I’ve been working for the same store on and off for the last two years through a temp agency and I learn something new every day. Today’s lesson was that we don’t accept any refunds. Oh dear, this’ll be fun to explain to the customers.
We get a lot of refunds. Mostly it’s because the Chinese made crap broke in an instant. Ok, fine, we’ll accept those goods and either give you a new one or refund your money. I think. Gotta make sure I’m right on that one too.
Where the problem lies is that if you purchase something and then decide you don’t want it, we’ll exchange it for other items of the same value. Your money is now the company’s money.
Makes sense, right? Not for our customers. We get a lot of people buying things just to see if they fit. Such as picture frames. Most people don’t have a blue as to what size their picture is, so they’ll buy 9 of one size of frame. Just to return it the next day, because they weren’t the right size. I’ve never had any objections to this. Good customer service in my book. Take it home, try it out, if it’s not right for you, bring it back and we’ll refund you. It’s so common of a practice that this “new” guideline, which has been in place for years, will be a problem.
As far as refunds go, every store has their own guidelines to deal with them. Typically items of normal price, as to say not on sale, are refundable within 14 days from the time of purchase, in it’s original packaging with the tags still attached. With a receipt, of course.
Here’s a question to other retail clerks: what’s the refund policy at your store? I’ll try to gather up as many replies as I hopefully can to give consumers a good idea of what’s the norm with refunds. Might send out a few emails to companies, inquiring about their refund policies, if I can find the time.
So, today’s etiquette lessons on refunds, yes, that’s what I was supposed to talk about. Um, let’s see…:
Clerk: Find out what your store’s policy on refunds is.
As you could tell from above, I’ve just spent the last two years following what I’ve been told, and not the official guidelines. So find out what the policy is in your store (and let me know in the comments section below this post so I can make an average estimate about them.).
Consumers: If there’s the slightest chance that you might return any of the items you are purchasing, ask what the policy is.
For some reason, it’s not always visibly posted in stores. (Guess that’s management’s way of telling you that they don’t like it when people return stuff.)
If there’s a chance you might return something, DON’T THROW AWAY THE RECEIPT!
That receipt is pretty much the only way you can prove that you actually bought that item at that particular store. Doesn’t matter if you bought a candy bar or a hottub, just cram that receipt in you wallet for at least two weeks. You might need it. No receipt, no return. Capiche?
Rules change all the time.
If you managed to return something once, that doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be able to return something every time you do so. Sorry… The clerk doesn’t make up the rules.
Be reasonable with what you return.
Half-eaten candy bar? Um, no.
TV that doesn’t work? Sure.
Underwear that you’ve worn for a day but got a rash from? Get outta here!
A pair of galoshes that were on sale when you bought them? No dice.
The latest Britney Spears album because it sucked? You already tormented yourself by listening to it, it’s your problem now.
A Barbie PS3 game you bought for your grandson? Only if it was bought in a sealed package which is still intact.
A tub of ice cream that melted on the way home? Should’ve hurried home…
Get the idea? (If you’ve ever had any customer return something completely ridiculous, please, please write your story in the comments section below this post. I love to read that kind of things!)
Which brings me to a really entertaining blog from inside the walls of Walmart which you might find interesting. I find myself laughing out loud at some of the stories posted there. Go check it out: Behind The Counter.
If you have a story relating to this post, from either side of the counter, let’s hear it!
The customer is NOT always right. If you agree with this, or wish to know what to do and not do as a consumer, please subscribe to this blog’s updates by the way of the RSS feed or email subscriptions. Thank you for shopping at the Consumer Etiquette Guide, now go and make someone have a nice day at work!
Posted by Jani 
