How do you feel about your favorite store’s return policy? Or…do you even know it?

If you buy something and think there’s any change you might want to return it or exchange it, it’s important to know the return policy. Otherwise, you might be stuck with the product even if you don’t want it.

Read how one Redditor recalls a customer who had to learn the store’s policy the hard way.

Here are all the details.

“Well you just lost a customer…”

I work in a smallish chain of Kitchen Supply stores located in Ontario, Canada.

In our return policy, written on the back of every receipt, it says that in the 7 days before a major event (holidays included), all items that are coded to that event will be final sale.

No returns or exchanges.

Not hard to understand, right?

Well, of course, one customer couldn’t grasp it.

We also tell a customer when an item is final sale and can’t proceed with the transaction until we clear the onscreen prompt, and it says which items are final sale on the front of the receipt.

Apparently this is very difficult to understand.

This story will baffle you.

L will be “lady”

L entered the store with a bag. A coworker offered to keep it behind cash for her while she shopped. Standard thing, keeps us from wondering if you’re shoplifting, and frees up your arms for a basket/cart/more items.

She does, shops around for 10 minutes or so, and then waits in line for another 5. When she gets up to the cash [register], I’m the one to help her.

She starts by pointing at the bag in our hold section.

L: I have a return up here?

WB: Okay, this bag?

This lady reveals four martini glasses with a history.

So, I grab the correct bag as she starts telling me about how this was a gift for her boss, and that her boss doesn’t like it, and that the receipt is in the bag.

All is well and good, the item is a set of 4 red martini glasses. Since they’re not stocked in seasonal, I didn’t immediately see the issue until I checked the receipt.

Mind you, this is literally the only thing on the receipt.

And, unfortunately, the store clerk had to be the bearer of bad news.

WB: Oh, I’m sorry. Unfortunately these were purchased on the 20th, which means they were final sale. All of our Christmas items have been since last Sunday. (I’m pointing to the final sale printed in bold on her receipt)

L: No one told me that when I bought it, and you showing me this now means nothing. I told my boss I could return this…

However, she did seem to have nice manners.

She goes on for a few minutes, not cutting me off when I explain that I can’t return it which was nice.

WB: Really, I’m not able to take this back. The cashier who checked you out would have told you it was final sale.

But then came the dreaded words.

L: Can I speak to a manager?

She’s been polite this whole time, so I do let her know it might be a few minutes before one can come up, and that the computer won’t let us do a refund on a final sale item.

She doesn’t care, so I page a manager up.

When my manager arrives, we go through everything again. The lady was still polite, though she was obviously irritated that we couldn’t give her her money back, and claimed that when she cashed out the girl had said she could do an exchange no problem.

In the end, she didn’t buy the item she was going to exchange it for and left.

But the lady couldn’t leave without giving her two cents on the matter…

She did say, “Well, saving you a few dollars now has just lost you a future customer. Not like you really care, though.” before she left.

This was at the end of my 7-hour shift, which was more like a 10-hour one with customer volumes.

So no, Lady, I don’t really care. I’m glad we both understand this fact. Good luck finding our in-house brand sets anywhere else, and see you next week.

So, was this lady polite with her handling of the situation? Let’s read what Reddit thinks and find out more.

One Redditor reminded us all who these customers are.

Another had thoughts on that lady’s final words.

One commenter brought up a good point.

And finally, one Redditor dreamed of the day they’d say the perfect response.

This lady doesn’t realize how much of a relief her words are.

If you liked that post, check out this story about a customer who insists that their credit card works, and finds out that isn’t the case.