Walmart Battery Core Charge

[artbuc]

My 4-1/2 yo battery went dead yesterday. Bought new Maxx (EP Deka). Today returned old battery to claim $12 core charge. They tested old battery and said it was good so core charge was not refundable. I talked to manager and she agreed to refund core charge.

What a stupid policy. I can see testing on a warranty claim but what about many people who preemptively replace batteries at some interval, say 4 years.

 

[Urshurak776]

My 4-1/2 yo battery went dead yesterday. Bought new Maxx (EP Deka). Today returned old battery to claim $12 core charge. They tested old battery and said it was good so core charge was not refundable. I talked to manager and she agreed to refund core charge.

What a stupid policy. I can see testing on a warranty claim but what about many people who preemptively replace batteries at some interval, say 4 years.

If battery went dead, how is it good? That's messed up....glad they refunded you, but it shouldn't matter if you bought a new battery.

 

[TheOilWizard]

That does sound wrong. Sometimes what the employees claim to be policy is not actually true.

I'll bet someone here brings up the official Walmart policy that disproves what you were told.

Or you could call Walmart corporate if you're that interested.

 

[eljefino]

I think an employee was trying to scam you into abandoning the battery, so they could claim the core for themselves. Good on you for sticking to your guns.

 

[Tdbo]

Why would they test a core?
I went into a WM a couple of weeks ago to buy a Marine/RV battery.
Checked out with new battery and core in cart.
I asked where to put the core I had with me.
They pointed to a cart.
Placed core in said cart.
Done. Out the door.

 

[artbuc]

I was polite but refused to accept their no refund policy. Employee asked if I wanted to talk with manager and I said yes. Finally came over and I explained what happened. She said it was store policy but she would credit core charge anyway.

I may call corporate out of curiosity.

 

[bullwinkle]

That's messed up... I never heard of "testing" a core! Maybe they need some of my treatment, taking in a tiny lawn motor or powersport battery as a core on a 1000 CCA truck battery!

 

[Klutch9]

Walmart's policy with cores is so frustrating, I may just keep the old battery next time if I buy another one from them. I bought a Platinum AGM from them back in October. Purchased it online (online only item), brought the old battery back to my nearest store's auto service desk. At first, they claim I wasn't charged a core charge. I show them the invoice that clearly states I was, so then they try to find a way to refund me. 20 minutes or so later, and with a manager's help, they still could not figure it out. They recommended I go to the customer service desk. I declined, as I'm sure they wouldn't know any more than the auto department. Eventually, they just gave me my core charge back on a gift card, which was fine. Huge pain.

 

[Kira]

Seven days ago I purchased "the wrong battery" at Walmart.
I selected an AGM when I wanted a lead-acid. My mistake.
I returned to the store within an hour. No problem occurred nor was one expected as I was recognized by the 'senior employee' who helped me with the purchase. This employee bounced between the self-service checkouts and the customer service desk.

The return was straightforward and clear....once I waited on line at customer service.
There were people returning items purchased in the distant past.
There were people raising their voices about money orders failing to go through; from what I could discern.
There was a party of 3 whose situation was static...so they stood there taking up a slot.
It was a clown act.

Bringing the core battery with me in the first place is the only way I'd ever buy at Walmart again.
However, doing so that time would've presented a problem as I had to return my errant purchase.

 

[kschachn]

Why would they test a core?
I went into a WM a couple of weeks ago to buy a Marine/RV battery.
Checked out with new battery and core in cart.
I asked where to put the core I had with me.
They pointed to a cart.
Placed core in said cart.
Done. Out the door.

They don’t. You return it to the generic customer service desk and the lady or guy there has no battery tester.

I just bought two new batteries at Walmart, one for the Tiguan and one for the Sienna. They just take the cores back.

 

[y_p_w]

Sounds bizarre. The whole reason of the core charge is to get a battery recycled that's likely depleted. But there's no requirement that it be depleted.

I do remember getting a battery replaced under warranty at Costco. It was pretty old but I had maybe 15% of the original purchase price refunded. And they looked up that I never returned a battery and they refunded the previous core charge even though it was years ago.

Could be worse though. Once I ordered a battery for pickup at Lowe's. Was definitely charged for the core, but when I brought it back for the core fee I was told they had no means to accept a used battery. Totally in violation of state law though, which requires that any retailer selling a battery must accept used batteries for the core fee. But I'm thinking they sell so few batteries that they weren't set up for it. I do remember an assistant manager pleading for me to not just leave it in the parking lot. Eventually I contacted Lowe's corporate, which then contacted the store manager who manually refunded the fee and said I could find a place to get it recycled (not a problem).

 

[Fitter30]

Purchase 6 batteries never had a problem. The only time i had them load check my tractors battery wanted to make sure it was bad.

 

[Carmudgeon]

Walmart's policy with cores is so frustrating, I may just keep the old battery next time if I buy another one from them. I bought a Platinum AGM from them back in October. Purchased it online (online only item), brought the old battery back to my nearest store's auto service desk. At first, they claim I wasn't charged a core charge. I show them the invoice that clearly states I was, so then they try to find a way to refund me. 20 minutes or so later, and with a manager's help, they still could not figure it out. They recommended I go to the customer service desk. I declined, as I'm sure they wouldn't know any more than the auto department. Eventually, they just gave me my core charge back on a gift card, which was fine. Huge pain.

Parse though the Walmart website's battery reviews and you'll find that you're not alone.

Whatever internal process is used to refund the core charge for online battery purchases is either not well known to many employees, too complicated, or perhaps both.

Those situations, as well as the OP's experience clearly show where the weaknesses lie.

 

[VersatileGuy]

This maybe is a local policy. My Walmart allows a full return of batteries if it looks fresh within 90 days. Haven't tried returning a core though.

 

[Hall]

Return battery cores or do battery warranty exchanges at stores that do not have a tire and lube center.

 

[Tdbo]

They don’t. You return it to the generic customer service desk and the lady or guy there has no battery tester.

My point exactly.
Why would they care?
They got their core and the money for the new battery.

 

[Hall]

This maybe is a local policy

If you mean a local Walmart policy, no, there's no such thing. Things would only be different if there were local or state laws that are applicable.

 

[TheOilWizard]

I think an employee was trying to scam you into abandoning the battery, so they could claim the core for themselves. Good on you for sticking to your guns.

There’s a saying I’ve heard before, something like, don’t assume malice when incompetence is to blame. You could be right, but I’d lean more towards an employee not knowing what they’re talking about.

 

[Hall]

I think an employee was trying to scam you into abandoning the battery, so they could claim the core for themselves.

Very, very unlikely. Employees (at almost all stores) aren't allowed to do their own transactions (sales, returns, exchanges) so they'd have to have someone else do it for them. Those same co-workers were likely standing there when the OP carried the old battery in too.

 

[VersatileGuy]

If you mean a local Walmart policy, no, there's no such thing. Things would only be different if there were local or state laws that are applicable.

The discretion of the manager. There's the company wide policy, then the manager can apparently refuse up to a point based on said discretion.