At a time when shopping is big as well as returning items, we find items that don’t work or live up to our expectations. Rather than just complain, do something about it. It might surprise you. I bought two items that came with a pen and the pen didn’t work on either. I wrote the company about it and the company promptly sent me replacements.

In another situation, my Microsoft mouse stopped working. Microsoft’s customer service was easy to reach and will send a replacement as soon as it’s in stock. On the flip side, I contacted Logitech support to ask questions and it was one of the longest, most tortuous support calls.

The Dallas Morning News had an article on the topic and how to best go about product problems. The article included an interview with Tim Duffy, a consumer evangelist who says he’s not a fan of sites like Planet Feedback (planetfeedback.com).

When something breaks or doesn’t work right, here are the steps that work well for me:

1. If the problem occurs within days after buying the item, return it to the store and exchange it or get a refund.

2. If the problem occurs past the return date, go to the company’s Web site and search for information on the problem.

3. If the Web site doesn’t have the answers, search the Internet for resolutions. This works more than you might think.

4. Call the company if you make it this far. It might lead to a replacement, repair, or some other solution.

5. Let others know about your experience by posting reviews on Amazon, forums, or wherever you like to share your thoughts.

Here are the sites referenced in the article.

* thesqueakywheel.com

* consumervoiceusa.com

* mywoes.com

* complainbook.com

Meryl K. Evans is the Content Maven behind meryl's notes, eNewsletter Journal, and The Remediator Security Digest. She is also a PC Today columnist and a tour guide at InformIT. She is geared to tackle your editing, writing, content, and process needs. The native Texan resides in Plano, Texas, a heartbeat north of Dallas, and doesn't wear a 10-gallon hat or cowboy boots.

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