Ace Hardware review: Return and refund policies

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am writing you to file a complaint against your independently owned franchisees’ business practices regarding merchandise returns and refunds. Following are the details of the basis of my complaint:

My wife and I reside in Mission, Texas, 514 Aquarius Street, 78572, and this summer have been traveling in our RV visiting family and friends in South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. On 7/11/2023, we were camped at a campground on Big Sandy Lake north of McGregor, MN, when we noticed that our kitchen faucet was leaking.

We drove to McGregor, MN, where the nearest hardware store was located, McGregor ACE Hardware, 22055 ST Highway 210, McGregor, MN 55760, [protected]. Here we purchased an Oakbrook Collection Kitchen Faucet model # 4548319 – Polished chrome finish faucet without side spray – manufactured and/or distributed by Homewerks Worldwide, LLC, Lake Bluff, IL 60044, www.homewerksww.com. A copy of the receipt is attached.

About a week or so after installing this new faucet, we noticed that this faucet was leaking from where the copper supply lines affix to the faucet. By this time we had moved on to St. Croix River Resort near Danbury, WI. I removed the faucet and went without one until I could get to another ACE Hardware store along our intended travel route and could return it and get a refund for it and possibly purchase a similar faucet from a different brand.

This I attempted to do at ACE Hardware stores located in Virginia, Chisholm, Warroad, Roseau. Thief River Falls, Detroit Lakes, and Maple Plain, MN without success. In all instances, the reason given me for refusing to allow me to return this defective faucet and be refunded its purchase price to my credit card was that ‘all ACE Hardware stores are independently owned and operated franchisees and store policy is all purchases made at an ACE Hardware store 1) must be returned to that store only and 2) within 30 days’. This is an excessively restrictive and unreasonable return policy and one that is nearly impossible for transient customers such as myself to abide by.

Therefore, I respectfully request that you amend this harmful return policy and make provisions for mobile customers like me to return purchased products without penalty and disincentives to shop at ACE Hardware stores. In the meantime, I will be filing a complaint on this matter with the Better Business Bureau.

Sincerely,

James R. Nelson

514 Aquarius Street

Mission, TX 78572

[protected]@yahoo.com

Attachment