Woman Returns Dried-Out Cut Christmas Tree To Costco...

[wishesuponastar]

I was in Costco over the Summer and couldn't believe a man in front of me on the return line was returning half of a watermelon! I really wanted to find out why he was doing that.

Then the other week, as DH & I were leaving Costco, we saw a couple people returning big screen TV's. I asked one of them, "excuse me, I was looking at that TV and was wondering why you were returning it?" He said the picture was blurry.
At least it wasn't the day after superbowl.

 

[apirateslifeforme]

Ew ew ew

When I worked at JCPenney, the return policy was much more lax than it is now. An elderly lady brought in sheets from 17 years before, in their original packaging with the receipt. I didn't mind handling the return.

If I had to return used sheets, I'd probably go right in the back room and set my hand on fire to kill all the cooties.

I worked at JCPenney in college. We had a lady return a TownCraft (JCP brand) polo type shirt. It was old and worn with little holes in parts of it. We could tell it was a number of years old because the label wasn't even the current design. They exchanged it for her without a receipt and she got a new shirt.

I also worked at JCPenney, 20 years ago, in the children's department. My favorite (note sarcasm) was the lady who brought in a very obviously used t-shirt - faded and pilled - and produced the tags and a receipt from THREE YEARS EARLIER, saying "My son outgrew it." Since we still sold the same shirt (it was part of the basics line), she wanted to do an even exchange for a larger size, even though in that 3 year period, the price had gone up. But since she had the receipt, I had to do the exchange and go through the rigmarole of making it even out. One of my coworkers later remarked that "We're not a lending library for clothes."

Now, in my mind, it's inappropriate to attempt to return used items. One of our cats passed away just after Christmas, and we have several bags of opened treats that only she liked (our other cat won't touch them). One of those bags cost us $5.99 and is about 90% full. Today we returned the 4 unopened bags that we still had, but I never would have dreamed of trying to return the opened ones!

 

[mom2rtk]

"We're not a lending library for clothes."

Well..... apparently you were.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I've had to return clothing before to Costco since they don't have fitting rooms but I'm not out wearing it and trying to bring it back..no way on that. I just try it on at home and then if it doesn't fit I return it.

The only thing my husband has returned that was "used" in a sense was a 5 pack of deodorant. What happened is he used one of the sticks until it was gone and then threw it away in the trash--the next day was trash day so all of our trash ended up in our trash bin that night at the end of the driveway. He then went to get another stick the next morning..only to discover it was completely empty. In our defense most people don't think to check each stick first in a multi-pack. I'm sure some do but most don't;in any case you have to at least open the packaging to figure it out. Costco took it back as defective and gave us our money back. We did not however use half of one of the deodorant sticks and then try to return that. That would have been gross.

I would never dream to return food at all other than if the item was expired and I didn't notice it until I got home. That hasn't occurred yet but that is something I would do. I almost bought a yogurt but in the checkout lane I noticed it was expired and handed it to the cashier instead. Only other scenario I could think of is if the item is moldy and I didn't realize it until I got home.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

What if this happened you buy something then discovered you were allergic to it even though you had it many times with out issue do you throw it away or try to return it

 

[PrncessA]

Just last week I was unintentionally one of "those" people. I was so embarrassed! My boss went to Wal-Mart before Christmas and bought $350 worth of Christmas lights and a few other Christmas decorations to decorate the building. She ended up not using 99% of it... guess who had to take it back last week? Me! I had the receipt, and none of it had the seals broken, but I felt AWFUL. The price they were selling them for at the time was probably pennies on the dollar. The cashier and manager were visibly angry toward me. I told my boss I would never do it again.

 

[Mickeypooh99]

I was in Costco over the Summer and couldn't believe a man in front of me on the return line was returning half of a watermelon! I really wanted to find out why he was doing that.

Then the other week, as DH & I were leaving Costco, we saw a couple people returning big screen TV's. I asked one of them, "excuse me, I was looking at that TV and was wondering why you were returning it?" He said the picture was blurry.
At least it wasn't the day after superbowl.

We returned half a watermelon once. Do you live in Michigan. Maybe it was us. Lol. That watermelon was $7 and I cut it in half, and started cutting up one half of it. I realized it was soft and squishy. It tasted rotten. It irritated me to waste $7 so I stuck the half that I hadn't cut into in a bag and brought it back. I threw out the other half because it was in pieces. They told me next time just bring the receipt. There hasn't been a next time so far, but I'd do it again. We rarely return food. One other time I can think of was some strawberry ice cream topping that was moldy when I opened it. It didn't make the pop noise so I could tell it wasn't sealed. I took that back the same day I bought it at our local grocery store.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Just last week I was unintentionally one of "those" people. I was so embarrassed! My boss went to Wal-Mart before Christmas and bought $350 worth of Christmas lights and a few other Christmas decorations to decorate the building. She ended up not using 99% of it... guess who had to take it back last week? Me! I had the receipt, and none of it had the seals broken, but I felt AWFUL. The price they were selling them for at the time was probably pennies on the dollar. The cashier and manager were visibly angry toward me. I told my boss I would never do it again.

If you were within the return period and they were unused decorations I wouldn't worry about it. As for selling price..they go 50% off the day after in my local Wal-Marts and then depending on how well they sell it may take another 2 to 4 days before they go 75% off. December 26th the Christmas cards are removed and Valentine's day ones are set up..it's a fast transition period in retail. It's possible they even had a sale running before Christmas depending on what your items were. Halloween is the same set up in my area..50% then 75% quickly after.

As for visible angry..that's not professionalism. If you were within the return period you did nothing wrong with unused product. If you were outside the return period then it was up to them if they had the leeway to take it back or not. If you outside of the return period that's a tad different.

The Christmas tree is a different story because it was live and of course it would eventually die.

 

[RedAngie]

We returned half a watermelon once. Do you live in Michigan. Maybe it was us. Lol. That watermelon was $7 and I cut it in half, and started cutting up one half of it. I realized it was soft and squishy. It tasted rotten. It irritated me to waste $7 so I stuck the half that I hadn't cut into in a bag and brought it back. I threw out the other half because it was in pieces. They told me next time just bring the receipt. There hasn't been a next time so far, but I'd do it again. We rarely return food. One other time I can think of was some strawberry ice cream topping that was moldy when I opened it. It didn't make the pop noise so I could tell it wasn't sealed. I took that back the same day I bought it at our local grocery store.

There's nothing wrong with returning spoiled or inedible food.

But if I just didn't care for the taste after the first bite, I wouldn't return it.

 

[Mickeypooh99]

There's nothing wrong with returning spoiled or inedible food.

But if I just didn't care for the taste after the first bite, I wouldn't return it.

I wouldn't return food just because I didn't like it either. In fact most of the time I wouldn't bother to return spoiled items simply because the store is 1/2 an hour drive and it's too much effort.

 

[sailorstitch]

A celebrity I follow on Instagram posted this today.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeDqX_glSOe/

I think this is worse than returning a dead tree.

 

[RedAngie]

I wouldn't return food just because I didn't like it either. In fact most of the time I wouldn't bother to return spoiled items simply because the store is 1/2 an hour drive and it's too much effort.

Yeah, for a $7 spoiled watermelon I probably wouldn't go to the trouble of returning it. Now maybe if it was a $25 can of lump crabmeat or a $50 beef rib roast I would, no matter the distance.

 

[mnrose]

Yeah, for a $7 spoiled watermelon I probably wouldn't go to the trouble of returning it. Now maybe if it was a $25 can of lump crabmeat or a $50 beef rib roast I would, no matter the distance.

I'm at Costco at least once a week anyway. I once returned 1/2 a package of "fry your own" tortillas (the flour kind). It was a large package with two interior, separate, packages (each in their own "sealed" plastic wrapping). The first was exactly as I expected, and I went through it very quickly (a bunch of kids in the house, and they loved them). The second I opened to discover was completely moldy on the interior. Ewwwww. It was a LONG time ahead of the stamped "best by" date. I took them back, and politely asked for 1/2 my money back because we had eaten (and enjoyed) the first half. They gave me back ALL my money. I felt terrible about that. On the other hand, I buy a LOT of stuff at Costco and spend thousands of dollars there each year. They definitely make money on me. LOL.

 

[apirateslifeforme]

A celebrity I follow on Instagram posted this today.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BeDqX_glSOe/

I think this is worse than returning a dead tree.

This also happened when I worked at Penney's! A coworker in the housewares/home decor handled it. One day a gentleman came in and purchased a vase and card as an anniversary gift for his wife. She apparently didn't like it, as the next day he returned it, along with the signed card! My coworker told him that we couldn't take the card back, but he immediately launched into such a tirade (I could hear it 2 departments down) that she decided it wasn't worth it and gave him back his $2.

 

[sailorstitch]

This also happened when I worked at Penney's! A coworker in the housewares/home decor handled it. One day a gentleman came in and purchased a vase and card as an anniversary gift for his wife. She apparently didn't like it, as the next day he returned it, along with the signed card! My coworker told him that we couldn't take the card back, but he immediately launched into such a tirade (I could hear it 2 departments down) that she decided it wasn't worth it and gave him back his $2.

But did your coworker put the card back on the shelf for somebody else to buy?

 

[apirateslifeforme]

But did your coworker put the card back on the shelf for somebody else to buy?

Good point, she did not She did show it to everyone, though - I think it was just the point that someone actually had the nerve to return a signed card.

We did have another person who attempted to return a partially written-in card because he "made a mistake," and a manager stepped in and said no.

 

[John VN]

I have not read all but will comment that when DW worked at a different retail store, SNOWBIRDS would purchase linens, pots and pans upon arrival and then return them before they went back north.

At least everything was returned clean.