RANT-Macys (probably many other stores too)

[ncscgirl2005]

I have to rant for a moment.

I bought a dress from Macy's a couple of weeks ago. I realized later that I didn't really like the dress so I decided to return it. I took the dress to Macy's today and the total was supposed to be credited back to my debit card. However, lo and behold, the system could not recognize my debit card. We kept swiping and each time we heard a beep. So the cashier says "I'm sorry mam but I cannot put the amount back on your card. I can give you a gift card instead".

Ok...so that upset me because I know there is nothing wrong with my card. I used it the day before at Target and it was fine. No problem whatsoever. I even went to another store after leaving Macys and used it with no problem.

So that leads me to believe that was ploy to try to keep that money in Macy's. Now I have to use that money in Macys because it was returned to me in a gift card. By them not crediting it back to my account means that I can't use that money to go to Pennys or Dillards to buy a different dress.

I am so frustrated. I was running mulitple errands today so I didn't have time to stick around for a manager. I bet if it were the other way around and I was actually buying something from them instead of returning, my card would have worked with no problem.



Ok...I'm done.

[crazypoohbear]

Are you sure it was the same card? Sometimes it won't work if you used a different card.
I agree with you about be stuck having to shop at Macy's now. I have found that I don't like much of their clothes these days. They don't have the sales and coupons that Filene's did and the choices aren't great.

[J9]

This happened to my mom before. She couldn't wait around either. Next time she went in to pay her bill, she took both receipts, the credit card, and the gift card and asked to speak to a manager.

They weren't able to get it back on the original CC, but they did credit her macy's account instead. Our Macy's is nice like that!

[MuppetVision Fansu]

Sorry that this happened to you! I agree that this sounds like Macy's was trying to keep the money in their store. If the magnetic strip doesn't work on a card, there is always the option of punching in the number manually. They can take your money this way, they can certainly return it that way. The only thing I think of that could have gone wrong is that you gave them the wrong card. You do need to use the exact card you purchased the dress with. I'd try to give them a call tomorrow and speak to a manager to figure it out!

[tinkerbellybutton]

Sorry that this happened to you! I agree that this sounds like Macy's was trying to keep the money in their store. If the magnetic strip doesn't work on a card, there is always the option of punching in the number manually. They can take your money this way, they can certainly return it that way. The only thing I think of that could have gone wrong is that you gave them the wrong card. You do need to use the exact card you purchased the dress with. I'd try to give them a call tomorrow and speak to a manager to figure it out!

Sorry to hear about this, how frustrating! I also agree that it sems that Macy's was trying to keep the money in store. I think the idea of calling the manager is great, maybe you can get some satisfaction.

[ncscgirl2005]

At first I thought I had given her the wrong card but when I looked at my receipt the last four on the acct matched my debit card. Also, I haven't used any of my credit cards for store purchases in almost 3 months. I have only been using one credit card on constant monthly basis and that is my Chase Disney (you know why) but I only use that to pay my Avon invoice online.

The cashier offered to credit the amt to my Macy's account but I don't have one. Don't think I want one now.

I will call them. I am convinced this is a scheme to keep my money in Macys

[SBETigg]

Since you accepted the gift card, it's possibly too late to amend the situation. Now it's not a matter of making a return, but in cashing in a gift card, which makes it a new situation and one they may not be able to fix.

In the future, don't accept what the cashier in the department has to say. Take your purchase to the main office, explain the situation, and ask for assistance there. I'm sorry this happened this way for you, and I understand the frustration.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

I'm sorry for your frustration...I work in Store Systems for another retailer (not Macy's) and it sounds to me like the store may have been having some systems communication issues, which makes it hard to process credit and debit transactions.

However, the cashier should have been more understanding and offered other options than just "the card won't work". Definately ask for a manger whenever you have questions about a transaction, it is harder to get it corrected after the fact.

[sardanem]

I think that is terrible and I would definitley speak to a manager. I still don't like that it has to go back on my debit card instead of giving me back cash.. If I am paying for a purchase and use my debit card, it is just like using cash. It comes out of my account almost immediately. How come it takes a few days to show up as a credit on my account? The stores say that the banks say they have to credit the account back as opposed to giving cash back like they used to, but I asked Wachovia and they said it is the stores decision. I wonder why the stores don't just give back the cash anymore?


Lisa

[Disney Doll]

I think that is terrible and I would definitley speak to a manager. I still don't like that it has to go back on my debit card instead of giving me back cash.. If I am paying for a purchase and use my debit card, it is just like using cash. It comes out of my account almost immediately. How come it takes a few days to show up as a credit on my account? The stores say that the banks say they have to credit the account back as opposed to giving cash back like they used to, but I asked Wachovia and they said it is the stores decision. I wonder why the stores don't just give back the cash anymore?


Lisa

I think it's fair to refund a debit card purchase electronically. I don't know the reasoning behind the policy, but I can tell you that for security reasons not a lot of cash is kept in each register. $200.00 is pretty standard and that includes all the change. They probably need what cash they have to make change for customers.

to the OP- I doubt the cashier was scheming to keep your money at Macy's. More than likely there were some problems with the system and the cashier didn't want to bother investigating. I know you said you were in a hurry, but you should always ask to speak to a manager right then and there. Now you are asking to return a gift card for cash and that's against policy almost everywhere. I hope it all works out!

[Georgesgirl1]

I'm sorry that happened to you. How frustrating! Macy's drives me crazy and I avoid buying things there as much as possible.

I worked in several retail stores part time while in college and since to make some x-tra money, and at all of the stores we were not supposed to refund debit card purchases back to the debit card b/c of something about it sometimes taking multiple days to show back in the bank account. At all the stores I worked at we were supposed to give cash back only on a debit card. It may be possible that Macy's has something in their computer systems that will block the cashier from running a debit card refund in any way but cash and this cashier just wasn't properly trained.

Kristin