If a buying experience is bad, I normally can shrug it off so long as I get what I was looking for. Today was very bad, but I thought at least my objective was complete: Buy a TV for my parents who've been using an old Sony for the past 10 years and make it a surprise for Christmas.
I walked in looking for a specific television, and as expected an associate immediately tried to up sale me on other models or other bundles that included gaming consoles, etc. This was to be expected, exhausting, but expected. From the very beginning of the conversation, I made it clear that this was a gift for my parents for Christmas day. The associate even made reference to this idea a few times.
When we finally went to check out, we used my parents phone number to pull up the address and make the warranty purchase smoother and I specifically asked for NO E-MAIL receipts or confirmations. I even mentioned this to the associate and asked if this was going to be an issue. He said," Let me check on that," disappears momentarily, comes back and mentions to me that it wouldn't be e-mailed until January. You can see where this is going by now, but let me get back to the actual buying process.
He asks how we're going to get it back and we mention we're going to try to use our car. What he DIDN'T mention was that any TV over 50 inches we get FREE SHIPPING with. We buy the TV, try to fit it into the sedan, and no dice. I go back thinking I'll just have to deal with paying for shipping (as only my dad has a truck that can ship it, but god forbid the surprise gets ruined) and the associate simply asks us for what date works best dismissing my question as to how much the total will be. I repeat myself, and he finally answers the question and lets me know it's free. Bravo.
This then takes about an hour for them to sort this out. This whole process, btw, took about 3 hours. While a new customer service guy is trying to figure out how to add in the free shipping without having to redo the order (which would set my back account back twice the amount of the TV as a regular refund takes a few business days to sort out) he keeps asking us if we really want to do this and not reconsider figuring out how to ship it ourselves. I don't know how many times I had to say, "No, we want it shipped." during this whole process. Again, shitty experience, but I'm just thinking about the objective.
After all that time passes by, he finally gives up figuring out this technicality and asks if I can just bite the bullet and be short over three grand for a few days. I think "fuck it", and say sure, go ahead. So he finally gets me my reciept, I go back to redo my whole fucking order from the top for not being told about my options to begin with, I have to wait in line while other people are picking delivery time slots that might've but thankfully didn't take the time slot I originally asked for, and then I finally order the TV, AGAIN ASKING FOR NO E-MAIL RECEIPT, and head home.
My dad gets an e-mail receipt. Incompetence.
Later this same day learned from other people in the area to avoid this place at all costs. Wish I had heard that before.
**Update**
I headed back to the store before Christmas, as the surprise as you've read by now was botched. I thought at least I'd be able to suprise my mother on Christmas, which thankfully did work out.
I went by to pick up my TV now that I could get my dad's pick up truck involved, and wouldn't you know it, that process happened to be a little slice of shit. I went to customer service, unfortunately was the same dolt from last time, asked if I could pick my order up. The attendant looked confused and told me to wait in the store (nowhere specifically, just anywhere really) and they'd let me know when it was ready. I asked, "How are you going to let me know?" "Oh, we'll e-mail you." So they'll e-mail me while I'm waiting somewhere in the store. Of course.
I walked over to the other attendant (knowing the first guy was a lost cause), took my gloves off, and got my TV in 2 minutes.
Moral of the story, treat these people like 2 year olds because they're either dumb or lazy or some combination of the two and as such respond to being castigated. And also, just don't shop here. The End. read more