Refunds...Do you ask for them?

[Lotussan]

Hi all, I wanted to know under what circumstances do you or would ask for a refund, and do you very often? I was taught that whenever you aren't happy, to ask for your money back...And I do quite often...Do you think this is selfish?

For example, I received a package today, which was supposed to be shipped and arrive frozen, they were food items...
As I came home, the UPS man was just leaving...
I opened the package immediately, and I know it hadn't been outside long, But I'm thinking it might have been on the truck too long...
Anyway, everything was HOT to the touch I'd say at least 85 degrees....
None of it was frozen or even cool to the touch...
So, I got mad, and asked the merchant for a refund...
He agreed, and told me to keep it anyway, and that it might still be good to eat...
Well, I asked and fully intended to send it back but he said, no, keep it...
Well, thing is, I feel kinda bad now...
I am kind of scared to eat it, or I would have just kept it, and I generally hate to waste food...
Would you eat a bunch of faux meat that has been thawed for god knows how long?
Anyway, I just feel bad for the merchant, because I feel it was UPS that was at fault, am I being silly?

 

[Jalu]

No, you're not being silly, and it's probably still good too.
I would haved done the same.
Do you know where all your food has been?
It's imposible...
I figure if it doesn't kill animals it probably won't kill me unless it smells or is growing fungus.

 

[Amos Stevens]

Yep-if you're entitled to an refund & have a good reason for it,then certainly ask for one!
Was at Lowes home improvement the other day returning something that my Uncle couldn't use-and even though it had never been touched-they gave me a bad time refunding the money.

 

[ZenLateralus]

If you are unhappy with a purchase you have the right to get your money back. That is not selfish but making sure that a vote is not cast for the product or service so that the next person in line doesn't have the same problem.

 

[Lotussan]

Thanks, all...It was the owner I spoke to, and I just felt bad because he was so apologetic, and it was probably the UPS man's fault...I'll have to see if it smells bad or not...
We had a odd day today...
Went to the store for a seedless watermelon, which was advertised, and they had none, claiming that the delivery truck never came...Well, when my mom asked the manager, the manager got a bit rude, in response to my mother's brash approach, and some lady who I guess got disgusted at the manager's rude behavior said something to me like, "I got one just yesterday, I paid full price, and at the time, they had a whole bin full of them..."

Hmmmm...

I guess she meant to imply that they had them hiding away someplace until the sale was over...

 

[ORANGATUANG]

There is a saying and its "The customer is always right"..So lotussan hell yeah i would ask for my money back or the goods received as they should be.

 

[KATHYPURDOM]

I have never had a problem returning something. You were right Lotussan to ask for that refund. Even though it was the UPS guys fault or the company you should get a refund.
I to hate to throw out food to, but if it was to arrive frozen, and there is a reason for that, I would not eat it.

 

[Serena]

I would imagine that most companies that ship items like this have some kind of insurance on damaged products, either through the delivery company or an insurance company, with a policy that they pay premiums on, to cover their losses in these circumstances.

But don't worry--I'm sure that's all figured into the cost of the item itself.

And don't eat it, Lotus. It's certainly not worth the risk!

 

[Lotussan]

Thanks all, I'm going to throw it all out...But gosh, I feel really bad wasting it...
I mean, I'm very guilty of wasting things sometimes, but still...
I wish it could be used...
I wouldn't feed it to my dog though, as HOT as it was when it got here....
And I definately, don't eat things I think have gone bad, I'm pretty picky about that...

 

[Amos Stevens]

Lotussan-we have ran into that same bit of the day of the sale & they don't have an item in stock...called DEMAND A RAINCHECK!

Spoiled food can be good for nothing except waste...I see so many restaurants that just toss out food though that could go to the shelters. A few actually do donate it at the end of the day,but sad that more don't.

 

[Lotussan]

Yes, I don't eat food that I think could be bad, although I do eat cereal, crackers and chips that might not be as fresh as they could, I just nuke them, works great...Is that odd? Well, I TRY to be frugal....Not always a success, but hey...

 

[Serena]

.....Spoiled food can be good for nothing except waste...I see so many restaurants that just toss out food though that could go to the shelters. A few actually do donate it at the end of the day,but sad that more don't.

That is probably more due to state health laws than anything. At the hospital, where they waste a tremendous amount of money on food for staff meetings, luncheons, etc. and always have leftover food, they used to donate it to the local shelters and to the Capuchin Monks for their kitchen for the homeless. But, due to changes in department of health laws, that is no longer allowed. So now the vultures (staff) gobble it up instead.

 

[Lotussan]

I was at Mcdonald's quite a while back, and it was a little after 10:30am when they stop serving breakfast...They were throwing all the pre-made sandwiches away...I was so aghast I asked why they didn't donate them, or offer them to the poor free of charge, and they said, it was because it might make someone sick, and they didn't want to be liable for that...Sheesh...
There are kids starving in Tibet and Korea, and even kids here who don't get enough to eat...
Sad, and wasteful, and they are such a big company, making so much...
Why can't they just not make so many, or make them to order, then?
Also, once I was somewhere and they made a mistake with giving me the wrong size milk, so the manager said to my waitress, just dump it out and make a new one, well, I was horrified, I couldn't see why they would waste it, it was perfectly good! So I asked, and they said they couldn't re-serve it... Why not just charge me for the size I ordered and let me have that one? I should have insisted that's what they do...

 

[Jalu]

There are people starving right here. Not just the homeless and those on Welfare. You should see the line of people for the food pantry at some places right here in NYC.

 

[yudansha]

Potentially bad meat can be quite risky...

"The customer is always right" ... just like the saying "The pedestrian is always right" ...

"I figure if it doesn't kill animals it probably won't kill me" ... LOL Jalu. That reminds me of that Friends episode when Joey (while waiting for Phoebe to go an meet here dad for the first time) was too afraid to get out of the cab as there was an angry dog, so Rachel suggested he throw him the sandwich that Joey was eating to distract the dog; LOL but the dog wouldn't eat it.

I don't waste food, but Lotussan you were right about getting upset over such a delivery. If it's frozen at the store, then it should be frozen when being delivered too.

I've never heard people ask for rainchecks on food ... I guess I just never needed one for such an occasion.

 

[katw_03]

you betcha....

I would ask for a refund! Especially with food products!
Well, all I can say Lotus, is DON'T Eat it!
love ya, kat

 

[Storm]

All the replies except Yudansha and Oranguatang are from Americans.I can tell you,there is a huge difference in attitudes here.Most British people are far too reserved to do what Lotus did.Some of us would rather bite our tongues than complain about things like that,poor service etc.That is a major difference in our cultures.Americans seem much more forward that way.
Just an observation.I myself would not complain unless it was something really bad.We just accept things here.Maybe that's not a good thing.

 

[yudansha]

Culture differences reflect on such attitude differences...

Storm yes I know what you are saying. In Eastern European countries you don't get such 'second chances' ... it's take it or leave it ... but if you've already paid for it, you better keep it, or someone else will gladly pick it up and use it ... whatever it is. Furthermore, the luxury of ordering online ... or having to send packages is not something that people can allow themselves to do due to the financial standings which greatly differ from those living in North America.

 

[justice808]

The customer is always right.Simple as that.Or at least in theory

 

[yudansha]

Believe me, the customer ain't always right..and it ain't no theory in Eestern Europe

Justice ... in some places ... once you buy it, you buy it ... and the retailers don't care.