Unfiltered Story #67147

Customer: Excuse me, do you carry [cosmetic brand]?

Me: I’m sorry, we don’t at this particular location, but I can order it for you if you’d like. If you need to go home with it today, [other store in the mall] carries that brand.

Customer: Oh, I need to return something. So [other store] has this?

Me: Yes, ma’am, but if that was bought at a [my store], then it needs to be returned at a [my store].

Customer: Oh, I bought it at [third store]. So, I can return it here even though you don’t carry it?

Me: Ma’am, since you bought that at [third store], I’m afraid it must be returned at a [third store].

Customer: Why?

Me: Well, ma’am, you gave your money to [third store]. If you return this here, [third store] keeps that money and [my store] loses that money for a product they did not sell.

Customer: Huh. (<i>She walks away looking perplexed</i>)

Me (<i>to coworker who saw the whole interaction</i>): Did she really not understand how the retail business works?