I recently had a very frustrating experience with Arden B over return policy.
I purchased a jacket at Arden B in New York while I was on vacation. I decided I did not want the jacket anymore and decided to return it, unworn with tags, to my local Arden B in Austin, Texas, aware of the 7 day return policy. I purchased the jacket on a Sunday (9/21) and took it to the store to return the next Sunday (9/28) believing I was within the 7 days (28-21 = 7; one week is considered 7 days; Sun to Mon = day 1, Mon to Tues = day 2, Tues to Wed = day 3, Wed to Thurs = day 4, Thurs to Fri = day 5, Fri to Sat = day 6, Sat to Sun = Day 7). The "co-manager" at the store said that I was past the 7 days because you had to count the day of purchase as Day 1, so their policy would not allow her to accept the return as by their calculation we were on day 8. The way to calculate return days was not explained to me at the time of purchase, was not printed on their receipt which just says "within 7 days" nor is posted in either Arden B store I had been to.
Admitting that the policy was confusing and it was a terrible situation, she said she could only offer store credit or exchange for my jacket. I proceeded to call the New York store from which I purchased the jacket, and the sales associate said the jacket is returnable as I was still on day 7. Going back again to my Austin Arden B, the Co-manager said that she could not accept the return and had to stand by her policy (direct instructions from corporate) but I could speak to another manager the following day.
The following day, out of curiosity, I called Arden B online customer service and I stated when I made a purchase (9/21) and asked if by returning by Sunday (9/28) I was still within their 7 day policy. The customer service agent said that yes, I could return the jacket.
I proceeded to call the Texas Arden B to speak to the other Manager. She asked if the other co-manager had "explained how to count the days". I found that to be quite insulting. Of course I know how to count, but the point was that the policy was unclear and that most people would assume a Sunday to Sunday was 7 days. She then claimed that she had to call customer service to get an authorization code to accept the return as her computer would not allow it, and if she could get that I could return the jacket. She said she would call me back and let me know what customer service said. As I had not heard from her, I called her again in 30 minutes and she made no mention of this code, but said that I had brought to her District Manager's attention different policies across districts and that I could bring in the jacket to return.
I took the jacket to the store an hour later. I walked up to the Sr. Manager who was standing behind the cash register and told her who I was. There were two cash registers. She said that the other sales associate behind the other cash register would help me after she rang someone up, who walked up about the same time as I did. The Manager then walked to the back of the store, helped someone in a dressing room, and finally only navigated her way back up front to sign my return. I waited for 5 minutes for the other sales associate to ring up the other customer. The Manager should have promptly returned my jacket at the open register and apologize for the situation rather than pretty much ignore me and offer no customer service. As I expressed my frustration to the other sales associate and stated that they should have a sign clearly stating how they calculate return days at their register, although she was empathetic, the Sr. Manager was no where in sight to hear any of this. I asked the sales associate who processed my return if her computer did not allow returns past 7 days. She said no, they can overwrite anything, unlike what the Manager had told me. When I asked the Manager "was no one at the store yesterday when I came to authorize this?" her reply was merely, the other manager was "new". After everything was processed they both looked at me and said "you're good" as my signal to leave. No apology in person from the manager garnered.
In short, their policy needs to be clearly stated at their cash register and on their printed receipts - ie returns must be made within 7 days, with your purchase date counting as day 1. As a national chain, their policy needs to be consistent from store to store and through their online store. If it the policy is not clear, they should quickly honor a one day difference on what could be considered 7 days instead of making a customer return to the store 3 times wasting valuable time. Their customer service is terrible and is a sure way to lose customers. Their return policy is clearly engineered to make money, and if they treat customers this way with no flexibility on an unclear policy and little apology on situations like these, they will lose customers as they have lost me.
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