No, we are not a long-term computer storage facility

[An Haddock]

We have a policy in our computer store where we hold computers for 30 days and then recycle them (or resell them) if they're not picked up.

A couple of years ago we had a couple of folks drop off a computer to get Windows reloaded. Having finished the computer we tried calling the customer to pick it up - phone number is out of service. So as a courtesy we hold onto the thing for over 3 months. Finally we had enough... we needed the space so we wiped out the customer's info and ended up selling the computer.

Want to guess who shows up about 2 weeks later?

Apparently they had moved, but made no effort at all to contact us, provide a new phone number, or give us an idea of when they were going to pick up. I would have even held the computer for a while if they just asked. (and preferably paid for it over the phone with a credit card)

It was an older couple, around 70 or so, and although they were annoyed that the computer had been liquidated fortunately they didn't raise a big stink.



Another time we had a woman who left her son's laptop with us. Turns out it needed the motherboard replaced which was not worth it. This one we held for 6 months because I felt bad for the woman as her son was extremely ill.

Well, we were literally a day away from listing the thing on Ebay when the woman FINALLY showed up to get it. I remarked offhandedly that she was lucky she came in as we were about to sell it.

"Well you can't do that."
"Um, yeah... we can. We have a sign posted that we recycle computers after 30 days. We gave you six months..."
"But you can't do that."
"Yes. We can. You signed this drop-off sheet indicating you understood that your computer becomes our property if you don't pick up after 30 days."
"But you can't do that."
"YES. WE CAN. You signed a legally-binding contract."

Basically she kept arguing we couldn't do it and I kept arguing we could. Then she mentioned something about wanting to bring another computer in to get looked at and I said we would be closed for vacation for two weeks or something.

I still see her around town sometimes... if she comes back in for anything I'm just telling her we won't do anything for her. Since she believes she is exempt from our rules then I have no interest in doing business with her.

[Deserted]

I say, let her drop her computer off, with the 30-day section of the contract highlighted, and on day 31, out the door it goes.

[ImmBarb]

I worked part time, now and again, for dry cleaners since I was in High School (so for a *long* time). Over the years I have acquired some very nice designer clothes people have left for years. Several times CSs have taken the cleaners to court. The judge would take one look at the case and say basically Too Bad, so sad, the item is no longer yours!

[raudf]

Our recycle time was usually 90 days. During the first 30 days, we'd call, call and call, noting the time of the call and if a message was left. Second 30 days we sent a certified letter that stated if we didn't hear from them in the next four weeks, we reserved the right to dispose of their item. Two weeks later, we'd send another one notifying the customer that they had 14 days to contact us or we'd dispose of their item.

The day after "disposal", we'd get customers coming in, bitching that we never contacted them before the last letter! We'd take out the work order, ask them if the phone number on it was correct and show them the stamped times of calls on it. We'd also show them the stub of the first cert letter saying that they received it. Some of these were repeat offenders, conning for a free product.

The next 30 days was spent watching the techs figure out who would get what Sometimes things would get parted out to repair other times that were also "disposed." See, we couldn't sell anything that was considered "customer abandoned." We were suppose to throw it in the trash. So, the techs would call dibs and repair the item on their own time. I got a free stereo due to this "perk."

[Dreamstalker]

The next 30 days was spent watching the techs figure out who would get what

The IT dept at my college was like this. Students would bring stuff in and then leave it (we thought they figured that was an easy disposal method), we'd get freebies and promo items. Some of the student-left stuff was perfectly usable if one knew how to fix it, some was only good for art projects. First the director tried a raffle system, when that devolved into chaos he figured that the best reason/argument gets it. I got my first (harddrive based) MP3 player that way.

[KellyHabersham]

With my job, our equivalent of this is customers returning non-library materials in the bookdrop. But I'm not sure exactly how long we have to hold onto these items before either sending them to the library they were supposed to be returned at, or putting the personal items in the "donations" area. (as far as I know, nobody has come in months later and complained that we didn't hold onto their stuff)

[ADeMartino]

It's how I handled the 'procrastinators' at my shop. Right on the repair order it stated, in bold letters even, that anything not picked up within 30 days after the initial 'it's ready' notification was subject to disposal. Usually, a few days before the 30 days expired, I'd send a registered letter, and I'd often actually give people six weeks; after that it got sold, parted out, or donated.

One guy showed up SEVEN MONTHS after leaving his computer for me to upgrade. I'd called, I'd sent a letter (and got confirmation of delivery), I'd done everything but send smoke signals. He'd never answer his phone, nor did he EVEN ONCE call me to ask if his computer was ready. Just dropped it off, signed paperwork, and left, not to be seen or heard from again for seven months. And shocked - SHOCKED, I say - that his computer was long gone.

Oh, yes, there was the yelling and gnashing of the teeth, the threats (both physical and legal), the wails of despair, because all his precious pictures were no more. Which was also not my problem, because the repair order also stated that I would not be responsible for data loss unless the customer also agreed to the optional, extra-cost data backup service first - which he'd declined.

I showed him these things on the repair order, along with his signature agreeing to these terms. It didn't slow him down, not one bit. He stormed out of the shop still screaming a string of threats, insults, and expletives over his shoulder, never to be heard from again.

I was just so heartbroken. NOT.

What amused me, though, was his passionate claim of 'how important' his computer was. Riiiight. So important that he left it in a shop for SEVEN MONTHS without so much as a call to see if it's ready. Or pick it up after I'd sent him a registered letter warning that it would become property of the shop. Or take even basic steps to back up his data.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Do people just not read what they're signing anymore?

I mean, it used to be that people would read, stories and such, to find out whose ass it was and why it was farting. Sadly I guess those days are long gone.

Shit, at the swamp I have people put items on hold, we sit on them for a week or more when we should only be holding them for 24 hours, and then a month later they come in and go ballistic when their stuff is returned to stock and possibly sold out from beneath them.

[justhere]

I worked part time, now and again, for dry cleaners since I was in High School (so for a *long* time). Over the years I have acquired some very nice designer clothes people have left for years. Several times CSs have taken the cleaners to court. The judge would take one look at the case and say basically Too Bad, so sad, the item is no longer yours!

The flip side of this happened to me. I got a call from a dry cleaners that I used infrequently about an outfit that I hadn't picked up. I didn't remember any thing that I'd dropped of there recently, so I asked them to describe it and it was absolutely not anything I'd ever owned. I kept telling her I didn't think it was mine, I even stopped by in case her description was bad and I was right, the outfit was not mine. They kept insisting and finally told me that my business was not welcome anymore. Which was fine with me - the outfit wasn't mine and if they were confusing orders, I didn't trust them with my actual clothes much less the clothes they were randomly trying to thrust on me.

[ADeMartino]

Do people just not read what they're signing anymore?

I mean, it used to be that people would read, stories and such, to find out whose ass it was and why it was farting. Sadly I guess those days are long gone.

Shit, at the swamp I have people put items on hold, we sit on them for a week or more when we should only be holding them for 24 hours, and then a month later they come in and go ballistic when their stuff is returned to stock and possibly sold out from beneath them.

Most of them don't read what they sign, for the simple fact that they believe "that it couldn't POSSIBLY apply to special people like MMMMMEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeee!"

I had a very practical reason for disposing of computer lefts beyond a certain period of time. In addition to the fact that the shop was small and I didn't have room for other people's shit laying around for months at a time, there was also the very slim profit margin. It doesn't take much to cripple a small shop with nonsense like that. I've invested money and time repairing or upgrading a computer - money and time that are in LIMBO until the customer pays. Two or three machines sitting on my shelf for several months means a significant chunk of money that I don't have access to.

[ImmBarb]

Which was fine with me - the outfit wasn't mine and if they were confusing orders, I didn't trust them with my actual clothes much less the clothes they were randomly trying to thrust on me.

And you were right! Mistakes happen, we're only human, but you wo/man up and fix it. But then if more people did that half the stories on the board wouldn't be here.

[ThirdGenRetail]

I can only assume some of these people have multiple computers, especially the guy who left his computer for SEVEN MONTHS O_o Granted, I now have two laptops, but I'd not leave EITHER one at the shop for seven months like that. Of course the shop I usually take my computers to when they need a comp-doctor lets me make payments, since I'm po' and broke usually...