<p>Okay, I'm posting it here on Stanford because I know you guys are intelligent and could hopefully give me advice or opinions on this situation. This whole ordeal happened a couple of months ago but it's still in the back of my mind and I was hoping someone could help me by offering advice.</p>
<p>I bought a pretty pricey hair straightener (around $75) because I figured that it would be work better than my normal straightener that I bought (around $20). I bought it from our local beauty supply store that was owned by a middle-aged couple. The man told me about this product called Hot Tools. He said it was the only flat iron straightener they had ever used and that it was the best ever. He said no one had ever had any problems with it. So I decided to buy it. However, I used it and it get causing breakage in my hair. It felt like it kept getting stuck in the straightener or maybe the plates were too tightly closed together. Anyhow, I tried using some product in my hair that would hopefully make the iron glide through smoother. But it still kept causing breakage. I brought the iron back about a month later because I had been on vacation. He said he was completely bewildered that this Hot Tools iron did not work. After explaining that it simply was causing breakage in my hair that my previous iron NEVER ever did, he said they had a no return policy. I still didn't feel it was right that he was making me keep this crappy product. I had to go through much hassle, phone calls, visits etc. to convince him to give me an exchange. It was actually kind of strange-- he told me that he couldn't do anything about it because Helen of Troy (the company that was in control of the Hot Tools Flat Iron line) couldn't have anything returned after one week. He said he would allow an exchange. I told him that I was not happy with this brand at all. However, he would not let me return it, just an exchange. I decided to go with the exchange and I decided to exchange it with a different flat iron that was a different size (however, it was still Hot Tools which was the only brand they would allow me to exchange with). It had been two weeks and I still hadn't got my iron in stock. It upset me because he told me that a week from the Thursday I ordered it, that it would be in. So I went in and he said in a condescending way, "Why are you here so early? I told you to come back in a few days" (WTF??) I decided that because I wasn't happy with the brand, I wanted to completely end the order and just get everything over with and not have to deal with the brand Hot Tools or this store again. I called customer service at Helen of Troy and they told me that the warranty lasted for a year and he could have the hot iron exchanged only if I still had that iron. So the store owner lied to me when he held some random piece of paper that said "No returns/exchanges after one week" But then I found out that the store had already sold my iron to someone else at a reduced price that I had exchanged there (but hadn't received the actual exchange)! SO I couldn't get my original iron back (not that I wanted to, but it was completely unfair that he took the iron away from me, made me visit back and forth for the new iron, AND have him lie to me). Now I feel completely stuck and I just wanted my refund.</p>
<p>Additionally, the whole time I dealt with this man, he was very rude. When I called him on the phone, he told me about the person who had bought my iron and had said that it worked great. So I proceeded to say that it could have been the difference in our hair types. I asked what hair type did the person have, and he said in a patronizing way "she had long black hair. she was heavyset. any other details you want to know?" Whenever I would try to explain my situation he would either laugh at me or interrupt me. I felt like I was dealing with someone who had no respect for me or taking my situation seriously. I would understand if this was a normal-priced flat iron (actually I wouldn't, but if it was cheaper, it probably wouldn't have involved so much hassle), but $75 is a different matter. At the end of the horrendous conversation, he gave me two options: simply get my money back but receive a 25% restocking charge (which I have no idea what for-- he told me it was for the iron and shipping, but if he would just cancel the previous order that hasn't even been received anyway, couldn't this be avoided?), or still receive the replacement iron from the brand that I have not been happy with! I even asked if it was possible to purchase a flat iron from them from a different brand and see if it worked any better, but they absolutely refused.</p>
<p>So I one day after school I went to the store with my friend and said that I wanted my money back. I knew that even though they had the so-called "No return policy" (and who can believe that? It was written on the receipt, how are we suppose to remember? They didn't even tell me while I was buying the product. It was on a sign that a customer wouldn't have noticed unless their eyes were directed towards it). I couldn't really handle it anymore (I know, I know... but I was kind of a wimp and I had never had to deal with these people. I should have brought my parents with me, but I was dumb and tried to handle the whole thing by myself). ANYWAY I ended up crying in front of the storeowners, just begging for a refund.</p>
<p>OKAY and the stupid part is even though I fervently hated these people at this time, while I was crying the dumbass storeowner guy went over to HUG ME. WTF??!!?!? I was so incredible ****ed off and here was hugging me, that same man who had been so rude and condescending. I just pushed his arm off of me. Finally the wife said, "Just give her the damn money." The guy said, "Fine, but only $60 of the $75 because I'm not refunding the tax." And so she took me to the front desk and demanded a receipt. I gave her the copy I had made because I wanted the original for future. Then she threw it back and yelled, "NO, I wanted the ORIGINAL." So I gave it to her. Then as she was handing me my money, she said, "You have been the biggest PAIN IN THE ASS I have ever had in my store in my whole life." Then I said back, "Don't ever talk to me that way!" and when I said that, she apparently flared up and yelled VERY loudly, "GET OUT OF MY STORE, NOW." And I was gathering my stuff and she kept saying it "GET OUT NOW. GET OUT." And I was so frustrated I was like, "Hold on!" and she was like "NO. Out." So I ran out crying and my goodness was that the worst day of my life.</p>
<p>And the crappy part is that I never got my original receipt back, I forgot to get it back from her. </p>
<p>I guess the whole situation is hard for me because I've never dealt with anything like this before. I really did not want to make a mountain out of a molehill. I just wanted to return the product and be done with it. What is even more frustrating is that I payed the $75 for this iron, but I recently found the SAME iron online for about $40!</p>
<p>I know this sounds dumb, but this whole ordeal is kind of haunting me. I actually felt abused by these people, and it kind of frightened me because I had never been in a situation where someone was cussing at me in the middle of a store and then YELLING at me (with much anger) to get out. To be fair, I too was yelling back but only because I didn't want her to think she could yell at the top of her lungs at me and expect me to meek and quiet. Nonetheless, I still feel like she had won over me because I ran out of the store crying with all the people the store just staring at me. I actually felt ashamed that I had let these people yell at me. I felt like I had to do some sort of revenge (I know this sounds horrible) like write to a newspaper to announce to my community about the crappy business, but editor wrote me back saying that they weren't allowed to publish anything of that sort.</p>
<p>I guess the problem with the whole ordeal is that I hate losing. I'm one of those people that has to have the last word and well... that definitely did not happen. Not only did I have bad service, but these people didn't give me all of my money back AND I was kind of traumatized.</p>
<p>Please, any advice ANYTHING that could console me or anything I should do, please help.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance (Stanford is awsesome)!</p>