That's not how an exchange works

[Evannah]

I had a lady come up to me. She said she bought this jumper, but the one she bought previously was too small, could she exchange it? I told her yes, does she have the receipt? No, she says. Okay, do you have the garment with you? No, she says. I tell her we can't exchange the jumper if she doesn't have it with her. She doesn't understand why I need the jumper back. Er... you kidding? I told her what an exchange was and eventually she got it into her head what it was. In the end, I decided I'd hold it for her, until she came back with the garment and receipt.

She was nice and very elderly, so I'm sure it wasn't a scam. I think she was just honestly confused about the whole thing.

[Kanalah]

I had a lady one year that had no clue what "layaway" and payment plan" meant.

I had to use small words. She was in her 30's.

[icmedia]

I get this all of the time; customer has me process a warranty exchange. I describe the need to return original device, or else customer gets charged cost of new device. Customer receives new device, along with shipping label and instructions describing the need to return original device. Customer does not return original device. Much drama ensues.

Most popular defense: "I didn't know that I had to return it!"

[MoonCat]

Idiots. I weep for humanity.

Well, in point of fact, I usually laugh. Idiots.

[fireheart]

I had a lady one year that had no clue what "layaway" and payment plan" meant.

I had to use small words. She was in her 30's.

I can think of a few reasons:

-Lady was not from the US ("payment plan" is not that uncommon over here, but "layaway" translates to "lay-by")
-Lady did not speak a lot of English.
-Lady survived on mummy or daddy's credit card.
-Lady survived on sugar daddy's credit card.

Am I missing something here?

[Miss Maple Leaf]

Am I missing something here?

Lady survived on husband's credit card?

[Kanalah]

I'm thinking trophy wife personally. We have a lot of wanna be socialites out here.

Edit: In fact, most of the girls who graduated high school with me - that was their life goal. To be someone's trophy wife.

[Argus]

I had a lady one year that had no clue what "layaway" and payment plan" meant.

Maybe she grew up in a family that avoided any sort of future payment, aside from maybe paying for food after eating at a restaurant or paying for gas after pumping.

[fireheart]

I'm thinking trophy wife personally. We have a lot of wanna be socialites out here.

Edit: In fact, most of the girls who graduated high school with me - that was their life goal. To be someone's trophy wife.

Ugh. Was their home ec teacher by any chance Pearl from South Park?

[Kanalah]

I was actually in the last sewing class my school district offered. It was in the same room as the "cooking" part of home ec, and it consisted of: Follow the directions on the back of the box.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

I was actually in the last sewing class my school district offered. It was in the same room as the "cooking" part of home ec, and it consisted of: Follow the directions on the back of the box.

I was doing that when I was seven and without the need to take a Home Ec class in high school. When other kids my age were playing with EZ-Bake ovens and play kitchens from the Sears Wish Book, I was learning to cook in a REAL kitchen with REAL appliances. I could cook an entire meal by the time I was 10 for 4 people.

I also grew up on layaway, rent-to-own stores and buy-here, pay-here vehicles, so I can tell Miss 30-something about stuff like that there.

Young Whippersnappers, getoffmylawn!

[Seshat]

I have a photo of my nephew, age 4 or 5, completely covered in chocolate icing. He'd been "helping" Mum and I bake. Life skills. Gotta teach 'em young.


As for not knowing what lay-by (layaway) is; my family (when growing up) didn't use it except in the direst of need. We'd save up beforehand, rather than risk losing the object plus the money already put in.

My family now also rarely uses it: in fact, I don't think we ever have. We also avoid credit except when absolutely necessary; though we do have a mortgage. Kind of impossible to save up for a house.

That said, I do know what it is. I don't know when or how I learned.

[Jetfire]

Back in the 90's, when I was in Grade 7 or 8, they had a 4 or 5 part course everyone had to take. Divided into Woodworking, Metalworking, Cooking, Sewing, and Arts (covering painting, cross stitching and similar 'artsy' things). It was one of the greatest part of my school years IMO, since it gave me a fantastic foundation for Living since then. About the only thing it missed was child care and home budgeting. (Though I do recall some special classes on budgeting in later years; but I don't think they were part of the actual school curriculum)

[dawnfire]

I was actually in the last sewing class my school district offered. It was in the same room as the "cooking" part of home ec, and it consisted of: Follow the directions on the back of the box.

my home ec classes were big on making things from scratch. I remember doing things like beef strognaoff and bread making. The stuff they cooked at too least an hour to cook/prepare, a bit too long for me to do at home.

I remember being taught to budget a meal. that was one of the assignments to budget and prepare a dinner party. we compared crumbing to pre crumbed schnitzels , fresh vs frozen veges. (we did schnitzels, mash potatoes and veges).

[taxguykarl]

It was in the same room as the "cooking" part of home ec, and it consisted of: Follow the directions on the back of the box.

Actually labels have some good recipes....or were you refering to mixes, Kanalah?