So I think most of you would know that I'm one of the last people on earth who would ever try to evoke the "The customer is always right" battle cry. But ya know, sometimes the customer is. As I believe that I was in this example last night. Now, I did get everything straighened out in the end- mostly. I'm somewhat irked that I couldn't get my money back, but It was posted store policy and it was trhere before I made the purchase. I'm also very irked with how the person handled the situation.
I bought a skirt last week in Doors To Africa, a store in Towson Town Center- one that I really liked and would have loved to keep. But after being worn twice and only for a few hours each time, it started to fall apart- several holes appeared in the hems, and it was obvious that the fabric was going to pull farther apart, and the embroidery started unravelling in many places- this after a total of maybe 8 hours of wearing.
So I went back to the store where it was purchased. I did try asking politely if they would consider making an exception in this case and give me the money back instead of an exchange or credit (i could have really used it)...the cllerk refused and told me that he was not allowed to do that (later on my way out, I heard him tell someone else that he was the store owner) But he gave me the store credit as posted. Being that it was posted policy, I didn't argue the fact past asking.
After agreeing to the store credit, he asked me to wait....while he proceeded to spend 10 minutes ringing up another person's purchase and engaging in social chatter. It was rather obvious that hhe didn't want to do the return...and when he did turn his attention back to me, he took his time writing it all up and then told me that I shouldn't be returning the skirt because it was damaged, but it it had been like that when I bought it, he would have no problem returning it (WTF?) My obvious response to this was that if the skirt had looked like that before I bought it, I just wouldn't have bought it- who would have? And he told me again repeatedly that he didn't think he should return the skirt because it was damaged and because no one else had ever complained about any of the clothing that they purchased there. I finally responded with "Look, that's the whole point- I'm returning it because it's falling apart after less than a full day's wear. I buy an article of clothing and I expect it to last longer than that. I can't speak for others' experience with other articles of clothing, I only know what has happened with this one."
Aside from using my store credit, it may be a while before I shop there again. I dunno...I wasn't unreasonable to want to return the skirt was I? (I really don't think I was, and I was polite about it, I did not press the issue of the cash refund vs. store credit....the clerk's comments and the way he handled the entire thing just galls me...)
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