OLD NAVY Gift Receipt Scam.

This is not beauty related, but I had to share! I had to! It is too important not to.

I am mad - fuming mad!

Old Navy is scamming thousands of consumers, and I have first hand experience.

I went to make some returns today.
*To Macy's, with no receipt or gift receipt. I got a store cash card for the lowest amount that the item was in the last 30 days. Fine. I understand.
*Onto American Eagle, I see what I am returning on sale for $29.50, so I expect to get $29.50 back on a store gift card - but no, I had the gift receipt. So I got what the purchaser paid - the entire $44.50 back on a store gift card - GREAT! That is how it is supposed to go.
*Onto Old Navy. I needed to get a smaller size in a pair of pants for my son - but I had no receipt or gift receipt. Guess what? I was not allowed to do an even exchange for a smaller size. Not without a receipt. No way - new policy. WHAT? I had to keep them, in the wrong size. TOTALLY SUCKS!!! Then I wanted to return a pair of pants for my daughter. We had the gift receipt dated 12/1/2006. She would be given $8.99 on a store gift card. I questioned the $8.99, as I was shopping at the very Old Navy and looked at the very same pants we were trying to return a few days before Christmas. And they were $22.50. Not marked down with a red sticker for $8.99. They were a full price for $22.50. So, I stupidly, accepted the fact that we would only get $8.99 back on the pants, and took the store gift card. So, I went to the back of store and found the rack of pants. I asked a girl working there if she knew when these particular pants were marked down, as I swore that I had seen them less than a week before at the full price of $22.50. She stated that she in fact marked them down on 12/26, and they were sold at full price until then. I went back to the registers and asked for the manager and told her my dilemma. She told me that it does not matter how much the item was purchased for. If you do not have the original receipt, then you cannot prove how much the purchaser paid for the item. The gift receipt only shows that the item was indeed purchased from an Old Navy store. She further explained that they only use the gift receipt as a reference and scan the item to get the lowest selling price of the item within the last 180 days. No receipt - you get nothing. Gift receipt - you get the lowest selling price of the item within the last 180 days. Receipt showing how the merchandise was paid for and the exact selling price - you get credited back in your original form of payment. I must have looked like a deer caught in the headlights, because I know that this cannot be right. It cannot be legal. She explained, in a terribly rude manner that it is Old Navy policy, and this policy has been in effect for almost a year now, and to just deal with it. I brought up the even exchange I wanted to make for my sons pants, and I was told that I need to keep them, as I have no proof of ever purchasing them, and they could be stolen - WHAT??? She says I should just hope that he grows into them.

I am fuming to say the least, over this. I will not let this lay, as I have the original receipt of purchase now, showing that my daughters pants were paid for in cash, for a full price of $22.50 on 12/01/2006, and I have the Gift Receipt that corresponds to the purchase that is also dated on 12/01/2006, and the receipt that I received today stating that I received just $8.99 back on an Old Navy Gift Card.  Instead of dealing with the store manager, I have calls into the District and Regional Manager and the local newspaper and television stations.

Be warned when shopping at Old Navy. Pay for each item individually, getting a receipt showing how much you paid for the item and your form of payment. Get an individual receipt for each item. If you are giving it as a gift, make a copy for yourself, and give the original receipt to the receiver.

I always liked Old Navy in the past, spending on average of $300 each trip, which is at least once every 4 - 6 weeks (I do have 4 kids and wear a lot of Old Navy clothes myself!). I will not shop there again until they right this wrong. Just not for me, but for all consumers.

Oh, by the way - The Old Navy in question is the Old Navy in Enfield, CT - store # 3371.

Feel free to repost this article, giving me a link back!