Buy and Switch?

[cracker]

WalMart, KMart, Target and other big stores don't just scan the UPC when there is an electronic returned or exchanged with receipt. They first scan the UPC and then scan the SN that shows through the little cutout in the back of the box. You can however take it in w/o a receipt and get a gift card, buy a new one. Or you could do an old switcharoo trick that I thought up... Take the thing you want to exchange, buy another of the same, open the box carefully so you can close it again w/o it looking that it has been opened, swap the backs to get the serial numbers exchanged, put the old one back into the new box and glue up the seam you opened, etc making it look as legit as possible then return it to the store. BTW that was just theoretical of course.. not like I've ever done it.