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Who does this ****?

Arne73

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This thread reminds me of the guy who buys beat up Craftsman hand tools at the flea and brings them back to Sears claiming he wasn't satisfied with the tool.
 
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rsieracki

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As a former retail manager...good luck with that.

In truth most companies are WAY more concerned with internal shrinkage.


I wont say where i work but were "americas department store" and have the a star (i call it the red star of china:mad: ) in our logo and internal theft is all their and most retailers are worried about... God forbid we offend a theif/customer/cost increaser

I used to work at a higher end retail store (outdoor mall), and things got so bad there we changed the dressing room carpet to carpet tiles. Why you ask? Because apparently the bathroom across the street (less than 30 yards), was just too far to walk. For us it was easier just to replace the carpet tile than call somebody in to steam clean all the time. Oh, and we didn't exactly stock toilet paper in the dressing rooms, so they had to use something...:monkey_po

this happenes often with BOTH #1 & #2 and is far worse with women then men unfortunately.

I've seen the store do this folks too. A few years ago I returned a Dremel Multi Max to Home Depot because it got so hot you could not hold it. I told them it was defective. A week later I'm back in the store and there it is for sale again. Same one. Still has my tape on it where I packaged it back up. Looking back I should have taken it up front and told the manager. Of course he might have been the one who had them resell it.

I purchased and later returned a M12 dremel style tool to HD because it was defective (i purchased an open box item) the manaager who was nasty to say the least was like "thats why it was discounted" im like ok so you knowingly sold me a defective product, what is your milwaukee reps name? suddenly he was happy to issue a credit after arguing with me for 10 mins saying they wouldnt take a 'clearance item' back even tho the receipt said 90 days and this was a week later

The returns cashiers don't have the time to check every box, nor do they know what is supposed to be in there.

When the returns line is backed up to the entrance, the aholes in line don't want the casier taking the time to look in each box.

When the returns cashier catches something, usually the ahole in line throws a fit and demands to see the manager, then the manager usually caves.

The problem is the aholes in line, not the box store employees.

most dont care, those who do get berated by these scammer customers and then managers cave to them and make the associate like like a stroke so. Whenever i have a rediculous customer whos trying to scam us pull the "im in a hurry/ i dont have time for your procedures" i hand them there items back, tell them our store hours and suggest they stop back... that pisses them off and they cut the bs :thumbup:

Where I work, Last week 2 customers bought snowblowers before the big storm in Nebraska, and returned them the day after the snow was done. Also you would be amazed at how often people bring back mowers & snowblowers because they quit working the first time they used it, and the bottle of oil that comes with them will still be unopened and in the packaging it came with.

i was in a sears last year the manager (total idiot but has worked there a long time) was laughing with an associate about all their 'new" clearance stuff mowers etc being discounted were returns from 'these idiots running em without earl'.... but this ******* was selling a potentially shot engine to unsuspecting customer... who is the real idiot i ask?


Bought a bathroom fan upgrade kit (new fan/motor in old housing). Opened it up and it's missing a couple of parts. Go back to HD. Nobody answers the call to bring a new one up so I go and grab it. Decided to take a look and sure enough...missing a part. Go back and grab 4 of the 6-7 on the shelf. They all looked like they have been opened and re-taped. Numbers 2-4 all had something missing. Opened #5 and same thing. Ask if I could just mix and match to get a complete set and she said yes.
The strange thing was that it wasn't the actual fan (the retrofit is a scroll fan vs blade fan) wasn't the missing/old part. They were missing small bits and accessories. Don't know what she did with the mess of boxes..or if they pulled the rest of the stock.

that **** went back on the shelf id bet my left arm on it.. and im a lefty.btw i do that open/check contents and besure its complete all the time, ive mixed n matched for a complete set.. had an associate help me too.
 

hh76

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NE Wisconsin
Not all of it is due to dishonest customers.

I returned a tool to Lowes a while back because it was faulty. I had used it a couple times before realizing one of the functions didn't work, so it was not as shiny as a new one. No big deal, brought it back to the store for an exchange. I was prepared to show the clerk exactly what was wrong, but she couldn't care less. She just refunded my money and tossed the packaged tool aside. For all I know, it went right back on a shelf.
 

Fixnair

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Sapulpa OK
You know, the only real thing in life you own is your integrity. That's what people remember you by. Why would you give that up for a measly $10.00 or whatever the price may be. Reminds me of a story where the rich business man was staying in a hotel on a business trip and was sharing a drink with a young lady. The business man asked her if she would spend the night with him for $10,000. She said sure, I couldn't pass that up. Whereupon the businessman said " well how about $30." She said "what do you think I am a ******?" He replied "I already know what you are, I'm just trying to establish a price.
 

Mike007

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This whole topic just pisses me off. :mad: We all pay for it.

A friend of mine recently bought a cheap combination sink/vanity top. He didn't like the cheap sink so he removed it and replaced it with an expensive Moen. He then returned the old sink in the Moen box for a refund. I commented how ****** it was to do, and some poor sap will buy the sink and have to bring it back. His response was it's not his fault, it's the scumbags at the Home Depot who won't sell the vanity top separately. :rolleyes:
 

mmack66

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This whole topic just pisses me off. :mad: We all pay for it.

A friend of mine recently bought a cheap combination sink/vanity top. He didn't like the cheap sink so he removed it and replaced it with an expensive Moen. He then returned the old sink in the Moen box for a refund. I commented how ****** it was to do, and some poor sap will buy the sink and have to bring it back. His response was it's not his fault, it's the scumbags at the Home Depot who won't sell the vanity top separately. :rolleyes:

Did you call and turn him in?
 

71goldss

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Northern Calif
Reminds me of the can of Dinty Moore stew I bought at Walmart a few weeks ago. When I opened it I found whole kernal corn inside. "What the f**k!" Then I noticed the paper label didn't fit the can all the way to the bottom. "Ok, I see what someone did!" They bought the stew and a cheap can of corn and switched lables, then returned for a refund. Do that on a few cans and that's quite a savings. I now check paper labeled canned goods closely before buying. There's a lot of scummy people out there. Guess that's what I get for shopping and saving money at Walmart.
 
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coachrick

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Jan 17, 2009
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N. Austin, TX
I bought 2 quarts of Blue Bell ice cream. When got home and opened one I could see the spoon marks where someone ate almost 1/4 of the contents and put it back in the cooler. I guess they got hungry while shopping.

As much as I like Blue Bell, I sure wish they would seal the cartons like Breyer's or others. You never know when someone is taking lids off just to be funny(or doing something more dangerous).
 

mmack66

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Reminds me of the can of Dinty Moore stew I bought at Walmart a few weeks ago. When I opened it I found whole kernal corn inside. "What the f**k!" Then I noticed the paper label didn't fit the can all the way to the bottom. "Ok, I see what someone did!" They bought the stew and a cheap can of corn and switched lables, then returned for a refund. Do that on a few cans and that's quite a savings. I now check paper labeled canned goods closely before buying. There's a lot of scummy people out there. Guess that's what I get for shopping and saving money at Walmart.

Or buying Dinty Moore stew.
 

onewaydave

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Down the road from Dorothy and Toto
I shouldn't be surprised,but I am.

A sign in a liquor store in Garden City, KS said that only unopened bottles would be considered for refund. I had a picture of it, but it seems that I have misplaced it.

Yuck! Next you'll be putting pineapple on pizza! What is this world coming to?

Dave, who kinda likes pineapple pizza.
 

Kevin54

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Just reading the above threads pisses me off. That's one reason the prices of items are getting so high is because of douche bags pull that kind of **** and it's passed on to the honest customers. It's bad enough that they do that ****, but it really pisses me when you get an item home and find that **** out. Then when you take it back, some stores look at you like you just got caught with your hand in the cookie jar.

I know, or knew two people who did that **** or would shoplift to see if they could get away with it. One was a millionaire and a good friend of my dads. He worked on the railroad plus had his own business. When the trains would run what was called the "Local" the trains went to a huge grocery warehouse that supplied stores all over the state. While they would be uncoupling cars, my dads buddy would be inside grocery shopping. He was friends with the guards. When they would run the Local to the International truck plant, he would be loading up on truck parts. If he went to someplace like TSC and would buy for instance, bags of topsoil or bags of mulch, 10 bags would turn into 20 or 30. He would load as long as a worker didn't come around.

The other person I knew real well. I was siding a house for him. I went with him to the lumber company one Saturday to pick up some landscaping timbers. I forget how many he bought but it was around 50. They would check you out inside, then you could go out and load them, then your slip was marked off that your order was complete. No one was around to mark off his ticket so we left. We got the truck unloaded and he told me that he'd be back in a little bit. Next thing you know, he pulls in and has another truckload of landscape timbers. This time though he got a person to help him load them and mark off the ticket. He bragged to me what he did. I knew the guy very well as it was my FIL. And it's a shame as he was a really great guy until it came to **** like that.

Karma got her dues though as they both passed away at a relatively early age.
 

kaffine

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Henderson, NV
I bought what I thought was a new hard drive from Frys turned out it was used. To make it worse it was a hospital that returned it and it still had a lot of paitient data on it to include SSN, insurance info, and what procedures they had done. I thought about turning it over to one of the news channels but I wanted to get my computer up and runing so I just formated it and used it. I've had several instances where used items were sold as new there and wont buy anything from them now.

I really think it is time stores changed their return procedures. The customer is not always right and they should make use of the policy about refusing service to anyone.
 

vjlobel

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Greensburg, PA
I've got to throw my nickel in too...A friend told me this story-

Two guys, one of which worked at Home Depot, went in together to try and make a bit of a side hustle. Guy A would take an aluminum truck toolbox off the shelf, load it up with tools, and go to the checkout manned by Guy B. Guy B would conveniently forget to check the inside of the toolbox. They did this five for six times.

How did they get caught? Rather than CL the toolboxes with the rest of the tools, Guy A returned them to Home Depot and said he changed his mind, or it didn't fit, etc. Eventually, returns got smart.
 
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zoomzoomjeff

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Des Moines, IA area
I bought the last two Ryobi laser levels at Home Depot that were being discounted last fall. One for me, and one for my brother-in-law. Got 'em home, tried 'em out, one is completely defective.

I take it back for a refund, tell the returns person that it's defective and shouldn't be re-sold. She flashes the "who gives a ****" attitude, so I ask to speak with the GM, and tell him. Seems like he's interested and thankful.

Next week, I see the exact same thing back on the shelf clearanced out at the same price. And I know it's my box because of how I repackaged it back in there, stickers half missing, etc.

What can I do? I tried to do the right thing, but store manager cared about the almighty dollar apparently.
 

fm2176

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Down South
[When]My FIL's buddy...needs some nails or screws and the packaged quantity at HD is more than he needs, he just opens the box and pockets what he needs, claiming "I spend a lot of money here, I deserve special privileges".

This didn't work out so well for someone I know. He claims he put some hardware (a few dollars' worth at most) in his pocket because his hands were full. But when he "forgot" about it at checkout loss prevention got him. A few weekends in jail and court costs were probably worth a little more than some screws.

At least the scams posted above involved a significant amount of money. Daughter worked in a Lowes when in college. Someone returned a $2.00(at the time) bag of topsoil that they had removed the topsoil from and filled it with red dirt. They burned gas to and from the store to do this. Economic and moral stupidity.

I was living in a small Georgia town before I deployed. Wal-mart and other big box stores were 25+ miles away in either Statesboro or Savannah (I stay away from Hinesville). I've actually been "guilty" of keeping or throwing away defective merchandise instead of taking it back. If I'm spending $12-15 in gas--not to mention taking 1 hr+ out of my day--to return something that cost a few dollars, something is wrong.
 

BFBOB

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I have seen paint that is purple in the can and when wet. It dries white.
It is supposed to be so you can see if you missed any spots when painting white over white

EDIT- Like this- http://www.valsparpaint.com/en/find...int/ultra-premium-color-changing-ceiling.html

Oops!! I once returned a tube of caulk because it was supposed to be clear, but was actually white. All in good faith, I might add. Later, I saw the same stuff, marked in LARGE LETTERS - "goes on white, dries clear". Yup. There were even a few older tubes at the back with the same marking, but in small type, like the one I bougt.
 

58Yeoman

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Oops!! I once returned a tube of caulk because it was supposed to be clear, but was actually white. All in good faith, I might add. Later, I saw the same stuff, marked in LARGE LETTERS - "goes on white, dries clear". Yup. There were even a few older tubes at the back with the same marking, but in small type, like the one I bougt.

Back in the 70's when I was a young pup, I built a solar room on the front of my house. When I went to install the metal coverings, they were all white, not the brown that I'd ordered. I called the company and told them about the white. They told me to remove the protective film to see the brown color.:scared:

DOH!
 

wedge40

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Oct 31, 2009
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Bloomington, IN
Had to buy a new computer a few months ago and didn't want to get stuck with winbloze 8 so I had to search a lot to find a few that were still window 7. Ordered from Amazon, got the laptop from a third vendor. Box things didn't seem right when opening, packing missing etc. Well it was a returned item that someone had already set up. At first I was going to keep it, but after thinking about it over night decided to return the machine. Amazon return was quick and easy, all done online and I had full refund within 48 hours. Next laptop I inspected a tad better before opening.

I've been lucky so far and haven't gotten seconds when purchasing new.

I would be willing to spend more at store that has firm return policy, something like you bought it you own it. Unless the item is defective out of the box, no returns.

Wedge
 

mopho

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If you return something that is broken sharpie "broken or missing parts" on the box! Help the next guy out..
 

bgarrett

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This is not exactly along the same line, but not too dissimilar: I went to Lowes to buy a Samsung above-range microwave, and brought it up to the cashier to ring out. When I turned the box up on end so the cashier could scan the barcode, I heard a nasty rattle from inside. We opened the box and found that the front door glass was completely destroyed. Went back to the shelf and grabbed the last one, and heard the same sound from inside :Gun1:

The person at the customer service counter called the store in Ft. Lauderdale, and they had two in stock, so I drove over to get one. They had to get a forklift to get them down since they were all the way at the top of the pallet rack, right under a leak in the ceiling as it turned out. The first box was all warped and stained from the water, so I opted for the second one. I turned the box over and heard the now-familiar crash of broken glass :eyecrazy:

We opened the waterlogged box just for the heck of it, and the back of the microwave was caked with rust! The store manager apologized profusely, and gave me the top of the line model for the same price as the one I wanted :thumbup:

That sure sounds like my toolbox! I went to get a box like the one on display and was told they were out of that model and would not sell the display, so I took a different model home. Opened the cardboard box and the toolbox was massively caved in! Took it back to the store and got another. It was caved in! Back to the store and took my box cutter. Opened it in the store and it was caved in. Big time. None of these boxes were useable at all. That was the last one the store had and I went home with the display that I wanted in the first place. Yeah, the one they would not sell.
 

KEH

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FM2176 said"I stayed away from Hinesville.." I know what you mean, I spent some time at Ft Stewart in the mid 1960s and that town didn't have the best reputation then either.

Most of the scams mentioned were carried out by men. Let's not forget the women. Another one I heard about from the 1930s or maybe before was from my mother. She had unkind remarks to make about some "ladies" in the community who would take dresses out on approval, wear them to some function, then return them. I don't know if they were inlaws or outlaws or just neighbors.

KEH
 

RV77

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About three years ago my folks rented a plug areator for the yard.They call and say it wont start etc.. I do the "phone diagnostics" and still wont start.

So I drive over and take a look..Checked out spark etc... Ok ....Took gas cap off...Tank appeared full but something didnt look right.Put my finger in tank and yep theres the problem......Some one filled tank w/ water instead of gas.

Drained the tank and carb.Only had maybe 1/8 of gas rest was water.Put fresh gas in and cleaned the spark plug and runs great.

After telling the story they got the rental for free but not sure if they went after the previous renter.
 

6768rogues

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I special ordered some Armstrong ceiling tiles at Lowes, and they were about $10 per tile with 6 in a package. Thought I needed 26, so I bought 5 packages. Each package had one or two damaged tiles, so by using a couple of damaged tiles in places with cuts and using some for 2 small cuts, I finished the job with 24 tiles. I put the 6 damaged tiles in a package and took them back. Special orders are not returnable, but they were damaged so I gave them the option of ordering another package that I would not need (and that might result in more damaged tiles) or refunding the package. They refunded it. A few days later a manager called me to ask about it and I had to explain again, so I guess someone was paying attention.
 

coachrick

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Jan 17, 2009
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N. Austin, TX
Originally Posted by coachrick:
Speaking of '****', a lot of these folks are the same ones who won't pick up their dog's poop in a public place.


That doesn't make any sense. How would you even make that connection?

Makes perfect sense to me. The same mindset that repackages a used or broken item for a return is likely to leave their dog's poop on the ground with the idea that "Somebody else can take care of MY ****!" :mad:
 

ROB_IN_MN

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Jan 26, 2010
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I'm reminded of a great quote from Winston Churchill, which I have to paraphrase because I don't remember it exactly:

I care very little about what others think of what I do. i care very much about what *I* think of what I do. that's character.
 

BerninicaCO3

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I remember someone at harbor freight ahead of me in line, finagling a $1 return.
Yes, a $1 return.
It costs me $3 in gas to get to harbor freight and back!

And when I worked at sears, one lucky fellow got a lawn tractor for 50% off last month in January (store was closing, hence the sale-- and, all sales final), making a fuss for a return because it didn't come with the $5 key! Dude had just saved $1600. Tractors never go half off. What's the big deal? It was still under warranty, too, if he'd just take the time to call customer service.
I suspect he just wanted to blow some steam at someone else's expense. We couldn't do anything for him.

I did feel bad with 2 returns I did at sears; their tool warranties.
Had one line wrench in a set of 5 that broke. They could only replace the entire set. 4 good line wrenches went somewhere, hopefully not the trash...
And had a serpentine belt tool shear off, and again, silly sears could only give me an entire new kit, and couldn't just replace the bar that had broken.
 

BerninicaCO3

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I returned 2 things to rockauto the other month; a cv axle that was right in every way, except, that it was 1/2" too long. It took 2 minutes of head scratching before we figured out the only possible thing that could be wrong, ordered another from napa, compared, and indeed the rockauto one was splined correctly, correct in every way, except the central shaft was 1/2" longer than correct.

Also returned a parking brake cable that was missing a piece.

I wonder if these will stay returned, or if some other poor person will end up with them?
To be fair, some number of items returned, are returned because a customer ordered teh wrong one, or didn't know HOW it was supposed to be installed, and it was really all good.
 

Rixter58

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Nowthen, Mn
I special ordered some Armstrong ceiling tiles at Lowes, and they were about $10 per tile with 6 in a package. Thought I needed 26, so I bought 5 packages. Each package had one or two damaged tiles, so by using a couple of damaged tiles in places with cuts and using some for 2 small cuts, I finished the job with 24 tiles. I put the 6 damaged tiles in a package and took them back. Special orders are not returnable, but they were damaged so I gave them the option of ordering another package that I would not need (and that might result in more damaged tiles) or refunding the package. They refunded it. A few days later a manager called me to ask about it and I had to explain again, so I guess someone was paying attention.
So let me get this straight, you beat the system and got 4 usable panels for nothing?
 

Zeke

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Long Beach CA, the sewer by the sea.
I'll tell a story on me about returns. I bought a fluorescent drop light from OSH. That's a hardware chain for you folks beyond their territory. I had never owned a fluorescent one before and did not know how the switch worked. You had to rock it and hold it down to turn the light on. I wasn't holding it down and I thought the thing didn't work so I took it back. Somehow I figured out the thing, so I went back and told them I had mistakenly brought back something telling them it didn't work when it actually did and I was sorry.

They said if it's returned and the box had been opened, it was on it's way back to the vendor. I've never had anything substituted or missing from OSH save for a couple of screws in a box of hinges. OSH was for awhile owned by Sears, but they've spun themselves off and are independent. They will probably never get back to the point where they were a few years back before Sears influenced them to be a mini K-Mart with a hardware store somewhere inside. Just FYI.
 

T-Mac

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s.w Pa.
Bought a role of flux core mig wire at tsc-got it home and loaded it up-something very wrong-no flux-someone had bought a roll of flux and non flux,swapped boxes and returned for refund on more expensive flux core
 
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