For those who may not know, I still work for a major electronics retailer. My company does not take trade-ins on any electronic item. We'll recycle your old stuff for you, but you can't bring something in, drop it at the service desk, and expect a discount on a new one. Corporate has just chosen to not get into that particular market.
Nevertheless, we have people who want to exchange a 7-year-old computer for a new one or get some sort of store credit for their old dishwasher or something along those lines. Yesterday, though, brought a trade-in customer with an interesting twist.
I was sitting in the break room, watching some sporting event on the TV (though I was not really cognizant of anything other than the flashing colors) and enjoying some cookies my wife had packed for me the night before. Over the employee radio headset system we have, I heard the following...
Jenn = A relatively new girl at the Customer Service desk
Daisy = Customer Service supervisor who was in her office doing paperwork at the time
Keep in mind that the customer referred to in these exchanges can only hear Jenn's statements. What Daisy says goes into the employees' earpieces throughout the store, but most customers can never hear what's coming from them.
Jenn: Hey, Daisy?
Daisy: Yeah?
Jenn: I've got a guy here returning a Wii and some games, and he wants to know if he can just exchange it for an X-Box 360 instead.
Daisy: Sure. Just do it as store credit.
Jenn: Does anyone know if we price-match Local New and Used Video Game Shop?
Daisy: On new stuff, we do.
Jenn: Hey, Daisy?
Daisy: Yeah?
Jenn: This guy with the Wii exchange says that Local New and Used Video Game Shop has the 360 he wants for $100 less than we do. Can we match that?
Daisy: Ask him if it's new or used.
Jenn: He says it's new... Oh, he says it's new, and their price is actually the same as ours, but they were going to give him $100 off for trading in his PlayStation. Can we still match that?
Daisy: No.
Jenn: Hey, Daisy?
Daisy: Yeah?
Jenn: This guy with the Wii exchange wants to know if we'll give him the $100 off the 360 if he brings the PlayStation in and trades it to us.
Daisy: You mean he doesn't even have the PlayStation with him?
Jenn: No.
Daisy: Only if it's new-in-box, and only if it's in our system. Then he can turn it in for store credit.
Jenn: He says it's used.
Daisy: Then, no. No price-match and no trade.
Jenn: Hey, Daisy?
Daisy: Yeah?
Jenn: The guy with the Wii says he's just going to return the Wii and go over to Local New and Used Video Game Shop to get the 360 there.
Daisy: Good! Let him go!
Jenn: Well, he wants to just use his store credit from us there instead of having me give him the cash refund. Can he do that?
Daisy: He can try, but Local New and Used Video Game Shop won't accept it.
Jenn: Oh, okay.
Jenn: Can I get the MOD to Customer Service, please? I have a gentleman here with questions about a Wii exchange.
At that point, I had to go back to the computer department, and it got really busy until it was time for me to leave, so I don't yet know the end of this story. But, to summarize, a sort-of competitor of ours offered to give him $100 off an X-Box 360 if he traded in a used PlayStation (probably PS2). He came to my store to return a Wii console (for reasons unknown to me), then tried to get us to price-match the competitor's offer without trading in his PlayStation. Then he wanted to use our store credit at another store, got mad when told that wouldn't work, and demanded a manager.
Stupid? Scammer? Stupid scammer? I can't decide.
Nevertheless, we have people who want to exchange a 7-year-old computer for a new one or get some sort of store credit for their old dishwasher or something along those lines. Yesterday, though, brought a trade-in customer with an interesting twist.
I was sitting in the break room, watching some sporting event on the TV (though I was not really cognizant of anything other than the flashing colors) and enjoying some cookies my wife had packed for me the night before. Over the employee radio headset system we have, I heard the following...
Jenn = A relatively new girl at the Customer Service desk
Daisy = Customer Service supervisor who was in her office doing paperwork at the time
Keep in mind that the customer referred to in these exchanges can only hear Jenn's statements. What Daisy says goes into the employees' earpieces throughout the store, but most customers can never hear what's coming from them.
Jenn: Hey, Daisy?
Daisy: Yeah?
Jenn: I've got a guy here returning a Wii and some games, and he wants to know if he can just exchange it for an X-Box 360 instead.
Daisy: Sure. Just do it as store credit.
Jenn: Does anyone know if we price-match Local New and Used Video Game Shop?
Daisy: On new stuff, we do.
Jenn: Hey, Daisy?
Daisy: Yeah?
Jenn: This guy with the Wii exchange says that Local New and Used Video Game Shop has the 360 he wants for $100 less than we do. Can we match that?
Daisy: Ask him if it's new or used.
Jenn: He says it's new... Oh, he says it's new, and their price is actually the same as ours, but they were going to give him $100 off for trading in his PlayStation. Can we still match that?
Daisy: No.
Jenn: Hey, Daisy?
Daisy: Yeah?
Jenn: This guy with the Wii exchange wants to know if we'll give him the $100 off the 360 if he brings the PlayStation in and trades it to us.
Daisy: You mean he doesn't even have the PlayStation with him?
Jenn: No.
Daisy: Only if it's new-in-box, and only if it's in our system. Then he can turn it in for store credit.
Jenn: He says it's used.
Daisy: Then, no. No price-match and no trade.
Jenn: Hey, Daisy?
Daisy: Yeah?
Jenn: The guy with the Wii says he's just going to return the Wii and go over to Local New and Used Video Game Shop to get the 360 there.
Daisy: Good! Let him go!
Jenn: Well, he wants to just use his store credit from us there instead of having me give him the cash refund. Can he do that?
Daisy: He can try, but Local New and Used Video Game Shop won't accept it.
Jenn: Oh, okay.
Jenn: Can I get the MOD to Customer Service, please? I have a gentleman here with questions about a Wii exchange.
At that point, I had to go back to the computer department, and it got really busy until it was time for me to leave, so I don't yet know the end of this story. But, to summarize, a sort-of competitor of ours offered to give him $100 off an X-Box 360 if he traded in a used PlayStation (probably PS2). He came to my store to return a Wii console (for reasons unknown to me), then tried to get us to price-match the competitor's offer without trading in his PlayStation. Then he wanted to use our store credit at another store, got mad when told that wouldn't work, and demanded a manager.
Stupid? Scammer? Stupid scammer? I can't decide.
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