ハリスさんは先週、買ったヘッドホンの音が出なくなったので、買った店に返品(へんぴん)しに来ました。

Harris1: すみません。先週、こちらでこのヘッドホンを買ったんですが、急に音が出なくなっちゃったんです。
Clerk1: 今、かかりの者をよびますから、少々、お待ちください。
Yama1: お待たせしました。私、山下(やました)ともうします。
Harris2: 先週、こちらでこれを買ったんですが、音が出なくなっちゃったんです。
Yama3: 拝見(はいけん)してもよろしいでしょうか。
Harris3: どうぞ。
Yamashita chekcs to see if the headphone is really broken.
Yama4: こわれているみたいですね。レシートを見せていただけますか。
Harris4: はい。
Yama5: それでは、保証期間内(ほしょうきかんない)なので、よろしかったら 新品(しんぴん)と交換(こうかん)いたしますが、今、同じ物がございませんので、二、三日待っていただけませんか。
Harris5: そうですか。明日、国に帰る予定なので、できれば返品(へんぴん)できないでしょうか。
Yama6: かしこまりました。では、こちらにお名前とご住所をお書きください。
Harris fills in the return merchandise form.
Harris6: これでいいですか。
Yama7: はい。少々、お待ちください。
Yamashita brings the refund and customer's return merchandise form.
Yama8: お待たせいたしました。まことにもうしわけございませんでした。

Translation

Harris1: Excuse me. I bought these headphones here last week, but suddenly they stopped working.
Clerk1: I’ll get someone to assist you. Please wait a moment.
Yama1: Thank you for waiting. My name is Yamashita.
Harris2: I bought these here last week, but they stopped working.
Yama3: May I take a look at them?
Harris3: Sure.
Yamashita chekcs to see if the headphones are actually broken.
Yama4: It looks like they’re broken. May I see your receipt?
Harris4: Here.
Yama5: Since they’re still under warranty, we can replace them with a new pair if you’d like. However, we don’t have the same model in stock right now, so would you mind waiting two or three days?
Harris5: I see. I’m planning to return to my country tomorrow, so if possible, could I return them for a refund?
Yama6: Certainly. In that case, please write your name and address here.
Harris fills in the return merchandise form.
Harris6: Is this okay?
Yama7: Yes. Please wait a moment.
Yamashita brings the refund and customer's return merchandise form.
Yama8: Thank you for waiting. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.

Cultural Note

1.

Returning Merchandise in Japan

Returning merchandise is generally less common in Japan than in the United States. In the U.S., many stores allow customers to return an item simply because they changed their mind. In Japan, however, merchandise purchased at a store generally cannot be returned for personal reasons, such as deciding that you do not like it, finding it cheaper somewhere else, or realizing that it is not what you expected. Return policies vary from store to store, however, and some stores do allow returns or exchanges under certain conditions. If an item is defective, the customer can normally ask the store to correct the problem, for example through a repair, replacement, exchange, or return, depending on the circumstances and the store's policy. Customers are usually asked to provide the receipt as proof of purchase. This cultural difference explains the conversation above. Yamashita first offers to exchange the defective headphones for a new pair. Harris asks for a refund only because he is returning to his country the next day and cannot wait for the replacement.