Is this Barnes & Noble crazy or am I?

[Little Nemo]

I know. Some of you are saying it doesn't have to be an either/or issue.

Barnes & Noble was having a sale on DVD's last month. If you bought two, you got a third one of equal or lesser value for free. Which is essentially a third off if you pick them right.

I bought six DVD's last week that happened to all be Criterion DVD's. After I checked out the clerk told me that they would be having a sale on Criterion DVD's the following week with all of them being half off.

I was a little annoyed he waited until after I had checked out to tell me the items that I had just bought were going on sale the following week. But I figured it was no big deal. I just left all of the DVD's and the receipt in the bag in my car.

Today I went back to the same Barnes and Noble. I confirmed that I could return them all for the price I had paid for them. So I said I wanted to return them all and then buy them all back at the sales price.

And they said I couldn't do that. I went through three levels of managers and they all refused.

They all agreed I could return the DVD's and get my money back. And they obviously agreed I could buy DVD's at the sales price. They even agreed that if I returned the DVD's I had bought they would just reshelf them and put them back for sale. But they said I couldn't buy back the same DVD's I returned.

Obviously I could have gotten around this. I could return the DVD's and then sneak back into the store in disguise a few hours later and buy them back. I could return the DVD's at one store and buy the same movies at another store. I could give somebody else the money and have them buy the DVD's for me.

But this was just so stupid. Can anyone come up with any reason why this policy would make any sense? Right now I'm half way tempted to return all of the DVD's after the current sale ends and keep my money. "There, you didn't sell them to me for a third off. You didn't sell them to me at a half off. You didn't sell them at all."

[Rumor_Watkins]

I think they're saying that they can't sell you back the DVDs until they reshelve them, correct? They weren't saying that you couldn't go right back into the store and pick up new copies of what you just returned, right?

If so, it makes sense-ish. They probably have internal policies that mandate certain protocol when examining and rehabilitating returned goods to make sure they are fit for sale.

Yes, they could have overlooked these polices since you wanted to immediately re-purchase, but they didn't.


(you should have just purchased second copies of the DVDs, then returned the previously-bought ones in a separate, later, transaction)

[Zsofia]

You know your credit card may have price guarantees?

[Little Nemo]

I think they're saying that they can't sell you back the DVDs until they reshelve them, correct? They weren't saying that you couldn't go right back into the store and pick up new copies of what you just returned, right?

Nope, they were clear that if I returned them, I was never supposed to buy those DVD's. Their policy seemed to be that I had one chance to buy them and having used that chance I didn't get a second one.

(you should have just purchased second copies of the DVDs, then returned the previously-bought ones in a separate, later, transaction)

I considered that possibility. But they didn't have that large a Criterion section. Most of these DVD's were the only copies in the store.

That said, what I'll probably end up doing is returning them all to the store and buying copies of them online. It seems sort of petty - we're talking about less than fifteen dollars. But at this point I almost feel obligated to figure out a way to thwart their stupidity.

You know your credit card may have price guarantees?

Mine doesn't unfortunately.

[Chimera]

The big secret is that everyone is crazy. So the OP is a trick question.

[El Presidente]

Originally Posted by Little Nemo

I know. Some of you are saying it doesn't have to be an either/or issue.

Barnes & Noble was having a sale on DVD's last month. If you bought two, you got a third one of equal or lesser value for free. Which is essentially a third off if you pick them right.

I bought six DVD's last week that happened to all be Criterion DVD's. After I checked out the clerk told me that they would be having a sale on Criterion DVD's the following week with all of them being half off.

With the clerk thinking he/she did you a favor, since they presumed you were a fan of Criterion DVDs. Barnes and Noble has no obligation whatsoever to let you know before you make their purchase that they are having a sale.

I was a little annoyed he waited until after I had checked out to tell me the items that I had just bought were going on sale the following week. But I figured it was no big deal. I just left all of the DVD's and the receipt in the bag in my car.

Today I went back to the same Barnes and Noble. I confirmed that I could return them all for the price I had paid for them. So I said I wanted to return them all and then buy them all back at the sales price.

And they said I couldn't do that. I went through three levels of managers and they all refused.



They all agreed I could return the DVD's and get my money back. And they obviously agreed I could buy DVD's at the sales price. They even agreed that if I returned the DVD's I had bought they would just reshelf them and put them back for sale. But they said I couldn't buy back the same DVD's I returned.

That's because they realized you were scamming them.

Obviously I could have gotten around this. I could return the DVD's and then sneak back into the store in disguise a few hours later and buy them back. I could return the DVD's at one store and buy the same movies at another store. I could give somebody else the money and have them buy the DVD's for me.

Then why didn't you?

But this was just so stupid. Can anyone come up with any reason why this policy would make any sense? Right now I'm half way tempted to return all of the DVD's after the current sale ends and keep my money. "There, you didn't sell them to me for a third off. You didn't sell them to me at a half off. You didn't sell them at all."

They would probably have been better off if you did, since obviously you sound like a bit of a pain in the ass.

I work in customer service, and have to put up with people like this all the time. You made a conscious, educated decision when you bought the DVDs and got the third one for free, or whatever. The clerk went out of his/her way to let you know about an upcoming sale.

No good deed goes unpunished, as a week later, there you are, wasting valuable time with three levels of management to try and screw Barnes and Noble out of 10 bucks. This was probably going on while there were ten people in line behind you, probably had about 1000 things to do that day, but your petty complaint torpedoed their day.

If they said yes, then, what is to stop you 6 months later from showing up with your unused DVDs to try and con them into another sale?

I bet if the clerk DIDNT tell you, and you found about the sale after it was over, you'd probably call the store to complain, as well.

My advice is this: put your DVDs in your DVD player. Watch them. Get over it.

Stop being a freeloader. This is why so many people in customer service are nasty to customers---they just cant take people like you anymore.

[Musicat]

Let me get this straight. The store will let you return all 6, and you can buy anything in the store subsequently except those particular 6? Is there something in the fine print that says that? After you return them, do they keep a record of the ones you purchased and returned?

Return all 6, then get a friend to buy the same 6 when they are shelved, at the discount price.

[RickJay]

Originally Posted by El Presidente

I work in customer service, and have to put up with people like this all the time. You made a conscious, educated decision when you bought the DVDs and got the third one for free, or whatever. The clerk went out of his/her way to let you know about an upcoming sale.

A sale he was then denied the opportunity to take advantage of by virtue of the clerk not telling him about it until after he'd already bought the DVDs.

Sorry, but this was not a trouble customer. The store's policy is idiotic. He was complaining because the store's policy was ridiculous.

[Zulema]

They are crazy.

Every other major store in the country, if you go back within the time you are allowed to return an item, will do a price adjustment for the new sale price. I have never heard of a store not doing it for the exact reason that if you can return something then you can do it then buy it back on sale. It's just easier for everyone if they adjust the price, it's less restocking for them.

You're not a pain in the ass customer nor are you scamming. If their policy says you can return something within a certain time, then you can. They cannot control what you buy with your returned money.

[Freudian Slit]

Originally Posted by El Presidente

That's because they realized you were scamming them.

How is that a scam? You're allowed to return it and get a better deal if you want. If the item has gone on sale and you can return it, why not do so?

[Peremensoe]

If price is most important, you probably shouldn't ever buy anything at B&N.

[Hilarity N. Suze]

B&N is nuts. Most stores wouldn't even make you bring in the ones you bought. They would do a price adjustment based on your receipt.

Buy them somewhere else. Surely they're on sale somewhere else.

[Boyo Jim]

This is really simple. Ir isn't even crazy, though it's pretty stupid. They are viewing this as one complicated transaction, and their accounting/cash register software can't process it.

The can't push the right buttons to make it happen. The cashier who would give you credit for the return is probably not the same person who would re-enter the items into inventory to prepare them for resale.

[valleyofthedolls]

Originally Posted by El Presidente

That's because they realized you were scamming them.

Chill. I used to work for a large chain bookstore and would authorize this kind of thing all the time. And I don't really care for most people so it wasn't like I was going out of the way to do anyone any favors.

To keep things kosher, I would have the customer bring back the merchandise and the receipt. I realize some stores will do this sort of thing based on just the receipt but it becomes an LP issue if the item is paid for in cash...someone could easily pick up the receipt someone tossed out on the way out of the store and demand the cash difference. Still, you want to read the the latest piece of crap from Nora Roberts but it isn't hitting the best seller list until next week. and so isn't discounted right this very minute? No problem, bring it back in a few days and I'll refund you the difference, now go away. This was just SOP where I worked.

So yeah, they could be tools or it could an LP issue I haven't heard of. DVDs are always problematic in this regard but especially so when sales are ongoing. Either way, it looks like you're out of luck so I'd try and move on with your life.

[valleyofthedolls]

Originally Posted by Boyo Jim

This is really simple. Ir isn't even crazy, though it's pretty stupid. They are viewing this as one complicated transaction, and their accounting/cash register software can't process it.

The can't push the right buttons to make it happen. The cashier who would give you credit for the return is probably not the same person who would re-enter the items into inventory to prepare them for resale.

Seriously? No, no and no. You've got absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

[astro]

This is in the B&N operations manual right next to "No returns on books taken into bathroom".

Some retail stores are willing to do the sale adjustment at the register and some are not. I would imagine it's a fairly common request so it's surprising that they could not do this. If a GPS I bought drops $ 10.00 on sale from one week to the next I'm absolutely going to be at the Best Buy counter getting my credit.

Criticizing you as petty for wanting to save $ 10 is absurd. Retail is a war. If they want to put on sales to drive business and I can save $10.00 by taking the better sale I'm doing it. It's my money. I'm not looking to B&N to pay my mortgage, and their expectation that I should not be looking for a perfectly acceptable sales credit is bullshit. $ 10 is more than enough to make an exchange worthwhile.

In the future when you meet obdurate stupidity like this just buy the new then return the old in separate transactions. Calling in three levels of managers to review this was unnecessary.

[Little Nemo]

That's because they realized you were scamming them.

They would probably have been better off if you did, since obviously you sound like a bit of a pain in the ass.

I work in customer service, and have to put up with people like this all the time.

And those customers have to put up with you. It appears they're getting the worst of the deal.

Maybe you should consider a new career which doesn't involve contact with human beings.

[Banquet Bear]

...is this another one of those bizarre American-centric things? Let me get something straight: you bought something on special, found out that it would be cheaper next week, bought it anyway, then went back the week after to get a bigger discount?

[Little Nemo]

...is this another one of those bizarre American-centric things? Let me get something straight: you bought something on special, found out that it would be cheaper next week, bought it anyway, then went back the week after to get a bigger discount?

I didn't buy it twice if that's what you're asking.

I bought the product.

I was then told that product was going on sale next week.

The store policy is that you can return any unopened product with a receipt for any reason within thirty days.

If the clerk had told me about the upcoming sale before I bought the DVD's I wouldn't have bought them. I would have waited until the sale started and bought them then.

I considered returning them all right then. As I said, the store's policy allows you to return them and get your money back - this is not something I made up. But I decided to wait a week. Maybe the clerk was wrong about the upcoming sale. Maybe I wouldn't be able to get to the store next week.

Nor did I somehow secretly trick the store into having a sale. They decided to have a sale on their own and decided when to schedule it without my input.

So I'm not trying to "scam" anyone. I'm just trying to use the store's own policies to pay a lower price.

I don't see how there's anything bizarrely American-centric about deciding I'd rather pay eighty dollars for a product rather than ninety-five dollars. Do people in other countries intentionally pay more for what they buy? Why is that? Are they worried that the store won't be their friend?

[hazel-rah]

Originally Posted by Little Nemo

The store policy is that you can return any unopened product with a receipt for any reason within thirty days.

Read the back of your receipt. It's fourteen days. Has been for about a year now. Of course, the general return policy is irrelevant to your purchase. Read up on the terms and conditions of the in-store Buy 2 Get 1 Free DVD/Blu-Ray promotion. During said promotion, and for 14 days following it, there are NO REFUNDS on DVDs purchased as part of the promotion. This has been the case for the last four or five years that the sale has taken place, and the signage states this. Not clearly, but you're an American consumer and the concept of fine print is surely not new to you.

If a manager agreed to give you a refund on your DVDs, they were making an exception for you. This would have been clearly communicated to you during the refund procedure, but for some reason you don't mention it in the thread. If your dilemma really involved "three levels of managers" there is simply no way the "no refunds" aspect of the Buy 2 Get 1 Free promo would not have been (gently) pointed out to you.

I'm also curious as to how you managed to work your way through three levels of managers when there are only two levels of management in a B&N retail store, assistant managers and the store manager. If for some reason there was a district manager present who was involved with your customer service issue, they would have caved instantly to all your demands and apologized profusely to you, because they have that kind of power.

I'm skeptical. I think you're not telling the whole story.

[Eliahna]

I'd be inclined to contact their head office if that's an option. That's how customers get around us when we try to follow policy.

[Little Nemo]

Read the back of your receipt. It's fourteen days. Has been for about a year now.

You may be right on that. I'll have to check the receipt. But in either event, it's been less than fourteen days anyway.

Read up on the terms and conditions of the in-store Buy 2 Get 1 Free DVD/Blu-Ray promotion. During said promotion, and for 14 days following it, there are NO REFUNDS on DVDs purchased as part of the promotion. This has been the case for the last four or five years that the sale has taken place, and the signage states this. Not clearly, but you're an American consumer and the concept of fine print is surely not new to you.

If a manager agreed to give you a refund on your DVDs, they were making an exception for you. This would have been clearly communicated to you during the refund procedure, but for some reason you don't mention it in the thread. If your dilemma really involved "three levels of managers" there is simply no way the "no refunds" aspect of the Buy 2 Get 1 Free promo would not have been (gently) pointed out to you.

If this policy exists, the store employees I spoke with are apparently unaware of it. They all agreed I could get a refund if I wanted one.

I'm also curious as to how you managed to work your way through three levels of managers when there are only two levels of management in a B&N retail store, assistant managers and the store manager. If for some reason there was a district manager present who was involved with your customer service issue, they would have caved instantly to all your demands and apologized profusely to you, because they have that kind of power.

The guy I was speaking to said he was calling his manager and I talked to the guy who showed up. That happened three times. Maybe they were just calling in other people who had the same title. Heck, maybe they called in a clerk from another department. I assumed they were calling in somebody at the next level because that's what they said they were doing. But I didn't ask for ID.

I'm skeptical. I think you're not telling the whole story.

Can't think of any important details I've left out. Would you like the location of the store or the names of the DVD's?

I don't see why people are assuming there was some deceit involved here. I wasn't lying to anyone in the store and, as far as I know, nobody in the store was lying to me.

I didn't claim that the DVD's were defective or anything like that. I told them the truth that I was returning them to take advantage of the new sale.

And they all said I could return them and get my money back. And I could then walk away with my money or I could buy some DVD's. Except not those DVD's.

They would sell those DVD's to anyone who wanted them. Except not to me.

So, once again, I'm not saying their policy was deceitful - I'm saying it was irrational. And I wasn't trying to trick them - I was trying to make them see reason.

[Banquet Bear]

Originally Posted by Little Nemo

I didn't buy it twice if that's what you're asking.

I bought the product.

I was then told that product was going on sale next week.

The store policy is that you can return any unopened product with a receipt for any reason within thirty days.

If the clerk had told me about the upcoming sale before I bought the DVD's I wouldn't have bought them. I would have waited until the sale started and bought them then.

I considered returning them all right then. As I said, the store's policy allows you to return them and get your money back - this is not something I made up. But I decided to wait a week. Maybe the clerk was wrong about the upcoming sale. Maybe I wouldn't be able to get to the store next week.

Nor did I somehow secretly trick the store into having a sale. They decided to have a sale on their own and decided when to schedule it without my input.

So I'm not trying to "scam" anyone. I'm just trying to use the store's own policies to pay a lower price.

I don't see how there's anything bizarrely American-centric about deciding I'd rather pay eighty dollars for a product rather than ninety-five dollars. Do people in other countries intentionally pay more for what they buy? Why is that? Are they worried that the store won't be their friend?

I'd rather pay a cheaper price as well. But if I buy something one week, and then next week its on special, the last thing on my mind would be to use a company return policy to get a discount. And I can't think of a company over here that would allow this transaction to take place.

...in general, over here in NZ anyway, you can return something under the consumers guarantee act (the goods are not acceptable quality, cannot be reasonably repaired, are not as described, or do not comply with what was promised), but most stores do not have open return policies: especially for DVD's.

For example, here is the returns policy for NZ's largest retailer, the Warehouse.

http://www.thewarehouse.co.nz/red/co...rvices/returns

By American-centric: its like "running up the score in basketball is bad" or "its easier to pay rent by cheque than by direct deposit" or the "right to bear arms". In other words: something quite normal for American readers, but culturally difficult for others to understand. The responses that you have had in this thread seem to indicate that what you have done is commonly done and normal: for me I'm literally shocked that someone could even contemplate this.

On preview, I note that hazel-rah has mentioned that the deal you bought was quite specific: and the fourteen days return policy jibes with what I have googled. So yeah, it appears that by its own policy that Barnes and Noble are not crazy at all.

[cckerberos]

Originally Posted by Banquet Bear

In other words: something quite normal for American readers, but culturally difficult for others to understand. The responses that you have had in this thread seem to indicate that what you have done is commonly done and normal: for me I'm literally shocked that someone could even contemplate this.

I'm American and had the same reaction. It would never have occurred to me.

[Morelin]

I don't work for B&N but I'm pretty sure they don't price adjust, which is what you're asking them to do. I did work in a no adjustment store and the few customers who got angry did just what you suggested: Returned the item and came back up 2 minutes later with the sale priced item and bought that at the lower price. Obnoxious, but that's how it had to be done.

Also, we had a standard clause on all our sales that said, "does not include previous purchases" which is the no price adjustment policy. I'd check if B&N has that, too.

[Musicat]

Originally Posted by Little Nemo

Can't think of any important details I've left out. Would you like the location of the store or the names of the DVD's?

Well, yeah. That can be important. If I were the clerk, I wouldn't accommodate you if you had bought The Best of Myron Floren and Lawrence Welk. It would be wrong.

[Garfield226]

Originally Posted by cckerberos

I'm American and had the same reaction. It would never have occurred to me.

I've noticed a few of them even tout in in advertising, e.g. "If you see a lower price anywhere within 30 days, we'll refund the difference (only applies to brick and mortar stores, not online)". Based on my (possibly faulty) recollection, it seems like it's mostly the big box electronics stores that do this (here's Best Buy's). I definitely pay attention to the next few weeks of ads whenever I buy a >$100 piece of equipment.

[Zsofia]

Originally Posted by cckerberos

I'm American and had the same reaction. It would never have occurred to me.

So if, say, you bought a Kindle and the next week they reduced the price by sixty bucks you wouldn't contact them and ask for the lower price? (That's what happened to me, and they happily issued a refund for the difference.)

[cckerberos]

Originally Posted by Zsofia

So if, say, you bought a Kindle and the next week they reduced the price by sixty bucks you wouldn't contact them and ask for the lower price? (That's what happened to me, and they happily issued a refund for the difference.)

As I said, the idea that (in the absence of a specific store policy saying otherwise) such a request would ever be granted would never have even entered my mind. Now that I've learned that this is apparently a common practice I guess I would ask, but it would feel strange and I wouldn't be upset if they refused.

[El Presidente]

Originally Posted by Little Nemo

And those customers have to put up with you. It appears they're getting the worst of the deal.

Maybe you should consider a new career which doesn't involve contact with human beings.

Quite the opposite. If you tried pulling this on me at Barnes & Noble, I'd not only tell you no, but using my charisma I'd charm you into buying 5 more DVDs and a couple of paperweights and have you leaving thinking you got the deal of a lifetime.

[El Presidente]

I also raised my eyebrows over the "three levels of management" deal but let it go, Now I'm curious:

Originally Posted by Little Nemo

The guy I was speaking to said he was calling his manager and I talked to the guy who showed up. That happened three times. Maybe they were just calling in other people who had the same title. Heck, maybe they called in a clerk from another department. I assumed they were calling in somebody at the next level because that's what they said they were doing.

So, you really didn't talk to "three levels" of management. If I have this story straight, you spoke to:

1. The clerk (probably with several people in line behind you patiently waiting to make their legitimate purchases)

2. The "guy who showed up" after the clerk made a call

3. The "guy who showed up" after the clerk (or the first "manager") made a second call

4. The "guy who showed up" after the clerk (or Manager 1 or 2) made a call (there's no female managers at Barnes & Noble, apparently)

So, in other words, after the first manager said "no", you made these poor bastards call for three other managers at the same level? Or your just assuming that Manager #2 outranked 1 and 3 outranked 2?

How many levels of management can there possibly be at one Barnes and Noble? I need more details, this sounds obtuse.

How long did you hold up the entire store over this? I imagine the now, probably 20 other people in line were getting pissed at you about this.

[Rumor_Watkins]

Originally Posted by Banquet Bear

I'd rather pay a cheaper price as well. But if I buy something one week, and then next week its on special, the last thing on my mind would be to use a company return policy to get a discount. And I can't think of a company over here that would allow this transaction to take place.

...in general, over here in NZ anyway, you can return something under the consumers guarantee act (the goods are not acceptable quality, cannot be reasonably repaired, are not as described, or do not comply with what was promised), but most stores do not have open return policies: especially for DVD's.
.

Typically, you don't get refunds on opened "copyable" media (although if you know what you're doing with software, you can) here, either. The OP didn't open them up, though.

Why is it so odd to you that the transaction would take place? And, of course they would in NZ, even though you may not think about it in those terms. There's nothing that prevents you from returning the item "because you didn't like it" and then immediately walking back into the store and buying it anew (I mean obv's you have to be a bit discreet about it in some cases). Which is why most stores won't parse that out and will just do the price difference.

As for the opened items receiving a price discount, think of that as customer service. I would hazard a guess that the US retail market is far, far more competitive than the NZ market, so they are almost forced into doing this stuff to keep customers happy (and it's not like they lose on the deal, anyway, I'm sure sales prices still give them profit)

[Rumor_Watkins]

Originally Posted by El Presidente

Quite the opposite. If you tried pulling this on me at Barnes & Noble, I'd not only tell you no, but using my charisma I'd charm you into buying 5 more DVDs and a couple of paperweights and have you leaving thinking you got the deal of a lifetime.

If you tried doing this to me as a customer, you would be threatened with a lawsuit for violating the terms of the sales contract you had with me, a call to the State Attorney General's office, and a letter to your corporate office detailing the above which would probably yield me a coupon or trinket gift card (no comment on these special provisions that apparently no one knew of in this particular transaction, and that were apparently verbally modified by the clerk in the first transaction when he said that they could be returned)

Originally Posted by El Presidente

That's because they realized you were scamming them.

what exactly is a "scam" about a customer utilizing the return policy to their maximal benefit?

[astro]

Originally Posted by Banquet Bear

...is this another one of those bizarre American-centric things? Let me get something straight: you bought something on special, found out that it would be cheaper next week, bought it anyway, then went back the week after to get a bigger discount?

There is no guarantee that the item will be available then the sale hits as people tend to swoop in when an item goes on sale. Buying it in anticipation of a sale then going back and getting the difference credited back to your credit card if it goes on sale within the return period is something millions of Americans do, including myself WRT non-food retail items, if the amount is worthwhile. To me anything over $ 10 - $ 20 is worth doing this. Virtually all retailers have their cash registers set up to handle these transactions as a matter of course.

Let me understand that retail is different where you are. If an item goes on sale within the return period and you can save (say) 20 euros by getting the difference back, that people where you live will not do that?

[Little Nemo]

If you tried pulling this on me at Barnes & Noble, I'd not only tell you no, but using my charisma I'd charm you into buying 5 more DVDs and a couple of paperweights and have you leaving thinking you got the deal of a lifetime.

Really? Because I was under the impression charisma was your dump stat.

As for your other questions, the people I was talking to asked me if I wanted them to call their manger. I didn't make the suggestion. And I didn't hold anyone up, much less the whole store. This was the CD/DVD department and there were no other customers waiting.

[Rumor_Watkins]

Originally Posted by astro

Let me understand that retail is different where you are. If an item goes on sale within the return period and you can save (say) 20 euros by getting the difference back, that people where you live will not do that?

yeah, I raised the eybrow at this too, but just chalked it up to the morally superior puffery that I note goes on ad nauseum from Oceania.

[El Presidente]

Originally Posted by Rumor_Watkins

If you tried doing this to me as a customer, you would be threatened with a lawsuit for violating the terms of the sales contract you had with me, a call to the State Attorney General's office, and a letter to your corporate office detailing the above which would probably yield me a coupon or trinket gift card (no comment on these special provisions that apparently no one knew of in this particular transaction, and that were apparently verbally modified by the clerk in the first transaction when he said that they could be returned)

SUUUUUUUURE you would, tough guy.

[Peremensoe]

Originally Posted by Banquet Bear

I'd rather pay a cheaper price as well. But if I buy something one week, and then next week its on special, the last thing on my mind would be to use a company return policy to get a discount.

This practice has indeed become more common here. I too find it strange. We see it often in ads for travel booking services (plane tickets, hotel rooms), where people are assured by various means that somebody else won't be able to get a better price--if the price drops, the difference will be refunded, sometimes automatically without further action on the first customer's part.

It is as if we saw shopping as a competitive sport between ourselves and other shoppers. The important thing is not the actual price paid (we were happy with that, to make the purchase in the first place) but where we stand relative to other buyers. If somebody else gets a better deal, by god we want it too. Even retroactively.

I wonder how far out this feeling is now expected to extend. Suppose the product goes on "sale" six weeks later rather than one. Should we still feel like losers (or whatever it is), that other people are now getting a better price? Where is the line? How does it make sense to draw this line of expectations at any arbitrary point, other than the moment of the transaction that we chose to make in the first place?

[Rumor_Watkins]

Originally Posted by El Presidente

SUUUUUUUURE you would, tough guy.

much charisma, yes.

care to take a stab at the substance of the post?


p.s. the amount of free stuff I have received from writing letters to companies that acted less-than-properly is decently high. Free cell phones, refunds on tickets, new pairs of shoes. To people that have bona fide griefs with asshat in-store personnel, I highly recommend writing letters to corporate.

[astro]

Originally Posted by Little Nemo

You may be right on that. I'll have to check the receipt. But in either event, it's been less than fourteen days anyway.If this policy exists, the store employees I spoke with are apparently unaware of it. They all agreed I could get a refund if I wanted one.The guy I was speaking to said he was calling his manager and I talked to the guy who showed up. That happened three times. Maybe they were just calling in other people who had the same title. Heck, maybe they called in a clerk from another department. I assumed they were calling in somebody at the next level because that's what they said they were doing. But I didn't ask for ID.Can't think of any important details I've left out. Would you like the location of the store or the names of the DVD's?
.

I'm starting to think you were played by a pack of bored clerks amusing themselves at your expense.

[Rumor_Watkins]

Originally Posted by spark240

This practice has indeed become more common here. I too find it strange. We see it often in ads for travel booking services (plane tickets, hotel rooms), where people are assured by various means that somebody else won't be able to get a better price--if the price drops, the difference will be refunded, sometimes automatically without further action on the first customer's part.

It is as if we saw shopping as a competitive sport between ourselves and other shoppers. The important thing is not the actual price paid (we were happy with that, to make the purchase in the first place) but where we stand relative to other buyers. If somebody else gets a better deal, by god we want it too. Even retroactively.

I wonder how far out this feeling is now expected to extend. Suppose the product goes on "sale" six weeks later rather than one. Should we still feel like losers (or whatever it is), that other people are now getting a better price? Where is the line? How does it make sense to draw this line of expectations at any arbitrary point, other than the moment of the transaction that we chose to make in the first place?

They try to draw the line, imo, at a point in time that is either within the product's return period, or within a time where most people wouldn't have gotten substantive use and enjoyment from the product. Opened it up and 5 days later it's on super sale? Yeah, we can help you out. Open it up, and 90 days later it's on super sale? Sorry. You got your economic value out of it.

I don't see it as coddling buyer-versus-buyer competition so much as them striving to make you feel that they will do right by you, so that you return to the store for your next round of purchases.

I remember reading some undercover writer's experience at wal-mart, and their overriding concern and message to their new hires was that Wal-Mart did not want to do *anything*, I mean *anything* to upset a customer. Because they knew that from the first day that someone walked through their doors, if they kept shopping there, they would drop a quarter of a million bucks in their stores in their lifetimes.

The reason they do this vis-a-vis other sites, however, is completely different. It's because they need to convince you that their search engine will yield you the best rates possible.

[Face Intentionally Left Blank]

Originally Posted by El Presidente

SUUUUUUUURE you would, tough guy.

Wow, way to make an impression in this thread, newbie. Also, LOL at Little Nemo's "dump stat", because it's true.

[Jackmannii]

Originally Posted by Banquet Bear

The responses that you have had in this thread seem to indicate that what you have done is commonly done and normal: for me I'm literally shocked that someone could even contemplate this.

High voltage ran through your body?

[cards]

Originally Posted by El Presidente

Quite the opposite. If you tried pulling this on me at Barnes & Noble, I'd not only tell you no, but using my charisma I'd charm you into buying 5 more DVDs and a couple of paperweights and have you leaving thinking you got the deal of a lifetime.

Trolls have charisma?

[Rumor_Watkins]

Originally Posted by cards

Trolls have charisma?

only in their dreams.

[Little Nemo]

It is as if we saw shopping as a competitive sport between ourselves and other shoppers. The important thing is not the actual price paid (we were happy with that, to make the purchase in the first place) but where we stand relative to other buyers. If somebody else gets a better deal, by god we want it too. Even retroactively.

Isn't that what the free market's all about? As long as there's no deceit or coercion, people are supposed to maximize their own advantage. It seems sort of lopsided if the idea becomes that businesses are supposed to maximize their advantage and customers are supposed to just take what they're offered without question.

That said, I don't see how other buyers are involved. I have no concern if they're doing the same thing I'm doing and getting the same savings.

They try to draw the line, imo, at a point in time that is either within the product's return period, or within a time where most people wouldn't have gotten substantive use and enjoyment from the product. Opened it up and 5 days later it's on super sale? Yeah, we can help you out. Open it up, and 90 days later it's on super sale? Sorry. You got your economic value out of it.

Valid points.

But again, for those who still haven't got it, the issue in this particular case isn't whether the store will refund my money. They've consistently said they would. The issue is the store wants to put conditions on that refund. They're saying they'll give me my money - but then they want to tell me I can't use that money to buy something that they're willing to sell to anyone else. I say that policy is unreasonable.

[Rumor_Watkins]

Originally Posted by Little Nemo

But again, for those who still haven't got it, the issue isn't whether the store will refund my money. They've consistently said they would. The issue is the store wants to put conditions on that refund. They're saying they'll give me my money - but then they want to tell me I can't use that money to buy something that they're willing to sell to anyone else. I say that policy is unreasonable.

I wasn't talking about you, specifically. Just responding to spark240 on how long they should honor future price adjustments.

I agree with you - I think they're nuts and way wrong. I would also agree with the other poster that thinks this is just employees fucking with you, or, my own read, is that maybe one manager really wanted to get his hands on some criterion collection that you happened to clean them out of.

[El Presidente]

Originally Posted by Rumor_Watkins

only in their dreams.

That was low.

[Little Nemo]

Let me ask this for those who feel Barnes and Noble has a valid point.

Suppose the fifty percent off sale wasn't at Barnes and Noble. Suppose it was at their rival Borders.

Now I go back to Barnes and Noble and they agree to refund my money. But I mention the reason why I'm returning the items. And they say, "We're willing to refund your money. But not if you're going to just go and spend that money buying the same movies at Borders."

Do people feel that's reasonable? That a refund can be made conditional on a promise not to spend it on something?

[El Presidente]

Originally Posted by Rumor_Watkins

much charisma, yes.

care to take a stab at the substance of the post?

No not really, since it is simply someone puffing out their chest and writing their fantasy of how they'd like to teach a retail store some sort of lesson. The only way you'd have free time to do all that would be if you didn't have a job.

In your dreams.