Unfiltered Story #149618

(I worked for a chain that is now closed in various parts of the U.S.  During the holidays, we had collectible ornaments that a lot of older clientele would call ahead of time and have some set aside.  Many of these customers were in so frequently, we were on a first name basis with them.)

Store Manager: Well hello, [customer], you here for your ornaments?

Customer:  -friendly and cheery- Yes, and I’ll just be over here looking at others to get.

Manager: Ok, we’ll have [my name] get them for you…

(We held them in the back in large paper bags for them, ready to check out)

-At the register- Me: Alright [customer’s name], I got all your ornaments here, you ready to check out?

Customer:  -looking a little concerned-  Well, first let me see them.

Me: Oh…. ok, sure -takes out boxed ornaments from the bag, placing them on the counter-  Here they are… off the list you gave us —

Customer:  -shaking her head, clicking her tongue- No! No! NO!!  This one!! -pointing to a boxed ornament in disgust-  The box is bent!!

Me: …the…. whaa?

Customer:  Give me a new one.  I don’t want a bent box!!  One that no one has touched!!

Me: …o…kay… -walks over to the public display, pulls first one and walks back to the register-

Customer: -looks over the box, nodding in approval-  Yeah, this one is MUCH better… why couldn’t you have done that the first time??

-The customer leaves and my manager walks over and looks at me-

Manager: Did… you just give her one of the ones from up here..?

Me: Yeah..

Manager:  OMG, that’s awesome… Everyone’s been touching these and one little bend and she doesn’t want it? HA!

(Customer kept coming back to get the unbent boxed ornaments, even though we just got them from the display up front every single time.)