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       One of the most frustrating things in life is to purchase an item, especially a big-ticket item, only to take it home and find out that it doesn’t work. The first though on your mind is that you will have to find with the merchant to either get your money back and a replacement. Even worse is the aggravation of having to pack it up and return it to the place where you bought it. It’s somewhat easier if you bought it at a local store where you can return it for full credit or replacement, but for those times when the store policy is “store credit only,” it can be equally frustrating.
What is the solution to this dilemma? If you have a credit card that offers a buyer protection plan as some do, your problem is solved. You return the item to the store or merchant where it was purchased, and the credit card issuer credits your account for the original purchase price. Of course, the stipulation is that you charged the original purchase to your credit card. Even if all of your credit cards have a buyer protection plan, if you paid for your purchase with cash or check instead of your credit card, it is beyond the jurisdiction of the credit card issuer.

It’s important to remember that not every credit card company offers a buyer protection plan, but if they do, it is included with the list of benefits that the card offers. If this service is something that is important to you, which it should be if you make frequent purchases of products that may be subject to problems during shipment such as electronics, be sure you research the card issuer before you apply for the card if they have buyer protection insurance.

Be certain to keep in mind that there are a great many credit card issuers who offer buyer protection insurance, so simply because the first two or three you see do not offer it, do not assume that it’s the industry standard. It may require searching a little further or even contacting some of the credit card issuers to find out which of their programs include this very important feature. By taking a little extra time, you will find the features you want in a credit card, including a buyer protection insurance plan.