Stupid Person 3

So this is a throw back.  I'll give my brother credit for this one as this was one of his stupid person encounters.

For his wedding he and his bride registered at Target.  Now while this seemed like a good idea at the time, I mean who doesn't love to shop at Target when you get the opportunity, looking back at it... not so much!  I have now vowed not to shop at Target if I can avoid it.  In fact I bought something at Wal-Mart and had it priced matched just so I could avoid giving Target my money.

So, back to the original story...  So they registered for some lamps and I bought one of them.  These were nothing fancy.  Just floor lamps.  I only bought one - and a few other things, don't get me wrong.  They were kind of cool as they were touch lamps too.

So right after they got married the went on their honeymoon.  Then the moved.  Then they unpacked.  Needless to say it took about six months for them to get the lamp set up and use it.... or try.  When the plugged the lamp in, it appeared to work.  Then it would randomly turn on or off.  Or change lighting levels.
Fearing this could be a hazard they wanted to exchange the lamp...  Notice I said they wanted to.

They had the gift receipt but since their wedding had been so long ago, and they'd had the lamp in their posession for that length of time, they refused to exchange it.  Even with the lamp being defective and a safety hazard.  My brother told them he just wanted a new one.  He didn't want the money or to return it.... Just one that would work.  They still refused.  He told the employee they still had them on the shelves - even clearanced them out - and he didn't care about the difference... just a new lamp.  Again the employee said no.

He then spoke to a manager who told him the same thing.  He'd had it so long,  he could not exchange it.  He pointed out to the manager that he could just go buy a lamp and then return the defective one with the new receipt.  She still said no.

My brother then went all the way up to a Vice President in the company, explaining the situation.  They went back and forth and finallly my brother told her the same thing he'd told the manager.  The VP simply said "Sir, I'm not telling you how to circumvent the rules."  He told the VP he was trying to be a good guy and do the right thing by exchanging it.  He didn't want to "circumvent the rules".  She just said she was sorry and there was nothing more she could do to help... like she'd helped in the first place.

So angry at Target and unable to believe that they were refusing to exchange a product that could become a safety hazard, he did exactly what he'd told them he would do all along.  He went and bought the new lamp then returned the defective one with the new receipt. 

You tell me, how stupid is that?!?!