Returning loan-a-tools at Autozone

[jeepman3071]

I recently loaned a fuel pressure tester and a 3-jaw puller from the local Autozone. The total came to $212. I didn't mind since I was putting it on my credit card, and I would only be using them for one day and bringing them back the next. Keep in mind that this Autozone is located about 30 minutes from my house, and is the closest one in the area. I have loaned tools from here many times with no issue.

The first issue I had was that the adapter for the fuel pressure tool had mangled threads inside, so I couldn't screw it onto the test port and check the fuel pressure on a friend's Jeep.

I go to bring back the tools around 10:30am the next morning, and they tell me that they cannot give be a refund because they don't have enough money in the register. I told them I used my credit card, and that usually they just put the money back on the card. I could see if I needed cash back, and they had just opened at 8am or something. The girl at the register still told me it wouldn't work with the card, and that I would have to come back in the evening and they could put the money on my credit card. Nothing like wasting an hour driving back and forth and I still couldn't even use the tool.

I have never heard of this before, and it seems like something that the customer should be warned about beforehand. The employee seemed annoyed that I was even asking to return it.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Sounds to me like the person working the register had no idea what they were doing and tried to make up an excuse to get you out of there.

 

[earlyre]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
Sounds to me like the person working the register had no idea what they were doing and tried to make up an excuse to get you out of there.

+1

 

[jeepman3071]

This girl has been working there for a while. Not that it means she had any clue what she was doing, but it just surprised me. Doesn't make any sense to me seeing how it is a credit card. It doesn't matter how much they have in the cash drawer.

 

[sxg6]

After working in retail for many years, I have to question if the tool loaning program impacts the stores KPI's (key performance indicators). I'm basically wondering if the girl didn't want to give you money back because it would have a negative impact on the stores sales numbers while she was there.

I worked at a clothing store for many, many years. We tracked every single metric you could possibly imagine, every hour of the day. Stuff like ADS (average dollar sale, average price of each transaction), UPT (units per transaction, how many items someone buys), conversion (the percentage of people who walk through the door and buy something), these are just the tip of the iceberg. Having a $200 return will dig your ADS and other numbers into a hole. This wouldn't be the first time I've heard of stores lying to customers claiming they couldn't do a return.

I don't know if this is what happened in your case, I don't even know if the loan a tool program has an impact on the stores numbers. I'm always skeptical after the things I've seen and heard though, and saying she couldn't give you your money back with cash when you paid credit is very skeptical. Where I worked we couldn't give back cash if you paid credit even.

 

[NMBurb02]

Originally Posted By: sxg6
After working in retail for many years, I have to question if the tool loaning program impacts the stores KPI's (key performance indicators). I'm basically wondering if the girl didn't want to give you money back because it would have a negative impact on the stores sales numbers while she was there.

I worked at a clothing store for many, many years. We tracked every single metric you could possibly imagine, every hour of the day. Stuff like ADS (average dollar sale, average price of each transaction), UPT (units per transaction, how many items someone buys), conversion (the percentage of people who walk through the door and buy something), these are just the tip of the iceberg. Having a $200 return will dig your ADS and other numbers into a hole. This wouldn't be the first time I've heard of stores lying to customers claiming they couldn't do a return.

I don't know if this is what happened in your case, I don't even know if the loan a tool program has an impact on the stores numbers. I'm always skeptical after the things I've seen and heard though, and saying she couldn't give you your money back with cash when you paid credit is very skeptical. Where I worked we couldn't give back cash if you paid credit even.

It should not affect the store's metrics. The loan-a-tool program is designed for you to pick up a tool (most often times the tool is well worn), leave a deposit, and then get your deposit back when you return the tool.

 

[sxg6]

That's what I admit I'm unsure about. But at the end of the day, I still see it as the store accepting $212, and having to give back $212 the next day. I'm familiar with the loan a tool program, but I don't know how sophisticated autozone's point of sale system is, and if its smart enough to somehow exclude that $212 return from the stores hourly and daily metrics. From what I've seen, most retail POS systems probably aren't smart enough to somehow exclude that sale/return.

 

[stephen9666]

Did you actually use a credit card or was it a debit card? Some stores give cash refunds for debit purchases.

If you did actually use a credit card, then I vote that she didn't know what she was talking about or was confused.

 

[Sayjac]

Had a similar type incident with AZ a year or so back. I had a coupon for (iirc) Gumout All In One, it made it really inexpensive. When I took it to the counter, not one employee could figure out how to use the coupon to reduce the price. I got a little ticked and said something to the effect, you got be kidding me, you can't figure how to use a manufacturers coupon. Manager finally so embarrassed he ended up giving me the product free of charge. I was willing to pay the price after coupon for the AIO, but I wasn't going to turn down his offer since he couldn't figure out how to make the coupon work. Amazing.

As mentioned, I suspect the worker didn't know how to put it back on your card, so you had to come back. No offense intended to all auto parts store counter jocks, but many are basically minimum wage employees with little knowledge about auto parts, and less about other things like clerical side.

 

[Bryankkkk]

I had same issue at autozone, bought some rubber grommets for 32 bucks,paid with credit card., didnt need them so i went to return and they gave me cash back.

 

[Kuato]

Situation like that, I show them my receipt and ask for a manager. Done.

 

[Donald]

While they do track all kinds of metrics in retail, I still would assume the girl did not know what she was doing. Even if she did not have enough $$ in her register I would almost guarantee they have cash in a safe the manager can access. Its routine to need change for a register and have a manager get it from the safe. You do not assume you will take in enough cash to cover for the change needed. People come in with a $100 bill and buy a QT of oil.

 

[99Saturn]

I'd be pretty shocked if the policy was to return as cash rather than back to the credit card/debit card given the fee the store gets hit with for accepting the credit card.

Whether it was lack of knowledge or the employee or a clever employee avoiding bad metrics...

I honestly would not be shocked if the rent a tool counts as a return. Working a few years in retail environments, to me there is a ton of stuff that are the best of bad solutions to the need of metrics.

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted By: stephen9666
Did you actually use a credit card or was it a debit card? Some stores give cash refunds for debit purchases.

If you did actually use a credit card, then I vote that she didn't know what she was talking about or was confused.


I used a credit card, not a debit card (I don't own a debit card). I also specifically asked if she couldn't do the return even though I used a credit card and showed the receipt. What I thought was strange is that she looked at the receipt and then told me she couldn't do it, like the dollar amount was a deciding factor.

I have a friend who said the same female employee gave him attitude once when he was there, so I'm not doubting it may be an employee problem, but I just want to make sure it isn't some kind of company policy before I mention it to the manager. The manager at this particular Autozone is actually pretty good. He is a retired ASE certified tech and will go out of his way to help the customers. I can't say the same about his employees, and it is a shame he wasn't there when this event occurred.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

Auto Zone just opened a store in our city this spring ,and I don't think there is any one working there that knows @*#$ about anything mechanical. They are going to have to get better if they are going to compete with the other parts houses in town.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: NMBurb02
It should not affect the store's metrics. The loan-a-tool program is designed for you to pick up a tool (most often times the tool is well worn), leave a deposit, and then get your deposit back when you return the tool.


It's still a return. We know that, taken together, the purchase (it is a purchase) and the return (it is a return) is a wash for the store, that AutoZone had a net sales number for the first day of $200 higher than it would have been otherwise, and a net sales number $200 lower on that second day than it would have been otherwise due to the return.

I'm sure this is not the reason for the initial refusal to return, but that is how most stores track sales.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: 99Saturn
I'd be pretty shocked if the policy was to return as cash rather than back to the credit card/debit card given the fee the store gets hit with for accepting the credit card.

Whether it was lack of knowledge or the employee or a clever employee avoiding bad metrics...

I honestly would not be shocked if the rent a tool counts as a return. Working a few years in retail environments, to me there is a ton of stuff that are the best of bad solutions to the need of metrics.


I have not rented a tool from auto zone, but "renting" a tool from Advance is a return.

They sell you the tool, you return the tool and they issue you a charge back as if you bought a defective part.

It would have drove their sales negative for the morning.

 

[dlundblad]

The girl definitely sounded like she was a rookie.

My local AZ is awful. First of all they get confused when you tell them you are in there looking for car parts. I had a guy, who claimed to be a 10 year AZ veteran, argue with me on whether or not my fan clutch was bad. He then misunderstood my 750 mile usage for 70,000 miles and laughed at me when I said it failed so soon. Looking back I probably made a bit of an [censored] of myself over such a small issue, but I doubt he would have given me the new part otherwise.

 

[Thermo1223]

I just did this at a local Autozone in Easton, PA

Rented the R-134a Gauge Manifold and the Vacuum Pump as well.

Both were like brand new although someone obviously made a mess with UV Dye. Actually the pump was brand new. I had to add the oil for it.

I payed with a credit card, returned a few hours later and it got put right back on. The only thing I noticed was he needed a manager's approval 3 times through the process because of the high dollar amount.

The girl is a flake or just rude, it could have been done easily.

 

[eljefino]

Many retail registers totally nag the worker if they have more than $200 cash in them-- they want a $200 drop in the safe. Clerks can over-ride this if they get a rush, which is why you rarely see them handling this.

Plausibly she was handling this as a cash return.

Remotely plausibly, she was hoping you'd throw the tools down and leave, and she could return them herself for the cash.

The best approach is to ask for a manager and declare you'll be doing a credit card charge back. Then, call the number on the back of your card right in front of them and have them void the sale, say the clerks aren't working with you.