Refunder Blunder Double Wonder

I’m working on the registers and it’s a quiet morning. A customer enters empty-handed and disappears into one of the aisles. About a minute later, he approaches the register holding a four-litre can of paint.

Customer: “I want to get a refund on this paint. I don’t need it.”

Me: “Did you bring that in with you? I didn’t see you holding it when you came in.”

Customer: “Yes, you did! I told you I was bringing it in from outside and held it up to show you.”

Me: “I don’t remember that at all. Do you have a receipt?”

Customer: “I knew you were going to ask for that. I left it at home.”

Me: “I won’t be able to return this without your receipt, and since I didn’t see you bring it in, I can’t let you take it with you.”

We go back and forth for a while with him refusing to get his receipt and demanding a refund, while I don’t budge.

Customer: “Fine, I’ll go get the receipt, and when I come back, I’ll throw that paint at your head!”

As soon as he leaves, I go and check the aisle where that paint is kept, and sure enough, there’s a gap on the shelf which was filled not long ago. Unsurprisingly, he doesn’t return.

A couple of weeks later, though, he’s back. As he enters, he holds up a dirty car part to show me and tells me he’s bringing it in to check for a replacement. I acknowledge this and he returns to the register and purchases his replacement moments later.

About ten minutes later, he returns to the store again with the package and his receipt and asks for a refund on the part, stating that he didn’t need it after all. The package has been opened, and upon closer inspection, the part inside is clearly his old one as it’s very worn and dirty.

Me: “This isn’t the part we sold you, so I’m not able to give you a refund.”

Customer: “But I have the receipt.”

Me: “Yes, but the item has to also be returned in a sellable condition and this clearly isn’t. I’m not giving you a refund.”

Customer: “You can’t do this to me again! You know, I found that receipt for the paint last time, but I figured I’d just let you have it, but I’m not going to let you get away with it again.”

Me: “This is obviously not the part we sold you, so I’m not giving you anything for it.”

We go back and forth for a bit again before he finally accepts that he’s not getting his way.

Customer: *Beginning to leave* “Fine, but I’m never coming here again.”

Me: *Holding up the old part he’s left behind. “No worries. Don’t forget your purchase.”

Customer: “I don’t want that old thing.”