# Bad Customer List



## jwoodwright (Jan 2, 2010)

According to SAM's Club, I made the list by bringing back two Paper Shredders the same day.  The first didn't work at all.  I showed my receipt and was offered another machine or refund.  I chose number two.  The second worked about two seconds with paper stuck...This time, they opened the box and attempted to run it.  It was DOA...  They asked if I wanted another or refund.  At this point, SWMBO asked if we could upgrade from the $55.00 shredder to the $85.00 model.  All I can say is it works great and it's been working great since summer!

COSTCO also maintains a list.

Everyone knows the danger of sending food back in a restaurant...


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## rjwolfe3 (Jan 2, 2010)

Wow there are lists like that? I know they didn't have that at the company I used to work for but we pretty much let any customer return anything even if they didn't buy it from us, lol.


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## Scoots (Jan 2, 2010)

Seems silly to tag a customer as bad just because he exercises right given by the tore.  What are the consequences for being on the list?


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## jwoodwright (Jan 2, 2010)

No Cash refunds even with a receipt.  Exchanges for like merchandise only.  No check privileges.


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## babyblues (Jan 3, 2010)

jwoodwright said:


> No Cash refunds even with a receipt.  Exchanges for like merchandise only.  No check privileges.



So, if the first one doesn't work, you can only exchange it for another one that doesn't work.  I think Sam's took that a little too literally, lol.  :biggrin:


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## RAdams (Jan 3, 2010)

jwoodwright said:


> No Cash refunds even with a receipt. Exchanges for like merchandise only. No check privileges.


 


I have a rule about companies that treat me like a common criminal. I find OTHER places to spend my money. Sorry to hear about the bad luck!


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## randyrls (Jan 3, 2010)

I'll bet you even money that the defective shredder was back on the shelf for sale to some other unsuspecting customer before you left the store!

I've found several stores will restock merchandise even if it was returned as defective.  

As far as Sams Club goes, write a nice letter to the company headquarters, and send a copy to the Attorney General of your state.  Note the facts in both cases, and make sure you cross reference the letters.


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## snyiper (Jan 3, 2010)

Actually most stores do not restock known faulty merchandise..Why would they? They took it back in the interest of customer service why put a known bad item on the shelf? Second off they get full credit for the price from the vendors so why waste time putting it on the shelf? There are people full time who do nothing but arrange for products to be shipped back to the vendor. Actually the reason most gets put on the shelf is because the customer brings it back and is to dumb or embarrassed to say I dont like it, my wife doesn't want it, I broke it or I picked up the wrong item, all of which will also be accepted as returns. I work part time at a big box store I have seen a lot of things but never a defective item put on the shelf for resale not in the day of customer service.


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## wolftat (Jan 3, 2010)

I have taken to using credit cards to make any purchase, I always have a way of insuring my money will be reimbursed if the product is faulty. I can't see a policy like that standing for too long without some sort of lawsuit being filed.


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## ed4copies (Jan 3, 2010)

wolftat said:


> I have taken to using credit cards to make any purchase, I always have a way of insuring my money will be reimbursed if the product is faulty. I can't see a policy like that standing for too long without some sort of lawsuit being filed.




Actually, the STORE has no legal obligation to give you anything.

You MAY have a cause of action against the manufacturer, but you have no RIGHT to a refund.  The only reason stores GIVE refunds IS Customer Relations.

Of course, with many things being made in China, try suing the manufacturer---see how that goes for you

So, yes, the "customer service" of your chosen store SHOULD be considered when you make a purchase.

IF you use credit cards or PayPal, they may assist you in recovering your purchase price.  Again, there is supposed to be a "burden of proof", but that is not always the case in small transactions.


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## bradbn4 (Jan 3, 2010)

Depending on the item and state requirements for the item to be "functional".

However, I do remember Circuit City liquidation - no returns, no inspections, etc - can be an issue.  What - that tv box we sold you did not have a TV in it?  Sorry all sales are final.

Always look for posted return policy if the item cost more than you want to lose.


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## KenV (Jan 3, 2010)

Fine line between providing reasonable service and handling the gritches and grinders who seek to take every advantage -- let alone the shoplifters who will attempt to "return merchandise" but lost the receipt.  

The computer age certainly makes patterns in behaviors easier to spot for those in merchandising.  Membership cards and loyalty cards make it even easier.


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## NewLondon88 (Jan 3, 2010)

ed4copies said:


> Actually, the STORE has no legal obligation to give you anything.



They might. There is an implied warranty on new items sold, no matter 
what the store return policy is. The store is, in effect, acting as agent
for the manufacturer, so they may be required by the Federal Magnuson
Moss Warranty Act to replace the merchandise. It might depend on the
particular circumstances, whether or not the retailer has some sort of
exclusive with the manufacturer, whether they are sole agents for them
or lots of other things..most of which I know nothing about. :tongue:


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## splinter99 (Jan 3, 2010)

We were on the **** list at Target for a long time. After my wifes baby shower she returned the unopened duplicate gifts to Target where they where purchased. They gave her gift cards for the amount but after that they would not let her exchange anything for a while.

Seven years later my wife finds some watches at Target for $14.00 marked down from $70.00. She buys two of them for me. Both are marked Atomic on the box (meaning they set the time to a radio signal) When I opened the boxes, I found that one was not atomic.
So two hours later I took the watch (that had been put in the wrong box) and the recipt back to the store.
I was told that I didnt buy the watch there. There was no way that a watch could ever be put into a wrong box. That "watch" didnt come up on the computer when they typed in the sku from the recipt. She went on to say that I probably searched the store to find the one item that wouldnt come up on the computer when the sku was entered, bought that item and then tried to return a $70.00 watch that I bought elsewhere for a watch costing $14.00. I laughed at first untill I realized she was serious. I forget what I said but the next thing I knew she had called security(2 fresh face kids in uniforms about 19yrs old) I told them that my wife was just there and stole this damn watch while they where busy watching girls. About this time the top manager got there and heard the whole story and issued me credit instantly, She realized how stupid the whole thing sounded. I dont go shopping much unless I absoutly have to


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## ed4copies (Jan 3, 2010)

Funny, I had a similar experience at Target.

Bought a gift for Dawn just before Christmas.  She opened it for her birthday (28th) --it did not work.  Well, I took it to Target, they asked how I had paid for it--I did not remember.

I told them they had the identical unit in "appliances", I just wanted to exchange the one I bought, that did NOT work, for one that did.

NOPE!!

So, I went back to my office and checked my credit card receipts.  Found out I HAD charged it.  Returned to Target and told them I now had proof I bought it there and it was their "store brand", so I would contest the charge.  They could not have been more helpful in getting me a new one.

Nice folks, as long as you have "charged it".  

I learned something.


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## OKLAHOMAN (Jan 3, 2010)

Some of you might remember that I was a manager at Lowe's. I can only speak for Lowe's but would assume most big retailers have some sort of the same system. We   have what we called an RTM (Return to manufacture) clerk who works full time doing nothing but returns to companies that take returns so as to putting merchandise that is broken back on the shelves that is nonsense, no retailer would intentionally resell a product that was returned defective. That being said we did "track" returns via computer. Without a receipt we had to have a manager over ride to approve a return and would only issue a gift certificate. I have seen returns of major appliances that were well out of warranty just to avoid customer complaints.


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## wolftat (Jan 3, 2010)

Target is funny sometimes. I purchased a handheld GPS and once I go it open at home I found out that I needed another $150 worth of software for it to be more accurate than telling me I was in North America. I brought it back and was told that it could not be returned because it was from electronics and it wasn't broken????After almost an hour of arguing it, I was about to go out to the parking lot and fix that problem when the store manager came over and agreed that it was rediculous that I had to pay more to get it to work and the package was not marked on the outside with anything about that. The customer service people were impossible to deal with there. They lost me as a customer ever since.


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## Parson (Jan 3, 2010)

ed4copies said:


> IF you use credit cards or PayPal, they may assist you in recovering your purchase price.



Ever since Paypal was bought out by eBay, they no longer protect the rights of buyers unless you have *purchased* their buyer protection.

Now I clear out my paypal balance every single time I get paid through it and maintain a zero balance.

Then, I pay through paypal with a credit card only (none of this taking it straight out of my bank account).

Then I have some actual recourse with my credit card company reversing the charges.

With Costco, I can only use my company Amex though, which is one reason I don't like shopping at member clubs.

If I get a DOA or malfunctioning item at a store these days, I assume there's a whole batch of them that are messed up at that store and return it for a cash refund and buy a different brand and sometimes at a different store.


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## TellicoTurning (Jan 3, 2010)

OKLAHOMAN said:


> Some of you might remember that I was a manager at Lowe's. I can only speak for Lowe's but would assume most big retailers have some sort of the same system. We   have what we called an RTM (Return to manufacture) clerk who works full time doing nothing but returns to companies that take returns so as to putting merchandise that is broken back on the shelves that is nonsense, no retailer would intentionally resell a product that was returned defective. That being said we did "track" returns via computer. Without a receipt we had to have a manager over ride to approve a return and would only issue a gift certificate. I have seen returns of major appliances that were well out of warranty just to avoid customer complaints.



I worked for Lowe's for a short time in TN.. I saw them take items that were obviously used and abused, dirty and greasy that the customer claimed they had just bought and didn't work or what ever excuse they could think of.. no they didn't have a receipt it was lost in the last flood, hurricane, toranado, or drunken spree... just exchanged it or refunded the current price.  

We had one guy who regularly visited the Lowe's at another city, filled his pockets with stainless steel washers, bolts and nuts... then brought them to our store and claimed to have just bought them for a job but these were extras... we didn't even carry as many as he was returning.

Then there was the procedure of handling the alarm when it buzzed as they customer walked out the door... one night it buzzed, the head cashier approached the customer and using her best professional voice apologized that we had forgotten to deactivate the inventory control chip in his purchase and asked if she could check the sales slip... he said "No you cannot... I'm stealing this"... and walked away with it... he actually was stealing it.


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## ed4copies (Jan 3, 2010)

See Chuck, he was so honest, he just could NOT LIE about it.

Stealing........................................well, that was OK!!


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## bitshird (Jan 3, 2010)

I know of a family that preys on stores like sears and used to do the same thing on Walmart, these folks will buy something they aren't going to need for very long, then return it for a refund, after they have used it for the project or what ever they needed it for. The local independent Sears franchise got wise to them after the lady kept returning a 3 in belt sander after 9 or 10 months. Since the one she was returning was still under warranty they got smart and said "wouldn't it be easier for both of us if you just got the extended warranty" she hasn't been back to that store. 
Some people do this or used to do this quite often, Now Walmart has changed their policy on computer and software returns. 
Fact is there are a lot of shady people on both sides of the counters who will exploit every merchant, or inversely every customer they can, look at Steebar,


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## OKLAHOMAN (Jan 3, 2010)

Chuck is right at Lowe's we could not stop someone from leaving the store if they "FORGOT" to pay for an item. We could follow them out and if they had a tag on their car we could notify the police with the # but could not approach other than ask them if we could be of assistance. The policy is to when you saw something suspicious to customer service the customer (thief) to death by following them in the store and keep asking if the need help but never put youeself in danger. I stopped a thief once that had a large air compressor on a flat cart in the parking lot once by yelling "Hey did you forget to pay for that" loud enough that the whole lot heard e so he just left the cart and compressor and got in his P/U and drove off.


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## DennisM (Jan 3, 2010)

Its common practice now in "loss prevention" to not only track the purchases but to also track the returns, if a custom is out of the norm to them in returns, they are flagged. Its simply a loss prevention method. Could get into it more but the meds prevent me for wanting to. 

As for items not making on the shelf after returned as damaged. BS on all major stores. I few years back I did inventory control analysis for a few large stores on a mystery shopper level so to speak. 

items were bought, then before being returned they will fitted with a rfid tag inside. 

Once returned they were tracked thruout the store. You would be rather surprised by the amount that made it back on the floor for sale. A few were even rethink wrapped first!

I don't care what the store policy is, its still the lazy incompetent workers to blame there. 

Some stores flagging methods are a little to strict and I think they need to tone done the parameters some but thats their model...

Note: edited for spelling but grammer is iffy.  back to the couch...


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## OKLAHOMAN (Jan 3, 2010)

DennisM said:


> Its common practice now in "loss prevention" to not only track the purchases but to also track the returns, if a custom is out of the norm to them in returns, they are flagged. Its simply a loss prevention method. Could get into it more but the meds prevent me for wanting to.
> 
> As for items not making on the shelf after returned as damaged. BS on all major stores. I few years back I did inventory control analysis for a few large stores on a mystery shopper level so to speak.
> 
> ...


 Of course this only would pertain to Lowes but I just can't see large retailer's putting know damaged merchandise out for sale.


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## DennisM (Jan 3, 2010)

Well a store like Lowes, Hd, or any like that compared to say wally worlds and the like, the return rate is much lower, so there is the ability to have a better handle on how they are processed.

I can tell you from experience it happens at just about any major store. not as a policy but a discrepancy in work flow procedure.


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## chriselle (Jan 4, 2010)

You think you guys have it bad..

Just a few weeks ago my wife bought a 10kg bag of rice and found a wee little bug in it.  She called the store (big chain) and it actually took a customer service rep 20 minutes to bring another bag and a complimentary gift certificate to our front door.  All the while bowing at 45 degrees and apologizing profusely.......sheesh!!



Seriously though, Japan has a lot of weird things I complain about but in the case of outstanding customer service.....it has NO rival.


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## Gary Max (Jan 4, 2010)

For my overall sanity and well being-------(Yah Right)----
When I buy anything at the BORG---they don't get my phone #---I never take the sales receipt----I burn the box when I get home.
If it breaks I just toss it in the trash.
I almost dragged a manger across the sales counter on day----I was so mad I could of ate nails.
Just need to keep the little Blue pills handy for lifes trying moments.


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## wolftat (Jan 4, 2010)

chriselle said:


> You think you guys have it bad..
> 
> Just a few weeks ago my wife bought a 10kg bag of rice and found a wee little bug in it. She called the store (big chain) and it actually took a customer service rep 20 minutes to bring another bag and a complimentary gift certificate to our front door. All the while bowing at 45 degrees and apologizing profusely.......sheesh!!
> 
> ...


 So you are on a low protien diet, you can't expect the store to know that....:biggrin:....Try getting that sort of service around here, I had a tow truck driver ask me to push my car down the driveway so he didn't have to back into it. Yes, he was told where to go, how to get there, and what he could do with himself there. I almost made him bow but decided it wasn't worth it....LOL


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## TellicoTurning (Jan 4, 2010)

OKLAHOMAN said:


> Chuck is right at Lowe's we could not stop someone from leaving the store if they "FORGOT" to pay for an item. We could follow them out and if they had a tag on their car we could notify the police with the # but could not approach other than ask them if we could be of assistance. The policy is to when you saw something suspicious to customer service the customer (thief) to death by following them in the store and keep asking if the need help but never put youeself in danger. I stopped a thief once that had a large air compressor on a flat cart in the parking lot once by yelling "Hey did you forget to pay for that" loud enough that the whole lot heard e so he just left the cart and compressor and got in his P/U and drove off.



I worked in the hardware and tools department when I was there... one shift I was assigned the task of wiring down all of the displayed power tools with a 3 ft length of cable... so customers could pick them up, but not walk out with them.... sales manager came through next day and had a fit... next shift my task was to cut all the cables off the power tools.   He didn't want us to sell floor models either, so I suggested that if he really wanted to prevent people from walking out with the tools, take the cords off and only show the tool itself, without a cord... not customer friendly.. better to let the thieves have a working model...  

And knives in blister packs.. could not get them locked up.. just out hanging on a rack... we lost 5 or 6 every night... you would find the empty blister packs all over the store.

I still would have liked to have been at the front when the guy walked out of the store with 5 lbs of 16p nails in his pocket...


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## jleiwig (Jan 4, 2010)

Wal-Mart will allow you two returns without a receipt.  After that you are no longer allowed returns without a receipt.  

Target/lowes/HD has one of the better systems by being able to look up purchases by your credit card if you don't have the receipt.  Wal-Mart does not have this, which is pretty stupid considering they are the world's largest retailer.


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