This Is Why We’re In A Recession, Part 36

(My holiday job is at a small bookshop in my town. We have a gift card system connected to another major retailer of books and DVDs. One day a man attempted to buy $50 worth of books with a $50 gift card that had only $1 left on it.)

Customer: “I’d like to pay for these using this gift card.”

Me: “Certainly.”

(I take the gift card and glance at the back, where it is written underneath the original $50 that he’s spent $49 using the card and has $1 left.)

Me: “I’m very sorry, sir, but you only have $1 left on your gift voucher.”

Customer: “What do you mean? It says it’s worth $50!”

Me: “Yes, but you’ve already spent $49 in a previous purchase using this card.”

Customer: “But it says $50!”

(My boss realises that I have a difficult customer and she comes over to help.)

Boss: “I’m sorry, sir, but it seems like there is only $1 on your gift card. However, we will contact the [Other Retailer]’s help desk for you and just check that it’s not a mistake.”

(I call the help desk while my boss attempts to explain the concept of using up money on a gift voucher to the man, who still doesn’t seem to understand and continues to repeat that it says $50 on the back and that someone must be trying to trick him. The help desk tells me that there is, in fact, only $1 left on his gift card.)

Me: “I’m very sorry, sir, but there is actually only $1 left on your gift voucher.”

Boss: “I’m very sorry, but there’s nothing we can do.”

Customer: “That’s ridiculous! Why would they write $50 on the back if it was going to run out?”

Me: “Because you can only spend up to $50 using this card once, just like using a real $50 note. Once you’ve spent it, it’s been spent and you can’t get it back.”

(The man paid the remaining $49 but continued to complain about the gift card for the entire purchase. To our relief he soon left, but was obviously still upset at the revelation that money was not, in fact, unlimited.)