You Break it, You Bought it - NOT!

[Misty]

Remember when "You break it, you bought it" actually meant something, back when companies used to enforce their policies?

At the yogurt shop where I work, if a customer drops their yogurt and asks for a replacement, two out of three times they don't offer to pay for it. Although management has told us to replace yogurts for free, it's not exactly common knowledge, so it's safe to say the customers don't know that. What bugs me is their sense of entitlement; they make a mistake and then expect someone else to pay for it.

My cousin's 3-year-old was once acting up in a toy store, and the manager was nice (stupid?) enough to give her a toy to play with to keep her occupied. The kid then dropped the toy and it broke. Now, what do you think my cousin did?

A) Apologized and offered to pay for the toy
B) Had her child apologize and insisted on paying for the toy
C) Shrugged her shoulders and put the toy back on the shelf

And the answer is...well, do I really have to say it?

I know that accidents happen, but whatever happened to accountability? Personal responsibility? Cleaning up your own mess? Making your own bed and lying in it? Paying the piper? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

[Moosenogger]

When it comes to food, I can understand giving a free refill or replacement on the first accident. Stuff happens, and if the customer didn't get to enjoy what they paid for due to an accident, then it's fine to give them a replacement. However, there's always a line in the sand when it comes to free refills/replacements. If the customer is dropping items because they're being an all around pain in the ass (tossing stuff around, acting obnoxious, etc.) then I can understand making them pay for another food item.

As for toys and similar objects, if it's mass produced (like most stuff in retail) and the item was broken due to an accident, then the company isn't losing out by sending it back to the manufacturer. Again, there's a line that can be crossed. If a customer is using an object in a way that it's bound to be broken or cause some form of accident, then that customer has to pay the doofus tax and buy the broken item.

[Pharm Girl]

Doofus tax! I like that!

[cashierbex]

Well, the very least, apologize. Not just ignore what happened. The kid needs to learn to take care of things and be responsible if stuff happens.

[Slayer]

I would have done A, but very loosely, since I wasn't the one to give the toy to the kid; the manager did. If that makes sense? Toys do break, but if it breaks after just being dropped, then it's not a toy for a 3 year old at all.

I work in a gift shop and things do get broken. If I'm able to see it, then either I tell them to pay for it or they offer (50/50). If I don't see it, then no one tells me, I just end up finding it on the shelf. If it's a [store name] item, then I can have it credited; otherwise, garbage.

[Marszenka]

I used to work in an Irishy gift shop that sold Waterford crystal (I had to clean it, too. Gah that was scary). I was there for almost four years, and amazingly things didn't break as often as you'd think they would in a crowded theme park, maybe three or four things a year. Even more amazingly, I can't remember a guilty customer not apologizing.

Of course, they always got really scared. Waterford is really nice and really not cheap, so if you've broken a $300 piece of crystal, I guess it's a natural instinct. Most people really seemed sincere about it, though. The only clue I had that people didn't apologize was that I was told "generally we don't make them pay for broken crystal, unless they were horsing around in the first place or they don't apologize."

Sounded fair to me!

[barainga]

Had a guy call in wanting a free iphone replacement when they first came out. He got home and dropped his on the kitchen floor the same day he bought it.

Yeah... he didnt get it.

[fireheart]

I remember accidentally knocking over a bottle of nail polish when I was in a place that sells affordable makeup.

I apologised profusely and offered to pay for it, given it wasn't that much.

The shop assistants looked at me like I was nuts.

[Enjis]

I used to wonder if it was a law that if you broke it, you have to pay for it...like all the signs posted in stores say. I found out that if stores keep items out in the open, where it can be touched by the public, then it is the store's responsibility if the item was broken during a normal business day. (this is not the case with actual vandalism, but only for obvious accidents, like a stroller knocking into a display, etc.)
So, the old 'you break it, you bought it' cannot be legally enforced by the shop.

[dragon_wings]

Shit. I've broken a number of things at my job. Including a bottle of nail polish and a few weeks ago a picture frame.
Once last spring or summer a former coworker and I were playing with some batons (swinging them around, just generally goofing off) when not helping customers. He broke the one he was playing with.
Mostly the items get damaged out. Management knows that shit will get broken. Sometimes we'll receive merchandise that's been broken during transit. Detergent, body wash, and lotion are fun when busted. Not.

[Food Lady]

I usually break equipment. I'm not allowed to clean glass-encased displays anymore.

[Slayer]

I used to wonder if it was a law that if you broke it, you have to pay for it...like all the signs posted in stores say. I found out that if stores keep items out in the open, where it can be touched by the public, then it is the store's responsibility if the item was broken during a normal business day. (this is not the case with actual vandalism, but only for obvious accidents, like a stroller knocking into a display, etc.)
So, the old 'you break it, you bought it' cannot be legally enforced by the shop.

Negligence plays a factor though, which can definitely decide in the retailer's favor.

[RealUnimportant]

whatever happened to accountability? Personal responsibility? Cleaning up your own mess?

Oh my, that's a good one! People being responsible for their own (in)actions, what a gas!


*does hand-swipy thing to remove smile & replace with pokerface*

I don't believe I can post my own views on this without massively detouring into fratching, so I'm just going to keep re-reading that quoted segment for my own amusement.

*chuckles*

[Lace Neil Singer]

Back when I worked in the garden centre, we had a "You break it, you bought it" policy that was massively enforced cuz the owner was a stinge and refused to pay out unnecessarily. Which often resulted in customer tantrums when they or, more often, their kids broke stuff and they ended up having to pay for it.

"I'm never coming back!" was the parrot cry; sadly, they almost never kept their word.

[Sableonblonde]

That's weird, if I buy a food item and then drop it or otherwise spill it, it doesn't even occur to me to ask for or expect a replacement. Once it's in my hands, and I'm clumsy or careless or whatever...that's my fault. I'm not owed anything.

Last year a friend and I were at an amusement park, and we got in line at a funnel cake stand. After waiting about 10 minutes, it was finally our turn at the window. And right before we got a chance to order, this small group of teens who had been loitering to the right of the window the entire time we'd been in line, lean in front of us and one tells the guy at the window that they dropped their funnel cake and need a replacement. Meanwhile, they're snickering and cackling the whole time. So the guy just says "Okay" and goes off to make them a funnel cake. I was really ticked off, but I didn't say anything. I'm not into confrontations.