I have always marveled at how easy it is to return things. You never have to give a reason. As long as you have your receipt and take it back within 30 days, you get your money back. There's no pressure to take a store credit, and there are never any arguments. You can even return food you don't like in restaurants. I would have thought, since you made the choice from the menu under no duress at all, that if you end up not liking something, that's hard cheese. So to speak. I have been out with friends however, who have simply called the waiter over, told him/her that they didn't care for their meal, and ordered something else. I know.
It all goes a bit pear-shaped when there's actually a problem with the merchandise though. A few years ago I bought an expensive pair of boots and the zip got well and truly stuck the first time I wore them. Seriously - I thought I was going to have to sleep in them. I eventually eased the zip down, and tried it a few times. Well and truly unreliable. I took said boots back and the sales assistant had no clue what to do. First, she tried to say I'd broken them, then she pointed out that I'd worn them (You don't say!), and finally she tried to demonstrate that the zips were both fine - and managed to break the other one in the process. Refund given.
This time, the crap customer service is coming from UPS, that well known parcel delivery company that promises 2-day air delivery for an extra fee. Only mine didn't arrive within the two days, and because I was going out of town, I had to pay an extra $5 for the privilege of moving the delivery date to accommodate my schedule. My new delivery date was confirmed via e-mail and on my tracking record.
Then yesterday I received an e-mail saying they were delivering the parcel later that day. Naturally I picked the phone up, to be assured that it was their error and that it was still on hold for me. About 5 hours later I received another e-mail to say it had been delivered and signed for. Sigh. How did I know that was coming?
For the last 24 hours I have been trying to find out, who signed for the package, and where it is. So far I have been told that 1) it was signed for, 2) there was a note on my door saying it was OK to leave it on the door step, and 3) it was put in my mailbox (I don't have one). They then suggested I take it up with the vendor which I refuse to do since they're not in the business of taking money to ship parcels around the country. They also suggested that I phone a neighbo(u)r to see if they can go and look for it on my door step. (They have; it's not there nor was it there yesterday.)
Really UPS? I even took to Twitter and Facebook and got some very nice UPS people who were most concerned for me. And yet still nothing.
This is when American customer service gets really, bloody annoying. If I have one more UPS person tell me that they "appreciate" my problem I swear......
