I love the smell of Karma in the afternoon.....

[Bandit]

From the weekend shift at Wally World....

Guy comes in and tells me he bought and returned the $88 air conditioner two weeks ago when we had a heat wave and it ended. (hur! hur!)

Cue Sunday - when it's been hot again for a few days - and buddy is back. He's also not happy we don't have any of the cheap ACs any more and even less happy to be told we're not getting any more this season.

When presented with what we have on the shelf ($250 and up), he was even more unhappy.

At least I kept from laughing until he was out of earshot.

B

[MoonCat]

And that's what happens when customers try to play "rental" in a store like yours.

[Bright_Star]

That always happens at the nearby Wal-Mart. AC's sell out like hotcakes during the Summer & when September rolls around, half of them get returned for the stupidest of reasons. That's a shitty way to "rent" an appliance. They'd be better off going to Rent-a-center or Aarons.

[Skeksin]

AC units are a reuseable investment. In some cases they are necessary. Why on earth would you return it when you are just going to use it again at some point? If you use it consistently and it lasts for at least 5 years that's only $50 a year for the $250 model. I could just about swing that on loose change in the couch.

[Ryooshi]

You can return ac? Ick. Maybe it's just Canada, but when I worked at the orange apron it was illegal to return them. We couldn't even take them back if they were defective, although if it was obviously a manufacturer thing then the managers could exchange it. But otherwise it was a no go for hygienic reasons. They could not be resold, so they could not be returned. If you broke it then you had to call the manufacturer.
I'd actually had a number of battles right after heat waves for this reason, but there was ample signage. And oddly enough I only had to bring a manager in for an irate customer once, but he was a special case.

[ReverendBSB]

On the buying and returning subject, Best Buy has sent off my laptop for repair. I went back to the store to ask about a rental or loaner (after being told at another BB that they do this) and was told no. The geeks squad guy then told me that I should buy a laptop and return it later. I could not believe that an employee would suggest this.

[Gizmo]

On the buying and returning subject, Best Buy has sent off my laptop for repair. I went back to the store to ask about a rental or loaner (after being told at another BB that they do this) and was told no. The geeks squad guy then told me that I should buy a laptop and return it later. I could not believe that an employee would suggest this.

I bet they'd deny it when you tried to return though...

[Pixilated]

How old was this guy -- or where'd he drop in from -- that he didn't realize it's possible to have MORE THAN ONE HEAT WAVE IN A SUMMER?!

[42_42_42]

Reselling a returned AC is a good way to spread Legionnaires' disease around...

[Brojekk]

AC units are a reuseable investment. In some cases they are necessary. Why on earth would you return it when you are just going to use it again at some point? If you use it consistently and it lasts for at least 5 years that's only $50 a year for the $250 model. I could just about swing that on loose change in the couch.

I think they should last more than 5 years. The one I use in my room is a "5 ton" antique clunker made in the 50s. Yet it still works as good as a brand new one.

[EricKei]

AC units are a reuseable investment.

They certainly are here ... We have been known to have AC-worthy weather for extended periods in January >_>

I still don't know why AC in cars is still considered an "option" here. Not getting one is effectively suicide (our seasons have been described as Spring, Summer, Late Summer, and February; note that we generally don't get the pretty color changing leaves...trees here tend to be either Evergreen or "green one day and 'no leaves left' the next"). A teacher in college who hailed from Japan made the most wonderful observation on that front: "Back home in Japan, we have FOUR seasons!"

I think they should last more than 5 years. The one I use in my room is a "5 ton" antique clunker made in the 50s. Yet it still works as good as a brand new one.

It has often been said that things made 50 years ago -- appliances in particular -- still work just fine, while ones made 5 or 10 years ago (even the "same" model and manufacturer) are on the verge of falling apart.

[Bandit]

You can return ac? Ick. Maybe it's just Canada, but when I worked at the orange apron it was illegal to return them..

Well, there's no law against it here - at least until someone kicks the bucket because of something they catch from it.

It's amusing to watch and see the reaction when the SC demands you call around and try to find one and you have to redirect them to Customer Service as the phone in the area can't call out.

B