I recently purchased a very expensive ($250) aquarium filter from the Reno Petsmart location. Unfortunately after a month the filter started acting up and making a lot of noise from the motor. After I searched for a solution online, I found that other people have had this unfixable problem with this filter and I decided it would be best to purchase an entirely different filter.
After I looking over customer reviews it looked as though the best filter for me to get for my aquarium was not available at Petsmart, so I decided to purchase my new filter elsewhere, and return the defective one to the Reno Petsmart.
Unfortunately I could not find my receipt when I looked for it and decided to call customer service number to ask about it. The customer service rep told me the store manager could look up my receipt if I had the date, and purchase amount of my item. Since I purchased the filter on my credit card, and it was the only item I purchased that day, I simply took my statement into the Reno Petsmart so they could look up the receipt.
When I walked in and talked to the sales associate at the register, he informed me that they do not have the ability to look up receipts, and that it was "A violation of customers privacy to look up a customers receipt that was purchased with a credit card." At this point I told him that his customer service phone rep said that the manager had the ability to do it. He then very rudely said "I'll call him up here but he won't be able to do anything for you"
When the manager arrived I explained to him my situation with the filter. This time the manager said he had the ability to look up the receipt but only for a week after the item was purchased. When I said the customer service rep told me otherwise, he said "I don't know why they would tell you that because that is simply not true, He then said he "could only return items under 50 dollars without a receipt". I offered to show him my credit card statement as proof that I purchased the item and that it was within there return policy timeframe and he said "Your credit card statement isn't proof, and I can't help you, and you are holding up the line for other customers"
At this point I was dumfounded at the lack of customer service and professionalism by both the associate and the store manager and took the filter and left the store. In the parking lot I called up the customer service number to ask how to rectify this situation, hoping that they could call the store and get this situation settled.
When I talked to the rep, they apologized for my experience and told me that the managers only have the ability to look up receipts for two weeks after a purchase (This was now the 4th different response I've gotten about this). They did say however that they have a tech department that could look up my receipt and the lady took down all my information (date, purchase price, last 4 digits of my credit card, store that I purchased it from, my email, and home address) She said that they would be able to find my receipt and email me a copy in up to 7 business days. At this point I realized that in 3 days I would be past there return policy, and the rep assured me that the store would be able to return the item after the 60 day return policy because I had to wait for customer service to look it up.
After 7 business days I hadn't seen a receipt so I called the customer service line back and got a different answer that it takes 7-10 business days to look up a receipt.
After 10 days I still didn't get a receipt, so I called the customer service line again. They said they would have to re submit it and it would take another 7-10 days... at this point I couldn't wait any longer and be told any more lies about what was going to happen. Now I have to call my credit card company and have them do a charge back on my card.
I've worked in retail and customer service most of my life. I am fully aware that the manager at the Petsmart could have taken care of my situation and taken my filter back. They then would have been able to ship the filter back to the manufacturer and been taken care of. I had proof on my credit card statement that the purchase was made, and this should have been a non-issue.
I'm extremely disappointed in the customer service of Petsmart. Their employee's were rude, unhelpful, and each one gave me a different answer to my situation. Its amazing that in this day of modern technology, the store couldn't look up my receipt. Or that the tech department would make me wait 7-10 days to look up a receipt and then not get back to me. I was treated poorly, given a run around, lied to, and now have to go through the lengthy process of doing a charge back on my credit card, which will in turn cost Petsmart time and money.
Its terrible that a company won't stand behind the products it sells. I'm happy to take my business elsewhere. read more