Apparently, "new" now means "previously displayed, visibly handled, and tastefully pre-tarnished."
I purchased a flute at LM Kanata location that was sold to me as "new". Upon closer inspection at home, however, it had obvious discoloration, tarnishing, and signs of handling. It was, in fact, a display instrument--a minor detail the store apparently considered too unimportant to disclose before taking my money.
When I returned it, the response was even more impressive. Rather than acknowledge that a visibly tarnished display instrument should not have been sold as new without disclosure, the sales staff were rude and dismissive. A person who introduced himself as the shop's repair technician decided to join the conversation, only to dismiss the visible marks as "just tarnish." How reassuring. Perhaps scratches are "just scratches," dents are "just dents," and honesty is "just optional."
There was no meaningful apology, no acceptance of responsibility, and no apparent understanding of why a customer might object to paying the new-instrument price for a handled and tarnished display model. Instead, I was treated as though noticing the condition of the flute was somehow the real problem.
I returned it immediately and left. Buying an expensive musical instrument requires trust, and this store managed to lose mine before I played the first note. Very disappointing, thoroughly unprofessional, and an excellent lesson in why customers should inspect the meaning of the word "new" before shopping here. read more