Unfiltered Story #207903

In my store, we have a very strict exchange policy. For it to be an exchange, it must be the same original price, not the sale price, and you cannot pay the difference. Also, you can’t exchange clearance items for ones that are full price.One day, an elderly couple approach the customer service desk with some jeans.
Customer: My husband received these jeans as gifts but they don’t fit. I just want to exchange them.
I go to scan them but the system rejects the transaction.
Me: I’m sorry ma’am but these aren’t valid for an exchange. The jeans you want are full price and the ones you have a clearance. I can return them and use the credit to help offset the price of the new jeans though. Do you have a gift receipt?
Customer: No, his sister bought them online.
Me: Okay, without a receipt, your return value would be $15.00.
The customer explodes after hearing that and begins shouting.
Customer: $15 dollars are you serious right now. The price tag says they are $60.
Me: I understand but my system says they went on clearance a few months ago for that price so you are probably getting back what she paid. Normally, without a receipt you would get less since we have so many coupons.
Customer: But the jeans say $60.
Me: I understand but they went clearance and she bought them clearance.
Customer: So I’ll take that and you mark the new jeans down to $15 then.
Me: Ma’am I can’t do that. This brand of jeans doesn’t permit us to take any coupons or markdowns with their product.
Customer: I want a manager now.
My manager arrives and the customer is becoming incredibly nasty at this point.
Customer: She keeps arguing with me and telling me that I can’t get the full return amount back.
Manager: Okay, well that’s because these are clearance. There is no way in our system to do an exchange with a clearance item and one’s that are full price. What we can do, is you would have to order the pair you need in the right size and wait for them to come in. After that, we would return them and exchange it that way since clearance can be exchanged with clearance.
I know this would be a problem down the road since the clearance pair in his size aren’t available and they are trying to get a different style. I go to tell my manager this
Me: Actually, that wouldn’t work because–
Customer: SEE! SEE! SHE’S EVEN ARGUING WITH YOU! SHE’S A BAD EMPLOYEE!
Customer’s husband: Honey, you need to calm down.
Customer: NO I WILL NOT! THEY ARE TRYING TO SCAM US!
While she is throwing a tantrum, I explain to my manager why what we normally do wouldn’t work and she understands. She decides just to get rid of them and gives me her manger’s key so I can adjust the return so she would get $60 back without a receipt.
Customer: Well, I am never shopping here again. Shame on you for trying to steal my money away from me.
Sorry your sister-in law is a cheapskate and shops clearance for gifts. It’s not my fault and realize just because your old doesn’t mean your entitled to everything. I’m not sure what’s worse, the fact that her husband realized how crazy she was acting or the fact other customers apologized for her behavior.