How do I get my money back from a US based merchant who has refused to refund my money for a returned item?

Question

About a year ago, I purchased an item from a website in the USA and had the item returned to the merchant by the post office due to exorbitant duty charges. After receiving the item back, the merchant has refused to refund my money even though they agreed to do that once the item was received. It has now been a year and no refund yet. What can I do to get my money back? It is the principle that matters to me.

Answer 1

You might find out where the company is physically located and file a complaint with that area's better business bureau, or find a local TV/Radio station that investigates consumer problems. The BBB does investigations and can threaten companies with bad publicity if they don't fulfill their obligations. This doesn't always bother the company. If there is a local media outlet that will tell potentially millions of viewers what a bad company they are though, they may try to avoid that. If you can tell me where the company is (or their name) I might be able to help you find a media outlet. You can contact the BBB via: http://www.bbb.org