Returning a registered seat?

Minnesota

CPST Instructor
So um, hypothetically speaking :whistle: ... let's say you bought a new seat and immediately filled out the registration card and mailed it away like they tell you to do. THEN you tried to install the seat in your vehicle and decided that you may want to return it.

Has anyone ever done this? Is it a problem?
 
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ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
Where did you buy it? What is their return policy? If it needs to be "in original packaging" or "in new condition" then I'd say you're out of luck.
 

Minnesota

CPST Instructor
I bought it online at Target, and their policy allows returns to my local store. I still have the box and everything else, but dangit I shouldn't have been so quick with that registration card!
 

Minnesota

CPST Instructor
Yeah, you're right, I'm SOL on the Target return. Their policy states:

Items must be returned within 90 days and must be in new and unused condition and contain all original packaging and accessories.

But it looks like my sister is going to buy it from me because I got a decent deal on it, and I can try something else. You can bet I won't be so quick taking the card off this time! :doh:
 

cookie123

New member
I usually register the seat online if possible. Well, live and learn, as they say. I hope your sister takes it off your hands. That would be convenient.
 

mamakc

Active member
Ummm.... I've done that like, 3 times. :-D But I registered online. If I don't do it RIGHT then, I forget. Never had a problem returning it.
 

Minnesota

CPST Instructor
This is actually making me rethink how I do things at car seat clinics.

When parents come in with a brand new seat, right out of the box, we usually pull the card and have them start filling it out while we're filling out our forms on how the seat arrived/DOM/model#, etc. That's before we've even attempted the install. I'm not going to do that any more, I'll leave the card on until I know it's compatible with the car and the child.

Learning from my mistakes, I suppose. I'm glad it happened with my own seat instead of a parent's coming through a clinic. That would be :eek:
 

Minnesota

CPST Instructor
Ummm.... I've done that like, 3 times. :-D But I registered online. If I don't do it RIGHT then, I forget. Never had a problem returning it.

But you hadn't taken the card off? That's my issue. I'm livin' and learnin'!
 

TechnoGranola

Forum Ambassador
mamakc said:
Ummm.... I've done that like, 3 times. :-D But I registered online. If I don't do it RIGHT then, I forget. Never had a problem returning it.

I don't think it's the missing card that's the main issue, but rather the fact that the seat is now registered to someone else if someone new should buy it. It has potential to cause issues with recall notification and warranty.

Sent from my iPhone using Car-Seat.Org
 

Minnesota

CPST Instructor
I don't think it's the missing card that's the main issue, but rather the fact that the seat is now registered to someone else if someone new should buy it. It has potential to cause issues with recall notification and warranty.

Sent from my iPhone using Car-Seat.Org

This was my initial concern, until I ran up against the problem that Target won't take it back anyway without every little scrap of paper that came with it.

I would think that if the card was still there, the new owner could send it in, and that would overwrite any previous information for that particular seat. But I may be mistaken about that.
 

amyd

New member
The last time I registered a seat online, the site (Graco) only asked for model number and DOM, not serial number. So as long as the new owner registered the seat as well, Graco would just think that you both had the same seat manufactured the same day and you'd both get the recall info.
 

momtoo3

Well-known member
I had to return a Triumph65 to Target a few weeks ago that had broken foam. The girl peeked in the box saw the seat matched the picture and that was it. She didn't look for the manual, registration or Evenflo tags. As I type the registration is in front of me on my computer desk. I hope they sent it back to evenflo and did not resell it. I had to return a different seat at Walmart last year and the girl did not even look in the box which I had clearly opened. In my experience those kind of stores won't check just specialty stores.
 

lovemybabies924

New member
I had to return a Triumph65 to Target a few weeks ago that had broken foam. The girl peeked in the box saw the seat matched the picture and that was it. She didn't look for the manual, registration or Evenflo tags. As I type the registration is in front of me on my computer desk. I hope they sent it back to evenflo and did not resell it. I had to return a different seat at Walmart last year and the girl did not even look in the box which I had clearly opened. In my experience those kind of stores won't check just specialty stores.

i used to work at target and i dont think they really care about the registration card...it just sucks for the person who gets it..but they would get it on sale..so hopefully they would know to register online :) but it would be best if your sister (was it sister?) buys it off ya :thumbsup:
 

crunchierthanthou

New member
I had to return a Triumph65 to Target a few weeks ago that had broken foam. The girl peeked in the box saw the seat matched the picture and that was it. She didn't look for the manual, registration or Evenflo tags. As I type the registration is in front of me on my computer desk. I hope they sent it back to evenflo and did not resell it. I had to return a different seat at Walmart last year and the girl did not even look in the box which I had clearly opened. In my experience those kind of stores won't check just specialty stores.

yeah, but that was a defective item, not something they could still sell as new.

I never register my seats unless I need to take advantage of the warranty. :eek: I figure I'll see any recall or advisory, and that was I can still sell it as unregistered if I decide not to keep it. Plus, the warranty starts from when they receive your info. I bought a couple months once by not having registered it asap. :whistle:
 

Athena

Well-known member
This is actually making me rethink how I do things at car seat clinics.

When parents come in with a brand new seat, right out of the box, we usually pull the card and have them start filling it out while we're filling out our forms on how the seat arrived/DOM/model#, etc. That's before we've even attempted the install. I'm not going to do that any more, I'll leave the card on until I know it's compatible with the car and the child.

Learning from my mistakes, I suppose. I'm glad it happened with my own seat instead of a parent's coming through a clinic. That would be :eek:

Once I brought a new seat in the packaging and specifically said I had concerns about the fit and was not fully decided about whether to keep it. Before I knew it, the guy had already taken off the card and the bag was already in their trash (and I wanted to keep the bag for storage either way). I was :mad:. Luckily, I kept the seat. Mine was not the same situation as someone coming in and not saying that of course, but I think your new thoughts on how to do it is a great idea in general. I know I would appreciate it. :)
 

Minnesota

CPST Instructor
You know what? I called my local Target just to clarify their policy, and the gal I talked to said that I could return it no problem.

I explained about the importance of the registration card, and that it was already registered to me, and she said that it doesn't matter because they don't ever sell returned car seats in store unless they are in their factory sealed boxes. She said that when they've been opened, they get returned to the manufacturer. I don't even know if that's true because I swear I've seen open box car seats that looked like returns there before. :confused:

Anyway, I thought that was interesting, and I have no idea if that's a corporate policy, or just this person's understanding of what my local store does. I don't know if I'll even attempt to return it, because if my sister wants it I'll just go that route and skip the hassle.
 

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