Doesn’t Understand The Custom Part Of Customer, Part 17
I am working the tills on a busy Saturday afternoon and next in line is a young male customer. After saying hello, he hands me over a copy of a game guide for a popular video game. He has his receipt.
Customer: “I’d like to return this, please.”
Me: “Of course, was there anything wrong with it?”
As I am saying this, I look at the guide and check the receipt.
Customer: “No, there is nothing wrong. I finished the game and I don’t need this anymore.”
I realise the receipt is from almost eighteen months ago.
Me: “I’m sorry, you want to return the item that you bought eighteen months ago, because you have used it and no longer need it?”
Customer: “Yes.”
Me: “And was it satisfactory? Did it help you complete the game?”
Customer: “Yes. But I don’t need it now, so I want to return it. The receipt is there.”
Me: “I appreciate that the receipt is there, but you yourself just said there was nothing wrong with the product and it has quite clearly been used. I can’t refund you; I’m sorry.”
Customer: “But I have the receipt and I don’t need it anymore.”
Me: “Yes, I realise this, but you cannot return items once you have finished using them. If you didn’t want to keep this, then you should have borrowed one from a library. We are not a library; we are a shop.”
Customer: “But I have the receipt. I should get a refund.”
Me: “You bought it, you used it, and it was fit for purpose; therefore, I have no legal obligation to return this. That is what ‘buying’ something means; it means you buy it and you keep it.”
During this whole conversation, he is looking at me like I am crazy.
Customer: “I don’t understand why I can’t get a refund.”
Me: “Because you bought it and used it. If it was still sealed in plastic and had a barcode I might have accepted the return then, but there is nothing wrong with this. You have used it. We are not a library or a second-hand store. We do not do trade-ins. I can’t refund this item for you.”
The customer is just staring at me blankly.
Me: “Can I help you with anything else?”
He just took the guide back and walked out.
Related:
Doesn’t Understand The Custom Part Of Customer, Part 16
Doesn’t Understand The Custom Part Of Customer, Part 15
Doesn’t Understand The Custom Part Of Customer, Part 14
Question of the Week
Have you ever met a customer who thought the world revolved around them?
