I really enjoy shopping at Ollie's Bargain Outlet. They usually have good-quality products at very reasonable prices, and it is a great place to find deals if you do not mind the selection changing from week to week. The store is not always clearly marked, but it is fairly organized. You can usually tell what section you are in, whether it is toys, automotive, home goods, or something else, which makes it pretty easy to figure out if they have what you are looking for.
That said, customer service has not been a strong point in my experience. The employees are not usually very helpful, but most of the time that is not a major issue because the store is easy enough to shop on your own.
The only significant problem I have had involved my grandmother. She walked behind the counter area to look at some Christmas bags that were displayed back there. For context, this location has several registers, there was no clear sign or barrier indicating customers could not step into that area, and there was merchandise displayed on the wall behind the counter. It seemed like an easy and understandable mistake.
Instead of simply explaining the policy respectfully, the cashier was dismissive and unprofessional. My grandmother explained that she was only trying to pick out the bags she wanted to purchase so she would not have to describe 15 different bags to someone who would then have to walk back and grab them. The cashier called a manager over, and my grandmother said she would wait for the second cashier to open because of how she was being treated. The employee then continued making unnecessary remarks.
Overall, I still like Ollie's and will continue shopping there for the deals, but the customer service could definitely use improvement. A simple misunderstanding should have been handled with basic professionalism and respect, especially toward an older customer read more
