"You ought to have had her scan it."
An annoyed customer who was refused parking validation at Bloomingdale's suggested an alternative for those looking to avoid parking fees without needing to buy anything from the store.
Daus Mendoza (@daus_mendoza) shared his strategy in a viral TikTok that's accrued over 2.8 million views on the popular social media application as he walked through a Bloomingdale's store.
The article proceeds after this advertisement.
"Hey everyone, I wanted to get my ticket validated, so I approached the cashier at Bloomingdale's to ask if I could do it there. She gave me the most unpleasant look and had such a rude attitude as she responded, 'You can only validate it with a Bloomingdale's receipt.'"
He appeared quite surprised by the actions of the employee.
"When I say I have the most outrageous attitude, I mean it. I'm a bit petty, you see. My plan is to purchase something, return it, snag that receipt, and then stroll back to that same strange person and say, 'Here you go. Validate this.'"
Daus films himself making a purchase at the shop. "Is it possible to buy something here?" he inquires of the staff member, who replies enthusiastically, "Absolutely!"
The article proceeds after this advertisement.
He then inquires, "I have a question. What is your return policy? I'm definitely going to make a purchase, but I'm just curious because I have a cousin who I believe someone might have already gotten this for her. So I’m just trying to figure it out..."
The employee responds, "They aren't fond of it regardless, just return it. Ensure it hasn't been used."
"Alright," Daus responds. He then shifts to the POS system, showing that he spent $35.00 on the purchase.
The article proceeds after this advertisement.
At this moment in the video, he captures footage of himself strolling through the store after completing his purchase, exclaiming, "got it," while holding his receipt. He then approaches another counter and informs the employee that he has just bought a product. The employee replies that the total sum of $38.32 will be refunded to his Visa card, which Daus acknowledges.
"Have a great day," the individual says to him while handing over the refund receipt. After this exchange, he begins documenting his quest to locate the "rude" woman who irritated him when he requested validation for his parking.
The article proceeds after this advertisement.
View pictures in App save up to 80% data.
"Where the hell is that girl?" he murmurs into the camera, frustration evident in his voice. "She really pushed it with that attitude." The scene then shifts to him glancing at the counter, his expression shifting to concern as he worries she might have left.
Yet, a shift occurs in his gaze as he verifies that she is, in fact, still employed in that section of the store.
The article proceeds after this advertisement.
Clutching the receipt tightly, he makes his way to the counter and inquires, "Do you validate parking here, or what?" He then passes his receipt and parking ticket to the staff member at the counter.
The video then shifts to him glancing toward the worker. "I appreciate it," he remarks as he walks off.
In the concluding part of the video, he lifts the stamped parking ticket towards the camera. "I got my ticket validated," he states as the video wraps up.
Humor surrounding parking validations appears in numerous television series and films.
The article proceeds after this advertisement.
View pictures in App save up to 80% data.
Even Woody Harrelson's character in the Coen Brothers epic, No Country for Old Men features this same quip. If you've never frequented a business that offers this service you might be wondering just what it means, much like this same curious Redditor who posted a query about the process in the site's r/NoStupidQuestions sub.
The article proceeds after this advertisement.
A respondent explained the procedure like this: "When you enter a parking lot, there are machines that issue you a ticket. You need to pay at the end before you can leave. Some establishments will take care of your parking fees if you're their customer, which means instead of 'validating' your parking—essentially paying for your duration at the machine—they handle the payment for you, so you can exit without any charges."
You may be curious about the reasoning behind an establishment providing such a service. The answer lies in the fact that if a paid parking facility is situated close to local businesses or shares the same building, it can encourage customers to choose these retail outlets for their shopping instead of opting for other stores.
The article proceeds after this advertisement.
View pictures in App save up to 80% data.
When purchasing an item at a retailer, providing validated parking can be an effective strategy to attract more customers. However, the unfriendly demeanor of the Bloomingdale's staff may stem from individuals trying to take advantage of the parking lot next to the store without actually buying anything from the establishment.
The article proceeds after this advertisement.
Many viewers who responded to Daus' video appreciated his clever parking validation trick, but a few suggested a different approach. "I would have had her validate the ticket first, then requested an immediate refund."
This sentiment was also expressed by another individual who wrote: "You ought to have had her ring it up... have her validate your ticket... and then have her return it."
One individual mentioned that they have always found store employees willing to validate their parking without any pushback. "I've never experienced anyone making it a significant issue when it comes to validating my ticket."
One individual commented that they think this phenomenon is directly linked to the employees at Bloomingdale's. "There are always rude people at Bloomingdale’s," they wrote.
