"But I didn't tell them ..."
A man came into the store where I worked, Christmas Eve, and asked for a pair of sunglasses; they had to be suitable for driving, because his mother likes to drive a lot, and all weather conditions, durable, etc. Price is not an issue. So I show him a fancy pair of Oakleys, top of the range, polarised, metal, really nice. Can't quite imagine a MOTHER in them, but hey, they fit his criteria. I explain we don't refund except for faulty goods, but we can give store credit. That's fine. Out he strolls into the night.

Boxing Day, and an older lady comes in, asking if we might be able to help - her son bought her some sunglasses for Christmas and she can't use them, can she get a refund? Well, she won't be able to get a refund, but let's see them first. She pulls out the box and my heart sinks. That sale was a masterpiece, it had boosted my average considerably. Now this daft bitch was about to ruin it all because she wanted a refund. Well, why should we give you a refund? No shit this is what she said:

"I used to drive a lot, yes, but I had a stroke some years ago. And I only told two of my eight children, I didn't want them all to worry. So I can't drive any more, and these are no use to me."

At what point she seriously thought her not informing her children of her medical history was in any way my business or could change this situation, I don't know. We all told her she could not have a refund, and she got *mad*. She was ranting and raving and demanding my name (my assistant manager was a gem, she told the woman categorically she could have my store number as printed on the receipt but not my name), and she was threatening to go to the papers over this company policy. Really, she got irate.

Finally the matter was resolved. We rang my manager who agreed that she could not have a refund. We then (at this woman's insistence) disturbed the area manager, who, being new to this company and a dippy bitch to boot, authorised the refund, but that it would have to go via head office and the woman would be waiting weeks anyway.

So, now, as far as this woman was concerned, we had all lied to her, but at least she was getting what she wanted. That was three years ago and I still think she's a cow.
(zenmeban thinks the weather could be better, Sun 7 Sep 2008, 13:54, 2 replies)

Area Manager
Managers who authorise refunds when you have spent ages defending the company policy (and your own face) should be flogged. We had the same policy at my old workplace. "No Refunds"*



*unless you go purple and make a huge scene, and then you can.
(mrwheels, Mon 8 Sep 2008, 10:41, closed)

The policy...
... seems a little unreasonable. Why not give refunds? Look at it from the old lady's point of view. Her son has given her something which, unknown to him, really isn't any use to her. It's two days old and completely unused. Why shouldn't the shop give a refund? Any sensible retailer would.

If there is one thing which really pisses me off it's people and organisation which hide behind "policy". In the sentence "We can't give refunds because it's against our policy" every word after "because" is redundant.
(ubergeekian, Tue 9 Sep 2008, 10:17, closed)