that it just feels wrong to me.

I get that shit happens when you mass produce something, but up until that point I had never in my life had to return a toy for breakage issues and I didn't feel right doing it. Hell, even after I found out that my Duststorm Energon Constructicon figure somehow got two left hips, I still don't think it's that big a deal because it doesn't hinder the function of the toy. He still transforms, he still combines just fine, heck he's even got alternative poseability in that he can actually pose himself in a unique way. (Of course beccause of that minor glitch is probably why I"m having a little bit of a difficult time selling the group, but that's beside the point.)

It has nothing to do with how I feel about the toy itself, and more to do with the fact that I feel like a complete heel having to return a child's plaything, that I happen to be a collector of, to the retail outlet, because someone, somewhere, wasn't paying the right attention to their damn job at QC to prevent defective merchandise from leaving the factory floor.

I know it must be one of the world's worst jobs, but take some pride in your work man, even if you are some faceless cog in a giant wheel it's no excuse for slovenly behavior when you're getting paid to do something important. Of course if they were being paid a proper wage they'd probably treat their job a hell of a lot better. But we're not here to debate that sort of thing.

So yeah, I can sort of understand where you're coming from, returning anything can be difficult. But in the long run, if it is absolutely necessary I will do it, but I'll do my best to make sure the broken item is not put back into circulation for some unsuspecting consumer.