Oops! Caught!
I hate giving out my phone number when I shop. And I rarely do. It just seems so ridiculous in most cases - like Kramer mentioned in an old Seinfeld episode -
"Why does Radio Shack ask for your phone number when you buy batteries?".
When they want my phone number for a mailing list, I say no, unless it is a store I really like and I know I will get good coupons (like Bath and Body Works).
So I was returning shoes last week that I bought for Kallie. I bought 3 pairs of sandals and took them home for her to try. I returned 2 but kept the 3rd since I was still unsure about them. This particular shoe store - The Shoe Dept - asks for a TON of info including your phone number. I laughed when the clerk started to ask all the info and she said "well there are a lot of fraudalent returns!".
You mean someone may steal my shoes and return them for me?? Yup, that is definitely a fear of mine - give me a break. So I gave her a "fake phone number" and went on my way.
Today I again visited the shoe store to return the third pair of shoes. It was the same clerk. She said:
"IT'S YOU!"
And I thought "yikes".
She said: "I have been trying to call you to verify your return and your number didn't work so I couldn't process the return."
WTH? Seriously? What company calls to verify a return? I had my receipt, I had the credit card I used AND I gave her my driver's license. And it still couldn't go through?!!!!
I didn't comment about the phone number, but just said "hmmm".
Thank GOD I came back in because I probably would have never would have realized the return never went through on my card (I am not good at checking my statements AND remembering all my transactions).
Anyway, today she was able to finally "process" the return and return my other shoes.
And I gave her my actual cell number - not a fake one this time.
But seriously, isn't that a ridiculous return policy? It is also the reason why I shop a LOT at Lands End and LLBean, they have the absolute BEST return policy EVER. In fact, I got Kallie's new sandals at LLBean. They were on sale, very cute, and if she wears them for a few weeks and decides they hurt or she just hates them, I can RETURN them - no questions asked.
I probably won't be in the Shoe Dept any time soon. Oh well, no big loss, I never liked it that much anyway.
Later!
7 visitors to our world:
That's the dumbest thing I have ever heard!
I always, always, always give out a fake number.
Yep, I'm with you in always declining or giving a fake number. And that policy? I wouldn't shop there again -- much like I refuse to shop at Burlington Coat Factory because of their return policy (merch credit only).
I work at Michaels, and for cash returns we are required to get address AND phone number. I agree it's a little rediculous!! But, we don't call to "verify" a return!
It's invasive practice. WE've been ID theft victims 3 times. The police, the FBI (from a phone call) and our bank all say NOT to give out any personal numbers because a sophisticated thief could use. As a result of this, I always ask at the checkout counter if I could just SHOW my license to write a check instead of having the clerk write it down or enter it in the system. Usually, that suffices. But when they refuse, I just use my credit card. At hotels, I always ask the same question. Some establishments are ok with this, but some are not. ASking for a phone number to give a cash return is just opening you up to fraud. So...use your credit card when you can. You're protected
I never give out my phone number unless, like you said, it's for a store that I like to shop at. When asked for my number, I infom them I don't like to give it out as it is unlisted. The way I see it is I pay to keep my number unlisted so why would I just out it out to a stranger? Another interesting tidbit, I read a long time ago that you shouldn't put your home phone number on your luggage. it was advised to give a work number. Made a ton of sense to me.
Seriously, you should probably write a letter to the corporate office. We asked for phone numbers when I worked retail, and sometimes loss prevention would randomly call to verify one, but withholding a return pending that phone verification is not. cool. at. all. You were left with a receipt that had been invalidated and no merchandise, so if you had never gotten the refund, there wouldn't have been much you could do to prove you were owed one. It's SUPER fishy, and probably a case of someone misunderstanding a policy or making up their own.
Post a Comment