Canadian Tire Return issue

[Christopher]

What follows is a correspondence chain regarding an Item I tried to return to Canadian Tire. The customer service experience was less than impressive and the return policy is unreasonable in my opinion.

The story:
I thought you might find this situation interesting. What follows is a chain of emails that I?ve sent off in regards to a Debbie Travis Cabinet I bought from Canadian Tire. I purchased it with hesitation not sure if it would fit. Upon payment, I asked the cashier if it didn?t fit, could I return it. She told me it wouldn?t be a problem. After two hours of assembling approximately 200 parts, it fit but not aesthetically. I returned to Canadian Tire with cabinet, bar code and receipt. I was told that I couldn?t return it unless it was in the original packaging. It seems unreasonable to me that you would need to dismantle the cabinet, then puzzle it all back in the box with the plastic bags, cardboard, styrofoam separators etc. in order to return it. Had I known it would be this much difficulty, I wouldn?t have bothered. I did suggest that had I seen one assembled to begin with, I would have purchased that one. The feel the unit can?t be sold as is. Don?t department stores charge extra for assembling purchased items?

In the end, I?ve had a lousy experience with Canadian Tire and don?t plan to shop there again. The resolution I?ve been offered is to receive a $50.00 gift card to split the difference of the responsibility. Anyone buying merchandise that needs assembly should consider this before purchasing.


Ps. I?ve emailed Debbie Travis and and awaiting a response.


---On 02/13/2008, christopher wrote:

To whom it may concern:
I've tried calling Bill S*****s two times now to resolve this issue with a refused return. My first call was never returned, and the second time I called, I was disconnected. I would prefer to correspond via email to keep an accurate account of this issue for my records. Perhaps you could help me resolve this matter or at least see that he receives this email.
Thanks,
Christopher

Hi Bill,
I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with an experience I had at your store. I bought a small linen cabinet for my bathroom from your store. As I paid for it, I asked, "If it doesn't fit, can I return it?" The cashier said I could and with that I returned home and set about assembling the cabinet over the two and a half hours that followed..
When I positioned it in my bathroom, although the dimensions were right, It didn't fit well and aesthetically it wasn't what I needed. I was told that I couldn't return the unit as it was not in it's original packaging. I was surprised and asked if Lindsay -- the young woman I was dealing with -- was joking. She said she wasn't and that I couldn't return it.
Now this product comes in approximately 800 pieces with cardboard, styrofoam, and plastic bags. To my mind, I would never have gotten it back in the box if I tried....or if I did, It would take me several days to figure it out and hope I didn't scratch anything in the process What I did is save the bar code from the box and brought the unit in assembled. In all honesty, had I found one of these products assembled, I would have bought it as I am a very busy person and don't enjoy the puzzle of assembling these things.
I told Lindsay that the likelihood of anyone putting the disassembled pieces back in the box was improbable and when met with more refusal, I asked If she thought she would have been able to put the pieces back in the box herself. She said it wasn't likely. I asked if I could see the manager and she indicated that she was the manager. I asked to speak to someone above her and she told me that there wasn't anyone else to speak to. I've called Customer Care and they suggested I get in touch with you which is why I called you this morning when I got home at approximately 11 am.
I was not made aware at any time that I would need to disassemble the cabinet and try to puzzle it back into the box in order to return it. Had I known that was the case, I wouldn't have bought it. Again, I am a business owner myself and don't have extensive amounts of time to cart this unit back and forth from your store so I must admit, I'm less than impressed that I'll still need to do something with it. I would like to know your thoughts on how to remedy this matter.
Thanks for your time,
Christopher


Dear Christopher,

Thank you for contacting our office regarding your return issue.

In order to investigate this matter on your behalf additional information is required. Kindly provide our office with the address of the store involved as well as the product number of the cabinet, so that we may proceed in addressing your concerns.

If you prefer, you may also contact our Customer Relations Department at 1-800-387-8803.

Our success is based on the voice of our customers. We thank you for providing us with the opportunity to respond.

Sincerely,


Linda M***e
Customer Relations Representative
Canadian Tire Corporation Limited
customerservice@canadiantire.ca
1-800-387-8803

Dear Linda,

I received a call from Bill Shields today at 9:50 am. He began by stating that whomever I had spoken to at customer care didn't know what they were talking about. He said that he was in fact co-manager with Lindsay and not the general manager. Furthermore, he indicated that Lindsay handled everything properly and that he wouldn't be allowing me to return the cabinet.

I state again that I was told I could return it by the sales clerk and that I was never told it would have to be put back in the original packaging. Had I known I would need to dismantle the cabinet and try to puzzle the pieces back in the box I would never have purchased it. I would appreciate any further help you can give me in this matter.

Thanks again for your time,

Christopher



February 20/2007

Notes from telephone call with Debbie at Customer Service.

Received a message from Debbie at Canadian Tire Customer service @ 8:40am
Returned Debbie's call @ 11:10 am at 1800.387.8803 ext ****

Debbie informs me that it is a strict policy for canadian tire to only accept returns in the original condition and in the original packaging.
I indicate again that it comes in 800 pieces and that the policy is unreasonable.
Debbie informs me that "that's retail these days. There is assembly involved"
She also asks to clarify if it's the fact that the cashier never told me that it must be returned in the original packaging or if it's the policy I have a problem with.
I answer that it's both.
Debbie then offers me a $50.00 gift card "as a note of good faith" essentially splitting the difference on the cost of the cabinet.
This would be all well and good if i planned on spending another cent in another Canadian Tire store. I don?t.

 

[Filthy The Dog]

I always wondered what would happen if I tried to return a self-assembly bit of furniture. They're always so tightly packed in their boxes that it's impossible for the likes of you and me to repack them exactly how they were before we unpacked them.
I can't believe that even though the cashier tells you one thing, they refuse to acknowledge it. They're are essentially calling you a liar before giving you the bird and telling you "tough luck".
This is what gets me about crappy tire. Things like this happen - yet another piss-poor piece of customer service - and yet so many people continue to shop there. I came in for a barrage of abuse for my boycott (see the "That Money" post) because people are obsessed with the place and will rant on about how it is a Canadian company providing jobs for Canadians blah blah blah, neglecting to realise that most of their shit quality merchandise is made in China (what do they think is in those thousands of canadian tire containers that rattle by on freight trains across the country all day?). Not only that, their customer service is truly appalling. You go on the internet and look at the stories of some people who have had cars ruined by these idiots who then turn round and say "Sorry pal - it's not my problem...but for another fifty bucks..."
I'm from Europe originally and I tell you what mate; companies like crappy tire would be being taken to the cleaners again and again for the way they operate.
Good luck in your quest for justice.

 

[Guest-0009]

You won't hear any argument from me, Filthy the Dog. I've boycotted Canadian Tire ever since they ripped me off at one of their auto centres back in 2002. Even in the face of evidence from another mechanic that they had billed me for services they didn't complete, I never got an apology and had to fight them to get a refund for the unperformed service. If I had known then what I know now, I would've sued them.

 

[FormerGM]

Moral of the Story: The overworked managers will do anything to save the owner a buck at the expense of customer loyalty. Why they do is beyond me....

If this should ever happen to someone else in the future....break a piece on the unit and return it as defective. You were too honest and you got screwed for it.

 

[Guest-0129]

An older friend of ours wanted us to help her purchase a Sale Flyer wood stove at Hanmer, Ontario C.Tire because she said they were not taking her seriously. When we get to the store a lazy?? hardware associate, Norman, says they are in the back and he does not want to bring them out. He says, " They are in crates, covered with plastic and weigh a ton." In fact there are no Sale stoves on the floor and this big CT stove SALE is on. Middle aged Norman can't seem to join the dots. We push his "get your ass in gear button" quite hard. He curses and drags up a young warehouse lad ( I think Corey) who understands what he is paid for by providing everything Norman doesn't want to. Another CT clerk tells us Norman is a problem and pee pees off customers every shift.....definitely not a team player. The next day our friend purchases the stove by debit and they agree to let her pick it up the next day. After the purchase she is told "YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT NOW". Again we have to visit the store with her. After a bit of clerk rudeness we demand the money back. No way. After we push more buttons an arrogant Capreol.Ont? clerk announces OK but we are making you take the $1500.00 in five dollar bills. CT has too many hatefull associates. Has CT has become just plain sick?? A day later in talking to a friend of ours who manages Home Hardware we find their price is $150.00 less for the exact same stove. He notes that he loves to have CT across the road since it has increased their business. Our friend too. She saved $150. Since she was close they delivered it. Guess where she is buying the chimmney etc? I've bought CT since I was 15. In the last years were rethinking CT's committment to their customers. At 63 we've announced to all our friends that we no longer support CT since very often the products are low bidder substandard look a likes and policies, staff, including some managers are misfits in the business world. Everything CT sells so do many other stores. My kids and their families are now on the same page and it's not the CTC Flyer.

 

[Weston19]

How can you expect somebody to take somthing back that is no longer in sellable condition? If they let everybody do that they would need a team just to repackage all the things people return? Idk were you shop but almost everywere requires things to be in the original box at least, not fully assembled. Put it this way, if you want to return somthing, if you have modified it to a point were the store cannot sell it, they dont have to take it back. I hear about canadian tire complaints all day long, i work at a competitor, but you have to be retarded to expect them to take back a cabinent that you assembled? You installed screws, those holes will never be the same and the next person will probly strip half of them. Next time, use a tape measure.

 

[Guest-0110]

How can you expect somebody to take somthing back that is no longer in sellable condition? If they let everybody do that they would need a team just to repackage all the things people return? Idk were you shop but almost everywere requires things to be in the original box at least, not fully assembled. Put it this way, if you want to return somthing, if you have modified it to a point were the store cannot sell it, they dont have to take it back. I hear about canadian tire complaints all day long, i work at a competitor, but you have to be retarded to expect them to take back a cabinent that you assembled? You installed screws, those holes will never be the same and the next person will probly strip half of them. Next time, use a tape measure.

Funny that places like Walmart will take items back even if you did try assembling them. I bought an item that required assembly in my home but when I started assembling it, I found that the metal components turned out to be bent, thus making completion of the assembly an impossibility. I'm glad it wasn't Canadian Tire I bought it from, or else I'd be sitting here looking at a waste of money.

 

[Guest-0132]

Funny that places like Walmart will take items back even if you did try assembling them. I bought an item that required assembly in my home but when I started assembling it, I found that the metal components turned out to be bent, thus making completion of the assembly an impossibility. I'm glad it wasn't Canadian Tire I bought it from, or else I'd be sitting here looking at a waste of money.

If it's defective, that's different. The store should replace it, wherever you bought it. Just bring your receipt. I like the fact that you mention Walmart, because they are not as forgiving as you like to make them. A defect is a warranty issue, not a return issue. If the problem with the product you bought is physical i.e. defective or broken parts right out of the box, then it's warranty. You need it replaced, not returned. You bought it because you either want it or need it. If you buy products just to return them then don't shop.

 

[Guest-0110]

I like the fact that you mention Walmart, because they are not as forgiving as you like to make them. A defect is a warranty issue, not a return issue. If the problem with the product you bought is physical i.e. defective or broken parts right out of the box, then it's warranty. You need it replaced, not returned. You bought it because you either want it or need it. If you buy products just to return them then don't shop.

Bullshit. They took it right back without any issue whatever. It's not up to me to go chasing some American company for a refund. I took it back to where I purchased it because Walmart has a return policy that's second-to-none. It was likely Walmart's fault anyway because of the way they had stored the item.

 

[Guest-0140]

I didn't see him say that they had called him a liar anywhere. The cashier may have said something, yes. CT has over 95,000 products, and if a cashier is new they usually don't know right away that is can't be assembeled to be returned. I am in NO WAY condoning what they did. I would have just defected it, becuase my store is very very lenient on that kind of thing, we do as much as we're able to do to help.

You can try returning it to another store and say that there were broken peices/missing peices. Break some bits if you have to. When it's a warranty issue and not a return policy issue, it's a lot easier. Within a year, we just scrap them.

 

[Guest-0146]

you got to be kidding????? Trying to return something that you already assembled because it didn't fit. Never heard of a measuring tape? What are they suppose to do with it because you didn't measure first or weren't happy with the esthetics of it??? Some people are very fast at blaming the stores for their own bad decisions. I work in many CT stores and it would make you sick to see the merchandise the have to destroy because of returns. Any product that the customer says is defective they have to destroy because they claim the refund and can't sell it again. After seing the merchandise before it gets destroyed, I would say it just a shame. And don't forget we all end up paying because it's added on the price in the end, you think they take the loss for returns??? Some people take advantage of return policies and then complain when it doesn't go in their favor. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Guest-0152]

How can you expect somebody to take somthing back that is no longer in sellable condition? If they let everybody do that they would need a team just to repackage all the things people return? Idk were you shop but almost everywere requires things to be in the original box at least, not fully assembled. Put it this way, if you want to return somthing, if you have modified it to a point were the store cannot sell it, they dont have to take it back. I hear about canadian tire complaints all day long, i work at a competitor, but you have to be retarded to expect them to take back a cabinent that you assembled? You installed screws, those holes will never be the same and the next person will probly strip half of them. Next time, use a tape measure.

CT should PAY the buyer for the assebly. Because CT CHARGES extra if they assemble product that normally comes in parts. Also they should ALWAYS have one product assembled for buyers to see. It's FALSE advertising to show picture of assembled item in a catalog with price. One of the two is obviously incorrect. The worse of all is the Canadian Tire automechanics. Complete nincompoops. But then, decent mechanic wouldn't work there.

Ted

 

[CT_MANAGER]

you got to be kidding????? Trying to return something that you already assembled because it didn't fit. Never heard of a measuring tape? What are they suppose to do with it because you didn't measure first or weren't happy with the esthetics of it??? Some people are very fast at blaming the stores for their own bad decisions. I work in many CT stores and it would make you sick to see the merchandise the have to destroy because of returns. Any product that the customer says is defective they have to destroy because they claim the refund and can't sell it again. After seing the merchandise before it gets destroyed, I would say it just a shame. And don't forget we all end up paying because it's added on the price in the end, you think they take the loss for returns??? Some people take advantage of return policies and then complain when it doesn't go in their favor. Just my 2 cents.

I have to agree! You would be surprized how many times we have a customer have us lug out a HUGE 84" double cabinet (takes 3-4 people to lift), wait in line, try to squeeze it out the door, wheel it at the end of the parking lot only to discover it's to go in a HONDA CIVIC?!?! So course they end up getting a return.

OR they say "wow! I didn't realize it would be that big"... Hmmm.. The HEIGHT of the cabinet is 84" so common sense would tell you that its at LEAST 84"!!

 

[CT_MANAGER]

CT should PAY the buyer for the assebly. Because CT CHARGES extra if they assemble product that normally comes in parts. Also they should ALWAYS have one product assembled for buyers to see. It's FALSE advertising to show picture of assembled item in a catalog with price. One of the two is obviously incorrect. The worse of all is the Canadian Tire automechanics. Complete nincompoops. But then, decent mechanic wouldn't work there.

Ted

Obviously you don't know what FALSE ADVERTISING means. When you see a picture of a BED in the sears flyer, go to buy it.. are you to assume they are to come to your house and assemble it for you? and free? If you are to buy something that is obviously going to need assembling, obviously be sure you KNOW how to assemble and read a manual BEFORE you make the purchase. Common sense.

 

[Guest-0110]

Obviously you don't know what FALSE ADVERTISING means. When you see a picture of a BED in the sears flyer, go to buy it.. are you to assume they are to come to your house and assemble it for you? and free? If you are to buy something that is obviously going to need assembling, obviously be sure you KNOW how to assemble and read a manual BEFORE you make the purchase. Common sense.

There's that Canadian Tire superiority complex coming out again. If you're so smart, why are you working in retail?

 

[CT_MANAGER]

There's that Canadian Tire superiority complex coming out again. If you're so smart, why are you working in retail?

care to elaborate?

 

[Guest-0110]

care to elaborate?

Elaborate on what? It's self-explanatory. Regardless, you just answered my question.

 

[Guest-0169]

Be careful with using the word 'defective' when you try to return something at CT!!! We got burned with that yesterday. "Defective" generally means no refund -- the warranty with the manufacturer kicks in. And surprise, it's up to you to deal with the manufacturer. How many days you have for this and the details differs by product, which you will not be privy to until you try to return the product.

Good luck.