Horrible retail experience and question for those in retail

[Newyearkiss]

I took something back to a well-known high street store yesterday, and the young girl behind the counter had to call her manager over. There was a slight query on my return and her manager was totally hostile, to the point that I actually walked out of the shop shaking after (eventually) getting a refund. I don’t know if she was running on the adrenaline of the sales and was taking a ‘no-nonsense from customers’ approach (it was heaving in there and had a jumble sale in January type vibe), but I don’t think anyone has ever made me feel so awful. I was mortified as well in front of this young girl. The manager was just so abrasive and aggressive. I’m normally quite able to hold my own but she totally blindsided me.

I was actually thinking I might put in a complaint although I signed my name on the returns receipt. Does anyone know what happens to those bits of paper at the end of each day? I would prefer this woman not to be able to access my name and potentially trace me online.

What was the query?
Need more context really as there is no detail in your post as to what happened.

OP isn’t asking for opinions about the experience, but what happens to the returns slip that she signed instore. Sorry, OP, I don’t know!

I do think your anxiety is in overdrive here - however difficult the interaction was, the shop staff are not going to memorise your name and use it to find you online.

I’d definitely complain op.
Although why were they querying the refund ?

Ex retail manager - I've probably been that manager, tired, stressed and at the end of my tether (hence ex manager!) - however, as a customer that's not your problem and he/she was out of line to make you feel like that. Regarding the refund slips, we would keep them in store and each week they would get sent to head office banking with other vouchers/coupons.

I recently had an unpleasant experience too when I returned a damaged item. The store assistant/manager was on the point of rudeness and I was pretty upset/mad and also not happy that I had to provide my details in order to process the return (and not only are you giving that information to the shop but also to everyone else in the vicinity).

Unless you give us more information it’s impassible to know whether the manager really was rude or whether you were rude and she was standing up for herself.

I'd complain about her dreadful customer service and how it left you feeling to Head Office - they would never divulge your name to the store and the signed receipt will already have been 'bagged up'. Ghastly woman!

The refund receipts when I used to bank up went into our banking bits that got picked up and sent off I presume to head office. When we did cashing up they would get put into the safe

So was she just curt and a bit short with you? Or did she actually say anything offensive? Sounds like she was having a hideous time in the sales with plenty of people trying to do dodgy returns.

You are avoiding the question op, why was there a query? Did you take the tags off , or a stain that may indicate you previously wore it ?
I am not condoning her bad attitude, but usually if the goods are ok and tags on they refund without any quibbles. The voucher you signed is probably bagged up and sent off, but I agree that having to fill one out isn’t great. I’ve done a few myself and felt it was bit much, but I guess they need it for their records.
You fill in a form for returns online back by post too sometimes.

I have been finding all retail staff rude and ignorant lately , even the manageress in our local little spar was arrogant to me yesterday and then had the gall to accuse me of being rude when I questioned her attitude . Sorry OP this doesn’t answer your question though. I have no idea where the slips in questions go

What actually happened though? Your post doesn't say.

I think you're being a bit paranoid to be concerned about a shop manager stalking you online. She will see hundreds of customers a day and will most likely have already forgotten you the second you walked out the shop.

Having worked in retail years ago and can’t imagine it being any better .a lot of people complain about staff attitudes
but this is because generally the customer doesn’t like what there being told .
relentlessly ask the same questions thinking the answer will change the more frequent and louder they ask them

what was the query

No denying that customer service is on the decline , but with so many customers being rude as well it becomes a vicious circle. People are fed up with long hours and awful pay and stressful jobs especially this time of year. I am always polite, but if the ones working there are off , it creates a bad atmosphere all round and they take it out on the customers.
Id still do an email though. You probably won’t get far or just avoid that shop from now on.

I’ve no idea but I once had an extraordinary experience with a store manager who refused to process a return in spite of everything being in order (made me wonder if they’re given bonuses to have low return numbers?)

she was so psychotic I’ve never been in the store again. Mine was Westminster area of London in Spanish clothing chain.

Are you the young lady who did a tearful TikTok about this the other day?

I doubt any retribution is in the offing, they shop staff have probably forgotten about it already

Where I used to work these receipts were kept in a safe place with other customers records. Not sure how long for as that wasn't part of shop floor staff responsibilities.

I think if you are complaining, it would be relevant what the return query was about. Because if your complaint is taken seriously or there are other issues with that member off staff, the receipt might well be dug up in an investigation.

Was it HMV? Had exactly the same service from them the other day. Like I could have written this same post with the genders changed about a bit.

The man came at me hostile from start. Fortunately, I've grown in confidence over the years otherwise I'd have ended up walking out with nothing.

It’s more than her job’s worth to stalk you online OP. I can’t say if you should make a complaint it depends on the context of why you returned it and what she said to make you feel like that

I am always polite to retail staff and never get any rudeness.
If all retail staff are rude to you maybe you need to ask yourself why.

I work in retail but luckily not on customer services, as I couldn’t deal with the verbal abuse & sometimes even physical attacks from disgruntled customers. One of my colleagues had a boxed hoover thrown at her, which fortunately missed! There is fault on both sides in my store though & I cannot believe how rudely my Manager & a few of my colleagues sometimes speak to people (both customers & fellow colleagues). I do get stressed during busy periods but I always strive to deal with the public in a way that I would like to be treated. I would complain OP as no matter how stressful her day was, that Manager should not have made you feel like that. As pp’s have said, they will see hundreds of customers a day & won’t have time to make a note of your details.

Our returned receipts were there just to prove that everything was legit and retail staff weren't pretending to refund just to take the money themselves or issuing 'refunds' endlessly to friends, as the stuff refunded would go into waste and be uncheckable. The receipt went straight into the till (with all the others) and was removed when the till was cleared. The manager would have no way of telling which was yours, OP, amid the no doubt hundreds of others, so don't worry.