Today is an exciting day. With the completion of today's rant, I've officially run out of saved stories in my phone. Because of this, I may not be able to update daily since (believe it or not) I don't always have anything noteworthy to mention. I have to admit, it was getting kind of difficult recently to make a post every day. So its going to be nice that, from now on, all my posts are going to be current events.
~~~
~Before I get into the meat of this episode, allow me give you some back-story.
It is not uncommon for customers to need to return items without a proof of purchase. There are specific items that we, at the service desk, are not allowed to return without the receipt, though. Those items are things, such as cosmetics, small tools, or small electronic devises, which are generally expensive and easily pocketed. Last Friday was made special by the fact that it wasn't just one person that bothered me, it was a number of them.
I've declined plenty of returns without the receipt, but this day was ridiculous. I've never had so many people, within one work shift, try to return a bundle of stolen goods. Of course I'm not suppose to assume that the items are stolen, but its usually still pretty obvious. A customer who legitimately purchased something will usually throw a fit if I don't let them return it. Younger shoplifters in their teens to twenties don't, for the most part. They sometimes press the return, but seldom cause a scene and draw attention to themselves.
At first, it didn't bother me to turn the first few customers away. Then it got to the point where I literally had to decline every other person walking up to my desk. They had everything from ratchet tools to expensive craft ink. It felt as if there was a gigantic sign on the front of the store that said, "IF YOU STOLE SOMETHING AND WANT TO RETURN IT, DO IT NOW!" It got to the point where I almost went outside to make sure there wasn't.
I eventually asked a co-coworker, who has worked at the desk for longer than I have, if she'd experienced anything like that before. It didn't shock me that she had, and even to a worse degree. She also pointed out that the weekend was coming up, and they probably wanted the money for drugs and alcohol. Even though they would just get a gift-card if we did let them return the stuff, people have been known to try and sell the card for cash-money to support their bad habits.
It is not uncommon for customers to need to return items without a proof of purchase. There are specific items that we, at the service desk, are not allowed to return without the receipt, though. Those items are things, such as cosmetics, small tools, or small electronic devises, which are generally expensive and easily pocketed. Last Friday was made special by the fact that it wasn't just one person that bothered me, it was a number of them.
I've declined plenty of returns without the receipt, but this day was ridiculous. I've never had so many people, within one work shift, try to return a bundle of stolen goods. Of course I'm not suppose to assume that the items are stolen, but its usually still pretty obvious. A customer who legitimately purchased something will usually throw a fit if I don't let them return it. Younger shoplifters in their teens to twenties don't, for the most part. They sometimes press the return, but seldom cause a scene and draw attention to themselves.
At first, it didn't bother me to turn the first few customers away. Then it got to the point where I literally had to decline every other person walking up to my desk. They had everything from ratchet tools to expensive craft ink. It felt as if there was a gigantic sign on the front of the store that said, "IF YOU STOLE SOMETHING AND WANT TO RETURN IT, DO IT NOW!" It got to the point where I almost went outside to make sure there wasn't.
I eventually asked a co-coworker, who has worked at the desk for longer than I have, if she'd experienced anything like that before. It didn't shock me that she had, and even to a worse degree. She also pointed out that the weekend was coming up, and they probably wanted the money for drugs and alcohol. Even though they would just get a gift-card if we did let them return the stuff, people have been known to try and sell the card for cash-money to support their bad habits.
5 comments:
wow. thats a lot of theifery (don't think that's really a word) for one day. keeps you busy though? :P
I am so ignorant. I really did not think people would do that, steeling stuff and then come back to get "their" money back. Wow. I can imagine you are getting annoyed when there are so many people doing this. An still, I would not mind doing your work, Sally, I mean it!! :-)
Thievery is definitely a word. ^_^
But yeah, I guess the customers do tend to help the day go by.
And I don't know if i can believe that, Ellen. I still mind the job to a large degree and I've been behind that desk for about 6 months now >.<
theivery! that's what it is. haha.
and i still spell it wrong. :P
Post a Comment