Over the last two and a half months, I have made approximately nine purchases through the Adidas…read morewebsite using both home delivery and the Click & Collect service. During that time, I successfully picked up orders from the Adidas Los Cerritos store on four separate occasions without any issues. My experience has always been simple: I enter the store, wait in line, provide my order information, and an associate retrieves my purchase from the sales floor or back stock.
Unfortunately, my most recent visit was completely different.
When I arrived to pick up my prepaid order, I was assisted by an associate named Angel, who has a "Trinidad" tattoo on his neck. From the beginning, his attitude was dismissive and confrontational. After I provided my order number, he told me he could not release my order, even though the exact item was visibly available on both the sales floor and in the back stock. I calmly explained that I had successfully used Click & Collect at this location several times before, but he repeatedly interrupted me and insisted he could not provide the item.
My only goal was to pick up merchandise I had already purchased the night before. Angel eventually checked on the order but returned saying it was not ready for pickup. I explained that I had already paid for the item and it made no sense to purchase it again.
Another associate, Michelle, then stepped in and handled the situation professionally. She took my name, phone number, and order number and said she would investigate the status of my order.
Unfortunately, Angel's behavior escalated. He became verbally aggressive, using profanity and making comments such as "shut the f*** up" and "I swear I'm going to s*ck you." He then called for store security, despite the fact that I had remained calm and respectful throughout the interaction. Several customers waiting in line witnessed the incident, making the experience even more embarrassing.
I informed Michelle that I wanted to file a complaint against Angel. She apologized and said she would speak with the store manager, a gentleman with blonde hair who wears glasses. I explained the situation to him, and he stated that the Adidas website was providing incorrect Click & Collect information. However, that explanation contradicted my previous successful pickups at the same location.
I questioned the purpose of offering same-day Click & Collect if customers cannot receive items that are physically in stock. I had specifically purchased the merchandise to wear to the Colombia vs. Portugal match on Saturday, but I was told I would have to wait another five or six days to receive it. The manager suggested I buy the item again in-store and cancel my online order, but that was not possible because the cancellation window had already expired.
Until this incident, I had always enjoyed shopping at the Adidas Los Cerritos location and had never experienced any problems. While I would consider returning in the future, Angel's behavior was unacceptable and reflected poorly on the store. I hope Adidas reviews this incident and provides additional customer service training so that other customers are treated with the professionalism and respect they deserve.
