Return the old for something new

[JLG]

I get so many bad returns everyday. I HAVE to return any item with a tag and receipt regardless of the condition. This lady comes in the other day with her teenage son and wants to return over $100 in t-shirts and shorts. The tags were not attached but she did have a receipt and I was able to match up the tags with the clothing items. The service desk person is doing the return and I am watching the front end and I hear him ask the customer if they wrote on the clothing. They both said no and he finished the return and I walked over to take a look at the clothes again and all of them had a first initial and last name written with a black marker on the inside collar and waist of the shorts. I am thinking that this kid went to camp for the summer and wrote his name on his clothes and his mom decided to return them for school clothes now. What a great thing to teach your kid lady. Even if I had noticed that writing I still would have had to return them. My manager never says no to a customer. She is afraid of customer complaints

[mattm04]

This is why I believe that stores should have return polices make make it much harder for the customer to scam the store. Our store's policy is essentially "if you find the product unsatisfactory return it to the store where you got it with the receipt and exchange it or get you money back." Customers will return meat they left out of the fridge for a few days, milk they forgot about, one lady returned a kettle of baked beans that she left on the store and turned into a charcoal like substance. The policy says we have to give them their money back. Corp does it because they don't want to appear "unfriendly" to the customer, but the honest customers end up paying more because of the scams. If i had to write the policy it would say:

• perishable items must be returned with in 1 week of purchase and can be exchanged for exact item only.
• Seasonal merchandise can not be returned unless defective and for exchange only. If no items are available to replace it store credit will be issued.
• No cash refunds without receipt. No receipt returns will be given store credit, minus a restocking fee.
• Non-perishable items may be returned with a receipt for cash refunds or exchanges if resealable.
• Management reserves the right to deny returns.

This would not hurt the honest customers and the only people who would be unhappy would be the scamers.

[BookstoreEscapee]

I hate hearing that. BN's policy is that items returned must be in saleable condition. Most people didn't argue (too much) when I told them I couldn't take something back. Of course, if they bitched enough we'd end up doing it and just damage it out, but at least we made an effort to keep the crap from coming back in. The only time I would take something that was clearly read was if it was defective...I've occasionally taken back beat up books that have been nearly finished being read when the person discovered that pages 326 through 332 were missing or some other clear printing error. Then we'd just exchange it...because I've never had one of those come back and try to get anything other than an exchange so they can find out how it ends

[It's me]

Even Wal-Mart is putting restrictions on returns.... here in Canada (I am near Toronto) the policy is 90 days, with receipt.

I must say though that lenient policies have worked in my favour though

I am doing some home renovation, and ended up with a good collection of stuff I had bought, but didn't use (changed my mind about a style, wasn't sure what parts I would need before I started taking the plumbing apart, etc.)

When I took my collection to the home centre (Rona) the clerk sorted through my reciepts and told me that several of them were too old, so she could not refund my money for those. I was okay with that, I knew I should have done the returns sooner. Then she said, "so all I can do is give you a store credit." Well as far as I was concerned, that was just as good -- I took my $50 credit, went shopping, and walked out with $200 worth of stuff. So the store did okay too, I guess.

[Chained to the counter]

My stores return policy is anything that is frozen or refridgerated can't be returned after it's left the store unless it's off or something like that, not if you just change your mind, it's for health issues.

The same goes for cosmetics, once you buy it it's yours.

[Seshat]

I'm always content with a returns policy which amounts to 'if it's defective, we'll take it back. Otherwise, it's yours'.

That's all I want. Anything else is a bonus. I just don't understand people who think they're 'entitled' to anything more.

[Catwoman2965]

My store will take anything back, any time, with or without receipt or tickets on the clothes. And the customers know this too...heard about this one last night.

Lady had gastric bypass surgery, and lost quite a bit of weight. So she goes through her closet, gets all the clothes she WORE when she was heavier, had them dry cleaned, and returned them!!!! AND WE HAD TO TAKE THEM BACK!

Absolutely amazing. I could see if they were new, unworn, with tickets, even without receipts....and she couldn't wear them anymore as they were too big, but to just go through your closet, and because you are a smaller size, think you can return stuff? amazing. I do a closet purge a couple of times a year, and yes, I am guility of returning things to my own store, but only unworn, with tickets, and I also have the receipts...

[cinema guy]

Anything else is a bonus. I just don't understand people who think they're 'entitled' to anything more.

Because certain stores offer such a service as a bonus, customers start to expect every store to offer it.

Once you offer something out of goodwill, customers start to expect it every time. If one of our custimers spills a drink or popcorn, we offer a free replacement, but some customers know this and so expect it even if their child was running around with a full cup in both hands (ie spilled through stupidity rather than accident).

[Naaman]

That's all I want. Anything else is a bonus. I just don't understand people who think they're 'entitled' to anything more.

"But it's the laaaaawwwwwwwww!!"

[Ree]

"But it's the laaaaawwwwwwwww!!"

No, it's n-o-o-o-o-t!!!

Stores are not obligated by law to accept returns on ANYTHING, unless it's defective, and even then, if the manufacturer has a policy stating that the item is repair only, or has to be returned directly to them, the store is not obligated to take it back, at all.

Man, I really wish there was a way to get that message out there to people.

All of these managers, who are accepting these types of returns, are shooting themselves in the foot, and driving up costs for consumers.
They may save face with their customers, but when their accountant starts showing them that it's costing them money to keep those customers happy, they will wish they had been a little smarter.

[Rapscallion]

One of the reasons that the UK has a higher cost of living is that the contract when buying something is between the customer and the retailer, and therefore the retailer is liable and has to do all the work of contacting the supplier etc.

Rapscallion

[earl colby pottinger]

Computer Game Software

One area where sucky customers have a real problem is computer software.

Since most software can be broken and copied our store would not take returns on software packages that were openned. You could claim a bad copy and get it replaced with the same software but never a different one. A few people would get it for the wrong machine (ie they owned an Atari and someone bought them the C64 version).

But basicily no returns.

The first two weeks after Christmas was always a mess as sucky customers always wanted to return games they finished. But we would have gone broke if we did that.

[Becks]

My manager never says no to a customer. She is afraid of customer complaints

That's a shame. Customer complaints are part of the job.

My stores return policy is anything that is frozen or refridgerated can't be returned after it's left the store unless it's off or something like that, not if you just change your mind, it's for health issues.

The same goes for cosmetics, once you buy it it's yours.

At the store I work at, you can return just about anything as long as it's within thirty days of purchase and you have the reciept.

Perishable foods get a "Do Not Return To Stock" sticker* and get damaged or shrinked out.

Just the other day I returned some unopened makeup I had recently bought. No questions asked.

*Did I ever post about the time I found something with the "DNRTS" sticker on it in one of the freezers?

[Naaman]

No, it's n-o-o-o-o-t!!!

Forgot to add my [CS] tags - sorry

[Ree]

Forgot to add my [CS] tags - sorry

Hey, I knew you were quoting the customer, and it wasn't your own personal opinion.

Sorry for the misunderstanding.