What a terrible experience I had!
Yesterday they were open until midnight. At about 8:45pm I went in with my boyfriend to purchase a Maleficent costume. The workers were very helpful in getting our costume from the back. We we directed to follow the green footprints to get our costume off a table in the back. We purchased the costume and were on our way!
Excited with our new purchase, we opened it right away. And there it was: a robe. After double checking the packaging that CLEARLY says a headpiece is included, I was in a panic. $55 for an incomplete costume? I called Party City right away.
After their lengthy greeting, I spoke.
Me: "Hello, I was just in your store and purchased a Maleficent costume. There is no headpiece included."
Party City Employee: "That was our last one though"
...what? So, clearly she was aware of the incomplete costume sold, since she responded without skipping a beat.
Me: "Is there something you can do?"
Party City Employee: "We can either give you a discount on the purchase, or store credit."
I let them know that I would be right back, and I mean RIGHT back.
Minutes later, I walked back into a now empty Party City. The manager was behind the counter. We explained to them that we made this purchase and that the costume was lacking the head piece. She said she would go check to see if they had more available. IF? I was already told by the lady on the phone that it was the last one. Such a sketchy vibe... Minutes later she came out and apologized that it was indeed their last. Refusing to take either the discount or the store credit, my boyfriend suggested another location to pick the costume up from. The manager looked on the computer and found 2 at another location. She said she could call and hold the costume, but insisted on making the phone call in the back, despite the phone right beside her.
Fifteen minutes later...
She said to me, "Sorry, I was on hold for like ever. So they have the costume and are willing to old it until noon tomorrow."
I told her noon was too early, because I work. She said it's non negotiable and that at this location, she was only doing holds for an hour. Well, considering this isn't a "hold" but a costume already purchased, I would hope there was something they could do to accommodate me for this mishap. I asked her if it was a straight exchange between stores. After a long pause, she whispered "yes."
Clearly this manager was not willing to work with me. I stepped out and made a phone call to the other location. I was directed with absolutely no hold time.
Me: "Hi, I just purchased a Maleficent costume from the Everett location, but there is no head piece. The manager told me that you would hold a costume tomorrow, and that it would be a straight exchange?"
Manager of Other Location: "No! I'm not taking an incomplete costume because I would be taking the hit."
Me: "The manager just told me you were willing to take this exchange, no later than noon tomorrow."
Manager of Other Location: "That isn't true, I'm here until 9pm tomorrow, I can hold it for you all day. But I'm not taking an exchange and taking a hit for an incomplete costume. What she needs to do is give you a full refund, and then you can just buy this costume here."
...Completely different story. But I knew the manager of the Everett location wasn't being truthful. I mean, they knowingly sold me an incomplete costume in the first place. I walked back into Party City and told them the news.
With a Razzie winning performance, the manager said "What! I didn't know! She didn't tell me that!" After proceeding to bad mouth the other manager, she completed my refund while telling me it was the wrong thing to do. She added, "I personally would have just done the exchange if I were her, and then I would have given her the discount, but whatever."
Well, I personally would be a lot more professional if I was a manager of an establishment in the customer service industry.
It all was just so sketchy. I couldn't imagine going all the way to another Party City location, only to not be granted an exchange. Please do not make it a customer's problem that a costume is incomplete. I shouldn't have had to do her job in setting all of this up. What a sketchy, unprofessional predicament I was put in! It was a dishonest purchase, and a dishonest resolution! This manager put me in such a bad position, and I can't believe they would lie not only during the time of purchase, but to then completely fabricate a solution which would make me look like an idiot, just so you can keep your full priced payment for an incomplete costume!
I'm embarrassed for her. read more