[Screwston]

Hey players. I need some advice please because this issue is really starting to piss me off. I bought some hair clippers last month for my thick rug head. I got them home, oiled them up and followed the instructions to get them going before first use. They wouldn't cut my head hair or even my facial hair at all. Kept getting stuck and making a weird noise. I put some oil on my old 8 yr old clippers and got them going like brand new. "Cool" I thought. I'll just return these trash ass new ones and get my money back. This is where the problems started.

I took them back to the store but the manager wasn't there. An employee is giving me an attitude the whole time in front of other customers and says that I damaged them! I told her I didn't and asked why she would even say that. "We're trained to detect damage in our products". I go back to the store today so I can talk to the manager. She tells me the same thing and tells me I need to call customer service because it looks like I opened them up and messed with the blades. Wtf?? I didn't do shit. I call customer service and end up cussing at the girl because I'm getting tired of everyone accusing me of bullshit. She tells me I need to meet up and speak to the district manager of Houston next week. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't get treated like this if I didn't look so young. What should I say and how should I act with the district manager? I plan on getting GQ'd out so I look more mature.

[MikeCF]

You might have better luck contacting the manufacturer directly.

[el mechanico]

Bring them to a barber shop and ask the barber why they don't work. Report back. A real MALE barber. What is the brand and model?

[SnakeEyes]

Credit card chargeback

[OGNorCal707]

What store was this at? I thought the customer is always right? I normally shop for stuff like that, at Target, and never once have I had an issue with them taking stuff back, exchanging, store credit, refunds, etc.

Shit, that sounds like some B.S. and a major hassle, but at the end of the day you probably only spent like $30. I'd follow El Mech's advice and talk to a barber, and follow up with district manager more on principal for getting your rightful money back than anything else. That's strange that you would have to meet with a district manager over something so trivial.

[Kona]

Google the model number of the clippers.

Then look on the Wal Mart website and find out if they sell them anywhere in America. Take them back there, just remove the price tag from the box if it had one.

I just found out about this trick. My sister's friend told her that Wal Mart has some kind of internal policy that no matter what it is or when they sold it they will take anything back. Even though they publish policies about certain things saying they won't take them (like dvd's) they actually will. With or without a receipt.

A tenant left a flat screen tv that didn't work in one of my apartments. I took it to Walmart and they gave me store credit of almost $500. I just acted friendly and started yapping nonsense that had nothing to do with the thing. She looked up model numbers and didn't ask a single question. I guarantee that thing was 3 years old.

Try that.

Aloha!

[Brian]

(04-06-2012 08:25 PM)Kona Wrote:  

A tenant left a flat screen tv that didn't work in one of my apartments. I took it to Walmart and they gave me store credit of almost $500. I just acted friendly and started yapping nonsense that had nothing to do with the thing. She looked up model numbers and didn't ask a single question. I guarantee that thing was 3 years old.

Try that.

Aloha!

thats basically theft.

[AntiTrace]

first question yourself to see if the price of the clippers is really worth the stink. If it is, or you just really want to get back at the disrepect

1. google the company name and location - your searching for any immediate results where you can post comments or reviews.
2. type up quick review for each result but do not post it yet - this is part of your leverage. you can also write up a quick blurb and attach a local newspaper contact info on it.
3. search the better business bureau, they may be listed - do not leave a bad review, again this is leverage
4. if the company has a website search for their return policy, print it out
5. Bring a camcorder or voice recorder with you - claim it will be used in evidence for the dispute you will file with the better business bureau, and the recording will be forwarded to the corporate manager as well as copies of all the comments and newspaper articles

bring all that in, slap it on the district managers desk. Briefly explain what you just handed him, straight up tell him what your actions will be if your refund is not honored, and look him in the eyes and confidently ask him if it is really worth the trouble. Ive ran into a couple pricks in my day, they are mostly scared middle managers that are either trying to climb the corporate ladder or are just plain scared of losing their job. They normally back down the first time your bring some real muscle in the form of negative comments, BBB disputes, contacting corporate offices, etc.

I had a lease dispute once where I was legally in the right to break my lease, while the apartment manager disagreed. I was polite and respectful and offered countless legal documents as well forwarded emails from my attorney explaining the laws. The manager still fought it, claiming her interpretation of law was different. I contacted my congressman and then got the Regional Director of HUD of my side. The manager finally gave in after being threatened with a federal investigation. Apparently those become costly because your business is frozen for the duration of that investigation, they wouldn't have been able to accept new leases until it was resolved, and the director told me he can draw those investigations out for months and end haha.

Just keep escalating, if you are legally in the right (as in they have a return policy and you did not cause any damage to the product they sold you) they will back down at some point.

[Screwston]

Thanks for replies so far. I'm driving so I only skimmed the thread. They're nice Wahl clippers and I'm a broke student so I actually need this money. I can get it real ugly and make everyone scared in the main office if I need to. I don't mind that and might actually take a few shots before I meet up with the DM to get me going. The store is all over the country so it has plenty of money circulating. I don't want to name it because of all the lurkers and haters watching us. Clippers were about $80

I told my mom about it and she thought I was making the whole thing up. I've NEVER heard of a store making someone go thru all this bullshit for something so cheap!

[Moma]

(04-06-2012 08:41 PM)Brian Wrote:  

(04-06-2012 08:25 PM)Kona Wrote:  

A tenant left a flat screen tv that didn't work in one of my apartments. I took it to Walmart and they gave me store credit of almost $500. I just acted friendly and started yapping nonsense that had nothing to do with the thing. She looked up model numbers and didn't ask a single question. I guarantee that thing was 3 years old.

Try that.

Aloha!

thats basically theft.

LOL!

[WesternCancer]

(04-06-2012 09:24 PM)Moma Wrote:  

(04-06-2012 08:41 PM)Brian Wrote:  

(04-06-2012 08:25 PM)Kona Wrote:  

A tenant left a flat screen tv that didn't work in one of my apartments. I took it to Walmart and they gave me store credit of almost $500. I just acted friendly and started yapping nonsense that had nothing to do with the thing. She looked up model numbers and didn't ask a single question. I guarantee that thing was 3 years old.

Try that.

Aloha!

thats basically theft.

LOL!

Sure, but its Wal-Mart. I'm sure $500 has no significance to their operations whatsoever hence why they have that return policy in the first place.

[Kona]

(04-06-2012 09:14 PM)houston Wrote:  

They're nice Wahl clippers and I'm a broke student so I actually need this money.

http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng....s&ic=16_64

(04-06-2012 09:14 PM)Brian Wrote:  

thats basically theft.

Call the cops.



Aloha!

[billy]

Just walk in the shop demand a refund for your faulty product and when hey refuse just stay in the shop repeating yourself over and over again refusing to leave until you are done. When they accuse you of breaking them state very clearly that you did not break them and ask why are they calling you a liar with out evidence. If you hang around the shop a refuse to leave untill they call the police and annoy other customers they will cave pretty quickly.

[basil]

When doing returns or making complaints expecting a positive result here is how to play it:
Be firm, indicate you are not a pushover and need to be compensated. Do not raise your voice, do not swear - agression will make them less likelly to help and more likely to tell you to fuck off.
Make sure you are speaking to the person with the authority to make shit happen, politely question the person you are speaking to in order to make sure this is the case - if not have them get the right person.
Indicate that should they fail to meet your expectations you will cause a bigger problem for them - i.e. state you are a loyal and lucrative customer, will not return and take similar friends with you OR hint at a campaign that would hurt them. State that you would much prefer however to reach a mutually beneficial agreement. "I love you guys and I hope we can work this out, but if you dont rectify this situation...."

If that doesnt work, Kona is on the money. Having worked for a company like Walmart and dealt many times a day with complaints, returns, etc I can tell you throwing away $500 like that is factored in to their budgets, it is a set policy of those stores.

At mine we had a lifetime value of a customer - i.e the average customer visits 7 times a year and spends on average $45 per trip. Over a lifetime that customer will bring in X amount of money and so giving them $500 now is a small investment to ensure they stay with us, rather than taking their business elsewhere and possibly poisoning other friends against us, eliminating the lifetime value they would otherwise bring in as well. Every return / complaint ultimately is treated as a threat / opportunity. The threat is they may never return, the opportunity is if we deal with it well not only will they continue to return they will return happier than ever, perhaps spend more than ever and talk about us positivley to those friends they may otherwise poisend against us.

Basiclly this means any big and smart store is going to bend over backwards for you.

[Screwston]

I'm meeting up wiht her next Friday.