Montgomery Ward / Mgr. Mark Smith Rip-Off

10-20-99 Here is a little story about how a big retailer is cheating one of its customers out of $105.99.
On 10-17-99 I purchased a Uniden phone from this Montgomery Ward store in Bradenton, Florida (S. of Tampa).

After reading the instruction book and finding it was not what was needed i took it back two days later with the original charge slip. During the return it was found that the charge slip had the model number of another Uniden phone, sold at the same price in a similar appearing box. The clerk had apparantly ´shot´ the UPC code bars on box #1 and bagged up box #2, as the price was exactly the same and I was busy getting out my credit card this didn´t come to my attention and would never have come up if I hadn´t wanted to return the item. Store manager Mark Smith took the phone and receipt and saying that he had to look at the tapes left.

After waiting 15 minutes I told the clerk Mike that I expected the item to be credited back to the card and phoned back later that day only to find that Smith refused to do so. He said that he would have to speak to the clerk involved to find out if I had purchased the item as I claimed.

I left my home phone and as the clerk was to work that same evening he promised to phone me back. It is now two days later and no call and apparantly no refund. Montgomery Wards now has the phone and receipt for it´s purchase and I have nothing.

I have spoken to the Visa card company and they said that since the item was accepted back by the manager that they would have no problem processing a ´dispute´ and crediting my account.

Montgomery Wards/Mark Smith have gained absolutely nothing by their unethical actions. They sold a $105.99 phone on the 17th, it was returned on the 19th, unused in the same box with all the parts with their Wards store tag on the box.

The clerk has undoubtedly told them he sold the item to me. All that they have accomplished is that they have lost a customer, gotten a complaint put in to their CEO and the BBB and are now on several consumer sites with details on how shabbily they treat their customers.

I have read for the last several years how they are on the verge of bankruptcy, if they keep treating their customers like this then clearly they deserve to go out of business. I won´t shop at a Montgomery Wards again and hopefully you won´t either.