Using your CHL effectively

[DonFromTexas]

I had an interesting time last night at WalMart. I had purchased a coffee pot there about 5 months ago, it had a one year warranty. I had lost my receipt so had gotten the date of purchase from the maker, then emailed WalMart about exchanging it for one that worked. I had called the store and was assured by Customer Service that there would be no problem doing that.
When I arrived at the store, they said the only way I could exchange it without a receipt was if I had the checkout stand number, time of day, date, and name of the checkout clerk! That started the argument which kept escalating, with me offering to look up the receipt on THEIR computer, since the serial number of the coffee pot, my name, the date of purchase were all on their computer files! Finally a boss of some sort came and calmed me some, so I went to get a new coffee maker. Then it became "30 reasons why we cannot" again, one of the "catch 22" tricks was if I had a photo ID (I guess that somehow people without a photo ID cannot have coffee pot failures). As I went to get something my eye caught my CHL! I handed it to them, faces went blank, and from there on they were the kindest most polite people I have ever seen in WalMart! I laughed all the way to the car with my new coffee maker!

[Abraham]

Good for you!

[Beiruty]

I never had an issue returning or exchanging an item at my local wally world.

[Solaris]

I never had an issue returning or exchanging an item at my local wally world.

Today I got the run around trying to get a phone activated. They insisted it was activated, I pressed Send (per instructions) and the recording said "Your phone is locked and cannot be activated. Please return it to the store you bought it from to be unlocked."

Eventually they let me return it, still insisting it was activated.

WalMart, low prices come at a cost.

[fast86gn]

Question did you drive yourself to Walmart?

If so then where is your driver license? You stated you didn't have a picture ID until you found your CHL which BTW is legal for ID purposes but not to operate a motor vehicle.

I think any type of exchange in most places requires a ID.

[Lynyrd]

I had an interesting time last night at WalMart. I had purchased a coffee pot there about 5 months ago, it had a one year warranty. I had lost my receipt so had gotten the date of purchase from the maker, then emailed WalMart about exchanging it for one that worked. I had called the store and was assured by Customer Service that there would be no problem doing that.
When I arrived at the store, they said the only way I could exchange it without a receipt was if I had the checkout stand number, time of day, date, and name of the checkout clerk! That started the argument which kept escalating, with me offering to look up the receipt on THEIR computer, since the serial number of the coffee pot, my name, the date of purchase were all on their computer files! Finally a boss of some sort came and calmed me some, so I went to get a new coffee maker. Then it became "30 reasons why we cannot" again, one of the "catch 22" tricks was if I had a photo ID (I guess that somehow people without a photo ID cannot have coffee pot failures). As I went to get something my eye caught my CHL! I handed it to them, faces went blank, and from there on they were the kindest most polite people I have ever seen in WalMart! I laughed all the way to the car with my new coffee maker!

Had a similar experience at my bank a couple of weeks ago. There was a new teller, and she was in a really bad mood. Maybe the kid throw up on her, had a flat tire, and broken up with her boyfriend that morning. I don't know. But she was being snippy, glaring at me like I was a bother, and just generally unpleasant. Nothing out of line that I would have complained about, just not friendly at all.

I was getting some cash back from my deposit, for which the bank requires ID. When she got to that point in the transaction and asked for my ID, I handed her my CHL. She looked it, froze for a couple of seconds, and then right before my eyes she morphed into miss helpful, with a smile.

[Pawpaw]

Question did you drive yourself to Walmart?

If so then where is your driver license? You stated you didn't have a picture ID until you found your CHL which BTW is legal for ID purposes but not to operate a motor vehicle.

I think any type of exchange in most places requires a ID.

Question: Where exactly did he say that?

[karatedad]

I saw the humor in his story.

[fast86gn]

was if I had a photo ID (I guess that somehow people without a photo ID cannot have coffee pot failures).

I took this as not having ID. Sorry if i'm wrong.

[tornado]

if I had a photo ID (I guess that somehow people without a photo ID cannot have coffee pot failures).

This is actually a fraud-prevention practice to keep one person from returning too much merchandise without receipts.

If I understand it right (from my retail experience), it works something like this: someone can get an item illegally (steal it, use a stolen credit card, etc.) then return it for a gift card. Then they either (a) sell the gift card or (b) use the gift card to buy other merchandise, which they then return with the receipt and get cash instead of another gift card (some places).

EDIT: I searched after posting and was reminded that it's also sometimes even if you have a receipt to prevent habitual "renting" -- buying an item, using it, and returning it. AND I learned there's a service that businesses use to track this.

[RossA]

May I present a different take on this story? I am not trying to offend anyone, just give some food for thought.
The OP says that the confrontation "escalated" and that he had to be "calmed down." I've been there, too, we all have.
BUT...under those circumstances I don't want anyone seeing my license or my gun. I don't want to give them ammunition to say "there's another one of those hothead gun carriers that we have to be afraid of."
I always tell my students, and I hopefully practice it myself, that someone with a gun should be the calmest person in the room. And we should portray ourselves to others that way.
Just my two cents worth.

[Javier730]

May I present a different take on this story? I am not trying to offend anyone, just give some food for thought.
The OP says that the confrontation "escalated" and that he had to be "calmed down." I've been there, too, we all have.
BUT...under those circumstances I don't want anyone seeing my license or my gun. I don't want to give them ammunition to say "there's another one of those hothead gun carriers that we have to be afraid of."
I always tell my students, and I hopefully practice it myself, that someone with a gun should be the calmest person in the room. And we should portray ourselves to others that way.
Just my two cents worth.

You should not have to be calmed down over a disagreement with customer service while returning merchandise at a store if you are carrying.

I wonder if we will hear of police being called for situations like this with someone who is open carrying.

For me using my chl effectively is carrying as much as possible and where ever I can.

[spx74]

I worked a few months in ladies shoes many years ago and I learned 2 things: people will buy dresses and shoes for an occasion, then return them after the event!!! Oh, the second thing I learned is that I don't like working on commission, you can lose it!!

[viking1000]

I have used my CHL twice, once at the VA, and once at a Walmart . Both times I was told it was better than a drivers licence ....

[Mel]

A couple of years ago I used my CHL as ID in Hawaii. We were on a cruise and had to show photo ID every time we entered the dock area to board the ship. I knew that Hawaii does not honor Texas CHL, so I thought I would see what they had to say.

Not one person at the docks or any other place ever said a word. I don't think they even noticed that it was a CHL.

Now on our Australian cruise, it was a different story. They always honored it as ID, but I got a LOT of wide eyed looks and questions like, "You don't have it on you, do you?"