The experience was ‘so wild’ that the employee had to share it with others online
As the famous saying goes – ‘the customer is always right’. However, in some cases, that’s far from the truth, and people can be downright wrong with how they think situations should be handled.
Someone going by the username @FableCrunch posted on Reddit an experience that would make most people who have worked in customer service have flashbacks to similar experiences where customers refuse to take no as an answer. They described the encounter as “wild” and “one of the most entitled customers [they’ve] ever met.”
They said: “I work at a local home goods store and I just had to share this. So this guy came in last weekend, dragging a big (obviously used) grill to the returns counter.
“He’s complaining that the grill didn’t make his burgers juicy enough and wants a full refund. I’m standing there like, ‘Uh, sir, did you use it?’ and he admits that he grilled on it for a whole weekend.”
After the employee explained the store’s return policy and that the outdoor appliance could no longer be resold, the ‘entitled’ customer wasn’t willing to give up easily. The Reddit user continued: “He starts getting loud, saying he’s a loyal customer and that we should just make an exception for him.
“I calmly tell him that loyalty doesn’t override store policy and that if he’s unhappy with the grill’s performance, maybe he should try different recipes or check the settings.” The Reddit user then claims that they are not the one at fault here, blaming the grill which “didn’t make his burgers juicy”.
The Reddit user said: “At this point, other customers are staring and I’m just trying not to laugh. I offer to help him find a different grill or accessories that might help, but he storms out, muttering about how this store has no customer service.
“Honestly, I’ve dealt with a lot of entitled people, but expecting a refund on a used grill because your cooking skills aren’t up to par? That’s a new level.” People in the comments were quick to react to this situation.
One said: “Some people have zero shame!” Another said: “He thought he could just rent the grill for his weekend party and return it!” A third put: “This is why I can’t work in retail anymore. I would’ve laughed in his face.” Someone else asked: “I wonder what type of grill he thinks makes burgers ‘juicy’?”
What are your legal rights to return goods to a shop?
In the UK, consumers have plenty of rights to protect them from having to make do with goods bought at a shop that are faulty or damaged. Martin Lewis’ team from Money Saving Expert has put together a very comprehensive guide here.
The situation is legally different if you are simply ‘changing your mind’, however, most in-person stores do have generous policies that will allow you to change your mind and get a full refund, but always check before you buy.
Online shopping bends the rules a little. Most stores and items have a window of around 14 days to notify the seller of a return and up to 14 days after that to send it back. If items are faulty, it doesn’t matter where you bought them. You will usually be entitled to a refund, repair or replacement, depending on when you find the fault.