Unfiltered Story #145974

(the beauty supply store I work in is very small so exchanges and returns have very strict guidelines. If an item is defective we send it back to the manufacturer but they won’t take it back if it isn’t actually defective. A customer I had sold nail polish to in the morning comes back in.)

Me: Hi how are you today? (in my usual chipper customer voice)
Customer: I want to return this nail polish I took it to the salon to get my nails done and it was all streaky. The nail lady said there was something wrong with it so I can’t use it and I want my money back.
Me: Well I can’t do a full return since it is a used nail polish but you can exchange it or get store credit for it if you’d like. May I see the receipt?
Customer: No I don’t have the receipt I was just in here today! I can’t even use this it’s defective and gunky it doesn’t even come out right! I want my money back!
Me: I’m sorry ma’am I would have to see the receipt for the transaction but can I see the nail polish?
Customer: Go ahead I’m telling you theres something wrong with it!
(I try the nail polish on some testers we keep around for showing colors to customers and it comes out super smoothly. The brand she bought is known to be thin so usually colors come out a little “streaky” on the first coat but only because it has a thin consistency. We make it known to every customer that it usually takes two to three coats with that brand)
Me: I’m sorry ma’am but it looks like this polish is working fine it usually just takes a few coats to get a solid color from most polishes from (Nail Polish Brand) so I can’t sent it back to the manufacturer saying it’s a defect they won’t accept this.
Customer: What are you talking about I can’t use this I’m not gonna keep a nail polish i can’t use give me my money back!
Me: I’m sorry but it looks fine to me and it’s against the health code to take back used nail polish so I’m not authorized to make this return but my manager will be in on Monday (it’s saturday today) and you can talk to her then if you’d like she can probably help you more but i’m sorry i can’t give you your money back for this. You can exchange it for a new bottle of the same color since you like the color (her hands and feet were all done with this color) but i would need a receipt for the transaction.
Customer: I don’t have my receipt I was just in here can’t you look it up?!
Me: I can but management has been very strict lately about customer bringing in receipts so even if I looked it up I can’t do anything without your receipt.
Customer: This is ridiculous IT’S NOT WORKING (she then proceeds to shove the nail polish in my face and wave it around) IT’S STREAKY THE LADY SAID I CANT USE IT I WANT MY MONEY!
Me: I’m sorry but I can’t do anything you can still talk to my manager on monday I’m sure she’ll be able to give you a refund or store credit but I can’t do anything for you I’m sorry.
Customer: This is ridiculous I come here all the time and spend my money here you can’t even help me I’m never coming in here again!
(as she’s saying that she’s leaving the store and i’m just staring at her confused as she walks out. She comes back in two seconds later still screaming)
Customer: I can’t believe this the nail polish is defective its streaky you know I always come here but I’m never coming in here again!

It took all I had to tell her how happy I was she wouldn’t shop here anymore, instead I apologized again as she walked out.