CultureShock! Paris

CULTURE QUIZ

SITUATION 1

You bought five handles for your kitchen cabinets in a Parisian hardware store. When you get home, however, you see that one is damaged, and besides, it turns out you needed only four. You go back to the store with the receipt to return the unwanted item, politely explaining the situation to the salesman. He is not at all accommodating, saying you should have noticed the problem before you left the store and that there’s nothing he can do. He points to a sign on the wall that says ‘no returns’. You:

 

   Agree, saying, “oui, monsieur”, you understand that, in general, nothing should be returned, but this item was defective. ...