Several years ago I had an issue with Famous Footwear and posted it here. At that time I vowed not to shop there again, but, on July 17, my 13 year old daughter saw their ad and just had to have a pair of the colored boat shoes. She had birthday money and we went in and she quickly found the color and size she wanted and she paid the sales woman. That night she decided she wanted a more neutral color. I became nervous because of my past experience with returns with them. But we were not returning anything, we were just exchanging for a different color.
She walked in on July 18 with the shoes in the shoe box, original bag and receipt from the day before. I waited outside and watched as she went up to the register and spoke with the exact woman that had sold her the shoes the day before. This woman did not know I was there.
My 13 year old daughter was told she could not exchange them without two government issued pieces of ID. Driver%u2019s license, passport, etc. Since she didn%u2019t have one, (her middle school card didn%u2019t work) she was not able to exchange them. I waited to see if they would do anything OTHER THAN discriminate against this child. Nope, nothing. My daughter came outside crying. Having been through this before, myself, I came prepared with my passport and government issued weapons permit. I went in and we quietly made the exchange. I requested the number of the sales woman%u2019s manager and she gave it to me.
I got home and called the manager and she recited the exact wording that the sales person did to my daughter, %u2018it%u2019s just what they require%u2019. Again, I understand the need to see certain ID to make sure that if a credit card it belongs to that person, but this was a cash transaction and the woman remembered my daughter from the day before.
Also be aware that whatever you show them as the required ID is copied and kept by them. On the receipt it states, "Returns information will be maintained in a company database". So, someone pays cash, exchanges shoes, and has to show a government-issued photo ID to do so and Famous Footwear has information from his / her driver%u2019s license, passport, etc, all for just a cash purchase! Also, the ID%u2019s must have photos. A social security card with your name (government issued) matching all your other ID%u2019s won%u2019t work.
They are saying, %u2018if you are young (pre driver%u2019s license) you can purchase our shoes but you can%u2019t return or exchange them, BUT, if you are old enough to have a drivers license or other, you can purchase and return/exchange. (A 13 year old doesn%u2019t have an ID they accept). Kids can purchase but must have a parent with them to exchange/return because they don%u2019t have the acceptable ID? How can this be legal since they are discriminating against being young and anyone that doesn%u2019t have a driver%u2019s license.
I am really open to hearing from Famous Footwear about their reasoning for this. Tell us why you insist on this? Not just the rule, but a logical reason %u2013I may not agree with it -but I will listen to your reasoning and I believe we have a right to know.
I have a call in to the local newspaper to speak with someone about this. If anyone can get to a person to ask, reporters can. Hopefully they will wonder about this policy also.
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