Canadian Tire review: Lawn tractor battery / customer service

I purchased a new lawn tractor battery from the Canadian Tire in Selkirk, MB on July 22, 2023. Yesterday, October 18th, 2023 I noticed that my lawn tractor wouldn't start. I tried placing the battery on a battery charger at home and it wouldn't take a charge. I tried putting it on a second battery charger, and it too wouldn't take a charge. I did a load test and the battery was poor. I took it to Canadian Tire in Selkirk today (October 19th, 2023) at approximately 1pm and went to the Automotive Desk. The first person to help me was Travis. He put it on a tester, but that didn't work so he put it on the charger in the back. I asked for a new battery, and he stated that it was store policy for him to charge the battery and test it. I asked him how long that was going to take, he advised anywhere from 15 minutes to 1 hour. He stated that I could go home and he would call me back, and I advised that I live out of town. He stated that that was the way the policy was and he could not issue me a refund and a new battery without a test.

I did some shopping in the store, went and placed my items in my vehicle, came back and waited another 15 minutes in the service area. I then asked what the status was on my battery to a different male person (Matthew) he advised another guy who checked on the status of the battery. He came back with a time of 65 minutes that I would have to wait.

I told him that I can't wait all day for a battery to be tested, and again asked for a new battery. He told me that he couldn't provide me with a new battery as it was store policy. I asked to speak to the store owner. He said he wasn't there. I then asked to speak to a manager. While the manager was there, another guy came over from service and stated that they couldn't do a refund or replacement without the test being completed. I told him that your store policy is unacceptable. I told him that it had already been 45 minutes and now he is telling me it is going to take 65 more minutes? He told me that each battery is different. I told him that I wasn't prepared to wait all afternoon

for a battery to test.

Theresa then came. I know her as the manager as I shop at this store all of the time. I told her that I had tested the battery at home on two different battery chargers and it wasn't taking a charge. I told him that I simply wanted a new battery and I would be happy and on my way. She told me that unfortunately this is the way things had to be and the store policy dictated that it had to be tested. I told her that this is completely unacceptable, and that from this day forward, I would purchase all my batteries from Costco as there is no policy like this to worry about if there are issues.

He told me that I was free to take the battery back and take it to another store, which I replied that I bought it in Selkirk, not anywhere else. Why would I take a dead battery home? He then looked at me with a smirk on his face, to which I told him that I was already pissed off and didn't need him looking at me with that smirk on his face.

He replied "I can say the same thing about you"!

I asked his name and Theresa and another female told him to leave and that they would "deal with him" later. No one would tell me this male's name., even when I asked 4 times.

Seeing that this was going no where, I asked for the owner's number, to which the staff replied, "Can we even give out his number?" Then Theresa said that the owner was not around. I asked who the next person in charge was. They told me it was the GM - Mick, but he was not in. I asked that someone call me to advise what was going on, they had both my name and phone number in the computer.

At 2:55 pm. Theresa called me to advise that the battery was tested and it was fine. I told her I have no faith in that battery as it not only went dead but wouldn't take a charge. I asked her for a new battery or a refund. She then put me in touch with a lady name Breanne (automotive manager)

Breanne advised me that the battery was tested and it's fine. I told her what I told Theresa, that I have no faith in the battery and I would like a new one. She says she couldn't as the battery tested fine. I then asked for a refund, to which she replied she couldn't because it was used.

This leaves me with no reliable battery, and no recourse for a new one. I paid for a new battery less than 3 months ago, and this is my experience with Canadian Tire? Now I have to drive back into town to the store to pick up an unreliable battery?

I am truly disappointed with the policy you have, and the deplorable customer service shown on all levels. I am definitely going to rethink any relationship I have, not just with the automotive department, but with all Canadian Tires as a whole.