I used to let customers walk all over me on returns, now I stick to the 30-day policy no matter what

I had a guy last Tuesday try to return a winter coat he bought 6 months ago, saying it shrank. I used to just take stuff back to avoid a scene, but after getting written up for too many exceptions, I told him flat out the policy is 30 days with tags. Has anyone else had to get firm like that and deal with the backlash?

3 comments

3 Comments

milaprice14d agoTop Commenter

That thing about getting written up for too many exceptions really hit home... I think the real issue nobody's talking about is how these return policies end up getting us in trouble because management wants us to make customers happy while also counting every single override. It's like they set us up to fail either way. I had a lady last month who wanted to return a blender she bought a year ago with no receipt, and when I said no she asked for my manager who just took it back anyway... made me look like a complete jerk for following the rules in the first place. Gotta wonder if stores even back their own policies anymore.

the_pat14d ago

So does that mean our written policies are really just suggestions for the customer?

vera_murphy12d ago

Ugh, isn't that the worst? It totally makes you wonder why they even bother printing the fine print if the manager can just override it for anyone who complains loud enough. I had almost the same thing happen with a return, and after that I just started telling people up front that the policy is what they sign when they walk in, but the real policy depends on who you get and how much they whine. It's like the store is telling us one thing and the customer another, and we're stuck in the middle for no reason.