You have to actually return it

[Kheldarson]

This happened yesterday:

I was the opening cashier, which means I'm pretty much by myself up front. I'm authorized to do returns, exchanges, price matches, pretty much anything to keep the customers happy. Unfortunately, I'm not supposed to call for help up front unless the lines extraordinarily long. (Like from my till back to the first pad of merchandise).

So I've gotten a small line (2-3 people) and have just finished ringing one person out and getting ready for the next when a guy to my right (so outside my line) steps up and places a tackle bag/box on my counter and asks "Is this where I do returns?"

I say "Yes, sir. What seems to be the problem?" I'm still getting items from the person in line but not ringing them up yet.

"This bag keeps breaking! The boxes are broken. I want to exchange it."

"All right. Why don't you go get the box you want to replace it with and we'll take care of you." I take the box he has and put it to the side. He thanks me and goes back to the lodge area to find what he wants while I take care of the line.

All of the above is rather typical. What happened next isn't.

I have like two people in line again. I'm typing in information for the one in front of me, when I see tacklebox guy again. He is completely bypassing my line and heading for the exit door!

Me: "Sir! I have to exchange that for you!"
Him: "You've got the other box!"
Me: "Sir, I still need you back in line so I can ring that box out!"
Him: "Like hell! I've stood in a damn line twice for this damn box, I'm not doing it again!" *leaves*

So...I called for backup, the customer who was in line with me pointed out that he was getting into a white van, which the CES copied the license plate off of. I have no idea if he got the same bag or not. I couldn't even properly return the item he brought in because it didn't have a receipt.

My manager says he'll probably ban the guy.

[Mytical]

Ok..my mind decided it would be good to go to the beach, and leave me behind on this..so I want to see if I have this straight..

Guy brings something up, it is broken (or something) so wants to exchange it..and then just basically steals something (in essence)? Cause that can't be what happened..can it? Tell me I am confused..because that is just

[Kheldarson]

Pretty much. He seemed to think that just because he gave me the broken thing that he could walk out with the unbroken thing.

Never mind I had nothing by which to do an official exchange, and couldn't actually see that 1) it was the same thing and 2) that was all he had.

And his attitude was that basically he could do that because he'd already stood in line for it twice. (I'm guessing he'd done an exchange for the bag once already)

[Mytical]

I was afraid you would say that. *sighs* I won't try to understand the crazy. Cause that..that is crazy..like 'special' crazy...

[Kheldarson]

I couldn't understand it either. I just kind of....stared after him.

[bainsidhe]

No no, by twice he meant once when he bought it and twice when he "waited in line" and handed over the broken unit. Except he didn't wait in line, he budged in front of others. Is anyone surprised?

[Marmalady]

Is anyone surprised?

All together, everyone - "No....."

[Mytical]

For some reason I now have a picture going through my head. Guy 'buys' (with no receipt how can we be sure it was paid for in the first place? Never mind, trying to understand the crazy again..gotta stop trying to understand the crazy) lets say a laptop..a compaq..pretty decent ok fine. It's a 'little banged' up (ie has a 1mm scratch on some corner somewhere) so he doesn't want it. Goes to get a replacement. Walks out with an Alienware rig..cause hey they are all the same...right?

We ALL know SC's think this way..any bet takers want to bet whatever he walked out with was not better/ more high end? Anybody??

[Catwoman2965]

I've had that happen to me, not the customer leaving, but the customer thinking we can just take the item they They don’t want, and walk out with the new one. Um no, it doesn’t work that way! our merchandise (closing) has an item number, so a certain tee will have the same item number, but each color and size has its own individual SKU. So if someone exchanges for a different size or color, we have to do a transaction, to keep our inventory right. Even if they are bringing something back say for a defect, and taking the same item, we have to do that. But some just don’t get it.

And don’t get me started on returns/exchanges where they owe more! Generally speaking, if we have the same item in a solid or print, the print will be more. I had one memorable customer; we had a promo, buy one tee, get a second at 50% off. So when we ring, we ring all identical items, and then randomly do the discount on the second one. Customer comes in, and had purchased 6 or 8 tees; so she paid full price for 3-4, and then half for the other 3-4. So she wanted to return one, and get something else. First problem; totally different top, and it was striped, and the first one was solid, so it cost more. So I do the return, and ring up the other, and tell her she owed me x amount. Cue a hissy fit, with her screaming at me “No, you’re WRONG” It’s the same price, and I shouldn’t have to pay as its an even exchange. Um no, it’s neither.

I must have had to explain it to her 4-5 times before she got it. I mean, if the item you’re returning costs $10 less than the one you are exchanging it for, it’s NOT an even exchange. You WILL pay the difference. I don’t know what’s so hard about that concept.

[Syriilord]

Hmmm. The OPs story makes me think of this strip: http://www.retailcomic.com/?p=6334

[BeenThereDoneThat]

That's one good thing about catalog and web orders. Yeah, I suppose if a local High End Home Store location had the item in stock they could pull that same stunt, but 1) most of our stores are "galleries" now and have relatively few cash and carry items, and 2) not everybody lives near a store. So, they have to call us back to make the exchange, and it's almost ALWAYS done as a return and refund...so they have to send the item back to us, then we credit them and send out a new one. If they absolutely HAVE to have another one right away we can create a new order, they can pay first, and then if they never return the first one we don't care because they already paid for two. The only exception is some furniture orders, especially if the customer refuses delivery for one reason or another...because then we know that the delivery agent has possession of the item and not the customer.