Just Toss That Salad

(It is within my first few months at my job. I have a customer wanting to exchange a bag of salad because he insists that it went bad too quickly. I ask him to grab another bag and I’ll make the exchange.)

Me: “Sir, these bags don’t match. This one is Dole, but the one you brought is something different.”

Customer: “Yeah, uh, you guys are out of that one.”

(I’m still learning the store’s inventory, so I continue to attempt the exchange.)

Me: “Sir, the barcode had been ripped open. I can’t exchange it if I can’t scan it.”

Customer: “Can’t you just scan this one?” *gestures to the new bag*

Me: “No, I can’t do that.”

(I continue to examine the bag and notice it lists the website of our competitor, which I know is closed at that time of night.)

Me: “You didn’t get this salad here; you got it at [Competitor.]”

Customer: “No, I got it here. I think it’s just listing the website.”

Me: “I can’t exchange it if it’s not something we carry. You need to take it to [Competitor.]”

Customer: “But they’re closed!”

(I continued to explain to him that I couldn’t exchange it. After that, he left. I could tell he was upset, but I still to this day wonder why he was so intent on exchanging a $2 bag of salad at that exact moment.)