If You Want These Birkenstocks, You May Have to Pay Up.
When a stranger says, “I want these shoes,” what is one to do? It is one of those moments when it’s just a question of putting up your dukes or folding down your arms: “Why should you pay for them?”
But when it is time to pay, the money-back guarantee is just one of the things a customer should really consider. According to the British Birkenstock store, this is a customer with “a reasonable amount of business experience” who has “had numerous discussions with the company’s personnel about Birkenstock and been advised that the company’s customer service philosophy has been developed over many decades by one of the most dedicated and best known brands in the world.”
The retailer was asked to supply me with a list of questions about its Birkenstock store. In the past week alone, I have dealt with a number of issues that could have resulted in a loss of my money. For some, it was a simple matter of being confused by the price tag of the “new black” shoes.
One woman had been wearing them for weeks and then wanted a return. The retail price was $100, but she was told they were only $90.
Another customer wanted a refund after she had fallen over. She tried to get a refund by sending an email but never heard back from the company. She then sent a letter.
To her surprise, the company replied promptly. “Dear Lady… I am sorry, this product is no longer offered in our showroom. We will be replacing them with other models offered by other manufacturers in the coming weeks.”
A woman called me from a nearby store who told me she wanted a refund because she had bought five pairs of “new black” and was told they were $300, but she had only paid $300 and had been given a $200 refund. My client did not know that they were offered only in one color – “new black.” She was also told she could call back a week later to return them and to make sure they had not damaged any of the laces or soles.
This is what Birkenstock tells its customers when they want a return:
