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Let's see. I own a store. Let's say a dress store. Mrs. X comes in and purchases a yellow sundress. She does not try it on, in fact it is not for her, it is for her daughter. She does not know the size her daughter wears or even if she likes this particular shade of yellow.

"I just don't know." Mrs X says to the saleswoman. "It is kind of a bright bright yellow. It may make my Sally look sickly rather than sprightly.'

The saleslady does not bat an eyelash.

"That's alright." Take it home, have her try it on and decide if it is what she wants."

Mrs X. is somewhat naive.

"And if I do and she does not want it, then I'm stuck with it, right?"

"No. Absolutely not. Just bring it back and we'll refund your money."

"What? You mean I can bring it back and you will refund my money even though the fault is mine that I don't want it?"

"Well of course you may. We sold you a dress that it turns out you don't want. It may not be our fault but we want to keep you as a customer. We want to stay in business."

Mrs. X leaves the store beaming. And returns with the dress 2 days later. And leaves the store beaming again, the return accepted receipt in her hand.

Now let's take it in a different direction.

"Mrs. Y, you're back. You seemed so happy with your purchase when you left the store."

"Well I am not happy now. Look at this." She takes the dress out of the bag and points to a small hole in the fabric, so tiny it is barely noticeable.

"Oh No. I'm so sorry. We will take it right back and you can get another dress or a refund."

Some businesses go a step further.

"I'm so sorry. Let me give you a coupon for an additional $5.00 off."

That is what happens for a $20, $30, $40 dress.

The money came out of our pocket. It was hard earned and the store or its parent company acknowledges and respects the sacrifice, albeit maybe small, that we made to purchase the item. They also want to keep our patronage and will bend over backwards as much as possible to do so.

Why is this model not the one followed by contractors and the government?

I have never heard, although hopefully there have been some cases, where the government asked for a full or partial refund for a poorly built or non working boat, or plane, or electrical equipment, and so before, during, or after delivery.

Why does the government allow contractors such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin, to name 2, to keep money for products that did not meet the specifications under the contracts signed?

One reason for contracts is to assure that both sides understand what the penalties will be if the promises made are not kept.

The money paid for these nonworking, unusable and sometimes downright dangerous vessels, in the case of a boat, comes out of my pocket, and yours and yours and yours.

If I can get my money back when I merely don't like the look of a dress, why should I not be able to do the same when the price tag is in the millions and the product unseaworthy?

Learn more about this author, Carol Levy.
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