Trying to return old clothes....LONG

[JLG]

I work at an off retail store that sells clothes, shoes, and home items. Our return policy is 30 days. But you can basically return anything at any time and get a store credit. When these SC have no tag or receipt we can still return the item but only if we can find the exact item. This happened to me last night at 9:15 after a long day with annoying fellow associates and with 15 minutes unitl I locked the doors.

Me=ME of course
SD=associate at the service desk
OL1=old lady #1
OL2=old lady #2


I was standing at the service desk getting ready to make the 15 minute closing call.

OL1........I have this sweater that shrunk after I washed it and I have no tag or receipt. I have had it for a couple of months. Can I return it?

Me.........I can return it for you ONLY if I can find the exact same sweater in the store.

OL1.......OK let me go to my car to get it and see what you come up with.

Here friend enters at this point with a bag of clothing items and a vase.

OL1.......I also have these other items that I was going to give to the Salvation Army but I want to see if I can return them instead.

She then pulls out this old white shirt that has yellow stains around the collar.

Me.....(Pointing to the yellow stains on the collar) What is that?

OL2....That is why she wants to return it because she bought it like that.

OL1.....No thats not the reason, that happend because it has been sitting in the trunk of my car for months.

Me.....Sorry m'am but I can't return that because I can't put an item like that on the floor.

OL1... All it needs is to be washed.

Me..... M'am nobody is going to buy the item like that so sorry but I can't return it.

OL2... We will just wash it and then return it later and you will never know it.

I then called over an associate to see if she can find a price for the other items she had with no tags or receipt.

OL1....Will you do me a favor?

Me..... Sure!

OL1....DON"T TALK DOWN TO ME!!!!!

Me M'am I am not talking down to you in any way.

OL1....... YES YOU ARE!!! You said that you will not return that shirt because you said I put that stain there.

Me...... M'am you just told me that it was sitting in the trunk of your car for months. I can't put that item back on the floor in that condition. We also can't return items that have been washed. I am trying to help you with the other items you have.

I go off with the other associate to look for the other exact matches of the clothing itmes but we find none.

OL1 to SD......What is your store number? What is your Managers name? How long is this going to take?

SD gives her the info but is trying to ring up the remaining customers. I come back with no matches for her clothing items. They seem to be old clothes and some have cat or dog hair all over them.

Me.....M'am I am sorry but I could not find any items to match these so I wll not be able to return any of them.

OL1.....OF COURSE NOT!!!! YOU DON"T WANT TO HELP ME!!

Me.....I told you that with no tags or receipt I would not be able to return it if I can't find exact matches on the floor.

OL2....You can find something similiar.

Me.....I could not even find the same name brands. I had three associates looking.

OL1.....What is the name of your Magnager? I want the number to your corporate office. What is your District Managers name? WHAT IS YOUR NAME?

I give all the information to her and I think we are done. The phone rings and I answer it.

OL1.....EXCUSE ME BUT DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE UNTIL YOU ARE DONE DEALING WITH ME.

I put the person on hold and turn to her to see what else she wants from me. But of course it was just more complaining on how I did not want to help her. I return to the call and then lock the doors as she walks out of the store and gets into her brand new Hummer. It is my day off today so I will see tomorrow if she calls to complain about not getting the help she wanted

[sarahj]

My mum works at a department store, in childrenswear, and she's especially pleased about herself when she gets to refuse returns. Mostly it's parents who bring in last year's worn-out clothes, and say they just bought them & they faded like that in the first wash. Oh, but they want the next size up.

[HALFHUMANHALFZOMBIE]

Anything that's contaminated is a health and safety regulation, what the f#ck was she thinking?

[greensinestro]

So why didn't OL2 whap OL1 upside her head when she blurted out the fact that the shirt had been in her trunk for months?

You know what? I have a bag of clothes in my car that I'm thinking of donating to Goodwill, but I think now I will see if I can get a refund on all of them, or at least a store credit. I bought them years ago, but they should still be good for a refund, right?

[workerbee222]

A woman came into a store where I worked, trying to return clothes that belonged to her brother. (Her brother had fallen on hard times, needed the money). Here's the kicker: her brother had worked for the store, and the clothing was stolen. It was discovered, after the man was fired, he had helped himself to clothing far above and beyond the"budget" he was given for new clothes each year.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Sorry, but if the clothes are discolored yellow from sitting in her trunk for months, it's not likely to come out by just washing them. Nice try, but you lose...Please play again sometime!

[karma_gypsy]

Ugh, I'm sure Goodwill would probably just toss a sweater out like that . . . No one would want a stained up sweater. You wouldn't even be able to sell it in a garage sale. . .

And she's getting made at you for taking her old funk-stained clothes? I don't think so. Listen lady, the associate did not put a gun to your head and tell you to put the damned sweater in the trunk of your car and let it sit for a couple of MONTHS. I'm glad she didn't get the return . . .

[KellyHabersham]

One of my co-workers at Macy's told me that back when she was working at Ross, a woman came in and wanted to return a pair of jeans which she'd had for about a year or so. "Cindy" tried to explain that she couldn't process a return because the said jeans were no longer in the system, and apparently the woman was so pissed off that she started cussing and name-calling in Spanish. Then, she took the jeans outside, threw them on the ground, and stomped all over them.

[Sliceanddice]

For those clothes you think goodwill can sell, give them to the mormon thrift store (Deseret Industrys[we know i cant spell so :P]) They use every piece of fabric possible. EVERY. if they dont think it will sell the use what they can to make quilt squares. Its cool.

Oh an don topic...
I would have laughed at those ladys...

[Aldous]

Question 1: Are the clothes in question older than Morgan Freeman?
Question 2: Was that the original color, or has your clothing metamorphisized a brand new color.
Question 3: Are they used Undergarments?
Question 4: Have they sat in an unclean area, such as a radioactive zone, or a trunk of a car, for longer than required?
Question 5: Would you purchase a piece of clothing that is in that condition?

If at anytime the answer to questions is 1-4 "yes" then the clothing shall not be accepted. Question 5 is a trick question Please refer to the following questions to determine how you will be leaving the store.

Question 1: Do you plan to make a scene?

If the answer is yes, we shall call security now, before this gets escalated. Thank you for shopping at X, please have a nice day.

Quick Questionaire that should be given at the end of the line for returns.

[JLG]

UPDATE.........................

These two ladies called the President of the company. They did not call the District Manager. It seems like they know somebody that has the phone number to the President of the company and went straight to him with their complaint. He told them to call the District Manager and he would handle it. My Manager was not there the night it happened and I left a note about the incident as I was off the next day. The District Manager and My manager both said that I did the right thing as I was following the company policy. But we were going to have to take back all of the merchadise

While I was walking into work on Saturday one of my co-workers runs outside and tells me that the two ladies are here to do their return and my Manager wants me to "hide" in the front office because these ladies were really mad at me and said some awful things about me and she does not want them to see me. My Manager said she just wants them to do their transaction and leave without making a scene. So I have my purse, my lunch and I have not clocked in and I have to "hide" in the front office. My Manager said she will adjust my time and to just stay there until they leave.

These two ladies get their over $100 store credit and go do some shopping. They even try to return a BROKEN pair of sunglasses that day but since it was not with their original return the manager said no. They said OK because they think that they bought the sunglasses at the gas station anyway

My Manager and District Manager said that I did the right thing when I would not take back their old crap. But of course they had to take it back because well blah blah blah blah blah blah...........


My Manager could not believe the condition of the clothes we had to take back but said that if that is what the company wants her to do then she will have to do it

[wagegoth]

Your manager should gather up the clothing and mail it to the president of the company.

Corporate never gets it. The kind of "customers" who do this kind of thing are not good customers. They cost way more than they ever spend.

[Enjis]

When you can buy, use and then RETURN, you are not really buying...you are not even renting.
You are stealing.
Plain and simple.
I don't want thieves as 'customers', do you?
Stupid corporate mentality.