Image via: Ambro/freedigitalphotos.net
It is always startling to see a successful company taking a total nonsense direction! Al Shaya, the company enjoying the exclusivity of representing many international brands in the Gulf markets and the one chosen amongst best GCC employers has just came up with a very strange decision: no cash refunding!
The new policy states that you cannot return purchased good for cash, the amount will be credited to some kind of membership program which you will be able to redeem within a year from the date of purchase! This is a quote from a spokesman of Al Shaya to Arabian Business:
So in other words, Al Shaya company is saying this: once you pay the money, the money is ours, period!
Honestly, I have never seen or heard about any similar programs anywhere in the world. On the contrary, international brands in different countries have more flexible return and replace policies compared to the ones currently used in the Kingdom. If you ever have shopped in Europ or US in particular, you will definitely know what I mean. These policies are part of these brands’ customer retain and service programs.
Of course there are those abusing such policies, but in smaller percentage compared to the ones trusting and feeling more comfortable dealing with this or that brand.
The immediate reaction in the Saudi market is anger and boycott calls; especially from women who are arguing that due to the lack of dressing rooms in most of Saudi stores, they have to get back home to check the new purchases and, sometimes, it is just not right! From where I stands, such arguments reflect a gap of understanding between Al Shaya management and its customers and the kind of markets it is operating in!
Check out some of the Tweets covering this subject under the hashtag #noshaya
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