Archived 718

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Am I the only one that hates calling 718 for overrides? They only help on rare occasions, most of the time they hang up on me, or just say no. Whats the point of them and when I asked to speak to the supervisor who apparently hung up on me.
 
Ditto the only benefit they serve is as someone else to blame. Not that it stops the crabby guests from yelling at me. Then they demand a manager, I tell them I am a manager and there is no one in the store or even further that can override the system if 718 won't give me an approval code.
 
Ditto the only benefit they serve is as someone else to blame. Not that it stops the crabby guests from yelling at me. Then they demand a manager, I tell them I am a manager and there is no one in the store or even further that can override the system if 718 won't give me an approval code.

I know and there like I want to speak to the store manager so im like fine. So I just call an LOD to deal with their hissy fits.
 
718 is, at worst, an exercise in futility & a faceless entity to place blame.
At best, ehhhh.......there IS no best.
 
I've gotten refund auth to help before.. Just depends on the situation.

Usually if I tell them to put it through, or ask to speak to their supervisor, results are had.
 
I absolutely HATE calling 718. I don't even remember the last time I called them. However, I did recently figure out a trick! As you know, if you do a no receipt return over I think $70, it forces you to exchange the item instead of returning it. I recently learned that you can EXCHANGE the item for a gift card, you just need supervisor numbers. Just scan the gift card as if it was an item they were exchanging for, then type in the exact return value of whatever they're returning. I only use it when I feel it's really warranted, but it's certainly saved me calling 718 a bunch of times.
 
^That's actually an old trick but wasn't common knowledge.
Our GSTMs knew it as a "last resort" but only done with GSTL approval.
With the 'vibe' nowadays, meh....
 
Honestly I did not know you could do that. You learn something everyday.

I figured it out a few months ago and now they're making me show EVERYONE that ever works at guest service. There's been a few times where it was honestly the only solution possible, and 718 never would've approved it.
 
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I absolutely HATE calling 718. I don't even remember the last time I called them. However, I did recently figure out a trick! As you know, if you do a no receipt return over I think $70, it forces you to exchange the item instead of returning it. I recently learned that you can EXCHANGE the item for a gift card, you just need supervisor numbers. Just scan the gift card as if it was an item they were exchanging for, then type in the exact return value of whatever they're returning. I only use it when I feel it's really warranted, but it's certainly saved me calling 718 a bunch of times.

I used to do that a lot ;-) Works great
 
Remember yrs back when spot dropped the gift purchase log (for registry returns) for a short time? But brought it back after a HUGE outcry? Turns out the barcode from said purchase log could be used to return just about ANYTHING without a receipt, whether it was listed on the registry or not. A mom-to-be was returning duplicates after a baby shower using her purchase log. I inadvertently 'returned' several non-baby items that weren't on her registry & whaddaya know! The other GSTMs & I tried it whenever similar returns occurred & it always worked!
Not sure if spot closed that loophole or not, tho.
Worked on wedding registries & lists, too.
 
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Remember yrs back when spot dropped the gift purchase log (for registry returns) for a short time? But brought it back after a HUGE outcry? Turns out the barcode from said purchase log could be used to return just about ANYTHING without a receipt, whether it was listed on the registry or not. A mom-to-be was returning duplicates after a baby shower using her purchase log. I inadvertently 'returned' several non-baby items that weren't on her registry & whaddaya know! The other GSTMs & I tried it whenever similar returns occurred & it always worked!
Not sure if spot closed that loophole or not, tho.
Worked on wedding registries & lists, too.

you can return up to 150 dollars of items that were not on your registry now.
 
There have been times when I've attempted to return things against the log, and it wouldn't allow it, but it would allow other things. So there is some mechanism in there for declining some returns...I just haven't figured it out.
 
There have been times when I've attempted to return things against the log, and it wouldn't allow it, but it would allow other things. So there is some mechanism in there for declining some returns...I just haven't figured it out.

I'm really curious to know how it decides.
 
I absolutely HATE calling 718. I don't even remember the last time I called them. However, I did recently figure out a trick! As you know, if you do a no receipt return over I think $70, it forces you to exchange the item instead of returning it. I recently learned that you can EXCHANGE the item for a gift card, you just need supervisor numbers. Just scan the gift card as if it was an item they were exchanging for, then type in the exact return value of whatever they're returning. I only use it when I feel it's really warranted, but it's certainly saved me calling 718 a bunch of times.

Thanks for teaching me. But I wont be sharing this with the GS team lol.
 
When we used it, we had to get leadership approval & only a few GSTMs were privy to it or everyone would be attempting it.
 
Recent conversation with 718:

Me: hi, I have a guest with a recalled crib I need to return.
718: what's the model number?
Me: blah, blah, blah
718: where did you get that from?
Me: the owner's manual for the crib.
718: I need you to verify that this is the actual model number on the crib.
*rolling my eyes, I search every damn piece of the crib and finally find it hanging off of a small piece of paper attached to some obscure piece of wood*
Me: yes, the model number is blah, blah, blah on the crib itself.
718: great, is the drawer with it?
Me: no, there is no drawer with this unit.
718: yes there is. The description is blah, blah crib with drawer.
Me: no, there is no drawer. I am looking at the owner's manual and the wood itself and there is clearly no place for a drawer.
718: I'm sorry, you will need to tell the guest we cannot complete this transaction until the drawer is brought back.
*at this point, I'm speechless. I tell 718 to hold on, and tell my LOD what is going on and hand him the phone. The LOD tries to explain to 718 that there is, in fact, no drawer. They go round and round for a while.
LOD: I see, so we will need to tell the guest to bring back the drawer. Got it. Can I please get the dpci for this crib as a reference number?
*i high five the lod after he writes down the number.*
So, the LOD hangs up, smiles at me and hands me the dpci. I attempt the return. The dpci is no good. Argh!
Me: should I just call back and lie to them and tell them we have the drawer?
LOD: no, we don't need to stoop to their level, let me see what I can do.

*LOD searches high and low online for a valid dpci and cannot find one. After about ten minutes, he calls me over and tells me to call back 718 and lie if necessary.*

Me: hi, I have a guest with a recalled crib we need to return.
718: what's the model number?
Me: blah, blah, blah
718: this is the blah, blah crib with drawer.
Me: correct. (At least this one didn't specifically ask me if the drawer was there).
718: here's the dpci you need.
*718 proceeds to give me the exact same dpci that my LOD had gotten...you know, the one that doesn't work.*
Me: it didn't work.
718: ok, try 099-09-0099.
Me: okay, what's the price?
*718 gives me a price somewhere above $200*
Me: okay, I will need an override code for that.
718: no you don't.
Me: yes, I do.
718: no, I gave you a perfectly valid dpci.
Me: look at my screen. I cannot do a return off of a generic dpci for an item that big without an override code.
718: fine, if you insist.
*head explodes*

I mean, really? The woman had to take apart and return her crib, and we need to do it. This is not difficult. They really don't need to fight with me over a damn recall item every single time.
 
Also, my store is part of a test market where, with LOD approval, we are now allowed to use the emergency override code to make things right for the guest instead of haggling with 718. It makes me a bit nervous to use it, and I generally call the LOD over the walkie before I do it, but it has made some moments happen that 718 would have never approved.
 
Also, my store is part of a test market where, with LOD approval, we are now allowed to use the emergency override code to make things right for the guest instead of haggling with 718. It makes me a bit nervous to use it, and I generally call the LOD over the walkie before I do it, but it has made some moments happen that 718 would have never approved.

I'm pretty envious. I've tries using the emergency override code before and it's never worked for me.
 
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