Had a VERY bizarre experience while buying a scanner at Staples

[Brian48]

My son's Xbox was like this. The serial number did not match the box. Noticed it only after we took it into servicing. They still helped us out since I kept all my paperwork, but it was still odd.

[Buzzetta]

Most retail had shrinkwrap machines as it was more cost efficient then zeroing out merchandise for simple rips or tears.

[MetalPSI]

Walmart throws all their returns and damaged merchandise straight into the trash compactor

[PBK78]

I bought Christmas lights from Home Depot this year. Opened one box and immediately realized someone returned used, old lights and I was lucky enough to buy that box.

 

Safe to say my average F bomb use increased that day.

[Mike's Rack]

 

But...while I was fiddling with it last night, I noticed that the serial number on the box didn't match the serial number on the unit. Odd. I bought it with my assistant straight from the shelf at Staples. But I didn't think much of it, until...

 

...I take it back to the store. The store manager examines the unit and says "I can't take this back, the serial numbers don't match."

 

I bought an X-Box game from Target once. Brand new, sealed. They kept all their games in a locked case. I had to get a clerk and ask him to unlock the case and get a copy for me. I pay for it get it home and open it to find no game in there but a AOL disk. You know the kind. The ones AOL used to mail out to everyone and their grandmother.

I bought a ps2 game once and when I got home to play it, the disk looked normal with the game logo on the back. When I put it in, it wasn't a game but a DVD of A River Runs Through It. It was a real pain trying to explain to the guy at Toys R Us

[fastballspecial]

Many years ago I sold my old Corolla to a guy I work with for his daughter.

 

He was very OCD about asking me for all the paper work including when I had the timing chain replaced. I dutifully gave him all the paper work and I get an harassing phone call about a week later after the sale.

 

He tells me he went thru all the paper work and the VIN number on my car doesn't match the invoice number on the repair job. So I go back and look and sure enough I sent him the paper work when I had my wife's corolla done.

 

So after a week of digging I send him the correct receipt and never hear back from again.

 

[Cascaders27]

I bought a digital camera at Wal-Mart and it was the last one of the model available. An employee unlocked the cage, took the box out, and handed it to me. I went up front and checked out and when I got home I opened it and the box was empty!

 

I called the store and drove back and the manager that evening was a real jerk about the situation. She indicated that the person who could watch the security footage wasn't available until tomorrow morning and they took my phone number and said they'd get back to me the next morning. I looked at the S/N on the empty box I had purchased and went back to the camera display and I was able to twist the display model camera enough on its security base to determine that I had been sold the empty box from the display model. I brought this to the manager's attention, and she said she didn't have the keys to unlock the cameras or disable the alarm they were on.

 

I really wanted to twist the camera until the alarm went off (it's not hard to do) to test her no keys excuse, but I opted to just go home and forget it for the night. They didn't call me the following morning, so I called them and they allowed me to return the empty box. I ended up finding the same camera elsewhere and I don't visit that Wal-Mart anymore.

 

Regarding the Staples issue - Having worked there in the past I'm surprised they even checked the S/N. Obviously all stores are different, but HP did always want the box back so that part was accurate, but I would have expected him to take it back and that their in store inventory person would deal with HP instead of trying to push it back on you

[Green]

So, I went to buy a scanner, because my old scanner finally gave up the ghost.

 

Couldn't find a good one that did slabs, so I went with one of those "all in one" dealios, thinking that tech had progressed enough that even an "all in one" would be able to make decent scans of slabs.

 

Nope. Can't do it.

 

But...while I was fiddling with it last night, I noticed that the serial number on the box didn't match the serial number on the unit. Odd. I bought it with my assistant straight from the shelf at Staples. But I didn't think much of it, until...

 

...I take it back to the store. The store manager examines the unit and says "I can't take this back, the serial numbers don't match."

 

Now, I'm a little dumbfounded, because I had purchased that unit, at that store, in that box. I told the guy that I didn't have any explanation for him, I'm just a comic book guy, and I don't have multiple units sitting around my house (this is a GIANT piece of equipment. The box was a good 30" x 30" x 24"), nor am I trying to run some sort of "all in one" printer return scam.

 

He said he'd never seen a case where a sealed box had a different unit in it. Well, he has now.

 

He says that HP won't accept the return. I tell him that that's not his fault, but it's also not my problem. He finally gives me the refund, but not without suspecting me of trying to scam Staples, and, frankly, if I were in his shoes, I probably would, too.

 

The unit was an HP 7610 "all in one" printer, by the way.

 

It was just the most bizarre thing, and now I will absolutely INSIST on opening every single product I buy from them to confirm everything matches before leaving the store.

 

Things are getting bad out there, folks.

 

Weird. Also weird is that i use a hp7410 all in one and it scans slabs very well.

[comicwiz]

The newer multifunction scanners run faster, have less quips (usually when you go with name brands), but the LED light doesn't illuminate enough to capture a clear image of the suspended comic floating between plastic. You need the flourescent bulbs, and the old HP legal scanners are usually the best. Unfortunately I had to learn this by buying three scaners in the space of a few months. The serial number hang-up sounds like they have had issues with returns in the past.

[JayT]

When I was young I had a pretty good position at what I guess is a major retail department store chain, at least a busy one, and both the number of ways and by how many people there were working the system was widespread, and pretty much typical from my experience.

 

Layaway and returns was a plum job for a shady employee, and as someone who was in charge of both recieving and distribution to the floor, I can tell you that it's a constant thing.

 

There's a pretty common saying about store security being for the employees more than customers, and it's pretty true.

[lizards2]

So, I went to buy a scanner, because my old scanner finally gave up the ghost.

 

Couldn't find a good one that did slabs, so I went with one of those "all in one" dealios, thinking that tech had progressed enough that even an "all in one" would be able to make decent scans of slabs.

 

Nope. Can't do it.

 

There is a huge scanner thread devoted to this topic. It is indeed hard to find a new scanner that will scan slabs properly. Your best bet is to consult the thread and order the specific models mentioned. It might even be worth it to try to find a used one - some of the older models outperform the newest stuff.

 

Yeah, I'm aware of it...but you know me, I always gotta do it my way.

 

 

Side ways!!!

[kav]

I know if I ever purchase a higher end item such as a watch or jewelry from Costco, they physically open the box and show you the item for your approval before you take it out of the store and also sign your receipt to this effect.

 

Not getting the item you expect in your package is very frustrating. My wife and I purchased from a local group here two $100 gift cards for a nice restaurant a few years ago. When we received our mail with the cards, only one of them was included in the package.

 

I phoned up the group and explained what I had found and she basically told me they double check all packages before they go out and there was no possible way that that could happen and basically told me she thought I was attempting to scam from them a free gift card. This went back and forth for over a month and a half, we never did receive another card and we had to initiate a charge back through our credit card company for the amount of the missing card.

 

The owner of the company then phoned us up and told us how she thought we were being total scum and how could we live with ourselves trying to scam $100 from a business like hers. The owner told us we were no longer welcome to purchase any further gift cards from them..., as if I would after all that hassle and being called a thief by them. The charge back did go through eventually and we got our funds back, but what a hassle.

Remember kids cash is the gift card redeemable anywhere.

[krighton]

a bizarre experience is driving along a highway at night, the lights start to flicker and then the engine dies. A bright light suddenly shines down through the sunroof illuminating the car interior.

[RockMyAmadeus]

a bizarre experience is driving along a highway at night, the lights start to flicker and then the engine dies. A bright light suddenly shines down through the sunroof illuminating the car interior.

 

...go on.....

[ComicConnoisseur]

i remember back in the 1990s I bought a Sega Saturn cd game for $50 dollars.

The game was sealed and shrink-wrapped. I brought it home and opened it up to play and it was cracked! What a pain because the store was closed by the time I got home. The next day I brought it back with receipt, and the manager gave me a hassle accusing me of breaking the game. He eventually gave in and let me get the same game when I clearly pointed out their 30 day policy of damaged product.

What a pain though. The store was a good 5 mile ride up and back,plus I had to wait an extra day to play the game. Plus $50 bucks then was in 1990s money

 

 

[bluehorseshoe]

Must have been the Dynamic Forces variant scanner.