Comments on: Return Policies and Common Sense http://www.returncustomer.com/2007/10/04/return-policies-and-common-sense/ Learn beneficial marketing and business principles from everyday experiences Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:52:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Paracord Fanatic http://www.returncustomer.com/2007/10/04/return-policies-and-common-sense/#comment-113607 Paracord Fanatic Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:22:00 +0000 http://www.returncustomer.com/2007/10/04/return-policies-and-common-sense/#comment-113607 I agree with JB. You can't ask an employee to break company policy just because you're not responsible enough to hold on to a small piece of paper. They don't make the policy and have supervisors they have to answer too. Companies have policies in place for a reason and to say they should have broken the rule, just this once, is not fair. I'm assuming Target has the over $20 rule to prevent people from trying to "return" something they just took (stole) off the shelf. Cameras can't see everything. Your friend should have kept the rug, found another use for it, and chalked it up to a lesson learned. I agree with JB. You can’t ask an employee to break company policy just because you’re not responsible enough to hold on to a small piece of paper. They don’t make the policy and have supervisors they have to answer too. Companies have policies in place for a reason and to say they should have broken the rule, just this once, is not fair. I’m assuming Target has the over $20 rule to prevent people from trying to “return” something they just took (stole) off the shelf. Cameras can’t see everything. Your friend should have kept the rug, found another use for it, and chalked it up to a lesson learned.

]]> By: JB http://www.returncustomer.com/2007/10/04/return-policies-and-common-sense/#comment-81639 JB Wed, 05 May 2010 22:06:07 +0000 http://www.returncustomer.com/2007/10/04/return-policies-and-common-sense/#comment-81639 I just came across this article and just wanted to comment on it. I handle setting up policies for a retail store, and personally feel that the company was correct in declining to refund the customer as she did not have her receipt. While it may seem an unfair practice, I feel it is the customers responsibility to know the companies polcies before making a purchase. The company would have gladly offered the refund/exchange or in-store credit had she provided them with the receipt. I realize that the item was clearly a Target made item, and that it would most likely be obvious to the employee. However most stores have a set period of time that a customer can return an item say 30 days. How in this case would the store be able to tell how long ago the individual purchased the item without the receipt? How would they be able to tell at which Target store it was purchased etc? Personally I think the store policies should come first. It is like playing a game of cards with two friends. Things can get confusing without the two friends knowing the rules of the game before hand. As long as the rules are in place there should be no dispute as to how to handle any issue that should come up during the game. In the case above, the customer did not follow the rules of the game, so why should the rules be changed for any one person? I think she should have kept her receipt safe and none of this would have been an issue. I also purchase from stores and know prior to making the purchase what the return policies are. If I lost the receipt, I wouldn't even bother returning it to a store when such polices are in place that clearly state that I need my receipt to return the item(s) to them. I think your friend should have learned a lesson by this on how important it is to keep your receipts, just in case you need to return them. I am guessing she did learn the lesson, and will be more careful in the future. As a consumer it is very easy to agree with a fellow consumer, however if you put your self in the shoes of the other party you may see things a little differently. I just came across this article and just wanted to comment on it. I handle setting up policies for a retail store, and personally feel that the company was correct in declining to refund the customer as she did not have her receipt. While it may seem an unfair practice, I feel it is the customers responsibility to know the companies polcies before making a purchase. The company would have gladly offered the refund/exchange or in-store credit had she provided them with the receipt.

I realize that the item was clearly a Target made item, and that it would most likely be obvious to the employee. However most stores have a set period of time that a customer can return an item say 30 days. How in this case would the store be able to tell how long ago the individual purchased the item without the receipt? How would they be able to tell at which Target store it was purchased etc?

Personally I think the store policies should come first. It is like playing a game of cards with two friends. Things can get confusing without the two friends knowing the rules of the game before hand. As long as the rules are in place there should be no dispute as to how to handle any issue that should come up during the game.

In the case above, the customer did not follow the rules of the game, so why should the rules be changed for any one person? I think she should have kept her receipt safe and none of this would have been an issue.

I also purchase from stores and know prior to making the purchase what the return policies are. If I lost the receipt, I wouldn’t even bother returning it to a store when such polices are in place that clearly state that I need my receipt to return the item(s) to them. I think your friend should have learned a lesson by this on how important it is to keep your receipts, just in case you need to return them. I am guessing she did learn the lesson, and will be more careful in the future. As a consumer it is very easy to agree with a fellow consumer, however if you put your self in the shoes of the other party you may see things a little differently.

]]> By: Joe Rawlinson http://www.returncustomer.com/2007/10/04/return-policies-and-common-sense/#comment-4098 Joe Rawlinson Wed, 24 Oct 2007 00:36:24 +0000 http://www.returncustomer.com/2007/10/04/return-policies-and-common-sense/#comment-4098 Glenn: Thanks for the trackback. I appreciated your comments in your post about companies being too focused on themselves at the expense of the customer. It is always important for businesses to remember who they are serving. Customers are key stakeholders in the success of any company. Glenn: Thanks for the trackback. I appreciated your comments in your post about companies being too focused on themselves at the expense of the customer. It is always important for businesses to remember who they are serving. Customers are key stakeholders in the success of any company.

]]> By: Glenn (Customer Service Experience) Ross http://www.returncustomer.com/2007/10/04/return-policies-and-common-sense/#comment-4065 Glenn (Customer Service Experience) Ross Sun, 21 Oct 2007 22:21:58 +0000 http://www.returncustomer.com/2007/10/04/return-policies-and-common-sense/#comment-4065 I'm right there with you, Joe. Here's my "manual trackback:" <a href="http://www.allbusiness.com/marketing-advertising/relationship-marketing/4967861-1.html" rel="nofollow">Are You "Customer-Focused" Or "Company-Focused?"</a> I’m right there with you, Joe. Here’s my “manual trackback:”
Are You “Customer-Focused” Or “Company-Focused?”

]]> By: Joe Rawlinson http://www.returncustomer.com/2007/10/04/return-policies-and-common-sense/#comment-3918 Joe Rawlinson Tue, 09 Oct 2007 01:45:20 +0000 http://www.returncustomer.com/2007/10/04/return-policies-and-common-sense/#comment-3918 Demetrius: Unfortunately, Target didn't do so well this time around. In the past, they have usually been pretty good to us. You're right, though, big companies need to keep customers happy or the majority will start speaking with their wallets and take their money elsewhere. Demetrius: Unfortunately, Target didn’t do so well this time around. In the past, they have usually been pretty good to us.

You’re right, though, big companies need to keep customers happy or the majority will start speaking with their wallets and take their money elsewhere.

]]> By: Demetrius Pinder http://www.returncustomer.com/2007/10/04/return-policies-and-common-sense/#comment-3889 Demetrius Pinder Sat, 06 Oct 2007 19:26:12 +0000 http://www.returncustomer.com/2007/10/04/return-policies-and-common-sense/#comment-3889 hmm...Target...another store I will avoid. Listen up Big Companies...we have choices. Start treating your customers like you actually care. hmm…Target…another store I will avoid.

Listen up Big Companies…we have choices. Start treating your customers like you actually care.

]]> By: Joe Rawlinson http://www.returncustomer.com/2007/10/04/return-policies-and-common-sense/#comment-3845 Joe Rawlinson Thu, 04 Oct 2007 14:58:05 +0000 http://www.returncustomer.com/2007/10/04/return-policies-and-common-sense/#comment-3845 Beth: My friend had used a combination of credit card and gift cards. The gift cards in the mix may have complicated matters but the customer service employee should have had the time to figure it out. Beth: My friend had used a combination of credit card and gift cards. The gift cards in the mix may have complicated matters but the customer service employee should have had the time to figure it out.

]]> By: beth http://www.returncustomer.com/2007/10/04/return-policies-and-common-sense/#comment-3844 beth Thu, 04 Oct 2007 14:40:12 +0000 http://www.returncustomer.com/2007/10/04/return-policies-and-common-sense/#comment-3844 Target is notorious for being really unreasonable. Did your friend pay with a credit or debit card by chance? I once had to return something without a receipt, and they were able to look up the transaction with my card number, reprint the receipt and issue my store credit. Target is notorious for being really unreasonable. Did your friend pay with a credit or debit card by chance? I once had to return something without a receipt, and they were able to look up the transaction with my card number, reprint the receipt and issue my store credit.

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