Something I have noticed lately is that more and more employees of large companies have taken an “ownership attitude” when it comes to returns or price checking. By this I mean they seem rather offended if you are returning something, or asking for a price checking. It’s not like I’m abusing the return policies, hell, I’m not even pushing it.

I was at REI. I returned a pair of shoes my wife had bought and worn. She didn’t like them as the arches were tall and would make her feet very sore by days end. They were lightly used, but fell completely within REI’s return policy. When the woman realized that I was returning them and not exchanging them, she was furious. Huffing and puffing and stomping around. You would have thought that her child was receiving a lashing for each dollar she returned. It was so ridiculous that I called her out on it. I told her if she doesn’t like the return policy, speak to corporate management, but punishing customers isn’t good business.

I was at Walgreens. Some nail topcoat shit my wife picked out. We get to the register and it’s $19.99. My wife is like “ma’am, its price on the shelf is $4.99”. The woman tells her that’s not possible and so my wife offers to show her. We all walk over and sure enough, $4.99. My wife pointed out the description as well as the UPc matched. The lady was very upset, ripped the tag off the shelf, held it to the light as if she was watermark checking it. She said “this just isn’t right!”. We went back to the register and she sold it to us at $4.99, but again, she was acting as if the $15 difference was coming out of her wallet.

I’m at Costco and I Reyna a couple outdoor sunscreens. I had bought them five months prior, and where we planned in putting them, isn’t the place. These are brand new in box, box is mint, absolutely nothing wrong, never opened, can go right out on the floor and will sell in a day. Guy at Costco can’t believe I’m returning them. I pointed out that they’re unopened and perfect. He just laughs and tells me “I see it all here at returns, but this is pretty special”. I just told him your return policy is 100% satisfaction and I’m not satisfied. Again, this guy was acting like these stupid sunshades were coming out if his check.

Have you run into people acting like this?

I have not, but then, have not returned anything.

Belts are tightening all over though.

It wouldn't surprise me to find out that middle managers (ordered by upper managers) are behaving the same way to employees who handle returns.

Not at REI or Costco, but I returned something to Wags and the clerk gave me attitude and didn't want to honor the return policy.

It was a Walgreens branded product and I actually worked for Wags HQ at the time. I had to point out to this clown the fine print on the label that said "Satisfaction Guaranteed or Your Money Back". He still acted all butt hurt; like you said, you'd think returns came out of his salary.

Also a symptom of people having no control over many areas of their existence, so they compensate by either "controlling behavior" or reacting as if things are personal, when they are not.

They are quite simply, overwhelmed by stress in life.

They may have internal rules like “no more than XYZ number of returns per day” and this affects bonuses or performance reviews.

Price changes are happening so rapidly that a lot of time the marked price isn't what rings up. Around here where I live, it's been a bit of a public drama over it at Walmart, Safeway, and Kroger. It's happening everywhere. Old policies used to be that a manager could override to honor the price posted on the label or a price check in the aisle would always result in a one time lower price in the sale. No more.

When confronted, they won't honor the price label, what's in the computer is what its going for...no matter what.

As manga said...belts are getting tightened everywhere.

Except for when I was in high school, I have never had a problem returning items.

The most recent ones I've done face to face was at Costco and it was a series over a period of weeks. One was two bags of unopened dog treats; the one I opened, one of my dogs didn't like it and I bought three. Prior to that, I returned an open bag of dog treats that both my dogs didn't like.

I returned a neck sleeve for winter. It was a one size fits all except for my neck, it was too tight.

My wife had me return a plant when she figured out the main stem was dead.

I just do it matter of factly.

Be careful, at membership locations (REI, MEC, Costco, Sam's, BJ, etc) if they suspect you're abusing a generous return policy by accumulating an unusual number of return/exchanges, they can cancel your membership and return the pro-rated balance of your yearly membership.

That said, employees should not be overtly expressing themselves or, getting into arguments with customers. Its one thing to express surprise but, to start refuting or, taking a confrontational attitude towards a customer only means they probably shouldn't be in a customer-facing position and/or their training is lacking and they need some additional mentoring.

I’m not a big returner, try to figure things out before I buy, yeah, sometimes one has to.

My most famous return was decades ago, ACE Hardware. I bought a simple socket for a plug change, yeah, cheap, about $3.75.

Anyway, once home it didn’t fit. In this day I’d likely just keep it for the future, back then I decided to return it, with receipt.

The guy at the store accused me of buying it to use, then returning it. After I told him it was not the case, he dug in.

I went home & sent a letter to ACE headquarters in Chicagoland. Later on I got an apology, a $20 gift certificate, and told I could return it.

I went back to the store, told them I didn’t need the gift certificate, just wanted the refund for the socket. The guy was nice now.

One other thing that was similar, a two year old GMC had a broken wire, wouldn’t start. The manager told me a rodent chewed the wire. This was after the technician who fixed it said it was a clean break, no chew marks.

After a few calls to Detroit that was settled.

Believe it or not I seldom return things, unlike some I know.

About 20 yrs. ago I needed seat covers for my Toyota. Pep Boys opened a new store near my house so I trotted over there looked over there stock and decided I wanted a set that needed to be special ordered. I paid up front about 75.00 and was told it would take 2 weeks.

Went back after 3 weeks, nothing and this went into 8 weeks and still nothing. I asked for my money back and told by the manager that there is a 20% restocking fee.

I received nothing and they want to charge a restocking fee. We are going back and forth and both dug in. If I wanted to waive the fee I would have to contact their main office in Cali. to get approval.

Contacted the main ofc. spoke with a mgr. and after put on hold for 45 minutes, got the approval. Went back to the store and issued a refund minus shipping which was 7.95. If I wanted that I would have to call Cali. again. I did not do that just happy with the 75.00.

No wonder they folded up after 8 yrs. here.

Yet another example of America's on going "few spoiling it for the many"

After returning three bad watermelons to Costco in three months ,
Now I just go to Sam's and get good ones.

Why Sam's can obtain good melons and I can't, still puzzles me.

My brother used to work for a bed linen retailer that took anything on return. No questions asked. People would bring in blood, crap, fee and other god knows what other fluids soaks bed linens for a full return. Stuff that should have been burned. Not because it didn’t fit. But becuase they had crapped or bled in their bed. No shame.

I've had a few run ins with the return/price adjustment nazis. It's really crazy that they care that much about this stuff. You'd think every return or price adjustment was literally deducted from their pay.

LL Bean used to have one of the most generous return polices around for many years. One time I returned a set of Bean Boots that I had received for Christmas like 20 years ago that have never fit right. They sent me a brand new pair free of charge.

Of course once certain people learned about the policy they would go to flea markets to buy Bean products on the cheap and return them.

For the “you’d think this is coming out of their pay” crowd: It is. Monthly/quarterly bonuses are based on sales and profit metrics. Every time something is returned, it affects those metrics.

Return policies get abused to the point of absurdity on a daily basis where I work. Lumber that’s been cut or left out in the weather, items obviously used and returned in less than 24 hours “oh it doesn’t work but I don’t want to exchange it.” I inspect or plug in the item to test it and by some miracle it works just fine. No, I’m not talking about the occasional legitimate return when I say this. As with all things, the scumbags ruin it for those of us who do things the right way. This is also not to say that the attitude you get is warranted. It’s just difficult to keep it in after the 20th time a day you see.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
Also a symptom of people having no control over many areas of their existence, so they compensate by either "controlling behavior" or reacting as if things are personal, when they are not.

They are quite simply, overwhelmed by stress in life.

You are right of course.

I told my wife this very thing last summer. I give her good news (most of which I get right here at SF) to let her know that the tide is turning and not to lose hope. We stopped watching the news media after they went off the rails in the first few weeks after the lockdowns started.

But one time I warned her that as we were entering the last year of tyranny, things would get their weirdest. That people would be under more and more stress and we would see more of that coming out right along with whatever horseshit the dems pull out of their ass as it becomes impossible for them to admit to themselves that 'it's over'.

quote:

Originally posted by sourdough44:

ACE Hardware. I bought a simple socket for a plug change, yeah, cheap, about $3.75.

Anyway, once home it didn’t fit. In this day I’d likely just keep it for the future, back then I decided to return it, with receipt.

The guy at the store accused me of buying it to use, then returning it. After I told him it was not the case, he dug in.

Ace (and other hardware stores) have many unethical customers who try to use tool purchase-and-return as a no-cost rental. They had to crack down on this, and unfortunately, you got tangled in the crack-down, even though you were not one of the miscreants.

You see it from one view -- you bought something and it did not work for you. Store sees it from another view -- hundreds of customers buy a tool, use it for its intended purpose, then return it for a refund, leaving the store with an item that can not be sold because it is used.

If I were the store owner and a customer wanted to return a socket because it didn't fit, I would offer to exchange it for the proper size at no cost. Not so sure that I would issue a straight refund unless all original, undamaged, packaging was included in the return so item could be sold. Maybe with a re-stocking fee.

Yet another view: Why is there a quibble over less than four bucks? Both sides bear some responsibility for this.

I have dirst hand stories from my Son and his now ex wife returning a Drain Snake after using it. She returned a door lock sets after installing and later reconsidering their need.
Standing in the return line at Medards was a lady returning a space heater in May after using it all winter that was dirty.

Yes I believe there is reason to believe we live amongst some real winners.

depend on the age maybe?

I was at Marc's this morning at 7am. I bought a 24pk of Diet Coke and 3 packs of various zero sugar 7up products because the sign said $8.99 for the diet coke and 3 12pks for $13 for the 7up stuff.

Well at check out, nothing was correct. Older lady at the front went to check the prices and found that night shift did not take the signs down (new sales start wednesday) but they honored the prices for me.