Complaint Review: Avenue - San Antonio Texas

Date:  April, 05, 2012  The purpose of this letter is to register a complaint against Avenue retail store personnel. The store is located in Westover Market Place on 8219 State Highway 151, Space 109, San Antonio,TX 78245. Their telephone number is 210-767-1700. I am registering the complaint for the inhumane, unprofessional, vile, nasty way I was treated by the two Avenue store clerks. I am appalled and upset by how I was treated. There was an older female store clerk and a younger female store clerk. I checked out with the younger store clerk and paid cash for my merchandise. I later (within a couple of hours) went back to the store to return the shoes and requested cash back from the older store clerk. All that got me from both of them was a threat to call security when I: 1) refused to give them any personal identifying information for a cash transaction and 2) reminded them that they were not honoring their own return policy because I had my receipt and had just purchased from them with cash within the last hour or so. I reminded them that I had given them identification
information previously on a shopping trip to that particular store location and if they no longer had it, then that was not my fault.    Here is the background information:  This afternoon (04/05/2012), I purchased a pair of shoes, a pair of earrings, and a necklace from Avenue located in Westover Market Place on 8219 State Highway 151, Space 109, San Antonio,TX 78245. When I got ready to check out, one of the two clerks asked if I was using a credit card. I told her no that I was
paying cash. She then tried to get me to apply for an Avenue credit card to get thirty percent off my purchase. I politely told her that I was not interested in that and was just trying to get some shoes to match a lavender suit and since they didnt have any lavender shoes I would settle for the tan ones I was purchasing. She then tried to get me to apply for the card again. Once more, I declined her offer then told her I had cash to pay for the merchandise if she would just ring it up for me. We were amicable with one another.   She said okay, then asked for my zip code. Not thinking anything about it, I gave it to her. She then asked for the last four numbers of my telephone number, which I gave her. She then asked for my last
name, which I gave to her. Then she asked for my first name. I stopped, then thought about it. I kindly asked her what she was doing and why. She said she needed the information for their database to send me coupons and discounts. I told her she had my information in the system already (full name and all). I also said I did not feel comfortable giving to her information again because there were people standing around looking and listening.  I politely told her all I wanted to do at that point was complete the cash transaction without all of the information so that I could be on my way. She got really agitated and rude, stating that if I had to return merchandise, I had better give her the information she requested. I
then told her no that I would not do that and if she did not want the cash that was fine.   The younger store clerk
reluctantly completed the cash transaction. It was clear that she and the older store clerk (who was at the checkout counter were upset). There really was no reason for them to be like that because I remained courteous and never raised
my voice or got indignant with them. In fact, as I was leaving the store, both store clerks began discussing me with each other and the customers that were nearby. They did not try to hide it, even calling me weird. That was fine with me. I did not turn around to confront any of them about their attitudes, words, or anything.   I went my way. A little while later I received a call that someone had found some lavender shoes to match my suit, so I returned to Avenue to return the shoes only. As I entered the store, the younger store clerk greeted me. I told her someone had found lavender shoes to match my suit so I was going to return the Avenue shoes but keep the necklace and earrings. She said, Oh okay.  As I reached the checkout counter, the older store clerk was on the telephone. I waited for her to get off. She got off the telephone and asked what I wanted. I told her I was returning the shoes that I had just bought about an hour or so ago.   She said, Okay. So she took the shoes and started keying into her register. She asked for my identification like a drivers license or credit card. I told the older store clerk that I did not give the younger store clerk an identification or credit card because this was a cash transaction, not a credit card transaction and I did not feel comfortable giving it to her. She then said she had to have
it in order to process the return. I told the older store clerk I did not understand the procedure.   At that point, the younger store clerk intervened and told the older store clerk that she did not get an ID card from me but she did get my zip, last name, and telephone number. She went on to say she could not find me in their system and she could not use my name to look through the database because the system is not set up that way and they can only find customers by their telephone number. Her attitude changed in a negative way.  So the older store clerk got rude and demanding. She said if I wanted my money back, I would have to give her the information. She got loud. People started looking so it became an embarrassing situation. The younger store clerk chided in. I, in turn, raised my voice and told them they were wrong and there was no
way I was going to keep a pair of shoes that I no longer needed.  At that time, the older store clerk motioned
toward the telephone and said she was going to call security. The younger store clerk backed her. I told her to call whomever she pleased but I was not leaving without my refund and I did not understand either of their problems.   Then the older store clerk said that I was trying to make them go against their own policy by not cooperating with
them and if I would read the posted return policy on the glass checkout counter, then I would see that I agreed to their terms when I made my cash purchase with them. I responded that if that was the case, then the younger store clerk
violated policy by selling to me in a cash transaction without getting my drivers license or any other sort of credit card. I went on to say that I would not have made a cash purchase where I had to present a credit card or any sort of ID because that makes no sense. And Avenue has nothing posted stating that identification or credit cards must be presented at the time of a cash transaction.    The older store clerk told me four times to read the return policy posted under the glass on the countertop. I did and the policy clearly stated that returns are allowed on cash purchases as long as a customer has a receipt for the returned merchandise. After the fourth time, both store clerks told me to read it again because I was reading their policy incorrectly. I did. And the other part stated that if a credit card is used for a purchase then identification must be presented at the time of refund.  They then got really mad and started screaming at me. Finally, the older store clerk said she was not going to give me anything not a dime of my money and she was going to go ahead and call security if I did not leave the store. I told her to go ahead. Then the younger store clerk asked the older one if she would just do a void on the shoe purchase. The older store clerk said no then thought about it. She looked at me and said she would not do anything. I said I was not going to leave until I go the refund for the shoes because even their own policy shows that they are wrong
on the return of merchandise purchased with cash.   The younger clerk told the older clerk they could do something. Then the other store clerk said okay. She turned to me once again and said that the only way she would do anything is if I gave back the earrings and the necklace I purchased with the shoes. I asked her if she was serious and she vehemently say yes. I said, Okay. 
I turned leave when she changed her mind and said she was not going to do anything. There was a customer a few inches away from us and I asked her if she heard the older clerk say she would void the entire transaction if I gave back the shoes as well as everything else I purchased. The lady told the clerk she heard her say that. Then the older clerk accepted that.   I left to go to my car and again the two store clerks started saying nasty, unsettling things to each other and the
customer about me while I was leaving.  I went to my car and got the earrings and the bracelet. When I returned the two
store clerks were still discussing me with each other and a customer. It did not faze me because I had decided that once I left that Avenue I would never go to that store or any Avenue anywhere ever again. Whats more, I knew I was going
to make sure family members and friends and their co-workers and friends, etc. would never patronize that Avenue or any other Avenue, no matter where. JC Penney, Dillards, Macys, Catherines, and other stores will get our business from this
point forward. And we are willing to pay any price we have to as long as it is not at Avenue or any of its sister stores on or off line.    In the end, the older store clerk reluctantly took back all of the merchandise and gave me a full refund. I got no apology or anything. To top it off, she would not give me any sort of receipt showing the merchandise was returned or voided. At that point, I said thank you, took my money, and left. No words of any sort were exchanged after that. Nevertheless, I am appalled and upset. I have never had that happen to me and I have never been in such a horrible, embarrassing situation.  Given the aforementioned, I am lodging a complaint against Avenue in Westover Market Place on 8219 State Highway 151, Space 109, San Antonio,TX 78245. They disrespected me, humiliated me, berated me, and treated me like a criminal by threatening to call security on me when I did nothing wrong. They totally belittled me in front of each other and customers. And what a childish thing to do to ask for all of the merchandise back rather than just accept the shoes for the refund all of this unprofessional, bad behavior simply because I wanted to obtain some sense of privacy and did not want to give out information for all to hear. And if you think about it, they had my name anyway. What was the problem with just looking it up in the computer to keep it from being heard by those who were in earshot of us?   Do I not have the right to keep my information private, especially during what should have been a routine cash purchase? Can I
not protect myself, especially if others are within earshot?