I have been a longtime customer of Gale's Brunswick Garden Center and have literally spent thousands of dollars there through the years on seed starting supplies, plants, ProMix, etc. They used to post online coupons on their website, which I used each year as I dropped my tax refund on the coming year's garden supplies. I had one coupon left, a coupon clearly labeled NO EXPIRATION DATE for 20% off up to three of any one item. I specifically hung onto this coupon until I had to buy ProMix, which never goes on sale. When my husband and I got to the register (with my cart full of supplies for our home orchard), we were told they won't accept that coupon. They have a sign near the register that reads, "We no longer accept expired coupons." But this wasn't an expired coupon--it clearly stated NO EXPIRATION DATE. We weren't even rude about it...we just said that made no sense, how could you not accept a coupon that said no expiration date. The two cashiers made us feel like we were trying to cheat them. One said, "You're not supposed to SAVE the coupon...you're supposed to print it and use it the same day." Since when is that how coupons work? And why would it read "no expiration date"? And then the other cashier pipes in, "This coupon is even more expired...we haven't printed these for years." "More" expired? Again, the coupon says NO EXPIRATION DATE. Another man who works in the store and with whom we have consulted about plants for years stood off to the side and observed our conversation and said nothing, so apparently everyone there was fine with how we were being treated.
All in all, the coupon would have saved us a whopping total of $12. I'm glad Gale's is doing so well that it was worth losing our immediate hundred dollar plus sale over a matter of $12, and losing all of the potential money we would have spent this spring and summer, as they have lost us as customers permanently for the way they treated us so rudely in the process. I shop with my wallet and they will never receive another dollar of my business. We left all of our potential purchases with them at the register and proceeded to drive to Maria's Garden Center in Strongsville, where we bought our ProMix and were treated like human beings. In a time when storefront retailers keep losing sales to online shopping, you'd think Gale's would at least want to retain walk-in business. From now on, I will order any specialty garden supplies online rather than return to Gale's Brunswick Garden Center.
P.S. All you needed was a sign that said "We no longer accept online coupons," rather than trying to insult us and make us feel like we were trying to do something wrong by using your "NO EXPIRATION DATE" coupons. read more