The Rise of "Serial Returners" 😧 - Page 2

Feliciti · ‎08-24-2014

I'm surprised any store will take returns on holiday decor items after the holiday. I've seen signs up recently at at least one store that they will not accept those returns. But besides just being dishonest, I don't understand the gall of these people. Even if I weren't honest, I'd be so stressed trying to make a return like that that it wouldn't be worth it to me.

NicksmomESQ · ‎08-19-2014

I don’t have the time or patience to steal goods & services from anybody.When people do these kinds of things they affect the rest of us.Because businesses have to profit at the end of the day.That means they have to raise prices.

This is a little different but yet similar situation.When my son was little I used to take him to Chucke E. Cheese’s. I use to go with 2 friends & their kids.One of the women & I were close friends as our son’s were & still are bff’s.The other woman “Sue” we were friendly with because our kids were friends.

My girlfriend & I noticed that “Sue” was always arriving late with her kids.This way the two of us that were on time got stuck paying for her kids pizza & soda . Note: food had to be pre ordered & paid for at the counter upon arrival. ”Sue” would always say she would pay us back but never did.

One day my girlfriend & I had enough.We only bought food for our kids.When Sue arrived with her 2 kids we told her she would have to get her kids their own pizza & soda. Oh “Sue” had money she was just cheap.She then got up & bought her kids food. She then pulled Chucke E. Cheeses’s soda cups & salad plates out of her tote bag. She proceeded to the self serve soda display & get soda for herself & her kids.She then proceeded to the salad bar & filled the plates with salad before she returned to the table!! We were mortified!!

Talk about nerve.This woman didn’t think she did anything wrong .She said several months prior she had bought unlimited refills in soda & salad. We tried to tell her that it wasn’t meant to be a lifetime privilege . It was for that day only.She didn’t get it!! That was the last time we went to Chucke E. Cheeses’s with her.

A few weeks later we took our kids to the movies. My girlfriend & I bought our kids kid packs of soda & popcorn.

”Sue” pulled a large mega size popcorn bag & soda cup out of her tote & proceeded to get free refills!! Same situation as the restaurant.If you bought the mega size you would get free refills, for the day not forever!!

After that we told our kids that they can have play dates with “Sue’s” kids but no more outings!!

Some people have nerve!!

SahmIam · ‎04-16-2010

In the end, people do this because they can. There have always and will always be those who are sh!$ and use/play the system. They are ignorant and proud of their behavior; they lack character and unfortunately raise their children to act in the same way. They can be rich, poor and everywhere in between (lack of character does not discriminate). Knowing this, the STORE has the obligation to set limits and when they don't, well, these stories happen.

Stores don't want to get sued, don't want to be accused of discrimination, don't want bad press. So they take it and those who are honest pay the price (literally).

I've seen this since the early 80's. I can tell you that not all stores played the game and in the case of the one I worked at, wasn't sued. My favorite story:

I worked in a department that sold designer clothing (Anne Klein, Donna Karan, Adrienne Vittadini, Ellen Tracy and a new guy...Armani). A woman came to me with one of our boxes and said it was a Christmas gift and wanted to return it. I opened it up and it was an Olga Corbet sweat suit (remember her?). This brand was sold at one store: Sears. I informed the customer I could not take it back as it was not our merchandise. She got angry. She got loud. She demanded to speak to a manager. I paged the manager and waited.

Our department manager was a lovely, petite woman from Ireland. Her accent was beautiful. I never heard her yell, swear...in fact, never saw her angry. She came to the counter dressed in the latest Laura Ashley, I told her the situation and she turned to the woman to hear her version.

"But it's in YOUR box so you MUST sell this. I want the money not this outfit" the woman stated. Colleen listened and then said to the woman with a smile on her face and in a soft, Irish lilt:

"You have 3 choices ma'am. You can keep this outfit as we don't sell the brand. You can take it to Sears where they do sell this brand and attempt to return it. Or, you can eat sh!$ and die." And ended it with a huge smile. The woman looked at her, at me, thought a moment and said "I'll take it back to Sears. Thank you for your time". And off she went.

I looked at Colleen because I could NOT believe I heard what I thought I heard. I grabbed her arm and said "did you REALLY tell her to eat sh!$ and die?! I mean...HOW could you say that and not make anyone angry?!"

Colleen smiled and said "when you have an Irish accent, everything you say sounds so nice in the US. They really don't hear what you're saying, just the accent". With that she left in her Laura Ashley dress.

So, you CAN tell a customer no. You simply HAVE to say "NO". Until stores start doing that, this problem will cost us all and just keep getting worse.

jonbon · ‎03-09-2010

@handygal2 wrote:
@ValuSkr wrote:
I was in the returns line at Lowes behind a man who was returning lumber, hardware, and all the unused bits and pieces from a home DIY project he'd finished. It took a long time and I was antsy but the clerk processing the return was a saint. This isn't as egregious an example as those in the article, but I wonder sometimes if this sort of thing should be allowed. I suppose so - I may even do it myself one day.
@ValuSkr: I think these stores subscribe to the policy that "the customer is always right," but have allowed it to be taken to the extreme. This philosophy is good for business, and works when it's not abused. But in the end-- when abused-- it costs us all in higher prices to compensate for the stores' losses.

I'm not sure if I'm understanding this correctly, but I have returned items after completing craft projects. If I've overpurchased and have extra unopened, unused, resellable materials, I don't see a problem returning them. Yes, it may be a pain to get behind someone like the person described above, but was he returning things that he shouldn't have been able to return?

Tinkrbl44 · ‎08-23-2010

Wow .... I'm shocked ... and speechless.

Lipstickdiva · ‎03-10-2010

I have no doubt this happens because I've seen it and I know people who have done it.

I sat next to a woman a few years ago on New Years Eve who told everyone at the table that she was going to take back what she was wearing that evening because it was too dressy and she'd probably never wear it again.

I know a guy who buys bigger ticket items on deep clearance from Walmart. WM allows you to make returns up to a certain dollar amount without a receipt, for store creit. He would return those items and somehow the clearance price isn't in the system so he would get full price for the items. Once he accumulated enough in store credit, he'd buy what he really wanted. Once he reached his return limit, he had his 17 YO son doing it and then some of his son's friends. Then he tried to get my DH to do it and DH told him no.

I'm quite sure the shopping channels get ripped off on returns all the time, especially during the period of the extended return policy.

software · ‎06-08-2016

All of these stories are borderline theft.

I always keep my receipts for a short period of time but I did return some clothing, never worn, without a receipt. Takes an act of congress but I did get my money back.

I have a few health issues and there are days I cannot dress & undress to try on cothing in the store, most of the time I buy off the rack, take it home to try on. I have a habit of keeping receipts & even the original bag but that one time, I had misplaced the receipt.

But I have seen the ones who abuse the system

I don't have that much energy

VanSleepy · ‎10-05-2010

I bought a 4-slice toaster once, and inside the box was a 2-slice toaster complete with bread crumbs. Obviously someone stuck their old toaster in the box and returned it. I was so embarrassed when I returned it because I'm sure they thought I was the scammer!

Its Me LuLuBelle2 · ‎10-12-2016

About 16-17 years ago I bought a London Fog raincoat at TJ Maxx. As I recall I paid $75-80 for it. Within a week of buying it I wore it on a rainy day. The coat was an absolute crumpled mess of wrinkles. The next day I armed myself with 6 months worth of TJ Maxx credit card statements (to show that I was a good customer who bought plenty and NEVER returned anything) and the receipt for the raincoat. I told the CS gal right upfront that the coat was worn once. She said she couldn't accept it - which I expected. I asked to see the store manager. When she came up to customer service and saw what I was trying to return, before I even explained anything, she told the CS gal to refund my card. Turns out it was the 3rd same exact coat being returned in a two week period for the same issue. She said they'd pull remaining inventory. I was grateful they took it back.