Need help with uncooperative customer

[happycow]

What is the name of your state? Michigan

I own a mattress retail store. A customer bought a mattress set and 30 days later wants a full refund. We do not offer or advertise such a policy. We do have a one-time comfort exchange policy (for another product - no refund) which is posted on the wall of our store by the check-out desk. On the invoice the customer signed it says, "all mattress sales are to be considered final except for ones that qualify for the comfort exchange program". The program was explained to the consumer at the time of purchase. I offered the customer to return the item for a refund less a 10% restocking fee (which is part of the exchange program if he fails to find another bed that he likes). He refused. He is still in possession of the matress set. It has now been three months since the purchase.

The customer claims he was told he could return the item for 100% refund and has contested the sale with the credit card company and they have charged me back for the amount ($1600) without even contacting me. Now I am dealing with unknowledgeable customer service reps at the credit card company to try and get my money back.

Please, any help or advice would be appreciated to help me fight against this dishonest customer. Thank you.

 

[JETX]

Simply, advise the credit card company about the specifics of the sale and that the customer has NOT complied with the requirements of the FCBA (Fair Credit Billing Act). Simply, the customer cannot keep the merchandise AND dispute the charge.
Demand that they refuse the 'dispute' and reinstate the payment.

 

[happycow]

JETX:
Thanks for the information. Now the credit card company wants a copy of "a signed disclosure policy". I faxed the signed receipt to them and a copy of our 'no return policy', but explained that the customer didn't need to sign any such policy - we don't offer or advertise a return policy! Where he signed on the receipt it stated all sales were to be considered final. If the customer claimed that I would give them $1,000,000 after the sale, would I be held liable for that lie also? I am dealing with idiots at these credit card companies with no knowledge of the law.
P.S. I like you joke at the bottom of the post.

 

[JETX]

"Now the credit card company wants a copy of "a signed disclosure policy"."
*** Tell them that your state has no 'obligation to refund' and therefore their is no requirement for the customer to sign anything to waive a 'non-right'.

"I faxed the signed receipt to them and a copy of our 'no return policy', but explained that the customer didn't need to sign any such policy - we don't offer or advertise a return policy!"
*** I would assume that should be sufficient.

"Where he signed on the receipt it stated all sales were to be considered final."
*** Sounds pretty solid to me.

"If the customer claimed that I would give them $1,000,000 after the sale, would I be held liable for that lie also?"
*** Of course not.

"I am dealing with idiots at these credit card companies with no knowledge of the law. "
*** Minimum wage employees are not expected to be well trained.

"I like you joke at the bottom of the post."
*** Thanks. I change them periodically.... in fact, I think I will do another.

 

[happycow]

JETX:
Thanks for the post. I will forward the additional information to the credit card company. The second joke was also very funny. I'll post later to let you know what happens.
Thanks again.

 

[happycow]

JETX:
Thanks for your help. I received informaiton today that the chargeback had been reversed, which is good news. The bad news is that I know he will file in small claims and I will have to go through all of this again. I had to do this with a customer once before (we won the case), but maybe this time I will countersue for my costs and times.