I made a woman really mad at me this week.
She had a $400 Sanyo LCD TV that she bought in April. The packing code on the box said so. And the serial number says she bought the TV in April. She didn't speak any English, but I managed to communicate to her that she didn't have the recept and that the return period on the TV was just 90 days. Period. End of discussion.
She doesn't agree with me. Fine. I'll get someone that can argue with you in Spanish. We've got plenty of those too.
While we're waiting, I have to take back a Sony VCR that only cost $58 which was purchased last week (I can tell because of the packing code on the box) without a receipt. Meanwhile, the other woman who is waiting in someone to argue with her thinks I'm not taking her TV back just because I don't like her and starts throwing a fit. She starts screaming at the people with the VCR in Spanish.
It had nothing to do with that. I'm equal opportunity mean and evil. Sony allows Wal-Mart to take back lower-end electronics without a receipt. Now if it was a Sony big-screen TV, I could not have taken it back without a receipt. It's all about what the item is, how much it costs and when you bought it.
It is a complicated thing, but with high-end electronics, they all have a serial number that tells you when it was was purchased and when the warranty ends. Even the telephones over $40 dollars are starting to come with them now. Pretty soon, every electronic item will and there is going to be a very short window of return opportunity. If you got a lemon from the factory, you can return it to the store. If you use it and break it, you're stupid and deserve to pay more money.
The serial number is printed on the item, on the outside of the box AND on the receipt. When we return items with a serial number, all three must match. And don't think I've not had people try to slip some by me - especially televisions, VCRs and computer equipment.
Anyway, Sanyo, which made the woman's LCD TV, tells retailers not to return items in stores after 90 days, ESPECIALLY ITEMS WITHOUT RECEIPTS. If the stores do, Sanyo WILL NOT reimburse retailers for the item, even if it is defective. So we better be able to re-sell it, or we just ate that $400. If the item is defective, Sanyo will repair it. Otherwise, don't shop at Wal-Mart. Why anyone would go to Wal-Mart for electronics is beyond me anyway!
Anyway, the woman screams at one of the managers in Spanish for about 20 minutes, then takes the LCD TV, which as APRIL 14, 2006 on the packing slip as clear as day, throws it in her cart, looks righ at me, snarls, and says "I'm going to another Wal-Mart and see if they treat me better" and stomps out the door.
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6 comments:
No specific comment on this post. I'm a long time reader and just wanted to say I really enjoy my daily dose of your writing. Thanks!
Whoa... suddenly, she was able to speak English? Wow man, you got the gift. Or something.
You are so in South Florida. I wonder if she hits every WalMart here. hee
Pardon my french, but wow... someone slipped chica a sour cup of cunt that morning!
Wait a minute, how does a serial number printed "on the item" (presumably an item contained in a sealed box) register the date the item was purchased by the customer? It sounds like that serial number contains a record of when the item left the manufacturer's assembly line and even possibly when the item was sold to Walmart, but it does not record the date the customer bought the item from Walmart as that would require quite a feat of prognostication (and if Sony can predicte the future that accurately, then why are they wasting time making TVs?) Manufacturer warranty coverage begins the date the item is purchased by the customer. If it was the way you are portraying it, it would mean an item with a 90 day warranty that sat on the retail shelf for 30 days before being sold only comes with a 60 day warranty and we all know that isn't right. Something isn't making sense in this story, either that or Walmart is slapping an additional serialized label on goods post-sale.
The way it works is, once the item is sold by a Wal-Mart register, the register prompts the cashier to scan the serial number barcode on the box. When the serial number is scanned, it logs the date of purchase in Wal-Mart's warranty system, so that serial number is now connected (in the computer) with the date of purchase, which can be looked up in the warrranty computer system.
Hope that clears up the confusion.
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