All too often, unsuspecting consumers review the terms of service and ignore one glaring policy: "no refunds." In the end, the decisive consumer is the one who gets burned by this unfriendly customer service guideline. While many merchants use  this policy to avoid charge-backs, others abuse it by neglecting to deliver the products or services.

The problem is who would ever think that a company would process one's credit card, and then not provide the goods? They're called illicit businesses. As a result, consumers should exercise the right to avoid e-commerce sites, who have this policy. While most of us understand why clearance items, downloadable movies and music are non-negotiable, other products don't cut the grade. But for those tangible products, such as clothes, households, jewelry, et cetera, a company unwilling to extend a refund is an indication of an organization with unsavory consumer tendencies.

Moral of the consumer story: Always read the terms of service. If the company has a no-refund policy, re-evaluate whether your purchase is worth the potential headache or risk of not getting your money back. In the end, most no refund policies mean purchase at your own risk. 

Holly Bentz (c) 2008 fruitionmedia.net