I Used To Work In And Own A Shop,

selling live ornamental fish, plants and equipment,

so I have a lot of sympathy with these posters,

 who deal with members of the public,

 when shopping,

 travelling,

 or buying goods,

but this one above rung a cord with me, this is a true story it happened to me one Monday morning, the previous Saturday I sold a customer some koi carp for his outside pool, they were £5.50 each or 6 for £29.50, he bought 6, Monday morning he arrived back, 

4 of the koi you sold me are dead, what is your replacement policy here? 

I replied please bring in the bodies and a sample of the pond water so we can check the p.h., nitrites, nitrates, ammonia, G.H. and K.H, of the water, 

OK I can bring in the water sample but not the bodies of the fish, 

why not? 

the next door neighbours cat ate them, I saw him catching one yesterday just after I feed them,

well that is a problem with your next door neighbour and his cat not the fish you bought,

my next door neighbour said you would say that,

but it is not a problem with the fish I sold you, you said they were eating so they had settled in well,

so you are not going to replace the four fish his cat ate?

no,

with that an obviously disgruntled customer left my shop never to return as I refused to give the neighbours cat a second helping, still you know what I say about running a business, 2nd rule of good business, give all of your problem customer and bad debts to your nearest rival! in case you are wondering, my 1st rule of business practise, avoid litigation at all costs!