The inside scoop -
I used to work customer service at a grocery store. People would return stuff all the time. WEIRD stuff. Half eaten chickens, magazines, 6 month old meat... The only thing you should worry about is the store policy. At that store, it was... if you have a receipt, you can return ANYTHING in the store, NO MATTER WHAT. Because the store then just sends it back the manufacturer, and the store gets the credit for the refund its not a big deal.
But if the person didnt have a receipt, their item had to be under 10 dollars for it to be refunded. If it was over 10, you had to call a manager. 9 1/2 times out of 10, the manager okayed the return. Why? Because people got ANGRY if we wouldnt take the item back. Then they called corporate, and told corporate Stephenie at customer service wouldnt give the return, and Bob the manager wouldnt give her the return, and the chicken she bought was so horrible her dog wouldnt eat it, and she'll never shop at that grocery store again and blah blah blah.
Corporate then calls the store and says hey, someone complained about Bob the manager. Bob gets a strike and if he gets three strikes, hes out of a promotion for that year. So managers, wanting to get promoted, wanting to get more money, will usually validate your return.
As for me, i have no trouble bringing back returns, or telling a manager I had bad service, or telling anyone anything.
Also, lose the story about why you're returning them. The clerk doesnt care, and its a waste of time, because its about the policy not your sad story. Plus 8 out of 10 people are lieing.
Just my observations..