An extremely frustrating experience with condescension, sexism, and outright fraud.
I ordered a phone through Verizon Wireless that was shipped to this store, and received a discount for ordering on Black Friday. Before I ever arrived in the store, I received a text saying that my phone had been picked up, followed by another text saying that there was an unsuccessful attempt to activate my phone. When I did arrive in the store, the employees claimed that I needed to cancel the transaction and start over with a brand-new purchase -- one that would not include the Black Friday discount, and also one that would earn them money on their commission at my expense.
I asked why this was necessary, given that my phone had been shipped to the store already, and I was simply told that there had been "a computer error." When I asked for clarification about the nature of the error, including information on why I had to start the transaction over when it had already been completed, the employee literally laughed in my face. He repeatedly told me not to be "silly," said that I was acting "ridiculous," and otherwise treated me like an ignorant child. When I requested documentation of the error, he said "some little piece of paper won't help you" and otherwise acted openly condescending toward me. I understand that, as a small woman, I sometimes appear to be younger than I really am. However, A) I am a college professor in my late 20s, and B) I would not deserve the treatment I received even if I was a child.
The employees would not issue me a refund, and they would not give me the phone that I purchased. They insisted that the only way forward was for me to start a brand-new transaction where I paid their store the full price of the phone, even though I had already paid for it online at a discounted price. Finally I left the store without the phone or a refund, and called Verizon Wireless customer support. The individuals at Verizon looked through the records and confirmed what I had feared: all signs indicate that this authorized retailer sold my phone to a different customer, and then tried to cover it up with a story about a "computer error." Verizon called the authorized retailer on my behalf, but their technicians were also given the runaround. Verizon was unable to cancel the transaction for me because the authorized retailer's records indicated that I had already picked up the phone -- a full day before I ever arrived at the store. It was not until my colleague entered the store in person and explained the situation to a manager that the store finally acknowledge that their records were in error.
When I attempted to address my concerns with the store itself, the individual I spoke to on the phone (who gave his name as Lincoln) literally refused to listen to me, talking over me and not allowing me to get in more than two or three words before he repeatedly laughed and told me that I just didn't understand the "computer error." When I asked him to help me understand through explaining it, he told me that I couldn't possibly understand, and would not provide any more information on the nature of the "error" or even during what part of the transaction it had arisen. I am feeling very upset, frustrated, and as though I have been repeatedly lied to. I am currently exploring options for how to report this fraud or at least get the phone that I purchased, and Verizon Wireless is helping me to do so.
Tl;dr: Do not shop here, especially if you are a woman. read more
