The Many Ways CTC Is Going Down-Hill

[DavidLeR]

I've been aware for some time that Canadian Tire is going down-hill, in products and services.

10 years ago, I started hearing horror stories about auto repairs being done incorrectly by incompetent employees, and have actively discouraged people from taking their vehicles their.

At some point, CTC started carrying inferior brands of products, like Citizen and Magavox.

In recent years, they have introduced house brands that are shoddy and generally not worth selling (such as Jobmate and Yard Works).

And, within the last week I've heard the horror stories about unannounced changes to return policies, including the "repair only" policies, which customers aren't told about until they try to return a defective product.

Just yesterday I witnessed one unfortunate man who'd fallen into the Simoniz trap, where he was stuck with a worthless pressure washer he couldn't return.

Now that I've discovered this forum, my eyes are really opening to just how bad things are getting.

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Have I missed any other trends in the company that track its gradual demise?

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It really makes me sad how this once-great, iconic Canadian institution seems to be selling out its own customer base, and may soon go the way of Eatons.

It's as if Tim Hortons started selling cut-rate coffee and stale donuts!

I'm reminded of how the Coleman company, with its reliable line of camping equipments, sold off the rights to their name, resulting in a flood of inferior products that capilalized on the name. Now, "Coleman' is just another label.

 

[The Retailer]

I've been aware for some time that Canadian Tire is going down-hill, in products and services.

In recent years, they have introduced house brands that are shoddy and generally not worth selling (such as Jobmate and Yard Works).

Do you know the return rates/defect rates of any JobMate or YardWorks products? No you don't., so how do you know if it's worth me having on my shelf?

They may not be worth buying to you, perhaps you have a higher budget and prefer to spend more for a Black&Decker saw and a Troy Bilt mower. Not everyone has that luxury, so entry level brands serve those customers. They are cheaper to buy, not as heavy duty and not as well warrantied. That;s good better best product assortment. it works.

And, within the last week I've heard the horror stories about unannounced changes to return policies, including the "repair only" policies, which customers aren't told about until they try to return a defective product

Horror stories. because a bad warranty is a life ending experience. don't be so dramatic
Now having said that, some of the policies SUCK. they suck for you, they suck for me as the retailer of them.
We don't change them to screw customers. They companies that make the products choose the warranty terms, they are their products. and with 10,000 products in a store, policies MUST change. It would be impossible to keep everything static and constant in such a big, 365 day a year operation. HEll we get pages every single day of changes. EVERY DAY.

So you as the customer. How would you like us to announce the unannounced warranty changes or policy changes? Really? do you want to read pages every day? i'll gladly mail you a copy of what we get daily. do you want to read those pages every time you come in to shop.

By the way, regarding "if Tim HOrtons started selling stale donuts"
are you aware that Tim HOrtons does not bake their goods fresh in house at the stores anymore? They are trucked in daily pre-mixed, preshaped, prebaked and flash frozen at giant bakeries and then trucked to the store, where they are essentially heated up in the ovens.

[/QUOTE]

 

[DavidLeR]

i'll gladly mail you a copy of what we get daily.

That sounds very informative. Please write to me at fortheretailer@hotmail.com, and I'll send you my snail mail address.

Or, are you just being "dramatic"?

 

[DavidLeR]

While you are at it, Retailer, please send along those return rates/defect rates that you mentioned, for Citizen, Magavox, Simoniz, JobMate and YardWorks products, and how they compare to other, similarly priced brands. Thanks!

Or, better yet, post them here! Woo-hoo!

It will be SO nice to become "an educated consumer" before I "lay my down my cash".

Thanks in advance for doing your best to help!

 

[Guest-0276]

Do you know the return rates/defect rates of any JobMate or YardWorks products? No you don't., so how do you know if it's worth me having on my shelf?

They may not be worth buying to you, perhaps you have a higher budget and prefer to spend more for a Black&Decker saw and a Troy Bilt mower. Not everyone has that luxury, so entry level brands serve those customers. They are cheaper to buy, not as heavy duty and not as well warrantied. That;s good better best product assortment. it works.


Horror stories. because a bad warranty is a life ending experience. don't be so dramatic
Now having said that, some of the policies SUCK. they suck for you, they suck for me as the retailer of them.
We don't change them to screw customers. They companies that make the products choose the warranty terms, they are their products. and with 10,000 products in a store, policies MUST change. It would be impossible to keep everything static and constant in such a big, 365 day a year operation. HEll we get pages every single day of changes. EVERY DAY.

So you as the customer. How would you like us to announce the unannounced warranty changes or policy changes? Really? do you want to read pages every day? i'll gladly mail you a copy of what we get daily. do you want to read those pages every time you come in to shop.

By the way, regarding "if Tim HOrtons started selling stale donuts"
are you aware that Tim HOrtons does not bake their goods fresh in house at the stores anymore? They are trucked in daily pre-mixed, preshaped, prebaked and flash frozen at giant bakeries and then trucked to the store, where they are essentially heated up in the ovens.

[/QUOTE]

Are you saying that vendors hold all the cards and that you're powerless to defend your loyal customers from crap products. CT just sucks that bad and you're admitting it?!?! Ok, from the horses mouth, just buy else where.

P.S. You might want to leave Tim Hortons, a true Canadian icon out of this argument. Unlike CT, they actually have a solid product line and worth billions more.

 

[CT Me / Lawguy]

Are you saying that vendors hold all the cards and that you're powerless to defend your loyal customers from crap products. CT just sucks that bad and you're admitting it?!?! Ok, from the horses mouth, just buy else where.

P.S. You might want to leave Tim Hortons, a true Canadian icon out of this argument. Unlike CT, they actually have a solid product line and worth billions more.

If you want to play a game of twist my words, i'll play that all day long. You will lose!
If you read what I ACTUALLY typed I said there are sometimes...... SOMETIMES.... things that I have to do first, second, third before we can come to a resolution. Unfortunately the resolution isn't always....well here's your money back. PS - I didn't bring Tim Hortons into this, i responded to the claim someone else made of their freshness. Someone who doesn't realize they aren't baking fresh. I'm as loyal to Tim's as anybody.

 

[Guest-0276]

If you want to play a game of twist my words, i'll play that all day long. You will lose!
If you read what I ACTUALLY typed I said there are sometimes...... SOMETIMES.... things that I have to do first, second, third before we can come to a resolution. Unfortunately the resolution isn't always....well here's your money back. PS - I didn't bring Tim Hortons into this, i responded to the claim someone else made of their freshness. Someone who doesn't realize they aren't baking fresh. I'm as loyal to Tim's as anybody.

Retail you got your ass beaten lol. He didn't twist no words or anythin like dat. Those were yer words.

"We don't change them to screw customers. They companies that make the products choose the warranty terms, they are their products. and with 10,000 products in a store, policies MUST change"

Then why don't Zellers or the Bay hassle customers like you say if it dat bad.

"How would you like us to announce the unannounced warranty changes or policy changes? Really? do you want to read pages every day? i'll gladly mail you a copy of what we get daily. do you want to read those pages every time you come in to shop."

You guys sould do dat.

Zellers is a good store. If sumthin don't work I bring it back. No hassle no nuthin. I don't get treated like I stole sumthin like crappy tire.

 

[Guest-0276]

If you want to play a game of twist my words, i'll play that all day long. You will lose!
If you read what I ACTUALLY typed I said there are sometimes...... SOMETIMES.... things that I have to do first, second, third before we can come to a resolution. Unfortunately the resolution isn't always....well here's your money back. PS - I didn't bring Tim Hortons into this, i responded to the claim someone else made of their freshness. Someone who doesn't realize they aren't baking fresh. I'm as loyal to Tim's as anybody.

Leave Tim's alone. I second that. Why are you even comparing sunshine to a CT turd.

 

[DavidLeR]

i'll gladly mail you a copy of what we get daily.

That sounds very informative. Please write to me ... and I'll send you my snail mail address.

Hey, I'm still waitin' on that email, bud!

Oh, and those return rates/defect rates that you mentioned, too.

All the rest is just "blah blah blah".

 

[DavidLeR]

How would you like us to announce the unannounced warranty changes or policy changes?

Sure, glad to help!

If previously-returnable items suddenly becomes non-returnable (yikes!), then I'd:

1 - Put a sign next to the item on the shelf stating that it's non-returnable (or "all sales final", or whatever wording makes sense). Do it fast, though!

2 - Instruct the cashiers to check the receipt, and advise the customer that this specific item has it's own, unique "non-returns" policy. Hey, you could even automate this, with one of those cool messages (like the ones now that tell the cashier to check inside the toolboxes for other items). I mean, the product-specific return policy is already on the receipt, right? How'd those IT guys do it so fast????

3 - At the Customer Service desk, where the return policy is posted, at least mention that some products are non-returnable. Maybe even have a list of these items? Just an idea!

4 - Update the web page (at Returns, Refunds & Exchanges | Canadian Tire) with a similar notice. Maybe even list those items on the page? (I mean, IT seems pretty quick, huh?)

Wow, thanks for getting me involved.

I might even stop by one of the local stores, just to see my suggestions in action.

You're welcome!

 

[Guest-0276]

David,

You're forgetting the best option. Shop else where. It's obvious CT is heading in a downward spiral and hemorrhaging customers.

Why do you feel the need to prolong CT's pathetic existence? Is it like playing with bugs with a magnify glass?

 

[Soexpensive!]

CTC will never go down hill as long as there is a sucker born every minute that is willing to spend money at any store/auto service, i mean the store i used to work at we get complains left and right and customers swearing never to return to the store/auto service anymore.. and guess what 2 weeks down the road we see the same customer with the family in the store walking around and bought over 300$ worth of items.... lol.....