ADVANCE AUTO PARTS REFUND POLICY ON DEBIT CARD TRANSACTIONS: FUZZY 2-3 BUSINESS DAYS ?????, CASH IS NOT AN OPTION??? THEN CUSTOMER CALLS TO REQUEST HELP AND MANAGER "WILL TELL YOU"

I originally purchased an oxygen sensor at the Alpharetta, GA-store 6169 for my Nissan Quest on Saturday 12.04; the item was not needed so it was returned to the very same store that I purchased it from on Sunday 12.05. When I got home, I checked my account because I was waiting for the money to hit so that I could make other purchases. The transaction didn’t appeared on my bank account. Today when again I went onto my bank account sure that the money would show at least pending for my use, I was very alarmed when I realized that that was not the case. I purchased this item with my debit card, and expected when I was asked for my card in Alpharetta that it would immediately show in my bank. They never mentioned to me that it would take 2-3 days to get it back. This was inconvenient but the worst was yet to come.

The Adv Auto Part number I have in my phone is Cumming store 6650 which I called by mistake today. I was told by Sggg (great guy, who has helped me in the past) that I should have been offered the option of cash or money back to my card. When he transferred me to the manager on duty (store 6550), I could not believe how extremely unprofessional I was treated. I explained my situation and told him I was never given the option of cash and that I should not have my money withheld for his employee’s mistake. I explained to him that I needed his help to get my refund, and that I was never given the option to receive the cash back in the store, to which he responded that his employee might say otherwise (he never attempted to inquire his employee or ask his name). He then proceeded to say it was my word against his employee. I asked him to talk to the employee for him to know that I was telling the truth; I have no reason to lie, let alone to put anybody on the spot, or get someone in trouble unjustly.

He became very sarcastic and extremely rude after asking me if I had problems with overdrafts, and if that was what I was requesting. I asked him what was their policy in debit card refunds and he WOULD NOT answer that question. I reminded him of what Sgggg said about cash option but cut me off and said over and over that I had to call my credit card company, I told him that AutoZone refunds debit card transactions with cash even over several hundred dollars and he was not able to respond to their own Advance Auto Parts own policy ?????, he got very irritated because I would not take his scripted answer and asked him directly matter of fact company policy. He called me “Hey Buddy” and told me he was “going to tell me what to do”. When I asked for his name he continued throughout the conversation to change his name. He first said his name was Brian or Brandon, later Ron. When I asked for his last name, as I could tell he was trying to avoid me having the correct name, he had the audacity to tell me to call him “Mr. Jones” or “you can call me whatever you want, because I don’t have to give you my personal information, and if you continue to ask me for my personal information I am going to hang up the phone.” I gave him my first name and last name but he refused to give me any information on who he was, I dared to ask him if he was the store manager and what his name was, and at this point he actually hung up the phone on me.

Unbelievable…Mind you, all I wanted was some information to identify exactly who was the person who represents Advanced Auto Parts that would actually believe that this is the way that a paying customer deserves to be treated. Privacy protection for your employees is understandable but refusing to give first name or position it’s unheard of.

Twenty minutes later I went to the store (Alpharetta 6169) with a rental kit (oxygen sensor tool set) that I needed to return and requested the manager. Brrrr came and he was actually the person who processed my refund on Sunday; I told him my situation, the problem I had and asked him if we had talked over the phone, to eventually realize that I had the wrong number. He was empathetic, I let him know how inconvenient it’s been and told him about the phone call for which he apologized and proceeded to explain very respectfully why is difficult for the store to refund with cash (debit card transactions) but answear did not have customer convinience in mind.

After leaving the store I called back (Cumming 6550) and Sgggg answered the phone. I asked him for the name of the manager that he originally transferred me to, and he became hesitant and told me “he had to ask”. I told him that the manager’s name was all I needed and he told me to wait since he had a customer in front of him. I asked him to take his time, then he transferred me to the same extremely unbearable guy I originally spoke with, who in a very loud voice started talking over me. This time he named himself Ron when I asked him for his first name again. How is it possible that he is going to give me the runaround for such a simple question? I am not asking for anything out of the ordinary. He then told me to “stop twisting things” and in again an extremely unacceptable loud, sarcastic voice he told me “he was glad to hear that I was admitting to twisting things and that people could hear how professional he had been”. Anytime I tried to speak, he spoke over me. At the end he denied being the manager, never made an attempt to have a conversation and not only once but twice I was hung up on. WOW!!.

Finally my last call Tmmm answered the phone and when I requested to talk to Sggg, the mystery man who refused to identify himself received my phone call again who then proceeded to tell me as loud as he could to stop harassing the store; at least four times without allowing me to say much and that he would call the police, all this time, (again) talking over my request of his true name and position before hanging up again.

THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!!! Your debit card transaction should be paid back in full immediatly and customers be treated respectfully. Is this too much to ask????.