Century 21 Retroactive Policy?

[drcpunk]

Some time back, we shopped on Century 21's website, and ordered a bunch of stuff. Needful to say, we also looked very carefully for any indication that all sales were final. We did not find such indication. Indeed, we found statements for each item we checked that returns were permissible within what was a reasonable window.

Packages arrived the end of last week. Most of the clothing fit. The exceptions were a single pair of pants and a single pair of shoes for me. So, I looked up the website's how to do returns section. And it said that nothing bought on or after September 10 was eligible for return. The website did NOT say that as of September 13th.

I phoned the store and talked, after some time (their lines are very busy), with a customer service rep who said that there was a big banner explaining that all sales were final, and that it was in my receipt as well.

I could not show her the website from the 10th today, and if there had not been two of us shopping at the same time, both checking for just this thing, I might have doubted myself. Heck, I did doubt myself, and looked at the receipt that had been emailed to me.

Reader, that receipt says NOTHING about all sales being final. Nothing. I read it over several times. I had mneme do likewise, in case my eyes insisted on skipping over something proving me wrong. It is not there.

The sales rep said that she could have a manager get back to me within 72 hours, but that the manager wouldn't be able to do anything. I told her to do that, adding that I knew this was not something she could address herself. I asked if I could send a copy of that receipt in, but that's also very much beyond what she can address. We were both polite, and she is clearly not the person who decided to put this policy in place. I'm sure she's dealing with a whole lot of calls like mine.

We'll see what the manager says, presuming one does get back to me. And I can dispute that charge -- I know how much those two items cost.

In the meantime, I have 2 pairs of jeans, 2 pairs of pants, and 2 pairs of sneakers that do fit; one pair of pants and one pair of sneakers that don't; and a very bad taste in my mouth from Century 21's retroactive policy and being told a website and email receipt said something they did not, and in the case of the latter, still does not.

Comments

[madfilkentist]

I thought Century 21 was a real estate franchise. Is this a different company?

[drcpunk]

Yes. Different company entirely.

[gorgeousgary]

Experience with my local supermarket suggests some stores may be adjusting their standard return policies due to Covid-19 - and not necessarily publicizing it well. I got caught by that when Sheryl bought a container of dishwasher pods instead of the traditional box of powder (the former being all there was in the store at the time). When I tried to return it, I found out they were only taking returns on clearly-damaged goods.

(It should be noted our aging dishwasher died shortly thereafter. The new one takes pods. So happy ending there.)