Return To The Beginning

(I work at a small yarn shop. For returns, we generally only give store credit. It’s easier, and less time-consuming. There are a lot of steps we have to complete if they want their money back, and it takes five to ten minutes to process it all.)

Customer: “Hi, I’d like to return this yarn. I decided that it wasn’t the right color for my project.”

Me: “I’m sorry about that. Would you like to exchange it for a different color?”

Customer: “No, I just want to return it.”

Me: “All right! We only give store credit; would that be okay?”

Customer: “No, I really just want my money back.”

Me: “I can do that, but if you paid with credit, it can be a lengthy process. It will probably take five to ten minutes for me to do, if that’s okay.”

Customer: *becoming angry* “I really don’t have time for that! Can you just give me cash?”

Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am, I can’t. But I can give you store credit, if you’re in a hurry.”

Customer: “No! I just want my money back!”

Me: “Okay! I’ll start processing it right now for you.”

(I have to call the owner to have her walk through the steps with me, since I’ve only ever done it once before. The customer starts walking around the shop while grumbling under her breath about how she doesn’t have time for this. Just as I’m about to finish the last step, she comes up with eight skeins of yarn.)

Customer: “After you’re done with that, I need to buy these, too.”

(Her total ended up being more than twice the amount of the return.)