Charlotte Russe review: problem with online's &easy return& ( 2 comments)

I had the worst customer service experience of my life yesterday at charlotte russe store in westminster, ca. I made an order online on 11 / 27 / 2009. My order just arrived yesterday on 12 / 05 / 2009 (Free ground shipping) . I didn't like most of my items so i decided to return the majority of them on the same day.

12 / 05 / 2009 at 7:00 pm
When i came to the store to return the items, as soon as the sale associate saw that it was online order, she gave me this annoyed look. After she rudely asked for my id and credit card, then hrew them aside, she immediately called the store manager over. While the manager started to scrutinize my online receipt, the sale rep began to sniff the clothes and toss them around like they were pieces of trash. The sniffing and tossing of clothes went on for a long time. It didn't seem like they wanted to process the return so they took their time to sniff and toss the clothes. They asked me if i wanted to exchange for something in the store. I gave them a firm answer that i only wanted a refund of the unwanted items. They then asked me why i was returning the items, i said because they didn't look good on me. They didn't know what else to say, so they told me that i won't get my shipping & handling money back. I told them that it wasn't applied because i got free shipping. They didn't know what else to say so they continued to sniff the clothes. The sales rep was counting each one as she sniffed and said, "this one is good", she sniffed on, "this is good. . . ". . And then continue on to sniff some more. . . Smirks were all over her face, she looked as if she was having fun sniffing and wasting my time.

I didn't understand it would be such a hassle to return items. I couldn't take it anymore so i asked them, "is there a problem with returning online items to store? You guys seem to have a hard time processing the return. " the sales rep gave me her answer in a rudely sarcastic tone of voice, "oh, we're just doing our job. We had some problems with returns before so now we need to do this. " i then told her that i just received the clothes today she can check the receipt. She said, again, giving me the smirk and the sarcastic pretentious voice, " we believe you" then continue sniffing. While they were still sniffing, i was told to write down the my driver license number on the return slip along with the rest of my address, phone number etc. I asked them why i need to write down my dl #, they told me it's the store new policy.

So much for "easy return" as the online website stated. Instead of processing the return, they were acting like they were on a mission to investigate a crime and i was the criminal, and i was treated like one. I was standing there watching them sniffing, tossing, giving me dirty attitude, talking to me with a sarcastic tone of voice, giving me smirks while i was patiently waiting their for them to process my return.

Of course, i gave them some good rant about my problems with their attitude and their treatment of customer who returns items. After i started giving them some treatment in return, they suddenly remembered how to process the return and their atttitudes changed dramatically. I also managed to ask for their names. So here are their names:

Day of return is friday 12 / 04 / 2009
Name of sale associate: palama
Name of manager: gabriela

I don't understand why it has to be much a hassle / drama to return items to a store where the store policy clearly says all you need is the sale receipt & sale tags to get your refund. I'll be writing a nice, long letter to their corporate office about this incident. Customers don't need to take this kind of treatment when they return something to the store.