That's not how math works!

[Willowe]

Had a real witch of a customer come in today, wanting to return two seasonal wreaths. Original price was $16 each but she used a 20% total transaction coupon, so she's only getting back $12.80 each. Makes sense, right? She paid 20% less on each wreath, so she's getting back exactly what she paid.

Not in her mind, and thus started the desperate (and ultimately unsuccessful) attempt to prove to her that we didn't overcharge her.

SC: I should be getting back $32 for those wreaths.
Me: I'm sorry, you used a 20% total transaction coupon. It took 20% off every item you bought, so you only paid $12.80 for each wreath which is what you're getting back.
SC: But it took 20% off the total, not 20% off each item.

But... 20% off each item is the same as 20% off the total? Not in her mind...

SC: If you took 20% off each item you overcharged me, I should've saved more than $9 on this purchase!
Me: *grabs calculator, starts adding up items* You saved 20% on each wreath, 20% on [other item], and because you used a 30% coupon on [really expensive item] it doesn't take an additional 20% off of that. The math adds up.
SC: But it's 20% off the total purchase, it should take 20% off [really expensive item].
Me: You can't combine coupons like that, ma'am.
SC: But it's 20% off the total, not 20% off each item!

Repeat the above conversation, in several different variations, for waaaaay longer than it should have gone on. I eventually called my manager over, who explained how the coupons worked and showed the SC the fine print where it says "Cannot be combined with any other coupon or discount".

SC: That's not how I read the coupon. I should have gotten 20% off [really expensive item] as well, I still think you overcharged me.

Ah yes, because you are incapable of reading and understanding the fine print we must be the ones in error here . So now we're not only a) trying to convince her that she's getting the right amount back for the wreaths but b) trying to convince her that we didn't overcharge her. At the same time, she wants that 20% off [really expensive item] even though she's still insisting that 20% off the total isn't calculated by taking 20% off each item!

SC logic at it's finest, folks. Deny how math works when you'll be getting back less money than you thought, but use correct math principles to justify your claim that you were overcharged.

[wolfie]

Had a real witch of a customer come in today, wanting to return two seasonal wreaths.

WTF? Never mind the coupon issue - what kind of store does returns on seasonal items after the season is over? That's begging to be used as a free rental place.

[Little Retail Rabbit]

Yeah at my old job that would have been a solid no by that point (unless a fucking bleeding heart manager took over).

[Trixie]

I hate when I get people like that. Some people just can't read. I get the people who say "That should be..." and even after I explain to them it's right they still don't get it. Even as they're walking away I can tell they think I worked some mumbo jumbo to confuse them. They'll double check it at home. I've never seen them come back or call about it.

[Slave to the Phone]

SC: I should be getting back $32 for those wreaths.
Me: I'm sorry, you used a 20% total transaction coupon. It took 20% off every item you bought, so you only paid $12.80 for each wreath which is what you're getting back.
SC: But it took 20% off the total, not 20% off each item.

But... 20% off each item is the same as 20% off the total? Not in her mind...

SC: But it's 20% off the total, not 20% off each item!

Please tell me that she doesn't have children. PLEASE!

[Willowe]

WTF? Never mind the coupon issue - what kind of store does returns on seasonal items after the season is over? That's begging to be used as a free rental place.

Sorry, should've specified- SPRING seasonal wreaths, so we are still selling them and thus still accepting returns. Until they go on clearance and we get everyone complaining about how we won't give them their money back.

Please tell me that she doesn't have children. PLEASE!

Unfortunately yes, she does- at least one adult child that she bought one of the original wreaths for. I sincerely hope I never have to see the daughter in the store, who knows what she'll be like...

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

WTF? Never mind the coupon issue - what kind of store does returns on seasonal items after the season is over? That's begging to be used as a free rental place.

The swamp does. We give customers 120 days to return their purchases, with receipt or receipt lookup if they paid with card or check. Certain items have a much shorter time for returns, but seasonal items aren't among them.

Of course, the stuff has to be returned in new condition and in original packaging, but we will cheerfully disregard that if you throw a big enough tantrum.

So a person could return Christmas or Halloween stuff purchased late last October and we would have to take the return if they had their receipt or their receipt could be looked up.

[MoonCat]

SC: That's not how I read the coupon

And this should matter to....who, exactly?? I mean, seriously, lady?? WTF? Who gives a flying fig how SHE reads the coupon!! Arrgh.

[XCashier]

SC: But it's 20% off the total purchase, it should take 20% off [really expensive item].
Me: You can't combine coupons like that, ma'am.
SC: But it's 20% off the total, not 20% off each item!

Repeat the above conversation, in several different variations, for waaaaay longer than it should have gone on. I eventually called my manager over, who explained how the coupons worked and showed the SC the fine print where it says "Cannot be combined with any other coupon or discount".

SC: That's not how I read the coupon. I should have gotten 20% off [really expensive item] as well, I still think you overcharged me.

Sounds like a relative of my Bitch Queen From Hell customer. One who has no clue how the coupons actually work, but thinks she does, and if it doesn't reflect her reality, throws the mother of all fits and refuses to listen. I hope she wasn't vicious towards you, just stupid. Still, trying to get knowledge through a skull like hers is just as headache-inducing as

And we just finished the big coupon sale. We had the 20% off entire purchase coupon, the 60% off all notions coupon and the 30% off any one regular-priced item coupon. Unfortunately, the 20% and 60% coupons don't play nicely together, so notions have to be rung on a separate transaction. Oh, the whining and moaning! Oh noes, you have to run your card twice, oh gosh, the horror! Like I'd really choose to run two transactions if I could do it in one! I am so glad that's over.

[ComputerNecromancer]

Alas, most people never manage to connect the things they learned in math class with the real world.

That "20% off each item isn't 20% off the total" is an example of not understanding one of the things they taught is in 6th grade math (I can't recall if it's the distributive property or the commutative property, but it's something like that)

In essence A*X + A*Y is the same as A*(X+Y)

And yes, percent off *is* multiplication.

[mikoyan29]

Back when I was a cashier, I had a woman come up to the cash register. She had a grocery cart brimming with items. She said she only had $20 (or something like that). That was the first warning sign. The order was more than what she had, so I had to start taking stuff off. We got down to a total, at which point she said, "I don't believe it". Since I was going to need the manager anyway, I took everything off her order and showed her 0 on the balance. I re-rang everything that she wanted.....totals matched. She said, "I don't believe it" and her friend interceded at that point.