VENTING: But at the time didn't cause a scene

I have been working and living in Japan for almost a year now. When I got here I knew only "arigato" and "sumimasen".
I have since been studying the language rather intensely (daily meetings in Japanese in addition to studying at night and the weekly meeting with my tutor) in order to make things easier to live here and to hopefully communicate better in my engineering job.
I have since learned to speak a little Japanese, fallen in love with the love of my life, and even drive on the wrong side of the road. Things finally make sense to me on a day to day basis.
I went to a large electronics store to buy an mp3 player (eiden). They didn't have them stacked so I finally got the attention of some employee (old man) because apparently I was supposed to pay for the souvenir I bought to send my brother for his birthday at some special counter (same store, bought souvenirs there before and paid at the main counter). I interrupted his demands and said I want to buy this mp3 player and don't know how (ALL CONVERSATION WAS IN JAPANESE MIND YOU). He went running around everywhere, which is typical Japanese service I've become accustomed to. He found me a box from somewhere and I was happy. Then he starts to read the box and asks me if my computer has Japanese version of windows. My computer is American so it is English. I proceeded to tell him it's not a problem as I have managed to operate other items from this store such as a wireless router, etc.
This is where the anger sets in: "You cannot run this on your computer".
Ok, don't tell me what I cannot do with my computer. Not to be judgmental, but this guy was older than my father and I am very computer literate as I am a computer engineer by education. I told him again it is fine.
He said I could not return the item if it didn't work. ARE YOU SERIOUS? Not only assuming I had to follow what the "box said", but that I didn't know what I was talking about. I told him nevermind I will go to a more reputable store to make my purchase.
Is it really that impossible to make a return at a Japanese electronics store? Why? It's certainly not like we don't pay a huge markup. I only went there because I want the thing before golden week. (and PLEASE don't get me started about banking in this great nation...)
AAARRRGGHHH!
ok sorry i feel better now.

CA_Wix said:

...
(ALL CONVERSATION WAS IN JAPANESE MIND YOU).
This is where the anger sets in: "You cannot run this on your computer".
...

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I cannot say anything about the conversation, for it is only you that know the situation. But all I can say is the translator of the sentence above is you, and correct me if I am wrong, but your English translation sounds a bit harsh. At least, you in English is more general term than the subject words or "abbreviation of the subject" in Japanese, so you should carefully choose the word in translation.

It is up to you to record the conversation, but you should ask some Japanese if it is really a poor-quality service or not before uploading it somewhere on the net.
Glenski orients you to his post about "Soft-spoken conversation in Japanese for dummies, even if you are a racial profiling cop".

Ok, don't tell me what I cannot do with my computer. Not to be judgmental, but this guy was older than my father and I am very computer literate as I am a computer engineer by education. I told him again it is fine.
He said I could not return the item if it didn't work. ARE YOU SERIOUS? Not only assuming I had to follow what the "box said", but that I didn't know what I was talking about. I told him nevermind I will go to a more reputable store to make my purchase.
Is it really that impossible to make a return at a Japanese electronics store? Why?

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Because you are very computer literate and take your own risk.
Don't worry, when it is an innate defect stemming from the product itself, you should ask exchange it.

[omake]

He went running around everywhere, which is typical Japanese service I've become accustomed to.

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I am 100% sure that you will miss those running around everywhere type service as well as convini soon after you leave Japan.

I had a similar experience at the used equipment section of a camera store. I wanted to purchase a macro bellows in M42 screwmount....a mount which was abandoned as obsolete in the early 1970s (but which I use on a daily basis).

I asked the clerk to take it out of the case for me, so I could examine it.

"Oh, you can't use this!"
"Really? Why not?" (said as I pulled a 1973 camera out of my bag)
"Well, you can use it with that camera."

Then I pulled out a modern digital SLR.
"You can't use it with that camera!"
"Really? Why not?" (said as I removed a 40 year old lens and mounted the item I was inspecting)

Yes, there really are times the customer knows more about the product than the "professionals" at the store does.

OP, you could always do what I do and just run Japanese Windows; then nobody will bother you.

CA_Wix said:

This is where the anger sets in: "You cannot run this on your computer".
Ok, don't tell me what I cannot do with my computer. Not to be judgmental, but this guy was older than my father and I am very computer literate as I am a computer engineer by education. I told him again it is fine.
He said I could not return the item if it didn't work. ARE YOU SERIOUS? Not only assuming I had to follow what the "box said", but that I didn't know what I was talking about. I told him nevermind I will go to a more reputable store to make my purchase.
Is it really that impossible to make a return at a Japanese electronics store? Why? It's certainly not like we don't pay a huge markup. I only went there because I want the thing before golden week. (and PLEASE don't get me started about banking in this great nation...)
AAARRRGGHHH!
ok sorry i feel better now.

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So ... he said it would not work , but you said it would. So ... if it did in fact not work you would want to return it? Am I getting this right so far? But ,you want to ignore his warnings and take the product home ,which would include opening the box and therefore breaking any seals it had only to find out that it does not work and then expect them to give your money back even after being warned that it would not work?

#1, If you were so confident that it would work then you would not have to return it would you, so why would you be upset if he did say you could not return it? Sounds like you want your cake and eat it too.

I know of many situations when buying electronics where returns cannot be made, just the nature of the business and if you can't accept that then it is you who has the problem.

FrustratedDave said:

#1, If you were so confident that it would work then you would not have to return it would you, so why would you be upset if he did say you could not return it? Sounds like you want your cake and eat it too.
I know of many situations when buying electronics where returns cannot be made, just the nature of the business and if you can't accept that then it is you who has the problem.

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Greetings from America. I've been here close to a month now, and one thing that shocked the hell out of me was how liberal return policies can be in the U.S. If the guy is from the U.S., it could be a little culture shock, too.

I agree with your reasoning, but if he's used to a more liberal return policy, it sounds like a reasonable complaint. I mean, you should hear me talk about things in the U.S. I have endless little complaints like that!

Mikawa Ossan said:

Greetings from America. I've been here close to a month now, and one thing that shocked the hell out of me was how liberal return policies can be in the U.S. If the guy is from the U.S., it could be a little culture shock, too.

I agree with your reasoning, but if he's used to a more liberal return policy, it sounds like a reasonable complaint. I mean, you should hear me talk about things in the U.S. I have endless little complaints like that!

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Hey, so hows is America treating you?

Back on topic, I can see what you are saying ,but unfortunately or fortunately that is the way things are done here I suppose and I don't see a problem with it. Especially when the sales clerk has warned you in advance.

You wanted to buy something electronic, install it on your computer, then discover that it won't work, so you return it. Sounds innocent enough, but...

1. Store policy prohibits that because some people whose computers DO accept the installation may just return it so they can have a FREE install.

2. It's their policy because you might have damaged the goods when installing it or opening it.

Someone who is as computer literate as you claim to be ought to know these 2 things.

Live with store policy or don't shop there. Your complaint about finding a more "reputable" store is unwarranted.