Unfiltered Story #217703

Me: Hello! Did you have a return for us?

Customer: Yes, just this.

[ I start to ring up the return]

Customer: I was also told when I bought these that if a promotion came up, I could get a price adjustment on the shirt and the skirt on that receipt as well.

Me: Okay, let me take a look… I’m sorry, but in order to get a price adjustment, it has to be within 7 days of the original purchase.

Customer: Is it really that much more than 7?

Me: Well, yes, you bought these on the 1st of the month and today is the 14th.

Customer: Oh, uh…

Me: And even if it was within the 7 days, I would only be able to adjust the price on the skirt, because you got a promotion on the shirt when you bought it.

Customer: Well, that’s what they said, I could get it on the skirt. How much is the skirt today? Can I just return the skirt and rebuy it instead of a price adjustment?

Me: Today, it’s ringing up at [$$]. Do you have the skirt on you?

Customer: No.

Me: Then I’m afraid I can’t do that for you. I can’t process a return without the item.

Customer: Okay, but that doesn’t make any sense. You could just do the price adjustment.

Me: I’m sorry, our policy is no more than 7 days for a price adjustment. It’s written on your receipt.

Customer: I just think that doesn’t make any sense. It’s ridiculous. And I just don’t like things that don’t make sense. I think they’re ridiculous.

Me: I understand, and I’m sorry. That is our policy.

Customer: It’s ridiculous. You’re saying that I have to make a whole trip back out here to do this? I shouldn’t have to make another trip. It’s ridiculous and it doesn’t make any sense. Do you understand? That I’m saying that it doesn’t make any sense? Do you see how it doesn’t make sense?

Me: Yes, I do. I understand if it’s an inconvenience and I apologize.

Customer: I should not have to make an entire trip, I live far from here and it takes too long to come out here. I shouldn’t have to go all the way home and back just to do this.

Me: I understand, and I’m sorry, but that’s our policy.

[She grumbles a bit more but then leaves and even thanks me for doing the return, and it seems sincere, as she heads out the door. I start ringing up another customer only to look up a minute later and realize she has returned and has gotten back into my line.]

Customer: Yes, hi, how long is the current promotion running for?

Me: Through the weekend.

Customer: Is this something that a manager could help me with? Could I talk to a manager?

Me: Sure, let me go talk with her.

[I leave and go find my manager. I tell her the story and she agrees with everything I said/did. I go back out to help the next customers and my manager pulls the woman aside and talks with her. I can overhear bits and pieces of their conversation, and it sounds like the same conversation she had with me. She eventually leaves without us doing anything else for her. Later, I ask my manager what happened.]

Manager: She told me the same things it sounds like she told you. She kept saying, “it’s ridiculous! It makes no sense!” She said, “Now I have to go all the way home and make the long trip all the back out here just do this! It’s ridiculous!”

Me: Do you think she’ll come back tonight? I wonder if she lives too far away to make it there and back before we close. I don’t want to have to deal with her later.

Manager: She lives in [Neighboring City, that I and half of our staff live in because our mall is practically part of that city anyway.]!

Me: Oh, come on.

Manager: I hope she comes back! Just so I can personally make that return for her, once I see that the item hasn’t been washed, worn, or damaged, of course.

[My shift was up before we closed for the night, so I don’t know if she came in or not. I have a feeling she won’t.]