Acceptable to ask seller for option to return a component?

stereo5 gives an example of why it is dangerous to accept returns. Yet another example of the 1%, probably 2% now, that ruin things for everyone. Over the last 25 years, I have had a few buyers want to return vacuum tubes because they didnt like the sound. 

You can ask, but most likely they will say no.

Many have a return policy with a 15% restocking fee 

Do your homework before you buy.  If you don't like it, resell it at little to no loss.

…….I guess there are people with no shame . There is a big difference between a product that was sold that was broken, not as described and the buyer just not liking the sound . It had already been noted that if the product is defective the buyer if using Pay-Pal will have some protection. Please make sure that you have kept all documentation and the seller should go above and beyond to show that when the product was in good working condition as sold as described . I am responding to this thread as I once sold a high end Siltech interconnect to a buyer here who 2 months later said the cable was defective . The burden of proof as the seller was on me ! We are talking a high 4 figure cable and I had to present my case to Pay-Pal that the cable was in fact not damaged but in fact in fine working condition involving a buyer that “ just didn’t like the sound “ . The dispute after many months was ruled in my favor . My answer would be no as there are that 1-2 % that are truly dishonest here . Go do your homework and build a relationship with the seller before you buy ……now if Audiogon would only let you contact each other and not get flagged would be a great step for forward for all to possibly avoid this situation from happening .

Absolutely yes.  I ask all the time and rarely get a no as an answer.  Heck, I even asked if I could return a dog once as I wasn’t sure she would play well with the other dogs and a cat we had at the time.

All the best.