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ALL NAMES, DOLLAR AMOUNTS, AND OTHER IDENTIFYING INFORMATION CHANGED TO PROTECT THE NOT-SO-INNOCENT...
About 90% of my posts are about returns. Well, they're starting to really get out of control now, because of the economy, people are just basically grabbing everything in their house they bought from us and trying to return it for a quick buck.
My store manager came down and talked to us the other day.
He spoke of the returns he's seen over the years, and the abuse, especially recently. He said because of the amount that people are returning lately, we're going to have to let managers know of anything "out of place".
We asked if this meant what we hoped it meant.
He said yes.
He pointed out we do not have a "lifetime" return policy, only a "100% Satisfaction Guaranteed" policy. Meaning for the LIFE OF THE PRODUCT, we guarantee you'll be happy with it, if not, we'll return it. Obviously the person that had that shirt for 3 years was 100% happy with it.
Basically, the store manager told us that he's had enough of the abuse, and it's going to stop.
.... 
A collective cheer grew inside of me as he spoke these words....
and then it turned into this.
It begins...
This is how bad it got
I had at LEAST 3 people this week try to return stuff with NEGATIVE shopping histories over $3000.
Which means, they've returned $3000 of stuff this year AT THE VERY LEAST.
It could mean they've bought $2000 and returned $5000. The positive is drowned out.
It got THAT bad before they stopped this.
But it was funny to see the one person with her DVD/VCR player from 2005 claim that she was a "good" customer, and therefore should get her refund. (She didn't get it.)
The New Mrs. H
I had a woman called Mrs. H who got herself a ban from the return counter for outrageous returns (2 year old half used olive oil is a good example of how bad it got).
Recently, there's been another woman pulling the same crap. Completely destroyed toys her kids wrecked from 2 Christmases ago, old clothes, the works. We're calling her "The New Mrs. H".
Well, she's going through a divorce now, according to a CW. She's returning ALL of his clothes. At least several things a DAY. All from years and years ago.
She came up to the desk with a whole CART full of things the other day, and thank God my manager was there. She called the store manager, who refused all but about 3 things (which were only bought the week before, so it was okay). She was not happy about this, and started thrusting each refused item at my manager asking why we couldn't refund it.
SC: WHY can't you refund THIS? (holds a jar of salsa)
MGR: It was a two pack, and you only have one jar. You bought it in 2007. We are NOT returning that item.
SC: WHAT ABOUT THIS?! (a old shirt)
MGR: Its from 2004. It's heavily worn, used, stained. I can't. *repeats the bit about satisfaction for product life*
It went on like this. She eventually got the names of everyone there and transaction numbers, swearing with threats of calling corporate (which has our back 100% in cases of abuse like this, so no worries
)
She then left with this:
SC: You have no idea who you're dealing with. DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I'VE SPENT IN HERE?
MGR: Well, when you factor in your returns, you've spent $100 since last year, according to your account. (burnnnnn)
$100 a year is a VERY VERY LOW AMOUNT. Normal customers average thousands and thousands a year. She was returning a LOT.
%*&# YOU
Also changed was that people who were not members of our building are NOT permitted to come in AT ALL without signing up to become a member. Not even to see "if they liked the place". This may seem like a bad idea in writing, but the amount of theft recently was getting RIDICULOUS, and since this policy was imposed, our theft rate has dropped significantly. VERY significantly!
I was not happy with this change at first, but since it's working, I am all for it! 
Now, we're not unreasonable, if someone absolutely insists they want to see the place before they sign up, we're supposed to give them a tour of the building.
Of course, this new policy, is leaving me with some interesting conversations with people when they come in to get the "one day pass" that no longer exists...
Typically it starts with a
Person: Can I get a one-day pass?
Then I go
Me: *explains how non-members are not permitted in the store, and how if you sign up and you don't like it, you can get a full refund of the membership*
And then it ends with a
Person: Okay, thanks. *leaves*
or a lovely
Person: Alright, I'll sign up. *does so*
and then the fun and occasional
SC: THAT'S STUPID, I WANT TO GO AND SEE YOUR STORE AND YOU'RE TREATING ME LIKE A CRIMINAL, I DESERVE A FREE MEMBERSHIP AND BLAH BLAH BLAH...
or some variation of that.
One such variation was a hearty and swift
SC: &*%# YOU!
with so such warning or anything of that manner before they stormed out of the store into oncoming traffic.
Weird though, not one person has insisted enough to get a tour.
About 90% of my posts are about returns. Well, they're starting to really get out of control now, because of the economy, people are just basically grabbing everything in their house they bought from us and trying to return it for a quick buck.
My store manager came down and talked to us the other day.
He spoke of the returns he's seen over the years, and the abuse, especially recently. He said because of the amount that people are returning lately, we're going to have to let managers know of anything "out of place".
We asked if this meant what we hoped it meant.
He said yes.
He pointed out we do not have a "lifetime" return policy, only a "100% Satisfaction Guaranteed" policy. Meaning for the LIFE OF THE PRODUCT, we guarantee you'll be happy with it, if not, we'll return it. Obviously the person that had that shirt for 3 years was 100% happy with it.
Basically, the store manager told us that he's had enough of the abuse, and it's going to stop.
.... A collective cheer grew inside of me as he spoke these words....
and then it turned into this.
It begins...
This is how bad it got
I had at LEAST 3 people this week try to return stuff with NEGATIVE shopping histories over $3000.
Which means, they've returned $3000 of stuff this year AT THE VERY LEAST.
It could mean they've bought $2000 and returned $5000. The positive is drowned out.
It got THAT bad before they stopped this.
But it was funny to see the one person with her DVD/VCR player from 2005 claim that she was a "good" customer, and therefore should get her refund. (She didn't get it.)
The New Mrs. H
I had a woman called Mrs. H who got herself a ban from the return counter for outrageous returns (2 year old half used olive oil is a good example of how bad it got).
Recently, there's been another woman pulling the same crap. Completely destroyed toys her kids wrecked from 2 Christmases ago, old clothes, the works. We're calling her "The New Mrs. H".
Well, she's going through a divorce now, according to a CW. She's returning ALL of his clothes. At least several things a DAY. All from years and years ago.
She came up to the desk with a whole CART full of things the other day, and thank God my manager was there. She called the store manager, who refused all but about 3 things (which were only bought the week before, so it was okay). She was not happy about this, and started thrusting each refused item at my manager asking why we couldn't refund it.
SC: WHY can't you refund THIS? (holds a jar of salsa)
MGR: It was a two pack, and you only have one jar. You bought it in 2007. We are NOT returning that item.
SC: WHAT ABOUT THIS?! (a old shirt)
MGR: Its from 2004. It's heavily worn, used, stained. I can't. *repeats the bit about satisfaction for product life*
It went on like this. She eventually got the names of everyone there and transaction numbers, swearing with threats of calling corporate (which has our back 100% in cases of abuse like this, so no worries
)She then left with this:
SC: You have no idea who you're dealing with. DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I'VE SPENT IN HERE?
MGR: Well, when you factor in your returns, you've spent $100 since last year, according to your account. (burnnnnn)
$100 a year is a VERY VERY LOW AMOUNT. Normal customers average thousands and thousands a year. She was returning a LOT.
%*&# YOU
Also changed was that people who were not members of our building are NOT permitted to come in AT ALL without signing up to become a member. Not even to see "if they liked the place". This may seem like a bad idea in writing, but the amount of theft recently was getting RIDICULOUS, and since this policy was imposed, our theft rate has dropped significantly. VERY significantly!
I was not happy with this change at first, but since it's working, I am all for it! Now, we're not unreasonable, if someone absolutely insists they want to see the place before they sign up, we're supposed to give them a tour of the building.
Of course, this new policy, is leaving me with some interesting conversations with people when they come in to get the "one day pass" that no longer exists...
Typically it starts with a
Person: Can I get a one-day pass?
Then I go
Me: *explains how non-members are not permitted in the store, and how if you sign up and you don't like it, you can get a full refund of the membership*
And then it ends with a
Person: Okay, thanks. *leaves*
or a lovely
Person: Alright, I'll sign up. *does so*
and then the fun and occasional
SC: THAT'S STUPID, I WANT TO GO AND SEE YOUR STORE AND YOU'RE TREATING ME LIKE A CRIMINAL, I DESERVE A FREE MEMBERSHIP AND BLAH BLAH BLAH...
or some variation of that.
One such variation was a hearty and swift
SC: &*%# YOU!
with so such warning or anything of that manner before they stormed out of the store into oncoming traffic.
Weird though, not one person has insisted enough to get a tour.
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