May I comment again. If it's written at the bottom of the receipt you got, they have no choice but to honor it. They can't orally change the rules on you! Then why is it written on the receipt you have? Is it written anywhere that this rule only applies to gift receipts? As if. And so if it were the case, then why not on boxing day, the day when typically one returns their gifts? Makes no sense, and a good call to the Better Business Bureau or Consumer Protection will be an eye opener for you I am sure.
Let me tell you a little story of something that happened to me recently:
Lately I fell prey to scammers, but when I turned around and defended myself through calling the appropriate bureaux, I was very surprised to discover that "suddenly" I was right, that it was "all a terrible mess" and that the "person responsible for it was no longer with them"! lol.
In my case it was a chiro I went to see back in Sept. when I was suffering a horrible back pain, after friends recommended I do so. I chose this guy in my area because he seemed legit and had a great website. When I called I inquired about the price and was told "about $180" and I politely refused because that was too much money and chiros are not covered on my insurance. But the receptionist said the "doctor" invited me to come to his office the next morning just to help. So I went, and finally - I was in so much pain - agreed to pay for the $180, thinking I was going to receive a treatment. Turns out he didn't do anything, asked me a bunch of medical questions and took some X-Rays, which was the cost of the $180. Ah, and they also pointed a taser-like machine on my back to show me where it hurt (as if I didn't already know!). Then they insisted I come back the following Tuesday with my spouse, absolutely, and it was at 6pm, and they couldn't make it at 6:10. (I had to shorten a class to get there on time!).
When I arrived (alone), there were several other potential costumers there and we were fed an hour "class" which really was a pitch sale and a scare tactic, showing us X-rays of badly crooked spines that had been corrected through years of bi-weekly attendance. After this, we had to wait our turn to see the "doctor" one on one with out own X-Rays. When my turn finally came (last), he showed me my spine and it was a complete zigzag! He told me that my present pain was symptomatic of much deeper problems and if I didn't do anything right now my spine would fuse, and by January I could probably not work anymore. I was in a bit of a shock because I am quite athletic and flexible, and other than this sudden back pain I had not experienced any other problems. Yet, if I accepted his treatments, I had to sign up for 3 X a week for a few months. My work schedule did not allow this, and so he told me he couldn't help me then. I asked him if he would be willing to send to X-rays to my doctor, and he said that although usually this is never done, he, yes, hum, would send them if the doctor's office asked for them. (What I didn't know then was that these were mine and I could have asked for them right away. Be warned if it happens to you).
It may sound funny from the outside, but truly, I was in real pain, and seeing those pics of my spine was a deeply unsettling experience. I cried driving on the way back. I went to see my real doctor and demanded that the X-rays be transferred ot his office because I wanted to have his say on the matter. I am a teacher and I need my back to work, thank you very much. My doctor examined me and said he could not detect any scoliosis on my back, and diagnosed a pulled muscle. He sent me to physio, and sent a request for the X-rays to be transferred.
The pain actually subsided within a week.
But the X-Rays never arrived to my doctor's office. I called the chiro's clinic and was told repetitively that they had been sent.
Then life took over. But I just could not shake the image of my very crooked spine and the memory of the pain. You know, it's the type of thing that comes back to nag you at 3 am when you can't sleep. A month 1/2 later I called my doctor and he had still not received the X-Rays. Call the clinic, get the same answer, and am told they had sent everything, x-rays and originals, so they didn't have anything in their possession.
So I took another appt. with my doc and he took X-rays, and said he would call the chiro's clinic personally. Later that day I'm in between classes and see a message from my doc's on my cell. I call back, it was my doc's secretary, the sweetest, most efficient lady I know. She was obviously very shaken because she had called the chiro's office and had been badly snarled at by their receptionist, like what they didn't have anything, and to leave them alone. For me that was the last draw. I apologized to her to have been subjected to this. Then, the next day, I was on the case. I called the College of Chiropractors of Ontario in Toronto and learned that by law, a chiropractor has to keep a record of my files including my X-Rays, and that any transfer has to happen by courier or registered mail.
I then wrote a polite, but firm letter to the chiro's office, telling them I was concerned that sensitive information about my health had been lost. I told them that according to the C. of C. of Ontario, they should still have the original and to please confirm this with me. And also, if they could confirm the method of delivery, registered mail or name of the courier, so that I could try to track my lost X-rays.
Within the hour I had a voicemail from the receptionist: "Oh, so sorry for the terrible mess, please rest assured, your X-rays are not lost anywhere in the cyberspace, we have them with us, it was another person who is no longer with us, I have found them, I take on personally to send it to your doctor's office by courier, you should get them by next week..." I made sure I recorded the message on an mp3.
"Next week" was last week and last week I was too sick to think about it, but I am calling my doctor tomorrow. Can't wait to see the X-rays he took too. While the chiro had me take the X-ray standing, the hospital had me do them lying on a table. Hmm...
Anyway, long story short: I estimate I was robbed of $180 while I was under pain, which troubled my judgement, but then, not only that, I was mentally scared by these supposedly true X-rays of my own back. I think they might have been doctored in some way. I can't do anything for my $180, but I want my peace of mind back! I estimate contacting the C. of C. of Ontario was the best move I made.
Sorry I took up so much space to tell this seemingly out of topic story, but I wanted to share an instance when turning around and not taking no for an answer resulted in me winning. Same with your receipt. You are within your right, and they are trying to scare you so you don't fight for your right.
HugsXXX
