Avoid Your Xs

I’m working a stall in the mall. It’s the start of the week and I’m going through the new stock replacing the sold stuff. We have had quite a few bad parts come from our supplier, so I’m drawing an X on the packet and putting them into a box with “Do not sell” written on it.

Customer: “What are those?”

Me: “Oh, damaged or defective parts. We have plenty of good parts on the shelves.”

Customer: “Can I look through them? I don’t mind if they are a bit tatty.”

Me: “Sorry, they are not for sale.”

Customer: “Oh, come on. I will pay.”

Me: “Sorry, no. We sold them before. More often than not, people want a refund or bad-mouth us online because it’s damaged. We only sell good products.”

Customer: “You are going to lose a sale.”

Me: “Well, I will just get a full refund from my supplier. I’m not going to lose anything.”

Customer: “That is just stupid.”

Me: “Unfortunately, that’s the rules.”

He complained for a while, before not buying anything anyway. My point was proven when another customer tried to return a case — she had no receipt and no idea when she’d bought it, and she didn’t even have the phone that went with it — with one of my big Xs on it.