I've been shopping at this location for a very long time. Before it became Dollar Tree about a year…read moreand a half ago, it was a 99 Cents Only Store that I had been going to since I was a child. I live nearby and continued shopping at this location after it became Dollar Tree, so unfortunately, an interaction I had tonight left me extremely disappointed.
I went in specifically looking for birthday cards for a special idea for my son's six-month celebration. My plan was to have different family members each write him a message in a card that he can keep and read in the future. I wanted him to have something handwritten from the people who loved him when he was a baby, so I spent over 30 minutes carefully picking out 22 different cards that I thought would be meaningful.
I am aware that Dollar Tree sells cards for $1.25, and I originally went into the store prepared for that. However, when I got to the card section, I saw a sign displayed above the card display advertising 2 cards for $1. Because of where and how the sign was displayed, I understood that to mean the cards in that display were part of the 2-for-$1 pricing.
I was actually really excited when I saw the sign because it meant I could afford to choose more cards for my son's project while staying within my budget. Based on the advertised price, I expected my 22 cards to cost around $11, and I had given myself roughly a $15 maximum.
Had it been clear that the 2-for-$1 price only applied to certain cards, I simply would have chosen my 22 cards from the ones that qualified. Alternatively, I would have selected significantly fewer of the $1.25 cards. I had no issue with cards costing $1.25--I just made my selections and decided how many to purchase based on the signage I saw.
When I got to checkout, I was even taking each card out of its sleeve/envelope area to make the large stack easier for the cashier to scan. As she continued scanning, I noticed my total had gone well beyond the approximately $15 I was expecting and eventually reached around $30.
I politely asked the cashier why the total was so high because of the 2-for-$1 sign I had seen. She noticed that only a couple of my cards were actually marked at the lower price and wasn't quite sure why, so she called over who I presume was the manager. I believe her name may have been Rosie or something similar, although I am not completely certain of her name.
This is where my experience became especially disappointing.
When I explained the situation and pointed out that the sign made it appear as though the cards throughout that display were 2 for $1, I was told that it was the vendor's problem and not the store's problem. I suggested that there should at least be clearer signage explaining that the advertised price only applies to certain cards. I was essentially told that they were not going to do that because it was the vendor's responsibility. I was also interrupted while trying to explain my concern.
I never raised my voice, cursed at anyone, or became disrespectful. I also was not demanding that they sell me 22 $1.25 cards for 50 cents each. Once I understood that the cards I had chosen were $1.25, I decided not to purchase them.
What upset me was how the situation was handled.
If I had simply been told, "I understand why the sign was confusing. Unfortunately, only certain cards qualify for the 2-for-$1 price, and we aren't able to change the pricing," I would have understood. I probably would have gone back to the card section, picked cards that actually qualified for the advertised price, or purchased fewer of the $1.25 cards.
Instead, after spending over 30 minutes carefully choosing 22 cards for something meaningful for my son, I left without purchasing any of them because the interaction had become so unpleasant.
Whether the card display is maintained by a vendor or by Dollar Tree isn't really the point from a customer's perspective. I was shopping inside a Dollar Tree, saw a price advertised on the display, and based my purchasing decisions on what I reasonably understood that sign to mean. If only certain cards qualify, I think that distinction should be made much clearer so another customer doesn't spend their time shopping under the same misunderstanding.
As someone who has been coming to this location since long before it became Dollar Tree and who continued giving this store my business after the change, I am genuinely disappointed by this experience. The pricing misunderstanding itself could have been resolved very easily. What left the biggest impression on me was the dismissive attitude I received when I tried to explain why the signage was confusing.
I hope management takes this feedback into consideration, both regarding the card display and how customer concerns are handled. A little understanding and respectful communication would have made this an entirely different experience.
