Loaded Lady at the Best Buy return counter

[greensinestro]

I had to buy a new DSL gateway last weekend, so I went over to Best Buy to get it. I later found out it was not compatible with my computer (I actually bought a router and not the whole ball of wax), so I returned it the same day. I thought it would be simple. All of the packing materials are there, all paperwork, etc...should be easy. No way!

When I got there, there was this woman, apparently fully loaded on something, arguing with literally everyone behind the counter because she wanted to return a digital camera without a receipt and without the credit card used to purchase the camera. You could just about hear the entire exchange throughout the store.

LL: Loaded Lady
BBE: Best Buy Employee
BBM: Best Buy Manager

LL: What do you mean I can't return this? I bought it here!
BBE: Maam, you do not have the receipt, and that credit card you gave us was not used to purchase that camera.
LL: Well, then try this credit card! (Now, I will stop here. I have heard of people using multiple cards to purchase something, normally when they have maxed out their cards. But I have not heard of using multiple cards to refund something back to themselves)
BBE: I'm sorry, but we have to have the card that was used to buy it.
LL: (Slurred) Fine. All you have to do is call this number and talk to the person who bought it with their card.
BBE: We have to have the actual card here, or the receipt. And, we can't accept a card that belongs to another person.
LL: Give me your manager! I walked all the way here in the dark, and you're telling me I can't get a refund on this.
BBM: (Manager has now stepped in) Maam, we can only refund this if you have the receipt or the credit card used to purchase it. You have neither one.
LL:: (Badly slurred now) Look, all you have to do is call this person, and they will verify they bought it with their card.
BBM: We need to have the card here to refund this purchase. We also cannot call someone else who owns the card unless that person is here.
LL: Look, I walked all the way here in the dark (we all heard this about ten times).

By now, BBE has decided to help other customers, so she took me and my return went smoothly. As I was leaving, I said loud enough for Loaded Lady to hear, "See? It helps when you have your receipt and card you made the purchase on, doesn't it?" The Best Buy employee was trying to stifle a chuckle on that one.

I then went off to get the correct equipment, and ten minutes later, as I was walking toward the purchasing counters, Loaded Lady was still there, arguing in her slurred tongue, telling them again how she walked to Best Buy in the dark. I glanced over and the same Best Buy employee saw me, and we grinned at each other. I felt kind of bad for her being it was getting close to closing time, and Loaded Lady was going to keep them all there a while, not to mention other customers that were piling up behind her.

I only wish I had seen the outcome of it. Oh, well.

[jjllbb]

The worst part about that kind of customer coming just before closing is that you have two choices:

A) Stay wayyyy past closing arguing until they give up for the night or are escorted out.

B) Give them whatever outrageous thing they want just so you can get home.

and both choices suck.

My store uses tactic B quite a lot. I live in fear that the realization of this will become widespread and that it will be a free-for-all with people coming in at closing just to get their way.

[Seshat]

C) Provide them with the company's dispute resolution system (Phone # of corporate, company solicitor contact, owner's professional contact details), invite them to take it up with dispute resolution and/or Small Claims Court.

Then tell them to leave. (The reasonable ones will thank you for the info and leave of their own will, so it's only the unreasonable ones you need to tell to leave!)

If they will not, inform them they are trespassing, and contact the police. (Admittedly, in some places, the police take AGES to turn up. But it's still an option.)

[Mr Hero]

What is the lady doing with expensive electronics if she's so worried about going to Best Buy after dark?

[greensinestro]

The worst part about that kind of customer coming just before closing is that you have two choices:

A) Stay wayyyy past closing arguing until they give up for the night or are escorted out.

B) Give them whatever outrageous thing they want just so you can get home.

and both choices suck.

My store uses tactic B quite a lot. I live in fear that the realization of this will become widespread and that it will be a free-for-all with people coming in at closing just to get their way.

I hate to say it, but it's already widespread being I have seen this happen time and again. Some people of this type time it perfectly to where they go into the store close to closing time, and either they'll give up (which is unlikely), or like you said, the store personnel will get so tired of waiting to go home that they'll just give in. And when that happens, these SC's can then go home and tell their friends, neighbors, and families how it works, and then it becomes widespread like a cancer.

[PepperElf]

I am glad however that LL walked in the dark
cos the thought of her behind the wheel would be scary