Return Policies

[GemmaPixie]

WHY DO PEOPLE ASSUME THAT A STORES REFUND.EXCHANGE POLICY DOES NOT APPLY TO THEM??

I work in a large shop and this has been grating on me even since I began working here (6 months ago).

Our policy is that the customer is welcome to a refund within 14 days of purchase or an exchange/giftcard within 28 days of purchase. With a gift receipt they can have an exchange/giftcard within 28 days of purchase.

THIS IS THE POLICY. THIS IS THE RULE FOR ALL OUR CUSTOMERS.

So why do people decide to return something that was bought in DECEMBER and expect an exchange......or worse, a refund! No....read the back of the receipt...you are not entitled to an exchange or refund as you are outside the return time. That's not my problem...it's yours.

And yes you can demand a manager but they will tell you the same thing because it is them who tell us every morning at our floor meeting that we are not allowed to authorise a return if it is outside the policy....and that we can call them if the customer kicks up a fuss and they will back us up.

And my biggest pet peeve.....the customer shouting and demanding their money back....do not shout at me for enforcing the rules.....I won't shout at you for trying to break them.


Thanks for reading....feels so much better.

(p.s. I understand in exceptional circumstances the policies can be broken....but these are at a managers discretion)

 

[happygirl]

WHY DO PEOPLE ASSUME THAT A STORES REFUND.EXCHANGE POLICY DOES NOT APPLY TO THEM??

I work in a large shop and this has been grating on me even since I began working here (6 months ago).

Our policy is that the customer is welcome to a refund within 14 days of purchase or an exchange/giftcard within 28 days of purchase. With a gift receipt they can have an exchange/giftcard within 28 days of purchase.

THIS IS THE POLICY. THIS IS THE RULE FOR ALL OUR CUSTOMERS.

So why do people decide to return something that was bought in DECEMBER and expect an exchange......or worse, a refund! No....read the back of the receipt...you are not entitled to an exchange or refund as you are outside the return time. That's not my problem...it's yours.

And yes you can demand a manager but they will tell you the same thing because it is them who tell us every morning at our floor meeting that we are not allowed to authorise a return if it is outside the policy....and that we can call them if the customer kicks up a fuss and they will back us up.

And my biggest pet peeve.....the customer shouting and demanding their money back....do not shout at me for enforcing the rules.....I won't shout at you for trying to break them.


Thanks for reading....feels so much better.

(p.s. I understand in exceptional circumstances the policies can be broken....but these are at a managers discretion)

Because people think they are entitled to anything they want.

 

[GemmaPixie]

Yep your right....there such a great sense of self-entitlement these days and it's just sad.

 

[disneyjunkie]

WHY DO PEOPLE ASSUME THAT A STORES REFUND.EXCHANGE POLICY DOES NOT APPLY TO THEM??

I work in a large shop and this has been grating on me even since I began working here (6 months ago).

Our policy is that the customer is welcome to a refund within 14 days of purchase or an exchange/giftcard within 28 days of purchase. With a gift receipt they can have an exchange/giftcard within 28 days of purchase.

THIS IS THE POLICY. THIS IS THE RULE FOR ALL OUR CUSTOMERS.

So why do people decide to return something that was bought in DECEMBER and expect an exchange......or worse, a refund! No....read the back of the receipt...you are not entitled to an exchange or refund as you are outside the return time. That's not my problem...it's yours.

And yes you can demand a manager but they will tell you the same thing because it is them who tell us every morning at our floor meeting that we are not allowed to authorise a return if it is outside the policy....and that we can call them if the customer kicks up a fuss and they will back us up.

And my biggest pet peeve.....the customer shouting and demanding their money back....do not shout at me for enforcing the rules.....I won't shout at you for trying to break them.


Thanks for reading....feels so much better.

(p.s. I understand in exceptional circumstances the policies can be broken....but these are at a managers discretion)

Where is the refund/exchange policy posted?

I'm not in the habit of reading the back of my receipts. However, I am in the habit of reading signs posted near the register while I'm waiting in line.

It helps to know the policy before making the purchase.

 

[GemmaPixie]

We have the signs at each till point (we have blocks a 3 till points in each department and each one has a sign so 3 signs in each department). Also on the receipt. I tell my customers when wrapping their purchases also however I know that's probably just me trying to give good customer service and chatting away. I understand people may not know the policy (or have read the signs or receipts) but when they try and return something and I sta te the policy then they give me an earfull....that's when I get annoyed. It's not the sales assistants fault we can't take it back....not only will our tills tell us the receipts out of date, but we need a manager/supervisor to authorise a return transaction and they won't allow it.

Sorry for the long rant guys....I just hate being in that situation when there is nothing I can do.

 

[happygirl]

We have the signs at each till point (we have blocks a 3 till points in each department and each one has a sign so 3 signs in each department). Also on the receipt. I tell my customers when wrapping their purchases also however I know that's probably just me trying to give good customer service and chatting away. I understand people may not know the policy (or have read the signs or receipts) but when they try and return something and I sta te the policy then they give me an earfull....that's when I get annoyed. It's not the sales assistants fault we can't take it back....not only will our tills tell us the receipts out of date, but we need a manager/supervisor to authorise a return transaction and they won't allow it.

Sorry for the long rant guys....I just hate being in that situation when there is nothing I can do.

I work in customer service just remember that most of the people play by the rules. There are just a handful that don't.

 

[crzy4my2]

I feel your pain. I work in retail also..if people are concerned about the policy ask when you make a purchase..I have been in retail/customer service for 24 years..everyplace I have worked at keep signs at the register..they also have the policy printed on the receipt..Also anywhere I have worked and shopped at all have a policy that if you do not have a receipt you WILL get a store credit..The thing that really aggravates me are the people who return without a receipt and get angry and yell at me because I won't give them cash back. Then tell me that "they never heard of such a ridiculous policy" and "Everywhere else they shop would give them cash back with no receipt" I politely ask them where because I want to shop there.

 

[sunnyday123]

....And then they call their cc company and demand the money from them. I don't think anyone wants to follow rules anymore.

FYI, the policy has to be near the customers signature on the receipt to be valid. If it's just a sign posted, you might lose.

 

[pezheadmeg]

I know exactly how you feel. I'm thankfully removed from sales, but still get the return issues. We have an extremly generous return policy. Do you really think something that's been in your closet for a year is sellable? Even if you never removed the tags?

Just because we carry that brand does not mean we can return it. You would not believe how often I get that arguement. I got it twice this week, both times I had to come down from a ladder to realize the merchsndise came from a different store.

Maybe all these years, I rarely return anything.

 

[Elmo9607]

I work at a store that has the most lax return policy EVER.

You get 90 days to bring the item back...if you have your reciept you can get cash back...after 90 days you get the full price of the item back on store credit.

If you don't have your receipt, you can get the lowest sale price back on store credit, which often is only a difference of a couple dollars.

So...this means that you could have bought something two years ago, bring it in, get store credit for either full price or get it back on the store's credit card (if you have your receipt) or lowest sale price on store credit. (if you don't)

People take advantage of this ALL THE TIME...which means we get a lot of stolen stuff returned for store credit since it is also very easy to steal from the store!!!

Every time someone throws a fit, I want to remind them that we do indeed have a VERY leinient return policy and they are not "entitled" to a refund.

And yes, most of the customers play by the rules. But it's the ones that don't that ruin it for everyone else!!

 

[PghLybrt]

It is sad. A few bad apples really have spoiled the entire bunch! We get people who use 1/2 a product and then try to return it, use it all season and return at the end of the year or (And I like this one best) refill a product with something else to look like they didnt use any of it.

I wish we were like other countries, you buy it then it is yours!

 

[bicker]

Because people think they are entitled to anything they want.

Pretty much.

I was just discussing this in another forum, about something completely unrelated, but the pervasiveness and damaging nature of unfounded entitlement is the same. In that case, it was Verizon FiOS.... in the terms and conditions it says that the list of channels on each tier of service is subject to change with 30 days notice. Of course, you've got some self-entitled people, now, ranting and raving in response to a letter they received giving them notice that a few channels are being removed from the tier of service they are on. Did they think Verizon was kidding? Or maybe they just figured that such changes could only affect other customers.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

Most places give at least 30 days that I shop in, and I don't know anyone who reads the back of the receipt. My guess is your problem is that your particular store's policy is less customer friendly than most in your area.

I get annoyed when I have been shopping in a store for years and they change their policy and I'm somehow supposed to magically know that. I think there needs to be a grace period while they transition to the new policy and inform their customers. I get a bazillion emails and ads in the mail, so they know how to reach their customers, they just don't.

I worked retail during high school and nursing school and know how it is to be yelled at, it stinks and never helps their case. Honestly it does often help to get a manager since they can make decisions that the salesperson can't.

 

[monarchsfan16]

I've had customers yell at me that our return policy "isn't long enough". The store I work at gives you 180 days...aka SIX MONTHS to return stuff. Yet it's still not enough time?!

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Perhaps it is because there are many stores with much better policies?

What is your return policy with no receipt?

 

[GemmaPixie]

I agree our returns policy does stink...but there's nothing I can do about it....I merely have to abide by it.

I would NEVER return something without looking at the back of the receipt to check if I am still within date (but maybe that's because I work in retail and often find myself wondering "Did you not think to read the receipt?".

Our policy regarding no receipt is confusing. The official line is "No receipt...No return". However...they will allow change in this to a certain extent. The store has a lot of concessions with their own managers and they have final say over their products. We have 2 concessions in C/W...one will allow for an exchange from the same conncession....the other will not return anything without a receipt. With our own products...they will almost always allow an exchange if the item is not obviously old (ie a season or more ago) and only at the current value. Also, a lot of what we sell can be bought in other stores so what's to stop someone from going into XXXX and buying half price jeans then returning them in our shop for our full price and exchanging them for one of our bags?

It just sucks that the stinky returns policy means us CS peeps always get it in the neck. I bet the dude who came up with the policy has never actually had to turn someone away before.

Please people....reead your receipts before you return something.

Oh and p.s. WOWW you guys have longgg return windows! That's just crazy! The most over here is 28 days.

 

[crzy4my2]

I work for 2 different company's. One in the summer and one the rest of the year and both have very lenient(sp?) return policies. Neither company has a time limit on when you bring things back..and here the policy has to be on the receipt..does not have to be near the signature since most places here (both that I work for) have electronic signature things..meaning you don't sign the actual paper.and it had to be posted at the register.
but there is always people who have something to complain about and are never happy...but I have to say that I have my "regular" customers that have followed me from one store to another (competition) that are the reasons why I keep working retail.

 

[bicker]

I would NEVER return something without looking at the back of the receipt to check if I am still within date (but maybe that's because I work in retail and often find myself wondering "Did you not think to read the receipt?".

Yes, that's a good foundation. Indeed, consumers should never assume entitlement to make returns, either based on their own personal feelings about whether they should be entitled, nor based on past experience, or experience with other vendors. None of those are reasonable foundations for assuming anything.

The reasonable foundations for asserting that you're entitled to return something to a retailer are:

(1) Fitness for Particular Purpose - This entitlement is an implied warranty that comes from 2 UCC §315, and basically says that if the seller should understand what the product is probably going to be used for, and the buyer necessarily must rely on the seller to ensure that the item is indeed fit for that purpose (such as if you're buying something in a package that you cannot open to ensure that the product is fit for the purpose), then the buyer is entitled to return the product (within a reasonable period of time, i.e., shortly after purchase) if it actually isn't fit for that purpose.

(2) The current return policy of the store - This entitlement is an explicit warranty that is granted as part of the specific sale and may be subject to any number of terms and conditions set forth by the store. It is subject to change without notice, but the terms and conditions that prevail are those that were in effect at the time of the sale, itself (unless one of the terms and conditions is, itself, that the applicable terms are those in effect at some other time, such as the time of return).

That's it.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

I asked my wife about this. She said that she would never buy a gift from a store with such a return policy, nor would she shop in a store that cared so little for the satisfaction of her customers.

That said, she would not take out poor management decisions on the staff.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Motherwear has a restrictive return policy. And they make sure to tell each customer and have them initial the policy as part of the sale. I think that is brilliant. While I favor more loose policies, I have no problems with businesses that have to be more restrictive. I like that Motherwear explicitly reminds you on purchases.


To me it is silly to refuse to patronize a store with restrictive policies.

I also don't get the antics customers go to with the hourly employees. Ummm--yeah, if I had authority, I wouldn't be sitting at the register waiting on you personally. (sorry for the snark--past retail employee here).