Piercing Pagoda - can't get refund for items on layaway, because lost receipt

# 14 for April 20, 2002

Complaints.com received the following consumer message on April 19, 2002:

From: Raquel A. Welch [Email User]

RE: Piercing Pagoda - can't get refund for items on layaway, because lost receipt

Last October I layed away some items with the intention on picking them up by the due date. At that time I also purchased two 8" bracelets.

A week later both bracelets kept falling off of my wrist. I returned it to the store and she patched them up and told me that they should be okay. They weren't. Eventually I returned to receive a refund, after haggling with the clerk for thirty minutes she gave me a refund. (within the 30 days, of course) The layaway, however, is a totally different story.

I lost the receipt to the merchandise I layed away and now they won't even give me a store credit until I can come up with a receipt. That's CRAP!!!. How can a business in the 20th century not have a system that keeps track of layaway purchases.

Personally, I believe that the strict refund and receipt policy is just a way to scam customers. They obviously don't care much about running a fair business. They should just do away with customer service and customer satisfaction, because they have no clue.

They could also save money, then they won't have to take money from their customers. I won't shop there ever again and I will tell others about them.