Onvia-- CLICK

Placed in a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) format, Onvias return policy is very well written. Its short, simple, and addresses the different instances that would arise if you needed to return something.

Outpost-- CLUNK

Theirs had the potential to be a great return policy until I saw this at the top:

Refunds cannot be given on camcorders or radar detectors

Why is that there? Why is it the first thing mentioned in the return policy? Why is there absolutely no explanation for this one exception?

If youre not interested in camcorders or radar detectors, Outposts return policy is reasonably solid. Although it would have been nice to see the company take Onvias approach and introduce a table of contents at the top of the page. That way, you know early on whether you should take the time to scroll down, or click back. Its not that what theyve done is necessarily wrong. Its just that a couple of simple tweaks could make huge improvements to the user interface. Currently, theyve got a few too many conditions and alternatives, and this makes things a tad confusing.

And what was Daves number rule of Web commerce?

Blockbuster-- CLUNK

Pathetic. The return policy is hidden as the very last question in the sites Frequently Asked Questions. The only way youll know it exists is by scrolling to the end of the page. Theres absolutely no table of contents to help you find it. I dont even know if they ever got around to finishing it. Theres no mention that you need to include a receipt to return videos. Guess I can just return any video Ive got. Thanks Blockbuster. Ive got tons of movies I dont want anymore.

Best Buy-- CLUNK

Theyve got different return policies for buying online, through a catalog, and at their store. If thats not ludicrous enough, heres a move that just landed from Planet Stupid: You cant return online purchases at real-world stores. Leverage your brick-and-mortar advantage, you twits. Dont think thats important? Then why dont you just shoot yourselves in the foot? It might be less painful than the loss youre taking in sales.

I havent actually had to return anything to any of these sites, so Im not sure if any of them practice what they preach. But in my cursory return-policy journey, it was nice to see that the restocking fee might be going the way of the hula hoop. It was a bad idea to start with, and Im glad it never took flight.