“Ubiq: NO seller allows that (to purchase a product with the advance intention to use it and then return it.)”
Then what is the hava amina that you could?
This discussion is absurd. Ask the seller. IF they dont let then you cant if they do then you can.
You have to ask
As I mentioned earlier The one time I asked the question The seller expressed surprise, of course they let .
Most of the time either 1) the buyer likes it , forget to return it, damages it or loses receipt (latter wouldnt be relevant online) in which case hurray they made a sale
wooooooorst case it is returned in original condition in which case loss is minimal (just repackaging whcih is less than the profit on the sale) and they sell it to someone else .
Obviously not all sellers would agree with the above, you have to ask and certainly none would want everybody to do this (see reply to GH below)
syag
“The “other side” is saying that the returns are in place to encourage sales for people who made a purchase that didnt work out.”
There is no other side. A seller is not obligated to accept returns. Once a sale is done it is done. The seller can opt to allow returns. The seller can allow all returns for any reason or restrict returns for certain reasons or to certain people or certain days . If the seller only allows returns from people named Gimpel it is stealing to claim your name is Gimpel and you can return. If the seller allows returns for any reason it is not stealing to return for any reason
“So you disagree saying you’ve had that conversation with sellers”
It was one seller, I’m not saying all sellers agree with that. I’m saying you have to ask the seller. “Hi I purchased this product because I needed it for xyz, now I don’t need it anymore, can I return it”
If they say yes then you can, if not not. I cannot fathom how there is any disagreement on this. Amazon has a contact seller link. ASK THEM not the coffee room.
GH
“but exploiting that policy to use something without payment is not how some of us believe a Jew should behave. ”
This is obviously true but the question was “is it muttar” not is there a lemalah mi meshuras hadin not to do this.
The answer to the question is it muttar is simply: It is up to the seller