I went into Home Depot this past weekend to buy a replacement head and nozzle for a broken lawn sprinkler, and when I went to check out, the clerk asked me for ID on my huge $9 CC purchase...

ME: "No, you can compare the signatures. I don't have to show you my ID."

HER: "It says right here you have to show ID." She pointed to the card reader on the counter, and sure enough, there was a sticker on the reader saying "Please show card and license to clerk".

ME: "I don't care what that sticker says. Requiring me to show ID is a violation of your merchant agreement. You can compare signatures like you're supposed to."

HER: "Well, how are we supposed to know it's really you?"

ME: "You can compare the signatures."

HER: "Hold on a minute." She picked up the internal phone and called someone, presumably her manager. The store was noisy so it was hard to hear what she was saying on the phone...she finally said "okay" and hung up the phone. She completed the sale without asking for ID again.

I left her register and went to the returns counter and returned the items. Then I went to Lowe's.

What is really funny about all this is that I was about to use the "self-checkout" machine, but she motioned me over to her register. I could have purchased the items without all of her unnecessary BS.

I NEVER BACK DOWN!!!

THAT STICKER CAME FROM VISA/MC???????????

100% CHANCE NO!!!!

Oh, hell no, George! It was some cheesy sticker made with a label maker. I should take a pic of it and send it to Visa, MC, Amex, and Discover...

I NEVER BACK DOWN!!!

So far... so good.

Then, it gets silly...


You got what you wanted, them to do it right. Right? So, what was the point of going to Lowe's?

As consumers we have the power to decide who gets our hard earned money. He did a smart thing -- he went to a place where he is respected and not treated like a criminal.

I'm sorry but - LOL! - thats really funny - but yes, we have the right to go where we feel we're treated fairly

If he had cancelled the transaction at the register before it was completed, you'd/he'd have a point. To complete the transaction, then walk over and return the items, after getting it done the correct way, is absurd.

That's just it...the transaction WAS NOT done the correct way! The moment the clerk asked me for ID with a SIGNED CARD, she (and Home Depot by extension) was in VIOLATION of their merchant agreement. They had already F-ed up...anything that happened after that didn't matter. The damage was already done. Lowe's was just a mile down the road and happy to take my card without all the BS. Not only did Home Depot lose that sale, they just lost a lot of future business from me! That was some expensive ID check for Home Depot!

It wasn't clear from your original post - did you report them? Have you written to the corporate offices?

Did you show your ID? No.

Was the transaction completed? Yes.

Result: It was done correctly.

Now, it may have only been done correctly at your urging, but nevertheless, it ended up being done correctly.

If they had already screwed up beyond repair when they asked for ID to begin with, then why did you allow the transaction to be completed? Any point that you could've hoped to make could have been made by walking right then and there. You didn't gain any extra bonus points by completeing the sale and immeditaely returning it.

When you returned it, did you at least tell them why you were returning it?

Because it costs Home Depot more $$$ to complete the purchase, then return it. I'm an a**hole.

I'm going to take a pic of the label and send it with a nice (nasty?) letter to HD corporate...CMRRR, of course!

LOL. Yeah, I noticed their stock is on the verge of collapse because of sudden and unexpected increased overhead costs.

Heh heh...but hey, Tony Stewart won on Sunday...

Did he stay in a Holiday Inn Express?

I guess Lowes actually needed the sale more - what with them having to pay the fine for their cheating crew chief one way or another.

Ummm, Nascar reference??????

Yup... http://www.nascar.com/drivers/dps/jjohnson00/cup/index.html

CORRECT???

YOUR DREAMING!!!

THEY STILL MADE THE MISTAKE OF ASKING FOR ID IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!

BACKING DOWN DOES NOT REALLY MAKE IT DONE RIGHT

How is this any different than the scanner ringing up the wrong price, the customer pointing it out, and the correction being made with the correct price? As a Wal-Marter yourself, would you really want everybody acting in a similar way whenever a pricing mistake is made?

And, besides, he didn't back down... he stood his ground and got it done right. That is the point, isn't it?

PRICING ERROR IS DIFFERENT

THE CASHIER DIDN'T CHANGE THE PRICE OF THE $5.00 PICTURE FRAME TO $10.00 AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE

(another employee in the store made the pricing error earlier BEFORE the customer even touched the picture frame)

THE CASHIER MADE THE ATTEMPT TO ASK FOR ID

THAT IS THE POINT!!!

GEORGE "gets it"...

You're splitting hairs and grasping for a difference that isn't there. The fact is there is not nearly as much difference as you're trying to claim. It's a minor mistake. A mistake that can be corrected, and was corrected. If that's not the point, then what is? To impress the cashiers and management with your credit savy? To make extra work for ourselves so we can go back to Creditboards so we can look cool because we really showed "the man" and get patted on the back by others? If you tell them "no, it's supposed to be done this way"... and they stop and do it that way... then you win! That's it. You win. Anything beyond that is grandstanding.

what-ever.....

As ol' Bob used to say...

Get up, stand up
Stand up for your rights
Get up, stand up
Don't give up the fight

BTW, this particular incident goes way beyond a simple cashier's mistake. There was a PRINTED LABEL on the CARD READER that was a VIOLATION of their merchant agreement...this comes from somewhere above the cashier...like store management or CORPORATE POLICY, perhaps???

When I said mistake, I meant the store's mistake, not necessarily the cashier's. The cashier was just doing what she was told by her boss. But, in relating to your point, you are absolutely correct. It was an idea that went beyond just you. Even though they caved in and did it right for you, a reporting to VISA would still be entirely justified, because you and I both "know" they just wanted to get you out the door and they kept asking other customers. Only the return and Lowe's trip was a bunch of extra nothing.

I'm still curious, when you returned the items, do you at least tell them why you were returning them?

Untrue...and yes, I told them why I was returning the items. The returns cashier didn't really care why, though.

Can't expect some $6.15/hr high school worker bee to understand, I guess.

I'm actually glad I went to Lowe's...the store here is brand new and a much nicer store than HD, even apart from the differences at checkout.

We disagree on whether or not it was time well spent, but there's no need for us to keep repeating the same things over and over, too. Personally, I would have taken the stuff I bought and gone home and called VISA and just not gone to HD in the future. Then again, I hate HD to begin with. They're my last choice among the home improvement stores. Lowe's does tend to be nicer.

And, you're right, most low-level employees really don't care, but if you don't tell anybody, you can't expect anything to ever change. They'll just do what they want, policies be damned. And, ya never know, maybe the returns person will complain to their manager, and they (usually) do care. They need to keep sales up.

Roger that...

Grandstanding is exactly what this is. You got them to complete the transaction without ID. Get over yourself and get a life. Put your efforts into a worthy cause.

AS IF EDUCATION OF THE UNINFOMEND IS NOT WORTH OUR TIME

SOME PEOPLE SPEND ALL THEIR TIME HERE SAYING I'M WRONG FOR DOING WHAT I DO...

I HAVE BEEN TOLD I DON'T BELONG HERE BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER BEEN THERE (as in bad credit)...

Wrong. Grandstanding would be me making a big, loud scene in front of everyone in the store. I conducted myself in a quiet and civilized, yet firm, manner.

BTW, what defines a "worthy cause" to you? FYI, my wife and I are Red Cross volunteers...try spending a hurricane season here in Florida...you'll meet wonderful people who have lost EVERYTHING...it really puts life's little annoyances in perspective.

Next...

That's okay, GEORGE...you're an inspiration to us all...well, most of us, anyway...NEVER BACK DOWN!!!

Red Cross volunteers- that is a great cause, and I respect anyone who gives their time to helping others in that capacity.

Going to a store, purchasing something, getting asked for ID, and then getting your way- that is fine.
Returning the item to make a point and then coming on here to brag about it- completely asinine.

Asinine? Perhaps...in your opinion...but still my right as a consumer.

I decide who gets my $$$, not Home Depot.

That's ok, we still have hope you'll catch on.

Ok, the Creditboards version of the "end-zone dance".

FIRING SQUAD PICTURE IS NOT ASININE???