Archived Question about returns

[lifewithtarget]

So, we have this guest who comes in every so often and tries to return a bunch of health and beauty items, razors, and so forth.

I've gotten mixed signals from different GSTLs on how to deal with it. If they have the card they used to purchase them and it pops up, but no receipt, should I go ahead and still do the return, or still deny the guest. Or is there some way to still do the return, but deduct her coupons and if so how do you do that?

Any help with this issue would be great, thanks!

 

[Sanzano]

Partner with your AP, at the end of the day this is completely up to their discretion. Usually ETL-AP will will have set procedures for these sorts of situations.

Every store handles these situations differently.

 

[Flabbergasted]

They are coupon fraud scammers who purchase the expensive HBA items with fake coupons and return for the full value of the coupon. Our AP has instructed us to deny such returns.

 

[AllThingsTarget101]

Our APBP told us that we have the right to tell guest service not to do it if the person tries more than once. Our merchandise is to be purchased for use and not to make profit off of.

 

[Produce Queen]

Our merchandise is to be purchased for use and not to make profit off of.

Oh wow you're just taking crazy there

 

[Flabbergasted]

Our merchandise is to be purchased for use and not to make profit off of.

Wait, what store am I working at again? I was pretty sure it was corporate policy to give the place away, no questions asked. After all, the scammers are "guests" in our little shithole too, are they not?

You need to learn how to Be BOLD.

 

[redeye58]

You forgot the sarcasm font.....

 

[AllThingsTarget101]

You forgot the sarcasm font.....

I was hoping it meant to be sarcastic! Haha

 

[Vulpix]

Wait, what store am I working at again? I was pretty sure it was corporate policy to give the place away, no questions asked. After all, the scammers are "guests" in our little shithole too, are they not?

You need to learn how to Be BOLD.

That is definitely the policy in our store!! I have seen some insane returns approved by the LOD, the "guests" know all they have to do is ask for a manager and whatever policy I am trying to enforce goes out the window. I had an LOD override me on a return where the receipt was a year and a half old and the product had been well used and was simply showing signs of said use...

 

[lifewithtarget]

I talked to my AP guy and he basically said we have to do the returns regardless, but I still don't think its right because I know exactly who the guests are who do it because they come in so regularly.

However, this is one instance where a receipt should be necessary not just their credit card or if they literally dump cosmetics all over the counter I just say sorry we can't return these

 

[Flabbergasted]

I talked to my AP guy and he basically said we have to do the returns regardless, but I still don't think its right because I know exactly who the guests are who do it because they come in so regularly.

This is BS and your AP is spineless. At my store we have no problem denying the HBA scammers.

 

[judgemental]

at our store (could be corporate policy idk) we have a limit of how much they can return. it's around $50 worth of returns and after that we deny anything else.

 

[dave white]

This is BS and your AP is spineless. At my store we have no problem denying the HBA scammers.

It's store policy to take the return so it's nothing about being spineless.

AP can pull up the original receipt, determine that coupons were used and then post void the return. Now THAT is being bold

 

[Retail Girl]

Yeah, you all wait...around here, these scam artists just stand at your counter and call guest relations and tell them the TM won't do the return, and then you get to try to explain to the guest relations why you won't do what is "technically" a perfectly valid return. And the last thing our STL wants is the DTL breathing down his neck, so we have to do all the returns.

Trust me, it will happen in your stores as well. And eventually you realize that when all of those above you are on the side of the con artists, there is no point in fighting it.

 

[doodlebug]

We used to have a HUGE problem with coupon scammers. Their coupons weren't fake though. They would return hundreds of dollars worth of HBA items at a time...many of them were pharmacy items that had to be thrown out when they were returned. It was infuriating.

I guess they hit up so many of the local stores so often that our district leader gave us the okay to deny HBA returns. I remember when they first let us know we could deny them, I had one of the regulars come through my lane and I rang up $500+ worth of razors, toothbrushes, shampoo, medicine, etc. but didn't say a word about the new return policy and then she came back a few hours later and went up to the service desk to return it all and we got to tell her we couldn't do the return. It was a very very good day.

 

[Nauzhror]

Yeah, you all wait...around here, these scam artists just stand at your counter and call guest relations and tell them the TM won't do the return, and then you get to try to explain to the guest relations why you won't do what is "technically" a perfectly valid return. And the last thing our STL wants is the DTL breathing down his neck, so we have to do all the returns.

Trust me, it will happen in your stores as well. And eventually you realize that when all of those above you are on the side of the con artists, there is no point in fighting it.

Never seen this. Had guests threaten to call corporate, we just tell them to go for it, and if they cause a scene they are asked to leave the store.

 

[Retail Girl]

They won't cause a scene. But they will make a big enough stink that if you don't do as you are asked, your ETL or STL will be required to call them the next day and make nice with a gift card.

 

[AllThingsTarget101]

Never seen this. Had guests threaten to call corporate, we just tell them to go for it, and if they cause a scene they are asked to leave the store.

It happens at my store, we still deny them.

 

[Retail Girl]

It happens at my store, we still deny them.

Your STL is more willing to stand up to the DTL than mine is.

 

[PinkZinnia]

Most of our guest service team members know how to handle this. Sometimes when LOD is called over they don't know what to do or don't want to say no to the scamming guest. Sometimes they call me over to say no. I have no problem saying no and if LOD wants to make it a yes then its their decision - but now I'm talking in circles.

 

[Jill of All Trades]

Sometimes you just need the second voice. I use it with difficult guests all the time. The principle is that the second person on the scene has more authority (if they use it right) and the guest will take their word even if it's the same as the first person's word that they wouldn't accept. I'm a GSA and I'll sometimes use an experienced GSTM as a "second voice" for me when a guest just isn't taking store credit for an answer.