Impulse Buys

Impulse buys are sometimes a good thing—it adds to the bottom line and customers might have needed the item anyway and the merchant is just "reminding" them of that. However, impulse buys are sometimes a VERY BAD THING. Perhaps it's too expensive or you haven't fully considered where you're going to put it or how you're going to maintain it.

You shouldn't just walk into an antique store and think, "WOW! I love that armoire! It's on sale for $2000 so I think I'll buy it." You get it delivered and find that while your ceilings are only 7 feet tall, the armoire is 8 feet tall. Of course you have to return it, but then get angry because the delivery fee is non-refundable and there's a 10% restocking fee. Maybe you should have thought about it and measured the armoire and ceiling first?

You shouldn't go to a computer store and buy a computer because you like the shape of the monitor. When you get it home you use it for a while and then your son comes home from university and you find that he can't play his games on it because the sound card sucks. You want to return it but it's been a few weeks and perhaps you've got a virus on it, who knows? No, there are no exceptions just for you. Some things cannot be returned.
We have a lot of impulse buys at my store. People think the return policy doesn't apply to them. Some impulse buys are good. But when it's a big or potentially life-changing purchase, THINK BEFORE BUYING.