If you think returns are a simple process, think again. You know the drill: you buy something online, it’s not what you expected, or you simply regret your purchase. A phone call or a few clicks later, and the return process is underway. But, oh, if you knew what drama goes on behind the scenes in the returns department…. Today we received a special return that even short-circuited our brains. And yes, you guessed it, it involved an Earscratcher. Yep, an Earscratcher. Think of it as a metal loop that serves as a kind of artwork to clean your ears. But this time the customer was not happy and decided to let the Earscratcher go down … and so did our returns department.
What is an Earscratcher? And why should people buy it in the first place?
For those unaware among us: an Earscratcher is exactly what it sounds like: a kind of metal loop with which you can remove earwax. And not just any wax, no, you can use it to remove everything from your ear. It is also popular with people who have constantly itchy ears. Recognize it? An itch that can drive you so crazy, it just gives you goose bumps on your arm? Exactly that moment when you decide that an Earscratcher is the miracle cure to stop that itching once and for all.
Now, for all you itchy people out there, it’s important to remember one thing: use it with caution! The best advice from audiologists and ENT doctors is clear: don’t go rooting around in your ears! In fact, your ear canals are very good at cleaning themselves. A little excess earwax? No need to worry about that. With the tip of a tissue, it’s fine to gently remove the excess wax. And voila, your ears are clean again and you have no more itching. Yes, you read correctly, that itch? That often comes from removing too much earwax from your ears, causing an imbalance. The earwax you then remove causes the ear to dry out and become flaky. The result? Itching, and sometimes even a little exczema. And so. you pull out your Earscratcher, perpetuating a vicious cycle. Yes, we understand.
But what happened to this particular Earscratcher?
The customer who returned his little Earscratcher today did not seem to observe the necessary maintenance. This poor metal loop, carefully packaged and lovingly sent to the customer in a bubble envelope, came back in the most dramatic form possible. Instead of being neatly returned, as you would expect, the Earscratcher came back in a giant shipping box with a good amount of earwax on it. And who pays the shipping costs for that huge box? Right, us.
By now the packaging was the size of a small package for a chair, and what had we received for it? A $7.95 product (including shipping) that literally had to be thrown in the trash, as the box was full of remnants that the Earscratcher itself would hardly want to touch. We were left with a huge box that was out of all proportion to the product and an Earscratcher that was virtually unusable.
Why does this actually happen?
We get it: you’ve scratched your ear, your itching needs to stop and you feel like you need a solution. But when you don’t employ proper care, things like an Earscratcher can quickly become a disaster. Why? Because instead of carefully cleaning your ear, you may have inadvertently left the earwax on the product and then ordered a huge box to return this “precious” item. And what about shipping costs? As always, the customer bears the responsibility for return shipping, but Horend Well the cost. And when the return is unfairly large for the product, we unfortunately get the bill for the extra box (literally and figuratively).
How do we deal with this?
Well, we do what we always do: we provide a fair solution. The customer did indeed return the Earscratcher and after some concern and discussion, we refunded the €7.95 return amount in full. We hope his itching has finally disappeared after the return, although we must honestly say that for his weekend we might recommend a drink or some other ointment for itching. Or just use that tissue, as the doctors say. Then again, we’re not doctors.
What can we learn from this experience?
As you can see, sometimes the whole return process involves more drama than we would like. We understand that it’s always frustrating when a product doesn’t do what you expect, but the way you handle it makes a world of difference. A return is sometimes necessary, but we always recommend returning the product the right way so that we don’t find ourselves in a situation where the return not only makes our job more difficult, but also doesn’t leave the product in the best condition.
In the case of an Earscratcher, it is best to return the product clean and in its original condition with packaging. We are happy to give a refund, but it is always better for both parties if everything is done neatly and responsibly. As for how to handle your earwax, we can only recommend that you do so gently. Your ear canal is self-cleaning, so try not to overdo it!
Finally, an itch?
The Earscratcher may be the culprit of this unusual return, but it is still a tool that you should use properly. Itching can be an unpleasant experience, but we hope this blog helps you see the importance of being careful with your ear canals and our return humor. And if there really is no other way, go for the product that really works for you. Then if you do come to us for a return (and we all know that’s sometimes necessary), we hope you’ll return it neatly and in the right condition!
