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Morality in Retail?

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MissAva

MissAva

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 6, 2005
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So a few weeks ago I bought a pair of pants at Old Navy. I normally wear the regular length but for some reason they were a little short. But for the next two days they were 12$ off the normally 40$. So I asked if they had them somewhere else in a long, they gave me the store name and I figured I could exchange them. I went to do so today and the girl acted as if I was committing a mortal sin. I have not worn the pants, the stickers and both tags were still on. But the pants are no longer on sale. She asked if I felt bad for not making up the difference because I was basically stealing. I was caught off guard… is that really stealing? I mean I had not worn them I was exchange for the same color, size just different length.
Has anyone else ever done this? I normally think of myself as a pretty moral person. I was trying to save the 24$ and because I did I felt okay with buying two pairs of pants instead of one that I didn’t really need.
 
This is arguably a grey area (light grey), largly influenced by your timing. I would have done the exchange within a few days at the most (actually, I probably would not have bought the first ones at all and would have headed to the other store and got the right ones on sale).

I am appreciative that you though enough of the issue to ask and debate it. That in itself is a very moral act.
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The fact is that while some things are indeed black and white in the world; many other things are in the land of grey, and we have to figure out what is the best we can do under the circumstances. We make mistakes on the way and we learn. However, since we are rarely in full knowledge of a situation we often operate in grey land.

Keep up the questioning attitude. It will make a better person of you.

Perry
 
I had planned on going the next day but my parents went out of town and I had my four year old little sister for the next two weeks. It is just over an hour to the Old Navy and I hate to ask her to sit still for that long. We dont live too close to things so I really dont go to more then one shopping center a day here becuase I am not much for the whole hassle of parking and people acting crazy and what not. I just feel bad that I am hurting someones profits..I would never steal or shoplift.
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Actually, it''s not stealing. In most states it''s the law you be refunded the difference in sale price vs what you paid if it''s within a certain period of time. I''m not sure from state to state, but the sales person had no right to speak to you that way. I''m very much a by the book rules person, but she was out of line. Obviously they took them in exchange and I''m sure they took your info so they can make sure you''re not a frequent returns individual. Who doesn''t do this after Christmas even if the gift was bought two months earlier? Store policy obviously allowed her to take them back so why accuse you of something when she was able to exchange them? Write the store about the incident.
 
I agree with MomOfTwo. Stores frequently (perhaps by law) refund the difference between regular and sale price within a given period of time. That salesperson was out of line to suggest there was anything at all wrong with what you were doing. If you had purchased those pants as a gift and given them to another person and it was the wrong size, would they be "stealing" if they went to exchange them? I don''t think so.

I would definitely consider e-mailing or calling the manager of that store to let them know the aggressive way the salesperson is treating customers.
 
I don''t know how many times I have purchased something without ever trying it on and at home find out that they do not fit. It is not stealing to go back to the store and exchange them for the same exact item just different size/length, even if they are no longer on sale.

It was incredibly rude of the salesperson to say that IMHO.
 
Exactly. If store policy allows for it, then it is a non issue. Store policy allowed it. End of story. I would have asked for her manager. Some punk at old lady isn't going to cast aspersions on my morality LOL
 
Date: 7/31/2005 5:05:20 PM
Author: Stretch4
I don''t know how many times I have purchased something without ever trying it on and at home find out that they do not fit. It is not stealing to go back to the store and exchange them for the same exact item just different size/length, even if they are no longer on sale.


It was incredibly rude of the salesperson to say that IMHO.
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yep what Stetch4 said.

How could it be stealing they will just put the ones you returned back on the shelf and sell them for full price?
The purchase price is irrelevant you exchange one good for a like good the value of both is the same because they are the same regardless of what they are charging at that given time.
 
How about some people who bought GM cars three of four months before the "Employee Price" deal came out. Do you think GM sent them a refund check? Do you think going back to the dealer and asking for a refund would have worked?

You didn't do anything unfair or unethical....There is no "moral" issue here at all. Companies have "sales" to stimulate sales volume and increase cash flow. They usually are still making money and you are not hurting their business or any person. Forget about it!

The sales person is some sort of buffoon and not worth worrying over. Laugh it off and go on.

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I don''t see anything wrong with it!!! I have purchased things on sale and then and taken them back for an even exchange at the same price.....one store wouldn''t let me do it, so I just got my money back for the returned item and left......it''s common practice around here...usually no one would say anything.............
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I''m confused, did you buy two pairs of pants that you exchanged for one or one pair that you exchanged for two? If you bought two pairs and exchanged for two pairs then I don''t see the big deal. If you bought two pairs and exchanged for one pair and got money back then I might see where there is a grey area. Maybe I''m missing something, I''m confused. I''ve never had a store say anything about an even exchange for another size as it makes no difference to them whether the pants were sold last week or that day, the bottom line is the same for them. Indulge me as my middle aged mind is fuzzy.
 
In my experience, if it is on sale and you''re exchanging the product, it should be an even exchange as long as it is the exact same product and there hasnt been any wear or anything. Some stores do have time limits on how long you can have something and exchange it. I really try to take care of that stuff asap though.

This is not clothes related, but Target actually keeps track of how often you return things and you have a limit. I heard that on the radio, like people even called in to say that they were denied the ability to return things at Target and were told they had reached their limit for whatever the said timeframe was. Weird.
 
SHE WAS WWWAAAYYYYYY out of line for saying what she did.. that is NOT good. I would have had the name of the district manager in my hand along with the her name and phone number and would have demanded an apology and satisfaction. That was completely IMPROPER and you should not have tolerated that kind of behavior.

I am sorry that you went through that.
 
I'm confused. Unless it was out of the return time period, stores brag about letting you do this. It's called a price adjustment. It's so customers don't feel screwed when they buy and item and it goes on sale shortly thereafter.

Since this is Old Navy, I'm sure they allow this. I did this all the time at Banana Republic (sister store) when they had good sales. I've done it at Gap once or twice too. If those two sister stores do it (Banana, and I'm sure Gap, have signs at the cash registers explaining this, and usually on the back of the receipt as well), then I can't see why an Old Navy worker wouldn't know about this.

My favorite instance of this was a leather jacket I bought at Banana. Got it on super sale for $125. I was thrilled at that price. However, the sales clerk himself told me to come back the next day to get a price adjustment as he expected it to go on sale even more. I did. Ended up having to only pay $80 for that jacket.

And no, I don't think you exchanging it for a different size changes things any. As long as the tags are all on there, I still see it as a price adjustment.
 
Codex is right Matatora - this is a price adjustment and considering most stores have a price adjustment policy, then there is absolutely nothing wrong with what you did. The cashier was waaaaaaay out of line to make a comment like that.

I worked at Express for 7 years and they had a 14 day price adjustment policy. And then, even after those 14 days passed, a customer would usually still be able to return an item and then buy it back... The ONLY time I EVER got frustrated at someone doing this was when it was someone who constantly abused the return policies - these people would return/exchange/price adjust almost everything they ever bought - generally after wearing the items out to the club the night before... YUCK!!!
 
I spoke to the manager at the store. She asked for my information. I gave it to her and she said that this was the first return echange I had ever made at Old Navy which is true. She also said since I did an even exchange and was not requesting any money just a diffrent length for the same pants that she has no idea where the stealing comment came from. She apolgized and offerd me a gift card for 25$ as a way of keepng my bussiness. I was not calling to try and get anything just to let her know that she has an agressive employee. Still I am glad that the manager took me seriously. Thanks ya''ll for seeing my side of it and giving me the nerve to call.
 
Good for you for sticking up for yourself! And you got $25 for your trouble, too
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That person who gave you a hard time was just being a jerk. Just because you bought the pants on sale didn''t preclude you from returning or exchanging them later...especially in an unworn condition with the tags still on! The store was losing no money, they would simply put the pants back on the rack and sell them at full price!

Stores cover themselves just for situations like this. If you ever try to return an item and you don''t have a receipt, they will only credit you with the lowest sale price, anyway. It''s not like they would have given you credit for the full price had you try to return the pants. And you probably wouldn''t have even gotten cash back, they would have credited your credit card or issued you a store credit. I wouldn''t sweat it, you didn''t do ANYTHING unethical, but it sounds like the person working at the store did!
 
Good job. It''s not the salespersons'' job to publicly pass judgment based on her own opinions. Store policy is what dictates the return and she obviously has a problem with that. I hope the manager had a little discussion with her over it. This is the type of thing that if it happens again can get someone fired, but they need to warn the employee and keep good records. I doubt you are the first person she has been this way with, just the first (as far as you know) to say something about it. My boys worked retail last summer and would sometimes complain about customers (not to the customer), but normally it was about people throwing clothes on the floor and demanding discounts just because they wanted something cheaper. Their manager made sure all the employees knew to smile, not argue and that the customer was almost always right and to call her over if there was a dispute. That''s part of the manager''s job.
 
I think its good that managers know what their employees are up to, they count on that feedback from customers when someone is acting inappropriately. That''s cool that she gave you $25!
 
I wouldn''t give this another thought...you did nothing wrong.
 
Date: 8/1/2005 6:02:43 PM
Author: Jennifer5973
I wouldn't give this another thought...you did nothing wrong.
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I agree, this is something I wouldn't even have thought twice about...though the shopgirl was outta line.
 
That was a good manager. That store clerk was wayy out of line and a small gift card (big for Old Navy actually) goes a long way to retain a customer and turn a negative situation into good word of mouth. After all, managers typically last longer than sales clerks.
 
I''m confused.. How is that stealing at all? You bought them on sale and then even-exchanged the item at another location?

First of all.. I work in retail. If I EVER EVER EVER EVER said that to a client, I''d be fired, right there, on the spot.

Yes, sometimes returns can be frustrating.. (and basically, we have to take back whatever people bring into the store.. if they throw a big enough fit.. they could return their whole wardrobe that they''d worn a billion times. I also had someone return something (With a reciept).. from 1993!!! (Ive only worked there one year.. so it was 10 plus years old..)..... so sometimes when people try to return things.. I want to scream at them.. but like I said.. I don''t.. And also.. people with even-exchanges don''t bother me at all, because it doesn''t really negatively impact our sales.. However, there could also be an issue between stores... Sometimes other stores will send us people with returns on purpose so they don''t have to take them.. Maybe the first old navy you were at regularly does stuff like that so the clerk was frustrated. but still.. she had no right.

but..you certainly did not do anything wrong. It would be the same as if you went and got a price adjustment. It is DEFINITELY not stealing.

Don''t call the store manager..nothing will become of that other than them saying things about you.. find out the Old Navy Client relations number and call them. It will get the person in trouble, and you may even get some sort of dicount on your next purchase.
 
Date: 8/2/2005 4:52:38 PM
Author: MelissaSue

Don''t call the store manager..nothing will become of that other than them saying things about you.. find out the Old Navy Client relations number and call them. It will get the person in trouble, and you may even get some sort of dicount on your next purchase.
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Store manager gave her a $25 gift card.
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Which I gave to my Mom to buy my younger siblings clothing. The youngest a 4 year old girl is thrilled becuase she has her own credit card....So cute!
 
I was about to post that you should contact the store manager since that sales person was way out of line...but I was glad to see that you had. I worked for Gap, Inc. for a year as a manager and I know that their customer service standards are WAY higher than those comments would indicate. Unfortunately, Old Navy, being the bottom rung of the company, sometimes gives bottom rung training...

And as a former Gap employee, let me say that you should not feel a moment of guilt! I had to do some questionable exchanges/returns in my time there (lots of actually stolen goods!) and yours would not even qualify for a second glance. I''d tell a customer to do exactly what you did ...well, I''d actually have had the pants charge sent straight to your home from the other store to save you the trip!
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Well I''m glad that talking to the store manager worked for you. I work for Limitied Brands (victorias secret) and a store manager would have no way of doing that for you. The most we can do is apologize and tell you to call client relations for futher compensation.
 
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