Wi-Fi Range Extender Extended Beyond All Physical Means To Work

(A customer comes to return a Wi-Fi range extender. The receipt says that it was purchased yesterday.)

Me: “Why are you returning it?”

Customer: “It doesn’t work.”

Me: “All right.”

(I open the package, and before taking the range extender out of the box, I can see that it’s extremely dirty. I have a hard time believing this was purchased less than 24 hours ago, but I continue to look it over anyway, and take it completely out of the box. Part of the plastic next to one of the plug-in prongs is burnt and melted.)

Me: “Um, this is melted.”

Customer: “Yeah, it did that.”

Me: “It just did that when you first plugged it in?”

Customer: “Yeah.”

Me: “Why didn’t you tell me that when I asked you why you’re returning it?”

Customer: “Because it came like that.”

Me: *pause* “It came burnt?”

Customer: “Yeah.”

Me: “Okay…”

(I turn the item over to check the serial number and sure enough, it doesn’t match the serial number on the box.)

Me: “Well, the serial numbers don’t match, so this isn’t the item that came in the box.”

Customer: “Yes, it is!”

Me: “There wouldn’t be a melted item in a brand-new box.”

(My manager comes over and starts looking at it.)

Manager: “Was the box opened when you bought it?”

Customer: “She just opened it!” *pointing at me* “I didn’t do it!”

Manager: “Well, the serial numbers don’t match, so this isn’t the item that came in the box.”

Customer: “Yes, it is! It’s the same model number!”

Manager: “Well, I can’t return this, because clearly you bought a new range extender yesterday to replace your damaged one, and you’re trying to swap them out so you don’t have to pay for your new one.”

Customer: “No, it was open when I bought it!”

Manager: “It wouldn’t have been opened when you bought it, because it would have had a sticker on it signed by a manager to say that everything was inside and working.”

Customer: “That’s how it came!”

Manager: “Well, I’m not returning it.”

(He didn’t argue anymore.)