Sucky customer....or sucky policy?

[vstorevigilante]

Unless it's obviously a fake phone #, like 555-5555, how are you supposed to know? Are they expecting you to call every number you're given to make sure it's real?

They don't expect us to call, and where I live there are a TON of exchanges, 562, 567, 564, 539, 862, 849, 727, 737... and more, not to mention about 9 different cell phone exchanges. Tack 4 numbers on the end and it could be a valid number. We have no way of knowing if it's not real 'til someone calls it. Which I guess is how the scam was being pulled off at the other theatres; it's so easy to make a legit-looking number, that no one would question, which is why they started calling them. I actually had one woman give me a number that turned out to be real - however the person who owned it was deceased!

[StarsAreFixed]

Don't know about over there but here in the UK a stores poilicy is always going to come second to the law. If the law there states that the store is obliged to make a cash refund then I would support the customers refusal to give personal information. I also refuse to give out post codes or other information whenever I need to return an item.

What law states that a store is obliged to give a cash refund? Only if it's faulty and even then the store has the right to offer a repair/replacement first.

We take names and addresses at my store, we have a major problem with scammers. Every store does. The only thing they would do with it is keep track of people returning stuff too regularly. I don't think putting it on a sign is a good idea, it comes across in a really non- customer-friendly way. People should know that some stores or all stores where I live require it.

[Merriweather]

I don't think putting it on a sign is a good idea, it comes across in a really non- customer-friendly way. People should know that some stores or all stores where I live require it.

Really? If I visited your area, I wouldn't know that. If I moved to your area, I wouldn't know that. If I'd lived in your area for ages, but rarely if ever returned anything, I wouldn't know that. Even if I'd returned a few irems to a few other stores, that still wouldn't have made me know that all stores require it, or even most. Just that the few I'd returned to did.

As for signs, I find purposely not telling customers full information because it
would look non-cutomer-friendly on a sign to be not just non-customer-friendly but out and out anti-customer.

We all get rightly upset with customers who don't read signs or policies, but I think expecting them to just "know" it really is crossing the line.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

We take names and addresses at my store, we have a major problem with scammers. Every store does. The only thing they would do with it is keep track of people returning stuff too regularly. I don't think putting it on a sign is a good idea, it comes across in a really non- customer-friendly way. People should know that some stores or all stores where I live require it.

I didn't know stores even took addresses as a condition of refunds until I read this post. That's probably because I've never shopped at any stores that did that.

So what if the sign looks "customer-unfriendly"? At least the customer will know it is being done, and the store is covered if the customer throws a fit.

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

Then I'm with the customer on this one. If the sign doesn't say I need to give you my address to do a return, then I shouldn't have to give it.

The store really needs to have the signage updated. Otherwise you're going to keep having this situation happen.

The funny thing is I don' t have too many customers that get upset about it, most simply volunteer the info without problem.

I can understand the logic in giving fake info because it's well known many companies sell the personal info they collect to mail and/or phone scammers so your name and contact info gets on all kinds of lists you'd rather it not be on.

I think my manager would have been within his power to deny the refund. There's no law that says we have to give a refund (heck there's no law that even says we need a return policy!) but again there was the confusion over the sign. I'll have to start looking at return policies on the back of receipts and such to see if any specify "photo ID" required.

[Pagan]

I don't think putting it on a sign is a good idea, it comes across in a really non- customer-friendly way.

Honestly, I think it would be customer-friendly. Then they would know what to expect and not have it sprung on them, as seems to be happening.

People should know that some stores or all stores where I live require it.

Why would I know the return policies of stores in a country several thousand miles away from me?

On the flipside, should I expect you to know what store return policies are where I live? Do you know what the return policy is at Blue Eagle bookstore here in ABQ? I don't even know all of them here, seeing as I've never been in all the stores, and I've lived here 12 years.

Hell, I don't even know the return policies at most of the stores in the mall right near me!

[Red_Dazes]

I don't know the laws in other states, but I know in Washington (as far as I know, unless it is a legal situation obviously) we can STRONGLY ENCOURAGE people to give us the information we ask for (since it helps us keep track of returns and purchases etc) but if a customer refuses we cannot make them give out that information against their wishes. We had a series of 'addresses/phone numbers/zip codes' that we would enter into the computer if the customer would not give out theirs.

[Stryker One]

Flawed logic

What is the point in even asking for personal info if there no verification involved? I've run into this, made up some bogus info, and nothing was questioned. So, what was the point of that?

[vstorevigilante]

What is the point in even asking for personal info if there no verification involved? I've run into this, made up some bogus info, and nothing was questioned. So, what was the point of that?

But when verification IS involved, as it was in my case, the bogus info makes the clerk look like they're doing something illegal. Nobody wins it seems.

[Arcade Man D]

But it does only say return policy in the op, this would be a completely different thing than a refund policy, the general expectation with a return (at least from a store's perspective) is that you'd be returning one item to replace it with another from that store (which is why many places now use gift cards/refund cards instead).

Actually, that's not any definition of return vs. refund I've seen. Every store I've gone to uses these terms:

Return - Any form of returning purchased merchandise, whether for cash, credit to card, store credit, or different piece of merchandise.
Refund - Returning purchased merchandise for original payment form
Exchange - Returning purchased merchandise for different merchandise. (This sometimes includes store credit as well, especially for uneven exchanges).

That's why they're always called "Return policies", rather than "Refund policies" or "Exchange policies".

Edit: as to the OP, my store (a college bookstore) requires name, address, and phone # on any return, including exchanges for a different size or different book in case of damage. I've never had anyone disagree with that, though, and this semester I was working the return register for a bit of Rush and the first week after (the last chance for textbook refunds). However, in New York State, I'm pretty sure that 99% of stores use that, because I'll just say "Just need your name, number, and address. The usual return receipt information.", and never have a complaint about it.

Granted, where we get problems is people not understanding why we need their student ID number printed on something and a photo ID (hence preferring student IDs for identification) on buybacks.

A) We are <my campus> bookstore, not <your campus> bookstore. We want to be able to buy our students' books back from them first, as they are our primary customers.

B) New York State has rather strict laws about stores that purchase used items from consumers. Since buyback involves cash, we're under those laws, and we can't proceed without photo ID. If you go to GameStop in this state and sell them your used games for cash instead of credit, they require photo ID, too.

[Pagan]

B) New York State has rather strict laws about stores that purchase used items from consumers. Since buyback involves cash, we're under those laws, and we can't proceed without photo ID. If you go to GameStop in this state and sell them your used games for cash instead of credit, they require photo ID, too.

New Mexico has similar laws. When I was at Hasting's anybody selling back CDs, DVDs, or books, for cash or store credit, we had to have a valid, current picture ID. Has something to do with the pawn laws or something?

And that's anther fun one - valid, current picture ID. Yes, that means that your DL that expired 3 months ago is not valid nor is it current. And let me call the cops to while we're at it....