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About a week ago was my boyfriend's birthday. One of his friends gave him a video game for the PS3 as a present. After my boyfriend opened the present they realized that the plastic security enclosure was still on the package, the person who bought it didn't see that they left it on. It was bought in a Superstore out of town and it would be inconvenient for my boyfriend to go all the way there to exchange it (he needed to remove the security case and exchange it for the same game but for a different console) so his friend gave him a copy of the receipt and they figured it would not be a problem exchanging it. Personally I didn't think it would be a problem either. I worked in a retail store for 6 years and cashiers forgetting to remove the anti-theft devices is fairly common.
Anyway, he first called the store he intended to go to and explained his situation to the customer service rep. She said it wouldn't be a problem and he confidently went to his local Superstore to exchange the game. After getting there, the girl he spoke with over the phone started helping him but after short while the manager on duty came up and started verbally abusing him. Angrily the manager asked, “is this a joke?”. My boyfriend began to explain the story again. After indicating that it was a birthday present, the manager cut him off and asked again if its a joke. My boyfriend, not a young child (He's 27 years old), was being yelled at as if he was a thieving brat. The manager even threatened to call security and have him arrested. He kept claiming that “we wouldn’t sell this like this”. At this point another customer had began to wait in line at the customer service desk. Richard (the manager) once again launched into a verbal tirade, accusing my boyfriend of stealing the product, saying “[he] would not accept the return”, and asking to “please leave the store” as “you and your friend” are no longer welcome here.
My boyfriend was infuriated, not only was he still stuck with a present he couldn't use, but he was publicly yelled and humiliated by a manager of a store where we both shop quite often. And the claim that they wouldn't see it like this is ludicrous too. People make mistakes, especially teenage cashiers working for minimum wage on a busy Saturday afternoon.
Anyway, we emailed the complaints department explaining the story. They got back to us saying they are going to investigate the matter. It took about 4 days before the district manager got the case and called back. In all this time, no one had even spoken to the original store manager, Richard, to figure out how he could treat a customer that way. The district manager did say that he will speak to the manager on duty that day and get them to exchange the game and give a free game to compensate for the inconvenience. Once again my boyfriend went to that store. This time, a different manager on duty did exchange the game for him but said that he doesn't know anything about a free game. He said that he can't "give products away" and defended Richard's behavior since some people do try to steal.
The most outrageous thing about this is not the fact that Richard didn't want to do the exchange. It is the fact that with no proof whatsoever (and actually proof otherwise because what thief would call ahead to explain) this manager thought he had the right to yell and humiliate a customer in front of other employees and customers. He did not take my boyfriend to a private office to discuss the matter, he didn't offer a solution, he threatened him and kicked him out of the store. And after all that, so far there had been no consequences for this manager whatsoever from his boss (the district manager) or the complaints department.
Needless to say that we will not be shopping there anymore. We can't deal with a company that refuses to take responsibly for its mistakes, first the anti-theft device being left on, then their manager's awful mistreatment.
You really shouldn't get pissed off at the store level employees for the ### rules and regulations head office imposes on them. Trust me, if it were store level decisions, both employees and customers would be treated so much better. When employees disobey the policies (ie, do the right thing) to make it right for the customer, they can be fired for not following policy. It is ridiculous. Rules are made by people who 9 times out of 10 have not worked at store level.
Jamie666 "I snail mailed a letter to the president, including the $10 coupon in question thinking that would ensure a response as they'd want to return it. Instead they ignore the letter to and I lost my coupon"
Hahaha this was so dumb why would you do that!?
The presidents, District Managers, and other higher ups do not care about customers what so ever. They just want to pacify the customer and shut them up usually with a gift card. When it comes to things like accusations of theft, these places don't joke around. They are more likely to believe you stole the product than not, and are trying to screw them over. They don't mind calling you a liar or losing a customer because they want to protect their inventory. Ultimately big grocers like Loblaws view customer problems as an inconvenience and either ignore them or try to shut them up somehow. They don't care if they lose you as a customer because they know thousands of other people are willing to shop at their stores and it's no great loss to them.
I had a similar incident yesterday on Jun 30th 2011. It is the Great Canadian Whole Sale Club located at Rogers Road and Weston Road in Toronto. I got yelled at and intimidated by a Cashier who wouild be 1/2 my age. A teen ager who started to behave irrational and I was a paying customer who had already folked out $200.12 for that day during my first trip. Here I was with the same Cashier on my second trip with my cart. I had the cart (A flat bed dolly with two shelves which is common in these stores owned by Loblaws and President's Choice) carrying can pop cases of 24s. Each register has a two lanes. On the left you go thru if you don't have any items that you can not put on the belt. On the right hand side of each register, they have space for you to push the cart thru and you leave any items that are too big for the belt, on the cart. I did that every time I have been going over there. This time, I did not have anyting to put on the belt. So I waited on the right side of the register behind another cart. Once the cart infront of me cleared, there was this custoer on the left side of the register who was next. So I pushed my cart forward and waited until the girl cashier was finished with that customer. Once that customer was done, she goes on to scan the next customer who was waiting on the left side. I interepted her polite and told her I was next. She started to lose with me. She said I was suppose to leave the cart on the right side and wait on the left side of the register by the converyer belt. I asked her how the cart could push itself when there was another cart there. The woman would not stop. She was one crazy mental and working the cash. I asked to speak to the manager on duty. She calls him and starts an argument with the MOD. While this happened 5 of the customers behind me was getting upset. And there was only one other cashier who was cashing out. And she was also busy. So I ask this girl to cancel the manager and cash me out. I told her I will deal with the manager or the head office later on. She told the manager "He is being rude." Then the manager said something. She replied "He is yelling at me now". And then she goes "You told me not to serve anyone who is rude". Non of which I did. Then she simply starts to process the other customer. I asked her about my cart. She goes : "Oh, you have to take it to somewhere else".
While this was going on, one of these guys who works there made a circle around the cash register giving me this intimidating, threatening look. I have never been treated as such in any business in this country.
As a matter of fact, I have decided to sue them over this issue.
I got to speak to the manager on duty by the name of Morsley. I ask him if there is any rationality behind what his cashier was stating to me about he cart. He says no. He was not much of a help. As a matter of fact, this girl was acting as if she owns the place. And her name was Stephanie. What a loser.
It just happened to me this mornig. I was accused a theft because I forgot to pay a plastic bottle which is 5 dollars. When the security stopped me, .I explained it was a accident, he keep saying that I stole it., I was humaliated and I returned all the grocery I bought. I would never go back shopping there.
Ya that store and the loblaws brand is a monopoly that needs to fall.
This brings back what happened to me at Loblaws, Princes St, Kingston ON back in 2008. I had shopped a the store literally my whole life, from when I was a child and went with my mom and grandmother
I had a coupon from save.ca, as i had used many times over years. This one as for "save $10 when you buy any gilette fusion razor". There were piles of these coupons distributed that summer, by save.ca, at events and universities, and at eb games stores,
The cashier couldn't understand the coupon and kept saying "its buy 1 and ave $10 on another 1". She went to ask the cash supervisor, returning o say the supervisor agreed. I pointed out it said you got $10 off when you buy 1.
The supervisor positioned herself about 40 feet away from the cash, and the cashier ended up making 3 trips to speak with her. Finally I said forget it I'll just take my other items.
Instead of ringing them in the cashier took off for the supervisor Patricia again, and gave her my $10 coupon. Patricia came storming over to the cash yelling at me that this is fraud (what?!). I said give me my coupon back, Im not buying anything. She said, "this is fraud I have to keep it", and left back to her counter.
I followed her and demanded she call for a manager, which she refused I demanded again and she called, then turned her back on me never saying a word.
The assistant manager Todd showed up. Tood was sure there was something wrong with the coupon as he'd only seen coupons up to 50 cents before. He said the store had gotten a lot of the gillette coupons, so "there has to be something weird going on". He had said i could have my coupon back, but took quite a while to hand it over. He said i he would check it out and would let me come back and use it if it was alright(instead he went on vacation without saying anything to anyone). I laughed and said i'd hardly be back.
I emailed loblaws and the coupon issuer save.ca. I phoned the store manager Jim Kenney, who had already been called by the coupon issuer save.ca. Jim gave every impression he was not the slightest bit interested in hearing about the issue. He blamed the issue on that being the first time the store received that coupon (although Todd had said they had received lots)
I asked him if the staff are supposed to accuse the customer of fraud, which he replied "not really". I asked him if they are supposed to confiscate coupons, which he replied "not especially" (think teen girl on a sitcom). I expected he'd make some offer to make things right, or at least a sincerely apology which didnt come. eventually I hung up.
I got a reply to my email from loblaws saying "the manager called YOU and offered to meet with you to resolve the issue". I emailed back that I called him and he didnt offer anything. I asked if they could connect me to a district manager or someone higher, which they refused. They asked me for my number to have someone call...2 years later Im still waiting to hear from the.
As I was blown off by the manager and couldn't get anywhere with email (apparently because the local manager lied to them), I snail mailed a letter to the president, including the $10 coupon in question thinking that would ensure a response as they'd want to return it. Instead they ignore the letter to and I lost my coupon.
I didnt set foot in any loblaws owned store for over a year, and since have purchased very little there only because its the closest. Incredibly they preferred losing a lifetime of business over making an apology for falsely accusing me of fraud in a busy store and trying to steal my $10 coupon. Pretty sure they'd have taken it very seriously if it had been me having $10 of their property.
Loblaws appears to be completely inept dealing with customer complaints
I totally agree, Superstore needs to learn how to treat their customers. The thing they don't realize is most of their theft that occur in the electronic department is a result of the employees. Instead confronting the issue, they seem to be blaming their customers. Personally, I bought a X Box 360 from superstore, only to find a really old xbox console with cords for a new xbox. When confronting staff, they basically told me I put the console in the box. They sure no how to make a person feel crappy. I did get the exchange, but it took too much work. After talking to the management, it appears as they do not put returns back on shelves. Which means their own employees are STEALING from them.
Ya how do you think those grocery items are missing in your pickup orders? They were scanned and charged already. So ya the employees are screwing their boss and the customers. The whole company is dung. Try to support a smaller grocery.