First SC at new store!

[Dave1982]

Herein the first SC I've encountered at my new store, though strictly speaking it may not count since I didn't actually deal with her. Nevertheless....


Like many other companies, we sell third-party gift cards. That is, we sell gift cards for establishments other than our own. iTunes, clothing stores, restaurants, fishing stores, plus AmEx Gift Cards, among others. It's important to note that sales of third party gift cards are NOT REFUNDABLE because we have no way of cancelling them. Once they are activated, WE are charged for them no matter what, so if we refund the customer we are out the value of the card. Any refunds have to be obtained by calling the card issuer directly.

The card involved in this incident was to a chain of movie theaters.

SC picks up one of these cards and - while on her cell phone - inquires about where the nearest one of these theaters is. The employee she asked wasn't sure exactly where, but knew there were several in this part of the state.

SC decides to buy the card.

SC then suddenly decides that she needs to know exactly where the theaters are. Bear in mind this is AFTER she has bought and PAID for the card.

Assman hops online and locates several theaters, all of which are a 15-30 minute drive from our store.

SC decides this is too far away and demands a refund.

Assman refuses the return, citing the above reason.

SC throws a temper tantrum. She says her poor buying decision is OUR fault because we didn't tell her the theaters were SO FAR AWAY. Also says we shouldn't be selling gift cards to "non-local" places and that we should have told her that gift cards aren't refundable. Never mind that this is posted in the return policy and plainly stated on ALL of these cards.

SC ties up the register for so long while arguing with assman that we have to open another to service the line building behind her.

[mattm04]

We haven't had any recently, but when we first started the cards we had many SC buy the card and come bac a few days later for a refund, despite the multiple 'ALL GIFT CARD SALES ARE FINAL. NO REFUNDS" signs at the registers, on the receipt and on the displays.

[Mara-chan]

There are quite a few stores on that rack that have no locations anywhere NEAR our store. Like the $200 Nordstrom cards (about 45 minute ride to the closest of those stores), some of the theaters, a few restaraunts...

Which rack do you have? The small square one or the big 4 sided one that seems to hold a billion cards?

[Dave1982]

The big one.

[Mara-chan]

At least she didn't try to buy the cards with another gift card or a rewards check. Can't be done. Customers don't understand that we're giving them rewards to spend in OUR store, not free money to spend somewhere else. (This happened tonight to me).