Disappointed with the Pottery Barn Retail Experience @ Park Meadows in Lone Tree, CO.
I recently had a very disappointing experience at Pottery Barn in Lone Tree that left me feeling shamed as a customer. I had purchased a throw blanket that was supposed to be 30% off, and I also redeemed two rewards. The total seemed higher then expected, but was embarrassed to check the math while at the register before paying. When I reviewed my receipt outside the store, I realized the throw did not ring up at the advertised 30% off.
I went back into the store and politely asked the cashier to review my purchase and pointed out the sale did not seem to be reflecting on my purchase. She said very little, other than she would have to look at the website. I offered to go take a picture of the sale tag for her convenience and she agreed that would be good. She took my picture, no comment, input some information into the register, asked me to insert my card for the refund, and then handed me a refund receipt without clearly explaining what had changed other than I signed for a small dollar amount refund versus a complete return and repurchase at sale price.
When I asked if I could see the original receipt to better understand how she had calculated the new total, she gave it to me but didn't offer much clarification. I asked a few clarifying questions to try to follow the math, learn if my rewards were or were not still applied, etc... The challenge was rather than redoing the transaction to ensure clarity, she handled the adjustment on a calculator, pen and paper and put that amount in the register. I know that it made sense to her and it later did to me, but was confusing in the moment. When I asked her to explain it again, she seemed annoyed and said, "I don't know how else to explain it to you" (as if I was stupid) and she went on to say, "computers don't make mistakes."
I was a bit taken by her response. I was not rude, I am not dumb, nor did I act irritated about being overcharged in the first place (and I could not help but think, I would not be coming back into the store for an adjustment if "computers don't make mistakes.")
I was patient, polite, and simply trying to follow the adjustment process. I even apologized for not understanding and yet there was no apology from her side, not even for the inconvenience of having to come back into the store, fetch a picture for her and stand shamed at the counter for not understanding how she put into the register what she did for me to sign off on in the first place.
To me, a simple, polite apology or a bit of patience would have gone a long way. I understand not all sale items get loaded in the computer, mistakes happen, but as a customer, I shouldn't feel like a burden for asking for the advertised sale price or for clarity in a transaction that is not done in a straightforward way. This experience left me feeling like I was more of an inconvenience than a valued customer, which is incredibly disheartening, especially when I was nothing but kind and respectful.
I work hard for my money and I am in the people business too and deal with the public daily and have for the past 30 years, I find it so less stressful when I extend patience and grace to those I interact with, like I did with her when she was rude with me. Maybe instead of being overwhelmed and telling a customer, "I don't know how else to explain it to you." Self reflect and see what you could do differently to keep things straightforward. And is it really too hard to say, "I am so sorry you were overcharged" rather than being exasperated and telling me "computers don't make mistakes." It is simply not difficult to be kind or to help someone understand a situation. What you did for the adjustment was unclear, your explanation was not articulated well... and remember, I was the one overcharged... I am not sure why I was the one apologizing and running around the store to get you information about the sale. Really disappointed in this experience and sadly not the first time I left feeling like such attitudes at this store read more
