Unfiltered Story #197521

While I am usually at the checkouts, I was helping up front of the store at our customer service counter, as one of the scheduled associates had called out and the next one wasn’t scheduled to come in for a few hours.

In the past few months, corporate had also changed the store’s return policy from 90 days to 30 days. The policy is also clearly printed on each receipt that is given to customers. This happens to my co-worker while she is processing a woman’s return.

Customer: “I’d like to return this.”

Co-worker: “Okay. Do you have your receipt?”

Customer: “Yes I do.” (she hands her receipt to my co-worker)

My co-worker takes the receipt, and looks at the purchase date of the item, which was about two months ago.

Co-worker: “I’m sorry ma’am, but I can’t return this. It’s well past the 30 day return policy that we have.”

Customer (shouting): “What do you mean you can’t return this? I have the receipt! Get you manager over here now!”

My co-worker, not wanting to make the woman angrier than she already is, promptly pages the manager over. He comes up after a few minutes.

Manager: “What seems to be the problem?”

Customer: “I want to return this, and she won’t do it”

Manager (to my co-worker): “What’s the date on the receipt?”

Co-worker: August 2nd. (The day this occurred was in late September, well past the return-by date of September 2nd).

Manager (to customer): I’m sorry ma’am, but there is nothing I can do. Our policy clearly states that the return period is 30 days.”

Customer (shouting): “Well that is ridiculous! How can you not take this back? it’s not an expired item! It’s a towel rack!

Manager: I understand ma’am, but that’s our policy.”

Customer: “No one ever told me about this policy when they rung me up for this.”

Co-worker: Our return policy is printed very clearly at the bottom of the receipt.

Customer (shouting again): “You expect me to read every line on those long receipts? I don’t have time for that!”

Manager: “Well ma’am, I’m sorry. But like I said, there’s nothing I can do.”

Customer: “Well then I guess I’m never shopping here again! And I’ll tell everyone I know not to come here too.”

Co-worker: “That’s your prerogative ma’am if you don’t want to shop here. I agree that 30 days is kind of short for a return period, but we really can’t do anything, as it is the rules. Once again, I am sorry.”

The customer storms out in a huff, leaving her precious un-returnable towel rack sitting on the counter.