Read It And Cheap

(I am working the customer service counter at a pretty well-known department store that will take ANY return. This is just after Christmas.)

Customer: “I want to return this shirt.”

Me: “Okay, do you have a receipt?”

Customer: “It was a gift.”

Me: “Okay. Well, I can give you store credit. It’ll be [some small amount like five dollars].”

Customer: “That’s outrageous! My friend wouldn’t give me a gift that cheap! I want to talk to your manager!”

(I call my manager, but I know for a fact this item has been on clearance for months. The customer starts calling her friend. She also orders a pizza while she stands there. She keeps telling people in line how unhelpful I’ve been to her. My manager takes forever to get back to the desk, but in the meantime, I guess the customer’s friend calls her back. My manager basically reiterates what I said, and her personality flips. She takes the store credit and runs away.)

Manager: “Why did I come back here?”

Me: “Because her friend is cheap.”