ShowUhow Blog

Returns!

Do you hate to return things? Or do you think it’s your right as a consumer!  I admit, I can recite the return policies of several stores by heart.  It’s not something I intend to do, but I will make purchases sometimes knowing that if I don’t like an item or if I change my mind, it’s okay to take it back.   I know I shop more at stores with more flexible return policies.   This has become more prevalent since I became a parent. Some of the things I buy for my children just don’t work out for a variety of reasons.

Are you a “returner” like me?   I try to be conscientious about it and return items promptly and unused. But, I’ll admit, there have been times when I have returned an item on the 89^th day when the store allows 90 days.  Whew! Just made it!  But I have friends who don’t like to return purchases to stores.  Some find it embarrassing and others think it’s too much of a hassle.  Assuming the item isn’t defective, they would rather give it to a friend, donate it to charity, or even sell it at a garage sale.

Do you base your store choices partly on the flexibility of its return policy or is that really not a factor for you?  Do you find you’ve had to return a particular type of item more than others—like children’s clothes or toys?  Let us know what you think!

Why You Check the Warranty!

Recently I lucked out on a washing machine repair because I had a decent warranty—and a conscientious and attentive repairman who inquired about the warranty and had me look it up.  After owning my new technology “elite” washing machine for just over a year it broke down and needed about $800 in repairs—more than I paid for it in the first place! When the repairman and looked at the warranty, we learned that the parts were covered and ½ of the labor charge—so my bill came to about $140 instead of $800. Whew!  

 

On the other hand, when our oldest son was a toddler we searched for weeks before we figured out how to order an additional part for his crib—we needed a replacement side wall that had a cutout for him to enter an exit—basically a toddler rail for his crib that turned it into a day bed. Last year we gave the crib to a friend who had just had a baby—there was a hardware piece that somehow got lost in storage and it took us several weeks to track down the information to order the new part. 

 

The original store from which we purchased the crib had gone out of business, so we couldn’t just go back to the retailer.  We finally found the right phone number and were able to order the part.  Of course, we’ve all been bitten by that warranty bug that seems to go around where an item you purchase requires repair just AFTER the warranty expires! 

 

There are so many things to check on when buying a large or complex item.  You have to consider where you are buying it and if they will really help you if you need service.  You have to consider is it an item that has a chance of breaking or breaking down and if it does, how hard will it be to get replacement parts or get it fixed? Do you have to ship it somewhere? That can be a major hassle.  Do you have to find an authorized repair facility? That could be close to you or it might be quite a drive.  Can you just return it? Sometimes you can’t!  These are things that a savvy shopper finds out BEFORE the purchase so you can be prepared if you need service AFTER the purchase.

 

What have your experiences been? Share any really great stories, any really bad experiences, or any funny ones!  We can all learn from each other by reading about what has happened to you!

Recently I lucked out on a washing machine repair because I had a decent warranty—and a conscientious and attentive repairman who inquired about the warranty and had me look it up.  After owning my new technology “elite” washing machine for just over a year it broke down and needed about $800 in repairs—more than I paid for it in the first place!

When the repairman and looked at the warranty, we learned that the parts were covered and ½ of the labor charge—so my bill came to about $140 instead of $800. Whew!  

 

On the other hand, when our oldest son was a toddler we searched for weeks before we figured out how to order an additional part for his crib—we needed a replacement side wall that had a cutout for him to enter an exit—basically a toddler rail for his crib that turned it into a day bed. Last year we gave the crib to a friend who had just had a baby—there was a hardware piece that somehow got lost in storage and it took us several weeks to track down the information to order the new part. 

 

The original store from which we purchased the crib had gone out of business, so we couldn’t just go back to the retailer.  We finally found the right phone number and were able to order the part.  Of course, we’ve all been bitten by that warranty bug that seems to go around where an item you purchase requires repair just AFTER the warranty expires! 

 

There are so many things to check on when buying a large or complex item.  You have to consider where you are buying it and if they will really help you if you need service.  You have to consider is it an item that has a chance of breaking or breaking down and if it does, how hard will it be to get replacement parts or get it fixed? Do you have to ship it somewhere? That can be a major hassle.  Do you have to find an authorized repair facility? That could be close to you or it might be quite a drive.  Can you just return it? Sometimes you can’t!  These are things that a savvy shopper finds out BEFORE the purchase so you can be prepared if you need service AFTER the purchase.

 

What have your experiences been? Share any really great stories, any really bad experiences, or any funny ones!  We can all learn from each other by reading about what has happened to you!

Let us “show you how” to take the frustration out of product assembly

Welcome to the showUhow Blog, a chronicle of the adventures of the ShowUHow team of consumers (just like you!) who are working towards the solution to the dreaded words "some assembly required." While it may only be three words, it strikes fear in the heart of many people, who find putting a product together time-consuming and frustrating.

We believe that showUhow Video Instructional Guides (VIGs) are the answer to this universal problem. VIGs are shot with real people putting together products step by step. You log into the showUhow Web site (www.showuhow.com/) after you buy a product.View the VIG and watch the product being put together. Now you know how to do it without having to figure out those miserable printed instructions. We believe it is truly genius!  

In addition, to VIGs, the showUhow Web site also have access to coupons, product announcements and feedback, surveys, and ratings. The showUhow site is a must-have site for anyone who has ever or ever plans to buy any product that needs assembly, installation or set-up. So check it out www.showuhow.com/ and stay tuned to the showUhow blog where we plan share with you our experiences, stories, and successes, and we hope to hear about yours as well.