Serial Returners: SC returning stuff drama

[BlaqueKatt]

They're no longer in "original saleable condition" as stated in our return policy.

Of course, Mr. Customer, your satisfaction is my priority, and I will gladly accept the return...

subject to a 20% restockjng fee.

Strangely, after his $600 speaker rental, we never saw him again. I wonder why?

My local, huge chain electronics retailer started a 50% restocking fee for any large screen television bought before and returned after the superbowl, eventually extending it to *any* major sporting event. Worked quite well.

[flyonthewall]

MUAHAHAHA! 50% restocking fee- I love it!

The company I work for would never do that. They are too cowardly. =(


IMO, if a customer isn't spending enough money with the company to justify their extreme SC-y-ness, I think they should no longer be considered a customer and just a trespasser that is asked to leave once and then the cops are called. Why would a company lower themselves to consider these people their customers? Honestly, there are some people who just aren't worth the time and effort.

And the people who are constantly returning stuff they decided they didn't like- DON'T BUY SOMETHING UNLESS YOU ARE DECIDED. That's what normal people do. They don't return 50% of what they buy. Returns are just obnoxious. That product could've been sold to a legitimate customer while the SC had it in their possession.

[prjkt]

Stories like these are why I like my store's refund policy - Australian laws are much stricter on returns than the U.S. it seems - we have a 14 day exchange policy, yes exchange, not refund, and only if the item is in resellable condition.

Guy buys a $2.5k Fullframe mirror less camera, tries to get his money back 9 days later.
As the store manager I take over, and get to tell him its exchange only, but can put the value onto a store voucher if he'd prefer to take his time deciding what he wants.

He starts getting edgy when I start opening the camera box, and I explain that I've got to check the camera's condition before anything goes ahead.

The camera is filthy, as are both the lens. Not damaged, just covered in dirt and other crap, so I take the body cap off to check the sensor - huge dirty thumb print as if he'd been handling the camera while eating tacos or something equally as messy.

At that point I just said, "Nope, not taking this back."

He started up telling me that I legally had to take it back, and tried pointing out our returns policy hanging on the register, so I said nothing and pointed to the "resellable" line on that very policy and gave him the choice of taking a 75% refund (no longer sellable as new) and the cost of having the camera cleaned and assessed BEFORE any gift card/funds would be given to him, or leaving.

He chose to leave.

Fast forward a few weeks, get a phone call from another store manager (we're all mates) warning me about someone with a familiar name trying to scam the "cashback" offers the manufacturer's were offering - buy the camera, register it and the camera company would return $1-300 back into your account.

Turns out this guy was trying to scam the cashbacks buy buying cameras, returning them, and getting another one, and doing the same, and he'd have lost a serious amount of cash had he gone ahead with my offer - still don't know what happened with this particular camera though...

[sstabeler]

I'd say a restocking fee is fine, with a couple of exceptions- 1. if you bought the wrong size, and want to exchange for the correct size. Provided you have a receipt, I don't see a problem with allowing that. (underwear is an obvious exception) 2. the item has a manufacturing defect. If it does, then there should be no fee.

Otherwise, a restocking fee is reasonable.

[wolfie]

And the people who are constantly returning stuff they decided they didn't like- DON'T BUY SOMETHING UNLESS YOU ARE DECIDED. That's what normal people do. They don't return 50% of what they buy. Returns are just obnoxious. That product could've been sold to a legitimate customer while the SC had it in their possession.

I've done the "buy a bunch and return what you don't need" with pipe nipples when re-doing the bathroom. I didn't know exactly what length I'd need, and I'd have to shut off water to the bathroom from before I opened things up until after I finished, so having to make a return trip to "orange apron" if I guessed wrong was a BAD idea. I got one of each length of nipple in the range of sizes I thought I'd need, and tried them out. Half my returns were in unopened bags, and the others were clean (I took the teflon tape off them before returning) and re-sellable (or at least they would be once the opened perforations on the package were taped over).

[Aria]

And the people who are constantly returning stuff they decided they didn't like- DON'T BUY SOMETHING UNLESS YOU ARE DECIDED. That's what normal people do. They don't return 50% of what they buy. Returns are just obnoxious. That product could've been sold to a legitimate customer while the SC had it in their possession.

I agree with a caveat... online clothing/shoe purchases. Sometimes you think something will look good based on the picture/brand but when you get it, it just doesn't work. Jessica Simpson's dresses disappointed me this year... Also, if you really NEED something to fit, you might get it in two sizes and return the one that doesn't fit. I did that with my bridesmaid's dress for my sister's wedding.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

The swamp briefly had a restocking fee on TVs, but dropped it after people complained. So we're back to being the go-to place for Super Bowl TV rentals.

[Monterey Jack]

The swamp briefly had a restocking fee on TVs, but dropped it after people complained. So we're back to being the go-to place for Super Bowl TV rentals.

I honestly don't get people who "rent" TVs for sporting events...isn't it worth the money not to deal with the hassle of setting the damn TV up every couple of months, and then loading it back into the car the next day to return it? If you have enough friends coming over for a Super Bowl party, then make them cough up a hundred bucks each for the privilege of viewing the Super Bowl on the biggest TV in the neighborhood. I mean, how cheap ARE people? Same thing with air conditioners...I'm sure plenty of stores are getting flooded with returns now that summer is officially over and the nights are getting cool and crisp again, but it's like...you know it's just going to get hot again next year, right? You can get an air conditioner for under $200, and if it lasts a decade, that's twenty bucks per summer. Isn't that worth it instead of hauling the damn thing back to the store every September and waiting in line to demand a refund?

[Jetfire]

Ah, but if they don't return it, then it'll just be sitting in the basement/attic/closet/whereever, taunting them "I'm 200$ you spent that you don't have NOW, and all I'm doing is taking up space."

It doesn't really make much sense; but most of these folks aren't known for their long term thinking.

As for the TV folk, if they bought and kept the TV, it will be 'obsolete' by the next Big Game Season, so they won't be Top on the Block. By doing the rental they can be sure they got the 20XX 5-D Ultra Super Duper Magnifico Definition with Smell-o-Vision and Tactilisense! (not compatible with any broadcast system) TV to show off how 'rich' they are. After all, they wouldn't want ot be embarrassed to be showing the Big Game on last years TV.

[flyonthewall]

At the store I work at we've had people return biohazards(their fault, they did stupid stuff with our products) for new product. I'm coughing, sneezing, and my exposed skin is turning red while I'm handling the product. Oh, and we can't just throw it away. We have to take it to a special waste facility and pay a fee. >.< AHHHHHHH! Why do we have to be so nice to these entitled people? WHY? Who could possibly think such a return was a decent thing to do?

Another time a woman tried to return a $500 gift card. Now that is one thing we do not do. She was pretty upset. That was one of the few times the company did't bow down to ridiculousness. I was so proud of them.

[Catwoman2965]

I agree with a caveat... online clothing/shoe purchases. Sometimes you think something will look good based on the picture/brand but when you get it, it just doesn't work. Jessica Simpson's dresses disappointed me this year... Also, if you really NEED something to fit, you might get it in two sizes and return the one that doesn't fit. I did that with my bridesmaid's dress for my sister's wedding.

Yes. I did this a lot last summer with Macys. I've lost weight, so my size runs all over the place, depending on brand or designer. And I was going on a cruise, so between not knowing my exact size, and most of what I wanted ONLY available online, etc. i bought a LOT and returned A LOT. multiple sizes, styles, items. I did joke I was afraid they were going to revoke my return privileges, but thankfully it was all ok.

And i just received my FOURTH pair of boots, which thankfully fit and im keeping but have to return the other three. And because I need wide calf, i find more online vs. in store. Sigh. But i really do try and keep my returns to a minimum, when I can. But sometimes it just can't be helped.

But there also is a difference in someone doing waht i'm doing, sicne i do KEEP what i like, fits, and is flattering, and someone who just buys and buys, and then changes their mind and just brings it back. We had many like that.

[Lace Neil Singer]

The "my pet died" serial returner plagued the pet store for a short while. Said SC was a pikey traveller who bought pet rabbits, then came back saying that the pet had died and she wanted a refund. She got away with a few, before my colleague and I went to the manager and asked for a solution cuz we didn't think that those rabbits were dying naturally, but probably ending up in the pot.

The manager's solution was to create a new rule where anyone who wanted a refund or a replacement for a dead pet had to produce the body first along with a receipt. Cue several annoyed and horrified customers, but at least the serial returner was unable to get any more free rabbits for dinner.

[MoonCat]

Catwoman2965, I'm going through that now! I need pants for winter as none of my old ones fit since I lost weight. I ordered two things online; one fits, the other still seems a bit too large. So I ordered that one in the next size down, and I will keep whichever one fits best and send the other back. It can be hard to get the right size online because the size charts don't always reflect reality. But I hate clothes shopping in dept. stores and they don't have the same range of sizes available.

I have a rule, though: If I can't decide if I want it -- then I don't want it. And I don't buy it. Makes things simpler

[Shyla]

Surely there must be other ways to buy rabbits if you want to eat them. Did you ever see Roger & Me? There was a woman he interviewed who raised rabbits. Her sign said Pets or Meat.

[otter]

Per pound, raising rabbits for meat is one of the most cost effective ways to get some meat in your diet. Plus they breed quick, and grow quick, especially if they're meant for meat. She coulda raised her own for realitively little money.