BlueSky Cycling ,blueskycycling.com/ Paying for Shipping Charges TWICE on a Defective Product? Shame on you, BlueSky Cycling! Huntington Park, California

If an electronics product purchased online is defective when received, should the consumer be responsible for paying for the shipping to send it back? Especially when the consumer already paid initial shipping charges on the product?

This is what online bike retailer BlueSky Cycling (http://www.blueskycycling.com/) is suggesting we do.

As part of the "Satisfaction Guaranteed" policy of most respectable online retailers, free return shipping is a given. ESPECIALLY if the product is defective. But BlueSky Cycling (http://www.blueskycycling.com/) thinks the idea of them paying for the return of a defective product is ludicrous, as outlined in the email exchange below. They say they will refund our return shipping charges only if the product is found to truly be defective. Let's take a guess on what the outcome of their thorough product review will be?

After 48 hours of back and forth emails - us requesting a shipping label to return the product with and BlueSky Cycling skirting around the issue - we received this email (5/11/11 4:24 PM):

START EMAIL QUOTE

Please return the defective product back to our company through USPS mail, and once returned the computer will be inspected. If the computer is defective we will go ahead and reimburse the shipping charges, and product back to your credit card but if the computer is in working condition we would only be able to issue the refund for the product. Please return via USPS mail directly to my attention. USPS mail is the cheapest method of delivery cost shouldnt exceed 3-4.00.

Blueskycycling 2530 Randolph St Huntington Park, Ca 90255

James@ Sigmasport is very knowledgeable about product installation I would suggest speaking with him before returning the product. Most of all returned computers are in working condition there is always an issue when installing the product that makes it seem that the product is defective.

keller@sigmasportusa.com

Thank you

Eddie Blue Sky Cycling International Sales 1-323-585-3934 ext 207 Eddie@blueskycycling.com

END EMAIL QUOTE

Whether the return shipping is $50 or $3, a consumer should not have to pay to return a defective product, after already paying shipping to receive the product in the first place. Also of note: if the product is returned so regularly (as noted in the email) because "there is always an issue when installing the product that makes it seem that the product is defective" shouldn't that be addressed upfront via the installation guide? Again, I ask: BlueSky Cycling say they will refund our return shipping charges only if the product is found to truly be defective. Let's take a guess on what the outcome of their thorough product review will be?

Seems like storm clouds are setting in for old BlueSky Cycling if this is their idea of "customer service".