Sorry to hear about your experience with Ranger Camping ralph, you'd think
with the entry of BCF and Anaconda etc into the market place, Ranger Camping
would have got their act together in the face of this competition. Clearly
they're not interested in being keeping their customers happy.

Just one thing you mentioned

"Ranger Outdoors policy does not allow for any money on any item to be
refunded even if the item is found to be damaged when opened and they
don't have another in stock.. NO CASHBACK. The best you will get under
this policy is a credit. Make up your own mind who you purchase from."

this is actually illegal under our fair trading laws. If the item is
damaged, or wrongly described and they are unable to replace with another
one, you ARE ENTITLED to a full cash refund if this is what you want. We own
several IGA so we're quite aware of what the consumer protection laws are.

File a complaint with Fair Trading and let them handle it - a few phone
calls to the owner by DOCEP should help them get their act together. HAving
said that, as you simply changed your mind - i dont know how strong this
case would be but from a customer relations POV, i agree, they should have
given a refund.

cheers
Jeelan


On 18/05/2008, Ralph Ditton <rdassetts@...> wrote:
>
>
>
> Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2008 7:25 AM
> Subject: Fw: WARNING> Buyer Beware Of Ranger Outdoors Dismal
> Non-Refund Policy (12 April 2008)
>
> Someone not very happy.
>
> **** Buyer Beware Of Ranger Outdoors *****
>
> Buyer Beware Of Ranger Outdoors Rigid No Money Refund Policy Before
> You Buy Anything From Them !!!
>
> To Ranger Outdoors and Cc. hundreds of consumers that will read this email.
>
> I am writing about my conversations with staff and then the manager
> of Ranger Outdoors O'Connor in WA on the 11th April 2008 in regards
> to obtaining a refund on a generator I had bought a day earlier. The
> unit was not suitable for the purpose for which it was bought and is
> in 100% unused, untouched, still in box condition. The information
> below is further to our conversations regarding a refund to which you
> flatly refused to do.
>
> The law in W.A. as I have found out from D.O.C.E.P say's, 'you as a
> business have legal right to remedy when:
>
> * The item has a fault the customer didn't notice when they bought
> it'
>
> * The item isn't the same as described by the sales staff or
> in advertising' ; or
>
> * *The item is not suitable for the purpose in which it was bought'.
>
> The law then says, 'what settlement you receive when you take the
> goods back depends on what consumer law describes as 'Fair and
> Reasonable'
>
> Ranger Outdoors do you think that when a customer (me) has made an
> honest mistake and purchased a product that is not suitable for what I
> bought it for (and you do not stock an appropriate replacement) that
> the most 'fair and reasonable' remedy is to tell me you will not
> refund one single cent of my $1399 that I gave you only 1 day earlier?
>
> Instead, after much conversation and 2 calls to the store owner
> from the manager the best you would finally offer was a $1399 voucher
> to purchase other goods from your shop that as I tried so, so hard to
> explain I SIMPLY DON'T NEED ! And after seeing 1st hand the way
> Ranger Outdoors deals with attempted refunds I would not want to spend
> it at your shop anyway. The manager did say a couple of times that he
> could see my point but 'hey it is not worth losing my job over $1400
> bucks'
>
> Coincidently at the same time I was talking with staff another man was
> trying (banging his head up against a brick wall) to also obtain a
> refund on some jerry cans that he had purchased that did not fit into
> his jerry can holders when he got them home. He was told by a female
> staff member NO REFUNDS. He was very flustered and interrupted my
> conversation with the manager and demanded that he have the owners
> direct phone number, to which he was refused as I was.
>
> Ranger Outdoors rule makers ask yourself how would you feel if you
> paid $1400 for an item at a shop and when you got it home you found
> out it was not suitable for your needs and you returned it? The staff
> then tell you that they do not have an appropriate replacement and you
> can't have ANY of your money back but here's a voucher for $1400 to
> buy some stuff you simply don't need.
>
> SECONDLY. Why hide your refund policy from the consumer? Is it because
> of the utter unfairness in it? Your refund policy is not displayed
> clearly in your shop. I did not see anything on the doors, nothing in
> the isles, on the walls etc. (for good reason I suspect) When it was
> bought to your attention that your refund policy was not clearly
> displayed in your shop you pointed out that your refund policy is
> 'clearly written on the bottom of my docket' and this is just
> stupidity as the money changes hands before the warning is given on
> the receipt. Do you see my point ? If I did notice that your shops
> have such a backwards non-refund policy I may not have purchased the
> product in the first place (just in case) as maybe the man with the
> jerry cans and many other people would not have either.
>
> THIRDLY AND LASTLY. As Ranger Outdoors is clearly having troubles
> displaying and telling people of their non-refund policy and what will
> happen if you dare ask for your money back I will help you.
>
> I have printed below the refund policies of some of the major
> players in your industry as well as yours.
>
> Here is B.C.F 's refund policy which reads : If you are not 100%
> satisfied with your purchase just let us know .We'll sort out the
> problem or give you your money back .
>
> Mountain Designs refund policy reads : Should you change your mind
> ,you are welcome to return most products , together with your proof of
> purchase within 30 days of purchase to receive an exchange, credit or
> refund. Excludes products such as climbing gear and underwear.. If
> unsure whether our return policy covers your purchase please check
> with one of our friendly team members.
>
> AND Ranger Outdoors refund policy : We trust you have made you
> decision carefully as goods are non-refundable unless proven faulty
> within warranty. In this event Ranger and supplier will access and
> offer or replace, repair or credit.
>
> Ranger Outdoors policy does not allow for any money on any item to be
> refunded even if the item is found to be damaged when opened and they
> don't have another in stock.. NO CASHBACK. The best you will get under
> this policy is a credit. Make up your own mind who you purchase from.
>
> Ranger Outdoors, as you are having difficulty displaying and letting
> people know about your non-refund policy on the net (I could find many
> others but not yours) and in your shops I WILL keep sending this email
> many, many times to many different people to help you (and you can
> count on it as I will send Ranger Outdoors Main office the sent list
> when I have finished). Those customers can then make an informed
> decision as to who they purchase goods from.
>
> Mark my words I am going to email EVERY fishing club, fishing forum,
> fishing charters, camping and scout clubs , tracking clubs, outdoor
> education departments, 4WD clubs, Campervan and Motor-home club of
> Australia and forums (they alone have 51500 members of which I am
> one) and any and every potential customer so they can let their
> members (your customers) know exactly what they are up against. I will
> also email this to all competitors in this industry so if they have
> fairer refund policies they can compare theirs to yours and others and
> let their customers know if they choose. As many customers would agree
> refund policies are important before choosing which shop to purchase
> from.
>
> CONCLUSION: Ranger Outdoors, if you do consider yourself 'Western
> Australia's biggest and best retailer of outdoor products' and 'The
> leader of the outdoor industry in the W.A. market' as your website
> says then why not back your claims up with a refund policy to match?
>
> Or if you do really think that your non-refund policy is fair and
> that of the 'industry leader' then display it clearly for all to see
> on the net and throughout your shops.
>
> Note: The Department of Consumer and Employment Protection will send
> to any business free signage to show people exactly where your policy
> is written within your shop.
>
> P.S. To all people concerned... If you have received this email and
> you believe the content to be Fair and Reasonable please forward it
> to everyone you know who purchases fishing, camping, 4WD or hiking gear.
>
> Ray Simpson.
>
> South Fremantle
>
> W.A. 6162
>
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>
>



--
"At the close of life the question will be not how much have you got, but
how much have you given; not how much have you won, but how much have you
done; not how much have you saved, but how much have you sacrificed; not how
much were you honoured but rather how much have you loved and served."


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