Negative Experience at Catholic Bookstore

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BeluvdLily

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Yesterday I went to a local Catholic book store and purchased several items totalling about $65. One thing I bought was Our Lady of Lourdes in a grotto with St. Bernadette kneeling before her. It is a nice statue and also lights up. Very pretty.

Well, when I got it home, I noticed that Mary had a black mark on her nose and was kind of turned off by that but decided it wasn’t so noticeable so I’d just keep it. Then I turned it on, it stayed lit for about two minutes and then went out. Now it will not turn back on.

My husband noticed when we were at the store that there was a sign saying that they don’t give cash refunds but will extend store credit. Kind of a turn off but I wasn’t bothered because I wanted the statue. It was $25.99.

When I called the store today to see if they could get me a new one to exchange, I was told nope, they wouldn’t do that. If I wanted to, they’d get me another but I’d have to pay for it!

Well, needless to say, I responded that I wasn’t buying another off of them when the first one didn’t even work and that I don’t appreciate them selling defective merchandise and refusing to replace it.

The clerk I spoke with had to keep putting me on hold, consulting the owner and then coming back. After I expressed my dissatisfaction at their offer, she put me on hold again, came back and told me to bring it in when the owner was there and he’d look at it. I said, “Look at it and do what???” She said, “Look at it and make a determination on what to do.”

I am so angry. I don’t even want to go down there. He sounds horrible and I can only imagine that this is going to be a negative experience. The plug contains a fuse and I imagine he’ll say to go buy a fuse. My thought, why should I have to when I just bought the thing in the first place???

I am just appalled at being treated like this in a Catholic book store. Any suggestions? I’m really curious if the owner is even a Catholic at all and really don’t even want to go there and deal with him. I’ve probably spent about $400 in this store over the last few months. Trust me, I won’t be shopping there again after this.

Amie
 
Since “Catholic” book stores are individually owned, I guess the odds are that you will hit a bad one occasionally. Whether or not the owner is Catholic doesn’t matter. There are good business people and bad business people, both Catholic and non-Catholic. However, one would hope that a Catholic business owner would be more likely to follow the golden rule.
 
Just tell him that you find it uncharitable and will not continue to shop there unless the matter is fixed. (Its not like it was a $.50 holy card its was $26)
 
No matter how appalled you are…you should never conduct such return or exchange business over a phone. You go down to the store in person with reciept and item and demand satisfaction. Its much easier for someone to say NO over a phone then when a customer is “in their face” demanding satisfaction.
 
There are several approaches you could take. one would be to let it ride; I take it that there was some sort of lighting and the light has either shorted out or burned out. There hsould be a way to replace the bulb; doing that yourself may solve most of the major issue - it not working.

Another approach is to go back and try to get it exchanged. If it is exchanged to your satisfaction, problem solved (in the main).

A third approach is to go back, explain the problem, and request a credit; then use the credit for soemthing else.

A fourth solution is to go back (keep your receipt and/or any other proof of purchase); if it is not resolved to your satisfaction, take it all with you and go to the courthouse and get the forms for filing a small claims case. By all odds, you should win your money back, with all your out of pocket costs (filing, service of process, etc.).

A fifth solution is to try to resolve it at the store, and if that doesn’t work, send a letter (let someone not close to you review the letter to make sure you stay on point) simply stating the facts - no editorializing - and send that to your local diocesan news paper. They may or may not print it, but you at least have a shot at warning other purchasers of how they treat customes.
 
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ShroudMan:
No matter how appalled you are…you should never conduct such return or exchange business over a phone. You go down to the store in person with reciept and item and demand satisfaction. Its much easier for someone to say NO over a phone then when a customer is “in their face” demanding satisfaction.
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You should also lean on the counter directly in front of the cash register, taking up as much space as possible. Do NOT make way for customers waiting to pay. Speak respectfully but loudly enough for others nearby to hear.
You’ll be surprised how quickly the manager appears to reassure you that it’s all just a terrible misunderstanding.

TC
 
I would go to the store. Take a deap breatha and don’t walk in with a chip on your shoulder. I know that might be difficult. I would also mention their sign stating their policy about in store credits and ask why this situation doesn’t apply.

Keep us posted. I really want to hear how this turns out.

Maggie
 
If done in person, “I came in to get this cleared up because I’m confused about what I was told on the phone. The person said I could not get store credit for returning defective merchandise, which can’t be right because I know that’s not your policy.”

Use the guise of confusion to hide your anger. Anger makes them defensive and legalistic, while confusion and the appearance of having blind faith that the store owner is good enough to take care of this travesty might get them off that horse and melt them a bit. Convince yourself the best you can that this guy cannot possibly be the schmuck who would tell you THAT over the phone. This is especially effective if it is the same person you talked to on the phone and they’ll say, “yes I talked to you.” Then you say, "thank goodness, then, because it was kind of noise and distracting on the phone, but would you believe I actually thought you were saying you would not stand behind your merchandise. (Then shake your head, raise your eyes, or pat your chin slightly in a “I’m so dumb” gesture – like I’m so embarrassed for even thinking you might be such a pathetic jerk so now tell me it isn’t true.)

Alan
 
I would go back to the store & ask to speak to the owner. Maybe the person answering the phone was new & unexperienced. Maybe she didn’t correctly relay the problem to the owner. I’m sure it will work out… unless the owner is a total jerk & I doubt the owner of a Catholic bookstore would be a total jerk…hard to imagine if he’s stocking crucifixes all day long.

Let us know how it turned out…
🙂 CM
 
Having spent four years working in a Cathoilc Bookstore, I can tell you that you SHOULD be appalled…Those people are treating you very badly, and you have every right to be upset. Such a thing would have never happened in the store I worked in…The customer was nearly always right, and we knew the value of good service. Good service nearly always pays off in more sales. What were they thinking?

I agree with the others that you need to visit the store in person and talk with the owner…I LOVE the suggestion that you play dumb and pretend to be embarrassed at thinking they would not stand by their merchandise…A little gentle “shaming” will work!
 
Or you could just spend .50 on a new fuse, replace it yourself and be done with it.

I know that’s crazy talk, but who knows? It just might work.
 
I would go there in person and calmly demand either a full refund or exchange. If they continue to give you a hard time, make it very clear that you will be filing a complaint with your local better business bureau. (you can file online)

I think a lot could be accomplished if you go at a busy time when there are other customers in the store.
 
Dr. Bombay:
Or you could just spend .50 on a new fuse, replace it yourself and be done with it.

I know that’s crazy talk, but who knows? It just might work.
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Yes, but then wouldn’t you be missing out on all the drama? :hmmm:

Alan
 
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AlanFromWichita:
Yes, but then wouldn’t you be missing out on all the drama? :hmmm:

Alan
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:tiphat: Well, yes. But for me, it’s a risk vs. reward equation.

Scenario #1: Go to Wal-Mart and spend .50 on a new fuse, replace said fuse and bask in the splendor of the Lourdes grotto in the comfort of your own home.

Scenario #2: Return to the bookstore, cause a nasty scene with the owner who is forced to call the police, get arrested, call your best friend to come bail you out, decide to file a suit against the bookstore in small claims court as well as filing complaints with the BBB and the state attorney general, and all along, engage in uncharitable thoughts about the bookstore owner.

If I want drama, I’ll watch another dreadful episode of ER. In the real world, I tend to avoid it as much as possible and believe the simplest solution is usually the best.

But that’s just me. :ehh:
 
Dr. Bombay:
If I want drama, I’ll watch another dreadful episode of ER. In the real world, I tend to avoid it as much as possible and believe the simplest solution is usually the best.

But that’s just me. :ehh:
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There’s an old guy that used to be on the radio that gave this sort of advice, I think his name was Bruce Williams. He didn’t support fighting causes that weren’t going to pay off personally.

Sometimes it depends on how much I have to do. Every now and then I like a good crusade against some enemy that I can paint myself as hideous an image as possible and then proceed to do battle with it. Sometimes it’s more for the sport than for the worldly benefit. 😃

Alan
 
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AlanFromWichita:
There’s an old guy that used to be on the radio that gave this sort of advice, I think his name was Bruce Williams. He didn’t support fighting causes that weren’t going to pay off personally.

Sometimes it depends on how much I have to do. Every now and then I like a good crusade against some enemy that I can paint myself as hideous an image as possible and then proceed to do battle with it. Sometimes it’s more for the sport than for the worldly benefit. 😃

Alan
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I loved that old guy. Used to listen to him all the time. I wonder what happened to him?

I have nothing against tilting at windmills in theory. In fact, in my younger days I took on a few crusades myself. But in this case, just buy a light bulb or fuse and move on with life. Now, if it’s genuinely defective, I’d certainly demand satisfaction but I’d try the fuse theory first before causing a big stink.

We’ll all be dead in 100 years anyway. Will the lighted Lourdes grotto really matter then? 😉
 
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didymus:
You should also lean on the counter directly in front of the cash register, taking up as much space as possible. Do NOT make way for customers waiting to pay. Speak respectfully but loudly enough for others nearby to hear.
You’ll be surprised how quickly the manager appears to reassure you that it’s all just a terrible misunderstanding.

TC
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That’s how its done my friend! 👍
 
I worked for several months as the manager of a Catholic bookstore, and I agree that you should be appalled at the way you were treated.

You should take the item back in person, and demand to see the owner. If the store refuses to make it right, make sure they understand how much money you have spent there in the last few months, that you will never be shopping there again, and that you will do your best to make sure no one else does, either.

Negative advertising is a powerful thing.
 
Or you could combine the advice you have received. Go to WalMart, buy a new bulb and fuse. If it works, great! If it doesn’t take the receipts with you to the bookstore then you can say you have tried those things and since they have not made the light work, it is obviously defective. It could just be that it had been on display for a LONG time so the bulb was ready to go.
 
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