A poll of almost 49,000 car shoppers conducted by US used car group and franchise dealer CarMax, Inc. on the company's web site shows that 78% of car buyers wished they could return a car within the first few days of buying it. Only 22% of respondents had never experienced 'buyer's remorse'.

Some may find the survey alarming in relation to the EU's proposed Distance Selling Regulations, which include rights for buyers to return goods when contracts for sale have been concluded online, via direct mail or telephone – rights which have not hitherto been applied to car sales.

CarMax's survey makes a promotional point about the company's own sales policy. Unlike most conventional dealerships, CarMax offers a five-day, or 250-mile, no-questions-asked, money-back guarantee. Traditional US dealer policies overwhelmingly vary from no money-back or exchange policies at all to policies that only allow an exchange.

CarMax currently operates 48 used car superstores and 12 new car franchises, all of which are integrated with or adjacent to its used car superstores. During the twelve months ended November 30 last year, the company sold 216,230 used cars. www.carmax.com.