I go to the store & patiently explain the problem to the store manager (Chantal), hoping that she will be able to help. She is not sympathetic in the least. There are rules & she can't help me. So I tell her that I want to return the rings, because I simply want to spend my money elsewhere. I'm bluffing but it works. Aha! "Return" must really hit a nerve.
Instantly, she has transformed from a sour, scowling shrew of a woman into a friendly, smiling person whose only mission in life is to satisfy this customer. The change is stunning. She's suddenly very helpful, offering to call Credit & have them change the account.
She picks up the phone & makes the call, but while she's on hold, she reads the receipt for about the 10th time & suddenly realizes the purchase was made more than 30 days ago. All traces of helpfulness disappear in an instant. She tells me that I "just missed" the 30 day return period, so the rings are mine. Then she has the nerve to tell me this is MY fault because my address is correct in the computer, so only I could have changed the address with the credit department.
She tells me they will "note" my account in the system until the payment is processed & the account is closed. If someone tries to use my account, it will be flagged & they won't be able to do so. By now, I have ZERO confidence in the entire company so this is not good enough. I want the account changed. She again reminds me that there is a corporate policy & there's nothing I can do. I have no other options.
None? I ask. No other options at all? At this point, the last thing I want here is a wedding band. There is no way I want him slipping this on my finger on our big day. I'm completely disgusted by the fact that she was willing to make me happy so that I wouldn't return the rings but now that I "can't" make a return, the company refuses correct their errors or do anything to protect me. How's that for customer service?
She tells me the rings are mine & I have to pay for them. Then she brightens & suggests there is one other option.
Thinking that she might actually be human, I ask what that would be. Her response? "Well, I get the feeling that you just can't afford these & regret the purchase. If you don't pay for them, eventually we'd repossess them, although that would ruin your credit. That's the only way you'll get us to take them back. Otherwise, you have to keep them."
WHAT?!?! Excuse me, but we wanted these bands & accepted the price. The cost is not at all the issue here. And this amount of money will not ruin my good credit. Most importantly, she just threw down the gauntlet by speaking in absolutes. Nobody is going to tell me what I "have to" do.
I just walked out at that point. I don't know what we're going to do with these rings but Jared is going to take them back if I have to drive to their corporate offices in Akron & hand deliver them. They will never see a dime of my hard-earned money. I will happily pay this sum in multiple to an attorney to ensure that these scumbags never see a single red cent of our money.
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