Hi, up to now I've read the reflector often but not contributed. (I
suppose there are probably thousands of us "lurkers" out here.) But
this time I felt obligated to respond.
Someone criticized Ten-Tec very seriously for refusing further orders
from those who have returned merchandise pursuant to their 30-day
return policy. Apparently the writer believed that companies which
offer return policies should not place limits upon those who engage
the policy. The truth is that this is very standard. As an example,
QVC will ultimately place limits upon such behavior. They also offer
a 30-day return policy. However, after a buyer has reached a certain
quantitative threshold for returns, buying privileges are revoked. I
think they are fairly liberal, though, in this regard, but they and
so many other retail companies with similar policies will indeed put
a stop to those who -- in their judgment and without any chance of
appeal -- go beyond what they care to metabolize. Like Ten-Tec and
most such companies, QVC doesn't publish what those thresholds are;
frankly they don't want to show certain customers just how far they
can go before the plug is pulled. Can you imagine what would happen
if a company DIDN'T uphold limits in this way? One could simply
"rent" ones merchandise month-after-month at a price which would
ultimately approximate zero.
Someone else criticized Ten-Tec for refusing to transact after the
company had been criticized on the basis of its being "illegal."
Actually, that's not illegal at all UNLESS their refusal violates the
Civil Rights Act. If an individual or company has a disagreement with
another individual or company, neither party is obligated to do
business with the other ever again. That's true for big-scale retail,
just as it's true for a small business, or even for somebody who
sells on eBay or at a flea market. No one can be compelled to do
business with someone else (again, unless the Civil Rights Act is
abrogated); the essence of a contract is that both parties have
indeed come together with amity and agreement.
Yet someone else criticized Ten-Tec for not agreeing to provide
replacement parts forever. (This begs the question: "Where in the
world did this concern come from, given that Ten-Tec still stocks
parts for the PM-1!?") Companies aren't obligated to provide
replacement parts past a warranty period.
I hope this message is accepted in the factual spirit in which it is
intended.
Randy K7RAN
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