What do you think about this..its a long story?

Question

me and my children plus my bff's daughter went to the mall. You see, this year we decided to have Christmas after Christmas due to some financial difficulties.
We purchased items at Macy's, Lady Foot Locker, and Charlotte Russe. Our spree was far from over until we entered a women's clothing store, RAVE. Now being females you can imagine how tiring this event could be especially with teens and a four year old. By the time we got to this store, I immediately headed for the first seat I saw which was in the shoe section. I along with all the bags from the previous stores were seated waiting patiently for the girls to find their selections and head for the counter. My daughter, Tiffany found some shoes she liked which were priced at 4.25 with tax so I told her to get a pair in every color if she wanted but they only had one pair in her size. Meanwhile all the other girls are looking around and asking me their advise on some of their selections, the choices they made were laid either next to me or on my lap. I receive a phone call from (Midnight) my friend, as we are talking Tiffany tells me she only wants the shoes, so I give her a $20 bill to pay for her item. She heads for the counter, the other girls are still shopping when all of a sudden I feel someone pull something off of my lap, so my first instinct was to grab it back because I was caught off guard on my cellphone and I thought someone was trying to nab my pocketbook. When I looked up it shocked me to see it was one of the store employees and she said to me "oh here let me put these back for you". I told her I wasn't finished shopping yet and she had no right to take something of of my personal without permission. She replied "Oh I asked the girl (Tiffany) if she was getting the socks and she said no". I advised her that I am her mother and she still had no right to take items off of my lap. So she looked at me like she had an attitude. I proceeded with my phone call and of course Midnight heard the whole thing go down so when I got back on the phone he was like "dag she crazy!", I said, " You know, and she still at the same rack she was at when I first walked in the store.... fixing nothing." The employee had the nerve to butt into my convo by saying,

"THIS IS MY STORE AND I CAN DO WHAT I WANT!!!!! I said to her that she had no business getting into my conversation and that was no way to talk to a customer. Basically she had this I can do whatever I want attitude so I asked to speak to her manager and she told me she was the manager. I then asked to speak to her manager, at first she went to say she was the BIG HONCHO to their wasn't anyone higher than her. Now she was testing my intelligence, I have worked in customer service for the last twelve 1/2 years for a MAJOR telecommunications company so I know about escalation procedures. That's when I decided I no longer wanted to try to have a civil conversation with her so I turned to the other employees and asked them for the higher up and they just looked at their manager without even acknowledging me at all. So I asked the manager again for her higher up and she told me to leave her store. I told her I wasn't leaving unless she gave me info on how to forward a complaint about her, this is when she gave her two employees a direct order to call mall security and 911!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Because I was being charged with criminal trespassing?????????? I thought about how much of a power trip this chick is on. So now of course I am flaming hot, I called my Big Sis to tell her what just went down, all the while we waiting for the PO PO to show up she is repeatedingly interrupting my conversations that I am having on the phone and with my daughters. And I also was telling her she is no way a manager acting the way she was and now I wanted my money back because I choose to no longer support this store any more. She had the audacity to tell me I wasn't getting a refund. WTF????????????? Whaddya mean I can't have my money back? She just kept saying I was criminal trespassing and she wanted me out of her store and asked me if I understood ENGLISH (was she serious)? I told her not without my money I definitely ain't going nowhere now.

So the mall security shows up and she begins to wail "I want her out my store now!" I turned to him and told him the same thing I told her, "Not without my money!" Then she turned and told her employees to give me my refund so I can leave. Sooooooo I'm sitting there waiting and telling the employee that she told them to give me my refund, she looks at her manager. I looked at the employee and asked her what's going on and here comes the manager once again " We need your id to give you your money back." I said, " Are you serious I'm not giving you my info that's not part of your return policy on the back of this receipt and I didn't even leave your store with the merchandise." All while arguing with thie peon, my four year old was following the manager in the store asking her "Why you screaming at my mom, don't be talkin to her like that!", my bff's daughter asking me, "Can I just sock her puuhhlease, and my oldest daughter nervously looking at me because she thinks I'm going to get arrested, I decided to show my ID. But I guess it was too late because they all ignored the fact that my id was sitting with the receipt, $15.75 change, and their merchandise. I even bought it to the mall security dude's attention and he didn't say nuthin. I guess he was waiting for the real PO PO to get their.

So here they come, the men in blue. They come straight to the perpetrator, ME. I am proceeding to tell they officers what was going on and as I demonstrate I made the biggest mistake by touching the officer's leg. In which he ordered me to not touch him. I apologized. So I continue and the officer told me to have avoided the situation I should have left the store, and of course I told him the same thing I told the manger and the security guard, "not without my refund" So he turns to the manager to ask her why she just didn't give me my refund and she told him they needed my identification. I then told the officer that my ID was sitting there for the past five minutes and no one bothered to give me my refund. And of course the manager is doing the same thing she was doing before " I want her removed and I want to press charges and I want her banned from this store". The officer is TELLING HER TO CALM DOWN and proceeds to talk to her. I asked the officer if he was finished talking to me and he TOLD ME TO SHUT UP. I was totally shocked and of course I told him that I didn't have to shut up. So to turn my attention away from him I start talking to my child and what does he do? The same thing the manager did, all up in my convo. He started yelling at me telling me I better shut up, threatened to throw me in jail, swung his handcuffs in my face if I spoke one more time. When I asked him why was he yelling at me when I wasn't yelling at him he told me he was allowed. Come on now I know my rights and I can talk all I want especially if I am not being demeaning or talking directly to him. He then asked for my id and I said for what he says for reporting purposes only. He asked me if it was my current address I said no , he asked for the current one and since I was so ticked off at the time I said I don't have to give him that info. Of course he threatened to take me to jail. I asked him on what grounds? He then replied with this bogus answer, "for investigation of an officer". Me being the person I am told him that didn't make any sense whatsoever and that I never heard of that charge. Well by now he's pissed off and and asked me how old I was, I simply told him that information was on my id and he should know how old I was, then he asked, " aren't these your children?" I stopped him right in his tracks because I knew where he was going with it. I simply told him not to do that... he was not about to tell me how I should act around my children when I am pissed. He then ordered me out the store and I told him not without my money. I don't know why he thought thatswinging his handcuffs in front of my face would intimidate me and get me to leave without my money. The officer then gives the ID to the manager so they can give me my refund and get my information so they can press charges on me. The manager throws my id on the counter and I told her that is not how it was given to her and she shouldn't be tossing nuthin at me. The cop jumped in and said , "LEAVE NOW" and once again I did not have my money because (their excuse this time) I didn't fill out the return form, my oldest daughter at this time is so nervous she grabs the ink pen and fills out the form. The other kids are yelling saying wait until I get my money at least. My four year old is going crazy ready and willing to beat any body up who is messin with her momma including the PO PO. (LOL) So I get my money and leave the store, talking out loud , not believing the ish that just happened. The officer tells me to shut up once again. And I basically told him no and if I broke any laws to arrest me. Well he knew I didn't break any laws and I continued to talk ish while they escorted me and the girls out the mall (my four yo needs a talkin to..she was threatening the police asking them why they were following us and then turning to me asking me if I want her to hit them with her DORA umbrella) and security followed us all the way to my car in which they had their security vehicle follow us off their premises. I am so angry at this point and I am wondering why I have a tremendous burning feeling in my stomach and I felt like I was going to throw up?

So that ended our joyous outing. We had to leave the mall with every nosey person on earth watching us like we stole something, but like I said we left with our heads high, talking crap, with a DORA umbrella toting 4 year old that had my back.


I couldn't believe what just really happened, after reviewing the situation, I realized these so called employees was on me and the girls as soon as we walked into the store. With me being so occupied between being on the phone and the girls asking me a million and 1 questions, I didn't realize what was going on. I kept wondering why I felt so overcrowded when there was only me, the girls and the employees in the store. I had to move my shopping bags out of their way numerous times. One time an employee actually knelt down by my bags acting like she was fixing stuff and the manager kept fidgeting with the same two racks which were right in front of me. the girls told me why the manager was focused on me the other two employees was on their back. And how on earth would the so called manager know that I had a pair of socks on my lap and that was the only item she grabbed?

Answer 1

wow i cant believe i read all of this

im not amazed.
1. customer servies is not customer service anymore. they lack the service and who they are there for. not only that people are so disrespecful now. no one respects anyone. I would understand why you would get so upset. what could have been the problem with her simple saying "excuse me, are u done with the socks"
2. Cops and higher authority feel like they own you. i swear they think they can either scare you with jail or by screaming at you!! no they can send you to jail for that crap he said. i so glad you didnt leave w.o your money and you stood your ground. you have had all the right to want your money back and to talk all the ish you want. Its your money and it was your right they tried to take away. so what that she was cleaning
3. dont worry everyone saw you getting what you worked hard for. and the most important is your dignity... That fake me out manager had no right in doing what she did.. i suggest you contact Rave headquarters and let them know what type of people they have working there. although nothing will be done i bet. anyways just try to forget what happened. Its their loss. i know i wont shop there. although i never did. but makes me not want to go in the future.

I got mad as well.. reading it made me want to be there in fight for you

i suggest you contact the better buisness beareu.
they are really nice and they can help you with what happened as well

Answer 2

OMG after all of the excitement and anger over what you experienced did you do any non confertational follow up if you didn't then I have to wonder was this a usual occurrence for you that your daughter displayed such behavior that you your self said needs some tending to. Do not get me wrong I have been where you went BUT I did not let MY acting a fool as my great grandmother would put it be in vain.
As for the store manager What better justice than to pull the power on her plug by taking this letter you wrote here to the district, corporate offices an being very persist ant until the correct measures have been followed.You need to let your daughter witness how the situation can be handled from another level by doing the proper follow up to an experience I sure she will probably remember for some time to come. Let your children see the most power weapon known to man put into in action your brain, you lost your temper and it ended up causing a scene who of us haven't, now take it to the next level, clean it up and put some positive closure to it while also educating your children on how to get justice that is effective and lasting . Then leave with some REAL dignity properly holding your head high. Good luck.

Answer 3

Holy crap. This was long but I just had to keep reading. I cannot believe how that situation escalated. You never had a chance in there. They pegged you from the moment you walked in as a "problem person". There was nothing you could have done to avoid this situation unless you somehow don't care if people snatch things out of your lap/hand while you are shopping.

I worked retail for years and I NEVER touched shoppers or took items away from them even if I knew for a FACT they were planning on stealing. It's just not right. If they thought you were trying to steal something, it's not even how they are supposed to deal with suspected shoplifters anyway!!! Even if they see someone putting something in their bag without paying for it, they are supposed to WAIT until they try to leave the store with it!

Tell everyone what happened to you there and try to get everyone you know to boycott that place. Obviously, stores try to up the security around the holidays because more people shoplift that time of year plus everyone is walking around with bags. If you are black, that's definitely part of it. I'm not sure you have a possible lawsuit on your hands or even if you want to go there with this but I'm not sure what else you can do at this point other than boycott. I'd probably make some flyers/poster with a brief version of the story, etc. and post them around the mall. Something like, "RAVE harasses customers when they are black with shopping bags". People might not take it seriously but what else can you do? (I'm assuming you're black from your avatar)

God. I know I'd feel like burning the place down but obviously that would be 'wrong'. (sigh)

Answer 4

You wrote so much- nevertheless I read everything, because I'm an avid reader. My four year old was trying to get my attention in between, but I read all of what you wrote anyway.
Wow.... sorry you had to go through that. Breathe, girl.... it's over now. Shake it off. Don't lose a single thought on it anymore. Amazing how people are that way right after Christmas. Believe me- this will happen again.... good the police got involved, because very soon they will be summoned again for the same reason... they will get the idea then that that so-called manager is the one who should be arrested.

Answer 5

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Answer 6

That the manager treat you like that, can be awful and nightmarish for you, but the cop??? OMG. What a moment to remember.

Answer 7

This is blatant harassment by the store manager, email this story to any email address you can find online for the store, corprate headquarters, the ACLU, everyone.

Answer 8

zzzzz...wheeeeww......zzzzz......wheeeeewww......zzzzzzzz oh what oh man (yawns) what was that? huh? oh damn that is messed up well u shoudlve jus gon upside the head with the shoe u know they like to start shiet cuz if it had been me u know i had that shoe store running marathon oooh weee.