Stupid return policy to hide employee theft?

Guest-0276 · Jan 10, 2011

CT_MANAGER said:
Since each store is privately owned, they can enforce their own set of rules (to a degree). While I am in no way saying what they did is right, because if you were to come into my store with the same product (brand new, unopened, resellable) with your receipt and photo ID.

Personally if I were in the situation (customer), I would not have let them charge me the restocking fee and would have taken it to another store and see what the other stores would say. Remember, valid products being returned are good for any store and not all stores apply the same return policies or have managers who are as strict.

My suggestion since I don't have much authority with this, would have been to take it to another store and see what they could have done. Perhaps talk to a manager at another store and say mention that you are interested in purchasing one but don't know if you would be using it and what their policy would be for a return with the receipt, unopened, resellable condition would be.

Unfortunately once that customer allowed them to charge them for the return, there really is nothing that can be done. Customer relations will state the same as any other store, and that each private store owner can enforce their own returns (especially if it means the product manufacturer won't credit the store and the store owner is to absorb the cost).

In this case, I don't see why a store would normally enforce a restocking fee. It was completely resellable and was not a cost to the store to resell it.

So a customer, who has a return with a receipt is refused for a lame reason, has go from store to store with the item, hoping that they will get a refund from a different store, with different rules. It's a total crap shoot as each store is different.

Thank you CT Manager for clarifying for me, the customer, as how to get a refund at Canadian Tire.

DavidLeR · Jan 10, 2011

Unregistered said:
"Thats not your picture" [on the ID].

We can now add yet another item to the ever-growing list of excuses that CT stores can surprise you with when you try to return something:

- The store no longer carries that item.
- It is a "repair only" item.
- The item wasn't sold by this store.
- This item can only be returned in the first 30 days (or 14 days, or not at all).
- The package was opened (even though it was the store that first opened it, 30 seconds ago).
- The store thinks the item was used.
- The store thinks the item was stolen.
- It was a seasonal item.
- It was a Christmas tree, ornament or lighting.
- The customer refused to provide ID.
- The customer refused to let the store record all the personal and/or financial information on their ID (which is contrary to privacy laws).
- The picture on the ID didn't look enough like the customer.
- The item wasn't defective when the store sold it; the customer must have damaged it.
- The store sold a defective item, but that's not the store's problem (even though this is illegal in some provinces).
- The item had a 'lifetime' warranty, but the warranty is no longer being honoured.
- The store's records show that the customer has returned too many items in the past.
- The store thinks the customer was rude or impatient with store staff.
- The store has decided to exercise its right to refuse the return, and they don't need to give a reason.

CT_MANAGER · Jan 10, 2011

Unregistered said:
So a customer, who has a return with a receipt is refused for a lame reason, has go from store to store with the item, hoping that they will get a refund from a different store, with different rules. It's a total crap shoot as each store is different.

Thank you CT Manager for clarifying for me, the customer, as how to get a refund at Canadian Tire.

Hello Unregistered,

I simply pointed out that you did have the option to try another store (or call but would be better to be face to face) and not think every store out there has ridiculous staff/managers.

What exactly would you have thought I would have said? I'm curious? I'm only a person behind a computer. You asked me a question, I gave a suggestion. Short of not WORKING at that location, what else would you think I would be able to do?

thanks

Guest-0276 · Jan 10, 2011

CT_MANAGER said:
Hello Unregistered,

I simply pointed out that you did have the option to try another store (or call but would be better to be face to face) and not think every store out there has ridiculous staff/managers.

What exactly would you have thought I would have said? I'm curious? I'm only a person behind a computer. You asked me a question, I gave a suggestion. Short of not WORKING at that location, what else would you think I would be able to do?

thanks

Incredible and enlightening. Thanks CT Manager. Good job!

Guest-0276 · Jan 10, 2011

Just a comment from a silent viewer. Canadian Tire is no longer the friendly-family store I remember as a kid in the '80s. Back then we went to that store for most things from hockey sticks to kitchen sinks. But now it's a different store. It's anti family that wants to take from the customers wallet through any means necessary. From all that is posted it's really by design.

Customers are getting short changed with smaller amounts of food i.e. chocolate bars for the same price and from all that's being posted, short changed at Canadian Tires customer service desk and garage.

From my personal shopping experiences I can attest to many of the things in DavidLer's list of excuses to not service a legitimate refund for every day customers. What is a customer supposed to do when something needs to be returned and the store and head office refuses honor or help the customer? Do we go on endless driving trips as CT Manager has suggested ? From my experience and as CT Manager and the corporate office has said, it's really up to the store and the corporate office refuses to get involved as they can't over rule the dealer.

Canadian Tire really is that hard up for cash and that pathetic to impose onerous conditions on the customer to discourage them from making a return or exchange?

Shop any place else like Walmart Canada - Save Money Live Better. or Home Improvement, Home Renovation, Tools, & Hardware | Home Depot Canada where they don't screw you over.

Guest-0276 · Jan 11, 2011

Someone posted their blog on another thread, which I felt belonged on this one.

Scroll down to ill gotten gains.

Recorded Warning

http://recordedwarning.blogspot.com/2010/12/ill-gotten-gains.html

DavidLeR · Jan 11, 2011

Unregistered said:
Canadian Tire is no longer the friendly-family store I remember as a kid in the '80s. Back then we went to that store for most things from hockey sticks to kitchen sinks. But now it's a different store.

I agree: it’s not the store of the ‘80’s, but people still expect it to be. They end up disappointed, and don’t know what they are really up against until they come to sites like this one.

Unregistered said:
Customers are getting short changed with smaller amounts of food i.e. chocolate bars for the same price

Well, this is a general trend in consumer goods, and shouldn’t really be blamed on CT. (And if you shop by unit price, you aren’t really fooled.)

Unregistered said:
From my experience and as CT Manager and the corporate office has said, it's really up to the store and the corporate office refuses to get involved as they can't over rule the dealer.

It isn't fair to customers to advertise a policy when the stores don’t even follow it. It fools consumers into thinking they have protection that they don’t really have. (Return and exchange, Scanning Accuracy, etc.)

Plus (as I’ve said before), the policies aren’t even in line with the laws (for defective items).

Even the policies that are in line with the law aren’t followed, such as honouring the lowest displayed price, as we saw in a recent post from a “sales person on the floor” (assuming he was genuine).

Guest-0276 · Jan 12, 2011

I know what that person was trying to say. That all corporations are padding the bottom line with shortcuts, and how customers are paying more for less. No need to be anal retentive there.

A few weeks ago two framers from two different crews went out to get supplies. Nothing new there. What surprised me, was my involvement in helping my framer get a refund. He's been going to the same Canadian Tire for years without problem, over buying some items incase he needed it, and returning the unused, unopened items after a job with receipts. Well not this time. He was subjected to asinine corporate policies - his drivers license, the blacklist for too many returns, threatened to be banned from all Canadian Tires, threatened with arrest for fraud etc. Apparently the store had changed hands sometime ago. I spoke to the new owner about my framers malicious treatment. We came to an understanding. A refund was quickly given.

He bought everybody rounds that night and relived how he wasted 2 hours there, trying in vain to get a refund and that he wasn't up to anything criminal.

The other guy went to Lowes. No issue.

Guest-0276 · Jan 12, 2011

I called three ct stores and asked about their return policy and all of them said only a receipt with the item was necessary. That should've been the end of the story if only they were telling the truth.

I know all of them were lying as 1. One store did ask the wife for id for a simple exchange, 2. I called from inside another store with a clear line of site to the customer service desk and saw that people were showing them id for returns. I saw the girl who was lying to me on the phone while her coworkers were requesting ID to service the return as necessary. 3. I got a manager at another store who said only a receipt was needed and then I read his store policy from above his head that said ID WAS A REQUIREMENT FOR RETURNS AND EXCHANGES.

All of them are so embarrassed about their return policies that they can't even tell the truth about it. It's so simple how that sucks in even more unsuspecting customers.

echo · Jan 13, 2011

Wow you folks a cynical. Yeas internal theft is a very significant issue in any company, if you pay them minimum wage or if you pay them very well its going to happen. but before you start claiming you talked to the " Federal privacy commissioners office " you should really consider looking into the laws that they enforce. I will post a link for you to read but first i will give you the low down of it.
#1) no store has to issue any refund. It is an option for them to do so.
#2)Having a reciept is nessesary if stated. The store has to do nothing if you dont have it.
#3) the store can collect personal information to do returns. If the customer refuses, they can refuse a refund.

Enjoy the reading directly from the government of Manitoba. And yes every other province including Ontario is the same way
http://www.gov.mb.ca/fs/cca/cpo/pdf/ConsRights.pdf

DavidLeR · Jan 13, 2011

echo said:
#1) no store has to issue any refund. It is an option for them to do so.

Agreed, except for defective items (in most provincea). See the "SOG" thread here: https://www.canadiantiresucks.net/general-canadian-tire-complaints-chat/707-sale-goods-act-4.html

echo said:
#2)Having a reciept is nessesary if stated. The store has to do nothing if you dont have it.

Agree. Did someone here say otherwise?

echo said:
#3) the store can collect personal information to do returns. If the customer refuses, they can refuse a refund ... I will post a link for you to read ...

Um, the link you posted didn't say anything about "collecting" personal information at all.

And "collecting" information is VERY different from simply CHECKING identification (name, photo, address).

After 30 seconds of Googling, I found this: http://www.oipc.ab.ca/ims/client/upload/Privacy Proofing_Mar19.pdf.

See item 4, on "returns", where it says:

You can require a customer to provide proof of identity, provided you explain the reason for the requirement. You can also record information about the transaction, including the customer’s name, address and phone number and that the customer’s identity was viewed or verified. You cannot, however, retain that personal information indefinitely or photocopy a proof of identity.

Looks pretty clear that you are wrong.

Guest-0276 · Jan 14, 2011

echo said:
Wow you folks a cynical. Yeas internal theft is a very significant issue in any company, if you pay them minimum wage or if you pay them very well its going to happen. but before you start claiming you talked to the " Federal privacy commissioners office " you should really consider looking into the laws that they enforce. I will post a link for you to read but first i will give you the low down of it.
#1) no store has to issue any refund. It is an option for them to do so.
#2)Having a reciept is nessesary if stated. The store has to do nothing if you dont have it.
#3) the store can collect personal information to do returns. If the customer refuses, they can refuse a refund.

Enjoy the reading directly from the government of Manitoba. And yes every other province including Ontario is the same way
http://www.gov.mb.ca/fs/cca/cpo/pdf/ConsRights.pdf

Did you look into the privacy matter before making such a judgement, or just decided so on a whim?
Before you start spewing nonsense on others people findings into the federal privacy act, you might want to start doing some of your own.

As you've already admitted to working for the store, your poor consumer attitude and shallow expertise shows. So do you have anything ground-shaking useful to add as this is thread? So far, if you've read what was posted, many people have problems getting returns from Canadian Tire with receipts. Lets hear your suggestions on how to help them out.

Kel Varntson · Jan 18, 2011

DavidLeR said:
We can now add yet another item to the ever-growing list of excuses that CT stores can surprise you with when you try to return something:

- The store no longer carries that item.
- It is a "repair only" item.
- The item wasn't sold by this store.
- This item can only be returned in the first 30 days (or 14 days, or not at all).
- The package was opened (even though it was the store that first opened it, 30 seconds ago).
- The store thinks the item was used.
- The store thinks the item was stolen.
- It was a seasonal item.
- It was a Christmas tree, ornament or lighting.
- The customer refused to provide ID.
- The customer refused to let the store record all the personal and/or financial information on their ID (which is contrary to privacy laws).
- The picture on the ID didn't look enough like the customer.
- The item wasn't defective when the store sold it; the customer must have damaged it.
- The store sold a defective item, but that's not the store's problem (even though this is illegal in some provinces).
- The item had a 'lifetime' warranty, but the warranty is no longer being honoured.
- The store's records show that the customer has returned too many items in the past.
- The store thinks the customer was rude or impatient with store staff.
- The store has decided to exercise its right to refuse the return, and they don't need to give a reason.

That's quite a list. I'm sure you could add "Customer was wrong colour/gender", if Canadian Tire thought they could get away with it.

CT Me / Lawguy · Jan 21, 2011

In the interest of Christmas, the holidays, and other ongoings it's been over a month since i've been here.... and I must say WOW is this forum lame without me here to add some flavour. Fear not complainers and whiners, I believe I will have some time over the next few weeks to get you all wound up like a two dollar wrist watch.

Just need some time to do some catch up reading and see which of these topics has the most ridiculous claims, ideas and expectations.... and I will begin to poke holes in your rantings shortly

Happy 2011

The infamous CT Me

CT Me / Lawguy · Jan 21, 2011

Yes, this is CT Me posting once again. Not those other losers who claim to be me but aren't. LOL hilarious!

You may have already forgotten how much smarter I am then you. Also, richer, funnier and of course better looking.

Yes, you are all a bunch of lame losers and whiners. Too bad, so sad.

I'll be back many more times to tell you just how wrong you are, and to brag about my vast superiority.

Did I mention that everyone else is wrong about everything? Unless they agree with me, of course! LOL.

Toodles.

id troubles · Apr 14, 2011

To all out there, plse take the time to understand what your id means to you and what happends when it's taken from you. I'm not sure if it's a total coincidence or bad luck or what ever but I was a victim of identity theft. I was booking my vacation when I found out that somebody ran up hundreds o f dollars on my credit card. I had been very careful about using my credit card in the first place and kept a zero balance. It wasn't until the bank asked me if I had given out my personal information when I remembered giving my personal identification for a refund on my credit card. Now I can't help but think about it and if it was the reason how they got it in the first place. So please be wary about those places asking for your id for anything. You don't know who's behind the cash register or what they are going to do with it. It's better in your hands than in other peoples.

Angry CT Guy · Apr 14, 2011

The vast majority of identity theft is captured on PIN machines which are altered/installed to capture the information off of your black magnetic stripe. Never let your card out of your sight.
If your identity information is compromised, be wary of emails asking for personal information (phishing).
Canadian Tire stores are not interconnected with each other or with the head office, in case people didn't know that.

Guest-0276 · Apr 15, 2011

We're not talking about phishing or PIN id scams that everybody is already aware of. We're talking about people taking a big risk when they blindly give away their information like that. Who's to say that somebody behind the counter didn't have anything to do with it. That there is an obvious security risk that you're asking us customers to ignore. So are you saying that giving away our information to whomever is behind your counter is safe and that absolutely nothing can be used for illegal purposes? That really defies logic.

Does anyone else getting the feeling that ct is saying "screw your own personal privacy and financial security issues, we want your information anyways as the first step in deterring you from asking for an exchange and a refund. Because you are suspected of committing fraud, we get that from you from the get go". Anybody else see that as part of the problem?

Angry CT Guy · Apr 15, 2011

Unregistered said:
We're not talking about phishing or PIN id scams that everybody is already aware of. We're talking about people taking a big risk when they blindly give away their information like that. Who's to say that somebody behind the counter didn't have anything to do with it. That there is an obvious security risk that you're asking us customers to ignore. So are you saying that giving away our information to whomever is behind your counter is safe and that absolutely nothing can be used for illegal purposes? That really defies logic.

Does anyone else getting the feeling that ct is saying "screw your own personal privacy and financial security issues, we want your information anyways as the first step in deterring you from asking for an exchange and a refund. Because you are suspected of committing fraud, we get that from you from the get go". Anybody else see that as part of the problem?

I see that many places ask for ID-liquor stores, banks, government offices, credit card companies, the police, airlines, hotels, etc., etc. It's the world we live in. If you want to remain anonymous then move to Rwanda, change your name and hope the Orwellians don't get you.

Guest-0276 · Apr 15, 2011

CT dealers/ clerks/ defenders will use any excuse to screw the customer. Everyone knows you're not any of those things you've compared yourself too. You're just a store and that's it. And like the store you're just as dismissive and in denial of your negative role in the bigger picture. I like how you never never answered the question if our information is safe with a ct store. Your silence is very telling. Somebody had their id stolen, and stuck with fraudulent credit card charges and remembered giving their id to a CT store. Usually intuition is right on the money. Say what you will next. We all know you're not a good place to shop and you don't take care of your customers. Over in another thread CT Manager has openly admitted that you sell junk i.e.specifically bikes, simoniz, air mattresses. All with quality issues, that should be rightly returned or exchanged. Except that you deny those people, give them the run around and keep their money.

Stupid return policy to hide employee theft?

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