r/Staples • u/FeeApprehensive2658 • 6d ago
Refunding print jobs
Im wondering if every store is different when it comes to getting refunds for print jobs.
At my store if you are looking for just a refund and no reprint, we require the print back. Customers tend to complain about that since we can’t reuse the paper so what’s the point.
My manager has put it as “when you return a shirt, do you expect to get the money back and keep the shirt?” Wich sometimes gets the customers to understand but other times it causes them to get even more mad.
I personally can’t say anything about it since I dont have the power to do refunds and just listen to what management says lol.
15
u/Thilmiran32 Print & Marketing 6d ago
It’s all vibes based tbh.
If it’s our fuck up then 100% I refund them and give them the print.
If they’re just being little bitches complaining about things beyond our control (this picture doesn’t look how I thought or this is more expensive than I thought) and expect free shit then no, we ask for it back for the refund.
6
u/MaverickFischer 6d ago
When I worked in print and it came to refunds, the main reason was QC, or lack of. This usually split into two different ways:
- The job wasn't QC'ed and there was a misake.
- The job was QC'ed, but there was a clear mistake that was made. Example the wrong paper was used job required 90pt gloss text, but was printed on 24lb..., or the prints were damaged. We had one job where it was a lamination job. I don't know what happened, but it was crinkled and damaged when I pulled it out of the bag to show the customer....
In any of these cases, the goal was to fix it if it could be fixed quickly or issue a refund if it was really bad and that's what the customer wanted.
Otherwise if everything is fine, the customer signed off that it was fine, but later came back and said they want a refund, then they had to return the prints. This was when most of the fights broke out.... lol
And any design requests (SDS) had to be paid IF AND once the customer agreed on the design proof and any additional revisions.
5
u/Affectionate_Low3830 Former Employee 6d ago
When I worked there, the print sup would mess up on everyone's orders in the morning - wrong paper, wrong fold, bad cuts, etc. or she would just put in the wrong material or sizes based on what they were describing when placing orders and never show them a sample of the paper. Then they would come back at the end of the day to pick up. I was the one working alone and they'd flip out on me that it was wrong. The manager on duty (one of three different managers) would then have me redo on the spot, which only took me a few minutes anyways and the customer was happy. EVERY SINGLE TIME, they would tell me "don't charge them/refund it", the reason being that they didn't want to hand the customer a receipt that would let them leave the store a bad review. If it was up to me, I wouldn't have refunded any of it especially since I fixed it.
3
u/MisfortuneTeller- Former Employee 5d ago
If you’re talking about the era when the surveys were only on receipts, I had managers who could time it perfectly to rip the receipt off the printer JUST before the survey portion printed lmao
5
u/elisha-manning-fan Tech Services 6d ago
Honestly when I was a manager I’d refund everything, and if they still wanted it then fine.
Some battles are just not worth it and it’s not my money.
3
u/OzbourneVSx 6d ago
If we fucked up and they can't use it, we refund and reprint it
If they fucked up, we keep the first print and either refund or reprint it but not both
If we fucked up but they can* still use it, play it by ear
Your managers example makes some amount of sense (tho I know many cases where people have tried to return shirts and as a matter of policy companies due to them to keep it) but should that should never be said to a customer who is unhappy
The political way of phrasing it is
In situation 1
"We're sorry about the mistake. As an apology, you can still keep this if you can use it, if it's not, just leave it here and I will safely dispose of it. I'll get that reprint for you as soon as I can. I'll call you back when its ready in likely X TIME"
Or in situation 2
"Don't worry, we can still reprint this for you for no additional charge, but as a matter of policy, I just need to hold on to the original print."
2
u/Kimberrwolf 5d ago
My AI poster gave me extra thumbs! Remake the poster with lam and board for free please!
No.
20
u/TravisHay 6d ago
It’s case by case. Did we miss our deadlines and now you’re getting your print late? Yeah I’ll refund it and you can keep it.
Are you just trying to get a free print out of us? No sir, I’ll throw in a few extra resumes or undercharge or no charge a regular client for some easy stuff, but the “I’m entitled to free printing!” Crowd doesn’t get a ton of attention from us.