Recently we received an inquiry which we referred to the BC Ombudsperson. We thought providing some information about this organization would be helpful to our blog readers.

“What’s your return and refund policy” is a question you should always ask before paying for your purchase at a store.  Retail sales aren’t bound by law to provide mandatory returns or refunds. There are dozens of different return policies that can exist at stores and in order to be a savvy consumer, asking that one question can save you a lot of frustration if you decide that outfit you splurged on last week really isn’t as amazing as you thought.

Whether its for $5 or $500, gift cards make great little stocking stuffers and are the perfect gift for those hard to buy folks.  In British Columbia, since 2008,  gift cards for a monetary value are not allowed to have an expiry date.  There are exceptions for when a gift card can have an expiry date however, such as for a specific good like a hair cut or for a mall card, where the card is good at more than one store.  If you are planning on giving a gift card this year, keep reading to see more information and tips we have about gift cards!

Our Inquiry team often receives calls from consumers who have just purchased a car from a BC dealership. The most common question we are asked is whether or not they can return the car if they are not satisfied. Often consumers think there is a grace period where they can return the car but this is not the case.  Once you purchase the car, most often you can’t return it.