The age-old saying that "the customer is always right" may soon be put out to pasture

[|Zach|]

I like this move...some of the actions of people at retail stores is disgusting.

http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/0..._consumers.htm

The age-old saying that "the customer is always right" may soon be put out to pasture. Why? Increasing numbers of stores are cracking down on what they call "devil" shoppers -- customers whose buying and returning practices, some legit, may actually cause the store to lose money -- and the stores believe they're better off without them.

Best Buy stores have gotten so fed up with their "devil" shoppers -- a group they say makes up 20 percent of their customer base -- that they're actively trying to eliminate them from their stores. These shoppers (see below for a description of some of their tactics) account for as many as one-fifth of Best Buy's 500 million customer visits each year, and according to Best Buy CEO Brad Anderson, "They can wreak enormous economic havoc."

So now Best Buy is fighting back. They've started training their employees to identify "angel" shoppers -- the ones who buy highly priced items like HDTVs or just-released DVDs without waiting for a markdown -- and cater to them while "blacklisting" the devil shoppers. The staff uses a quick interview of sorts to identify the different types, which they internally call:

* Barrys: High-income men who like action movies and cameras
*Jills: Suburban moms who want to help their families
*Buzzes: Male technology fans who want the latest high-tech gadgets

Other practices Best Buy has put into play include adding a 15 percent restocking fee and selling restocked items over the Internet as opposed to in stores.

But Best Buy is not alone. Some stores will go so far as to remove "bad" customers from their promotions mailing list or put them on long holds if they call stores with too many questions and no intent to buy. And stores like Express, KB Toys, the Sports Authority, Staples and Guess have all adopted a new technology called the Return Exchange to monitor customers' buying habits.

When a purchase is made, the device records the consumer's name, address, age and transaction details and sends it to The Return Exchange's database. The company says the device is meant to stop shoplifters and other fraud-doers, but it doesn't stop there. Each store inputs certain criteria, such as a high number of returns or a dollar amount on returns, after which a customer's return can be denied.

Said retail consultant King Rogers, retail stores lose some $16 billion a year because of fraud. "Consumers are going to find more stores with tighter, more restrictive return policies than they found last year. When you look at the economics of it, $16 billion a year in losses, they have to tighten up," he said.

But others are worried that consumers will get the short end of the deal.

"I'm concerned about the 99 percent of consumers who are not abusing the system," said Edgar Dworsky, founder of ConsumerWorld.org, an Internet public service site. "It's the wrong size, the wrong color, the mother bought clothing for kids who didn't want it."

Already the Federal Trade Commission has been asked to investigate the legality of stores monitoring and denying customers' returns, and Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) proposed legislation to require stores that do limit returns to warn shoppers of the practice.

-Shopper Tactics That Might Send You to the "Blacklist"

The following practices are among the most common and most offensive in the eyes of retailers. If you commonly engage in any of these practices, you may soon find that your next return is denied or your name has been added to a store's "blacklist" of bad customers.

*Buying a product, taking advantage of the product rebate, then returning the product for a refund.
*Buying clothing or another item, wearing it (or using it) once, then returning it (the classic example is the evening gown that's worn with tags on for a night, then returned).
*Buying an item and returning it with the intent of buying it at the reduced "open-box" price
*Buying clothing or another item with the intent of returning it later and re-buying it at a markdown price.
*Buying a product at a discount, such as from the store's selection of "loss leaders," (low-priced products stores lose money on that are designed to attract customers) then reselling it on eBay for a premium price.
*Finding rock-bottom prices on Web sites, then challenging stores to pay up on their lowest price guarantees.
*Taking up an employee's time to ask questions about a significant purchase with the intent to buy it elsewhere.

Most consumers do have good intentions at heart and make returns for legitimate reasons. Retailers are aware of this and wary of portraying a too-tough image to customers. Said Anderson, it's a fine balance to ward of bad customers without turning away the good ones.

"The most dangerous image I can think of is a retailer that wants to fire customers," he says.

[memyselfI]

The internet is hurting these stores more than 'devil' shoppers. I think if these stores would be more proactive in giving their customers the best price AND service then they wouldn't have so many people trying to out sleeze them.

I do very little shopping at B&M stores anymore. Most of it's done online and at deeply reduced prices.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

When I was working at blockbuster I would have people yelling and screaming I won't my monster babes 5 video and take off my late fees then they would literally spit in my face and do crazy shit. Retail sucks dick. People would always buy movies with our crazy deals like buy two for 10 and bring them back when the sale was over. I would uphold store policy long enough for the people to bitch and moan until the manager gave them what they want. It would be nice for some retail places to stand behind their employers instead of giving into the reeruns. This is a long rant and has no point whatsoever.

If the store has any intelligence, they will realize two things:

The customer must bring their receipt:

If not, then they either get store credit or a refund, but both at the lowest price the item carried in the last 30 days.

It's not a tough policy to uphold, and it's completely fair.

[Calcountry]

Originally Posted by Adept Havelock

The customer is not always right. However, they are always the customer.

A business that forgets this will not be around for long.

Phobia- An excellent point.

I cannot believe that a business would consider someone a "bad customer", they are just not THEIR customer.

Just wait until a "bad customer" finds out they are on that list?

Welcome to a whole new category, "Bitch customer from hell."

[Demonpenz]

Originally Posted by 'Hummus' Jenkins

If the store has any intelligence, they will realize two things:

The customer must bring their receipt:

If not, then they either get store credit or a refund, but both at the lowest price the item carried in the last 30 days.

It's not a tough policy to uphold, and it's completely fair.

yeah but this is joetown we are talking about they aren't trying to get their money back. They are just trying to watch as many movies on meth as possible so giving them instore credit just means they stretched that 10 dollars into more movies they can stay up for weeks on end. It sucks you try to spend your whole life helping people and they just want to fist **** you at every turn. I will never be rude to people, but I can understand why people go bad.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by (Zach)

Best Buy stores have gotten so fed up with their "devil" shoppers -- a group they say makes up 20 percent of their customer base -- that they're actively trying to eliminate them from their stores. These shoppers (see below for a description of some of their tactics) account for as many as one-fifth of Best Buy's 500 million customer visits each year, and according to Best Buy CEO Brad Anderson, "They can wreak enormous economic havoc."

If "devil shoppers" are 20 percent of their business, then they need to redefine "devil shoppers". I'm not sure it's feasible to drive off 20 percent of your customers, even if they're the high-maintenance ones.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

yeah but this is joetown we are talking about they aren't trying to get their money back. They are just trying to watch as many movies on meth as possible so giving them instore credit just means they stretched that 10 dollars into more movies they can stay up for weeks on end. It sucks you try to spend your whole life helping people and they just want to fist **** you at every turn. I will never be rude to people, but I can understand why people go bad.

Losing a dipshit customer like that is better for business than sucking their dick to keep them. There comes a point at which the retailer must take a stand. Telling them that there is no logical reason to remove their late fees if they didn't turn the video in the time allotted puts the ball in their court. By checking out the video and signing the membership policy, they agree that they must return said video in time otherwise they will pay the fee. If you steadfastly refuse, then they can go somewhere else and spend just as much money at your store (nothing), than they were before while also keeping your product.

[Demonpenz]

Maybe Joe cool the camel can come in and attract young buyers to a place with them losing 20% It helps when cigs kill off most of their consumer base correct?
joking of course/

[Demonpenz]

Originally Posted by 'Hummus' Jenkins

Losing a dipshit customer like that is better for business than sucking their dick to keep them. There comes a point at which the retailer must take a stand. Telling them that there is no logical reason to remove their late fees if they didn't turn the video in the time allotted puts the ball in their court. By checking out the video and signing the membership policy, they agree that they must return said video in time otherwise they will pay the fee. If you steadfastly refuse, then they can go somewhere else and spend just as much money at your store (nothing), than they were before while also keeping your product.

I agree and I won't talk about it anymore.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

If "devil shoppers" are 20 percent of their business, then they need to redefine "devil shoppers". I'm not sure it's feasible to drive off 20 percent of your customers, even if they're the high-maintenance ones.

The money and resources tied up into servicing these customers is enourmous.

Think of some different ways this shows itself.

- Money lost due to mark down in trying to sell reutned items
- Money lost when a manufactuer denies a retail store credit because an item was never defective at all
- Money lost in your emplyoees time. Instead being more productive they are sqabbing with someone for days on end trying to keep your company from getting ass ****ed.
- Money lost from you shying away legitimate customers from the decrease in sales you are doing because you were ass ****ed.

If you could throw those 20% out and just deal with the 80% you are going to do just fine. That isn't even mentioning employee morale.

[memyselfI]

Originally Posted by 'Hummus' Jenkins

If the store has any intelligence, they will realize two things:

The customer must bring their receipt:

If not, then they either get store credit or a refund, but both at the lowest price the item carried in the last 30 days.

It's not a tough policy to uphold, and it's completely fair.

But even policies should not be set in stone. For instance, Circuit City has a 15% restocking fee on their returns. We purchased a digital camera for Christmas. It was a Polaroid and it was crap. The camera took terrible pictures because something was wrong with the flash. On return, the store did not have the item anymore and wanted to refund me the money at 100% only if I got a CC gift card or purchased something else.

Well the camera was blister packaged and the ONLY way to know it was defective or crap was to OPEN the package. The manager was a complete and total asshole. I explained to him that him keeping my $15.00 was going to cause me to stop shopping there and that he shouldn't treat me that way because over the past year we had spent over $1500 dollars at CC including a computer purchased just weeks before.

He didn't care. I explained to him that I was in the market to purchase a different digital camera, one at least three times as expensive, and that it wouldn't be from CC because of his attitude. He didn't give a shit so I left.

I wrote a letter explaining the situation to their corporate HQs. They refunded me the money. I didn't purchase the camera from them but from Amazon.com for over $130 cheaper than what they were selling it. I don't know if I'll buy from CC ever again because their management was so unprofessional even though their corporate office did correct the problem.

Any company that would fight over $15 with a customer that has spent $1500 in the past year is a company that has a very bad business sense and ultimately is not one I want to do business with.

[Demonpenz]

You know what I hate? The other day I was walking into applebee's at around closing time and I got the worst service extra. If the guy would have been halfway polite I would have tipped him a 20 spot for my meal alone. Instead he threw is potato soup all over me and was rude. It went all over my tank top. Then they ran out of ketchup. Worst day of my life. Customer service is dead!

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by memyselfI

But even policies should not be set in stone. For instance, Circuit City has a 15% restocking fee on their returns. We purchased a digital camera for Christmas. It was a Polaroid and it was crap. The camera took terrible pictures because something was wrong with the flash. On return, the store did not have the item anymore and wanted to refund me the money at 100% only if I got a CC gift card or purchased something else.

Well the camera was blister packaged and the ONLY way to know it was defective or crap was to OPEN the package. The manager was a complete and total asshole. I explained to him that him keeping my $15.00 was going to cause me to stop shopping there and that he shouldn't treat me that way because over the past year we had spent over $1500 dollars at CC including a computer purchased just weeks before.

He didn't care. I explained to him that I was in the market to purchase a different digital camera, one at least three times as expensive, and that it wouldn't be from CC because of his attitude. He didn't give a shit so I left.

I wrote a letter explaining the situation to their corporate HQs. They refunded me the money. I didn't purchase the camera from them but from Amazon.com for over $130 cheaper than what they were selling it. I don't know if I'll buy from CC ever again because their management was so unprofessional even though their corporate office did correct the problem.

Any company that would fight over $15 with a customer that has spent $1500 in the past year is a company that has a very bad business sense and ultimately is not one I want to do business with.

You should have gone to Circuit City to see if they would price match.

[Demonpenz]

I don't care how much money you spend. I think it is good policy not to deal with terrorists.

[88TG88]

Originally Posted by memyselfI

I do very little shopping at B&M stores anymore. Most of it's done online and at deeply reduced prices.

thats the way to go

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

You know what I hate? The other day I was walking into applebee's at around closing time and I got the worst service extra. If the guy would have been halfway polite I would have tipped him a 20 spot for my meal alone. Instead he threw is potato soup all over me and was rude. It went all over my tank top. Then they ran out of ketchup. Worst day of my life. Customer service is dead!

You walked into a restaurant at closing time? Bad idea. I bet there was a lot more than potato in that potato soup.