Walmart; Returning Without Original Packaging?

[Thrifty Bee]

I bought a digital kitchen scale at Wal-Mart Saturday. After I took it out of the box I turned it on once to see if I had installed the battery correctly. After that I set it in the cabinet and didn’t mess with it again until today, and it wouldn’t turn on. It could be a bad battery or a bad scale so I think I should return the whole scale just in case. The problem is DH threw away the box when he took out the trash Saturday night without asking me if I still needed it.

I don’t feel it would be unethical to purchase a new identical scale and use the box it came in to return the original one because the original is only two days old and defective at no fault of mine. But I really don’t want to get the same scale. I would much rather return this one for my money back and purchase a different one. But that would require returning this one without the box it came in and I’ve never tried that before. I do have the receipt and there are others in stock to compare it to so they know it’s the right scale.

Can anyone give me the head up on this if you’ve done it before? Or maybe a manager or CS Desk employee can tell me what my chances are. I checked the return policy at walmartstores.com but it did not address returns without original packaging.

[mom2lucas]

I would just call the store and ask. I doubt this is the first time they've had a similar occurrence.

[CW&M Mom]

I would change the battery before I considered taking it back without the packaging. Often the batteries that come with something are just not as good as the ones we purchase anyways.

[abond0017]

ITA with CW&M...batteries have a shelf life. They don't stay charged forever, so if the one you put in was only barely charged when you put it in, it very well could have died that fast. I would think that was more likely than the scale just stopping working after it was fine. But if you just would rather return it then I would call first...that is easier than doing the switching of boxes thing. I'm pretty sure they'll take it...maybe ask you to get the one you plan on switching it for before doing the return so they have a SKU to scan in order to return it.

[Thrifty Bee]

I would have already tried changing the battery but it takes a special battery that I don’t have on hand, it’s round, flat, and looks like a watch or hearing aid battery except it’s bigger. That’s the whole reason I would prefer a different scale if possible. It didn’t mention the type of battery it took on the outside of the box and I would have packed up for return as soon as I found out, but I didn’t want to fool with returning it and I had plans on using it this week.

I’m not sure how much those batteries cost but at any price I don’t like the idea of buying one and it possibly not fixing the problem. I turned it on once to see if the battery was installed correctly but I didn’t have time to try anything else to know if it was working correctly or not.

You have a point and feel myself like I’m going overboard and being a little picky when it could just be a bad battery. But I live a ways from town and can’t buy another battery or return the scale until this coming weekend. If I keep that model I will always have to buy and keep batteries on hand just for it because there are no quick trips to the store around here for anything.

I prefer things that take regular size batteries that I can use my rechargeable batteries in. I don’t see why it’s not designed to use a AAA or AA, the base is plenty big enough. I guess I’m just really annoyed that I need to use it but I can’t.

[joshmamabear]

if you happen to have one of the Bayer Contour or Breeze 2 meters, check the boxes and look for the batteries that usually come with the meter. That might be the size you're looking for so try it n see. I've had lots of uses for those flat batteries which made it worth "buying" the free meters @ WAG

[saversavory]

i returned a lava lamp with no rect no box. it was an xmas gift from my mom to my daughter and it wouldnt work. it was very hot but the stuff inside was just a big chunk. got store credit of course and she picked something else out.


youll probably have to have the receipt with you for easier return or drop off the old one and run back for another one for them to scan for the return, just explain why you dont want it anymore.


I really wish walmart would stop labeling things as they simply are not those things. for example. DO NOT BUY anything like a blender or food processor with the GE label. ITs not GE. GE gets paid for walmart to put their crappy stuff out as GE. I know this first hand. Be very selective.

[abond0017]

I would have already tried changing the battery but it takes a special battery that I don’t have on hand, it’s round, flat, and looks like a watch or hearing aid battery except it’s bigger. That’s the whole reason I would prefer a different scale if possible. It didn’t mention the type of battery it took on the outside of the box and I would have packed up for return as soon as I found out, but I didn’t want to fool with returning it and I had plans on using it this week.

I’m not sure how much those batteries cost but at any price I don’t like the idea of buying one and it possibly not fixing the problem. I turned it on once to see if the battery was installed correctly but I didn’t have time to try anything else to know if it was working correctly or not.

You have a point and feel myself like I’m going overboard and being a little picky when it could just be a bad battery. But I live a ways from town and can’t buy another battery or return the scale until this coming weekend. If I keep that model I will always have to buy and keep batteries on hand just for it because there are no quick trips to the store around here for anything.

I prefer things that take regular size batteries that I can use my rechargeable batteries in. I don’t see why it’s not designed to use a AAA or AA, the base is plenty big enough. I guess I’m just really annoyed that I need to use it but I can’t.

With it being a special battery that is a bit different...I also don't like things that take those kinds of batteries. Not as easy to find around the house as a AAA to test if it is jut the battery, and usually more expensive if you go to buy a replacement. In that case I would just go ahead and call and then return it.

[Thrifty Bee]

Will that mystery is solved and the scale has to go back. I had resolved to just replacing the battery and keeping it if the battery was the only problem. But I was telling DH how I wish I knew for sure when he said he thought he remembered something that uses that type of battery. It was a calendar/clock/calculator thing that the bank gave us when we opened a checking account with them years ago. We’ve never used it but the battery was still dead so we couldn’t put it in the scale to see if it worked. So I took the battery out of the scale and put it in the calculator and the calculator worked.

So again, another dud from Wal-Mart. Does anyone know how much those batteries cost? Does anyone know if they make scales that use AAA or AA’s? Wal-Mart only has one other digital scale and it’s over $40.00; I felt guilty enough paying $20.00 for the one I’ve got. I don’t want anything fancy, the only options I would like is to be able to change the unit it weighs in (pounds, ounces, or grams), and to have a tare function where I can zero it out with a container on it.

[abond0017]

I don't shop at Walmart, but used to and I guess I'm not surprised the scale is a dud. I would suggest maybe trying to order one that has all the features you want from Amazon. Probably get a good selection there and ime shipping is fairly quick.