As a matter of fact, I DO think it's fair.

[Deevil]

One of the items that Pink Flamingo Party Supplies and Novelties sells is cardboard pillars. Of course, like any other professionally done photograph for an item being sold, it isn't obvious that they are cardboard and many people do not bother to read the description. Therefore the pillar are a common item to be returned under the "not as expected" category. Most people that call to return them thought they were getting Styrofoam or something similar. However, we've actually had some customers that thought they were getting real marble pillars for under $50.


Anyhow...the other night I got a customer calling to return the set of 4.5' pillars she had bought because she didn't see that they are cardboard. I get the return set up in our system and inform that that once we receive the return and our warehouse processes it, the $25.50 she paid for them will be credited back to the credit card she used to place the order.

EW: Those pillars are $30, why am I only getting $25.50?

Me: When you placed the order, you used a promotional code that gave you fifteen percent off your merchandise total. You got $4.50 off the price of the pillars, which would make it $25.50.

EW: Do you really think that's fair??

Me: <taken aback for a couple of seconds> Well yeah, that is what you paid for them after all.

EW: Whatever. <click>

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

However, we've actually had some customers that thought they were getting real marble pillars for under $50.

That makes sense when you factor in the mentality of the average entitlement whore. That they should be able to get high-end Champagne at light beer prices.

EW: Do you really think that's fair??

Me: <taken aback for a couple of seconds> Well yeah, that is what you paid for them after all.

EW: Whatever. <click>

Again that makes sense. In their minds everything must (and that "must" needs to be in 300-foot tall letters of pure fire) be in their favor. That if the item is purchased at a lower price on sale, they should be able to return it for full price when it's no longer on sale.

[Catwoman2965]

That reminds me of a customer we had in recently. She wanted to return something, but somehow in the purchase she was charged 1/4 of the price. She had bought them in a different store, and couldn't understand why if the tag said x price, she was only getting back y. Both the associate and manager tried to explain to her she was ONLY getting back what she had paid, regardless of how much they actually are, and that an error had been made when she was rung up.

She went on about how it wasn't fair etc. and so on. Well, yes, yes it is. you paid x, you get x back, not the actual price you SHOULD have been charged.

[mikoyan29]

I'll bet they get really mad when they say they want 18" pillars and their dancing dwarf kicks them over....

[Pixilated]

Lady, NOT fair would be for us to refuse to take them back at all. Would you prefer that?

Some people, I dunno ...

[Deevil]

She is probably going to be ticked when she goes to the post office and finds out she needs to pay to return it as well. We do pay for the return shipping in some instances (basically if the problem/reason for return is on our end, not the customers), but if it says it is cardboard (or what ever) and you didn't want cardboard (or what ever)...you pony up for the return shipping.

[freeatlast]

When I worked for the mail order music club, we offered "buy 1 get 3 free" sales. Customers would order 4 selections and then return the full price selection. Then they would be upset because we would rebill the next most expensive selection to replace it. They thought they could just keep the freebies after returning the qualifying purchase.

[XCashier]

I'll bet they get really mad when they say they want 18" pillars and their dancing dwarf kicks them over....

"No, we're not going to do Stonehenge!"

[emax4]

"No, we're not going to do Stonehenge!"

"And ehhww, how they duhnced..."

[XCashier]

I love the expressions on the band's faces when they see Barbie's Dream Megalith descending to the stage...

[Skittles88]

When I worked for the mail order music club, we offered "buy 1 get 3 free" sales. Customers would order 4 selections and then return the full price selection. Then they would be upset because we would rebill the next most expensive selection to replace it. They thought they could just keep the freebies after returning the qualifying purchase.

When I worked for a department store, people tried this all the time. There was once a lady who screamed for 20 min over the matter at the poor service desk clerk. She finally gave up when we told her she should go to another store, since "everywhere else does it!."

Also once had a customer legitimately ask me if BOGO meant "buy one at half price, get the second free?"
That lady has gone down in history in my books for the stupidest question ever asked.

[sms001]

Lady, NOT fair would be for us to refuse to take them back at all.

Actually, if the product is properly described, I think even THAT would be fair. The only refusal to do a return I would see as unfair is if the product was defective.

[C. Cecil Ivanish]

That makes sense when you factor in the mentality of the average entitlement whore. That they should be able to get high-end Champagne at light beer prices.

...after having drunk the beer, of course, and trying to return their pee [erm... sorry]

[XCashier]

Also once had a customer legitimately ask me if BOGO meant "buy one at half price, get the second free?"
That lady has gone down in history in my books for the stupidest question ever asked.

We could probably start a good, long thread about stupid questions customers ask. Everybody here would have several entries.