Retail Heaven Moment: An Awesome Custy and a Free Pair of Socks

From Greenhouse Gal:

So, tonight, a customer comes in, walks up to me with some expensive socks, and tells me he bought the wrong size and would like to exchange them.  I tell him no problem, we can totally do that...then look at the socks, and realize that while we carry this brand, we don't carry this specific style.  I look at the socks closer, and the following exchange ensues:

Me: Sir, I'm really sorry, but I can't exchange these for you...I don't think you purchased these here.

Customer [in a very pretentious tone, which leads me to mentally duck and cover]: Why, I most certainly DID get them here! Why, I'm CERTAIN I did!
 
Me: Sir, again, I'm really sorry, but if you look, you'll see (competitor's) price tag on these socks...[I brace for a shit-storm...]

Customer: Oh!  Geez, not only did I get the wrong size, I got them at the wrong place!

Me: ...since these are unworn I'd be willing to do the exchange as a courtesy, but since this is a style we don't even carry here, there's not much I can do.  I'm really sorry [still bracing for a shit-storm].

Customer: Oops. Well, I still need to get some shoelaces...[holds up empty package], do you have these in stock?

Me: Certainly, if you just head to [footwear department], I can see [coworker] there, they can help you out.

Ten minutes later...

Customer: [with shoelaces, and replacement socks]  Thanks for your help...[coworker] in footwear helped me find what I needed.

I ring him up, we chat a bit, and at the end of transaction:

Customer [sets down socks he came in with]: I don't really feel like dealing with these.  Will someone here just take them? 

Me: ...um, are you sure?  Even if you don't want to go there tonight, I'm sure [competitor] would be willing to refund you, since they're clearly from there.

Customer: Eh, I'm fine with it.  Free socks!  Someone here will use them, right?

Me: Um...if you're really sure?  Thanks, and have a good night!

Customer: Hey, you too...and thanks again for all your help.  (Walks out without the wrong-sized socks.)

A bit later, I explained the whole transaction to management...who was about to tell me I should have just exchanged them, regardless of [competitor's] price-tag, until I explained that I was going to offer that, but we didn't carry that style.  Management confirmed, then said, "hey, you just got free socks!  Why don't you just take those home?" 

So, in about 15 minutes, I went from dreading what I thought was going to be a nasty crusty encounter, to having a very nice conversation with a customer, to what I thought was going to be an issue with management, to scoring over $30 in free high-end wool socks (which I am going to share with a co-worker). 

Mostly retail sucks, but sometimes there are those good moments that keep us going.

--Greenhouse Gal

Comments

[Zmidponk]

It sometimes amazes me what some customers will just leave behind. Probably the best one I had was a few years ago when I worked at a games shop here in the UK that did trade-ins. Guy walks in with a Playstation 3 to trade in. I take it through the back to check it out and test it, and find it works fine, except for missing an AV cable. I go back and tell him that we can't accept it without one, and, unfortunately, we're actually sold out of the cables, but we should be getting more in a couple of days, so we can do the trade-in then, just knocking the price of the cable off the value of the console, or, if he has it sitting at home, he can go home, get it, and come back. He says, 'Nah, that's too much trouble. I just want rid of it, so you keep it', and walks out, leaving the PS3 sitting there on the cash desk. And that's how we ended up with a free PS3 for staff to play with in our staffroom.

[The Last Archimedean]

Nice to have a moment like that. Those keep your soul from completely being destroyed.

[Chicajojobe]

@Zmidponk,

I understand that sometimes you just want something gone. When I was moving last year I had to pare down quite a bit because I didn't have the money to hire a moving company, so whatever I was taking had to fit in my car.
I had 2 pairs of shoes that I'd basically never worn, so I tired to sell. After going out of my way two 2 different consignment stores and being told that 5 items are minimum for opening an account or that you must spend X amount first I just said 'screw it!' and tossed them in the Goodwill bin.

With your customer it was likely he had no idea where the cable was and didn't feel too confident he'd be able to find it. I don't know why he didn't just take the reduced amount, but it's likely he was just sick of dealing with it.

[SammyKat]

GG, what a great story! It's so nice to read about good customers from time to time. Makes me feel better about working in retail. And I bet it was a refreshing change for you.

[Fortune Cookie]

Are you going to share the socks or the money you got from returning them? ;)

Also, I will now call you Dobby because of your love for socks and because Dobby is awesome.