# Which one sounds more polite? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 27, 2012, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-one-sounds-more-polite/614176 "2012-02-27T19:39:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ge.or.ge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/67e7ee/32.png) [@ge.or.ge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ge.or.ge)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-one-sounds-more-polite/614176/1 "2012-02-27T19:39:19Z")
I went to Walmart last weekend and bought some photo frames, a couple of minutes later, I found a better one at Michaels, So I decided to buy the ones at Michaels and return the ones which I bought at Walmat. On the way back to Walmart, I have discussed with my wife on how to explain the reason for the return. And we had a totally different opinion ! My wife’s prefer to say: I just changed my mind I prefer to say: I just found a better one, I think my explanation sounds more polite because it explains the reason in details, it sounds a little bit rude to me simply by saying " I just changed my mind" My wife think that my explanation sounds rude because it kind of telling Walmart Customer service guy that their stuff is not good. What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-one-sounds-more-polite/614176/2 "2012-02-27T19:45:13Z")
“Changed my mind” is politer, but who really cares? You think the clerk at Walmart is going to care? Nuh-uh. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-one-sounds-more-polite/614176/3 "2012-02-27T19:48:45Z")
Wal-Mart’s stuff is not good. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-one-sounds-more-polite/614176/4 "2012-02-27T19:49:03Z")
You could have told the Walmart clerk they made your scrotum itchy. She wouldn’t have cared. Or known what a scrotum was anyway. Probably. But yeah, “changed my mind” sounds a tad politer. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-one-sounds-more-polite/614176/5 "2012-02-27T19:53:26Z")
Wal-mart doesn’t care. They only care whether it can be reshelved or whether it is broken. Whatever you tell them, it will be no more than the 50th percentile of shadiness. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-one-sounds-more-polite/614176/6 "2012-02-27T19:54:53Z")
I voted with you, but I’d modify it a little. “I found some that are going to work better for me.” ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-one-sounds-more-polite/614176/7 "2012-02-27T20:24:06Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Wal-mart doesn’t care. They only care whether it can be reshelved or whether it is broken. Whatever you tell them, it will be no more than the 50th percentile of shadiness. This. The clerk really doesn’t care, unless you are trying to palm off some empty containers, or if you are trying to return some used or damaged frames instead of the ones you bought. I’d go with something like “These are fine, but they really don’t suit my needs as well as I thought they would”, which doesn’t go into detail, but lets the clerk know that the items are fine for resale. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-one-sounds-more-polite/614176/8 "2012-02-27T20:24:44Z")
I think it’s nice you want to be as polite as possible. ‘‘I just changed my mind,’’ is pretty polite. Saying you found a better one might be taken as implying that the product was crap. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-one-sounds-more-polite/614176/9 "2012-02-27T20:27:18Z")
And IIRC, you can return without a receipt, but they take down your info. Only then do they care, as they only allow a couple of these returns to discourage scammers. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-one-sounds-more-polite/614176/10 "2012-02-27T20:44:27Z")
Politest: I changed my mind. (True, because you found a better deal!) Accurate: I found a better one. (Na! Na! Implied) ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-one-sounds-more-polite/614176/11 "2012-02-27T20:46:24Z")
“Turns out I don’t need them after all.” But of the choices, “I just changed my mind” is quicker and more polite. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-one-sounds-more-polite/614176/12 "2012-02-27T20:55:52Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > “Turns out I don’t need them after all.” This, if asked for a reason. Otherwise, “I’d like to return this” is quite sufficient. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-one-sounds-more-polite/614176/13 "2012-02-27T20:58:51Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > I voted with you, but I’d modify it a little. “I found some that are going to work better for me.” This is exactly what I was going to say, so I’ll just quote it and agree. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-one-sounds-more-polite/614176/14 "2012-02-27T21:05:22Z")
I doubt sincerely that you would be asked if you didn’t offer the reason. A simple “Hi, I’d like to return this please. Here’s the receipt.” is more than sufficient. ETA: therefore, I did not vote, as neither is really “better.” ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-one-sounds-more-polite/614176/15 "2012-02-27T21:25:18Z")
If they actually ask why you’re returning it, I would just tell them the truth. I found a better one at Michaels. Something tells me the Wal-Mart employee won’t be offended to learn there is better stuff out there. Frankly, I’d be surprised if they even ask for a reason. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-one-sounds-more-polite/614176/16 "2012-02-27T21:33:18Z")
They only care if you are returning it because it was defective. I bought a pair of jeans and in two wearings the zipper broke. I also returned some other clothes that I hadn’t worn and hadn’t liked the look of once I got them home and tried them on in better light. They only cared about the broken zipper. ---
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-one-sounds-more-polite/614176/17 "2012-02-27T21:37:01Z")
I voted for “changed my mind” but really, you shouldn’t have to tell them anything. They have a return policy which, as long as you’re within it, shouldn’t matter at all other than perhaps some idle curiousity on their part. I think there’s some common thought that a reason needs to be given, but generally unless it’s required, it’s just so much easier not to bother; no lying or bending the truth or making people feel bad or getting pressured into changing your decision. Edit: I missed the comment on defectiveness. That’s a good point, I would say you should say an item is defective if that’s the reason since it it would just get pawned off on some other poor customer, but if you just don’t want or like an item or found something better, don’t bother. ---
**Author:** ![ge.or.ge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/67e7ee/32.png) [@ge.or.ge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ge.or.ge)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-one-sounds-more-polite/614176/18 "2012-02-27T21:42:32Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > This is exactly what I was going to say, so I’ll just quote it and agree. I like this one too. BTW, they did asked for the reason, but this is not the point of this poll. It is kind of amazing that every one has his own understanding regarding to politeness:) ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-one-sounds-more-polite/614176/19 "2012-02-27T22:55:52Z")
It’s not as if the return clerk will think, “Hmm… I wonder if he used it once, then didn’t need it anymore!” It’s not a prom dress. Just say you changed your mind. Joe ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2012, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-one-sounds-more-polite/614176/20 "2012-02-27T22:57:14Z")
I agree with your wife.