Canadian Tire Sucks at Sales - Not Enough Stock - Bait & Switch?

**CTH8R** · January 4th, 2014, 10:25 AM

This gentleman has some good points, but doesn't realize the benefits of Bait and Switch to a retailer: tey get you in their store, but don't have to sell you things at the low price.

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Gary N.: Taylor, I am not sure what planet you emanate from, although I can hazard a guess that it's the planet mediocrity, however the basic business model that all retailers are running to is if you are going to run a scheduled promotion, best have product there, rather than wasting lots of marketing dollars and gaining nothing but disappointed customers...just saying. Whilst we are on the subject of entitlement culture. I hardly believe many canadians have any right to lecture anyone else about "entitlement culture", it's woven deeply into the fabric of their being, whilst I understand where I came from, we had this problem in the 70s, by the mid 80s it had been broken by margaret thatcher. Can't see any leaders here with her resolve, gravy boats abound here!

So returning to the point I raised, if CT are in the least bit interested in retaining my interest as a customer, the least I think they should be capable of doing is aligning their marketing and supply chain plans and delivering sufficient product on to the shelves (I agree with your point taylor that a "reasonable amount" should be made available)...so if one local store is "out, dear", then an alternative source of supply is reasonably nearby.

Incidentally, I don't think walmart, home depot, rona or lowes stock this product...but I do recall seeing something like this at the hicklety pickelty whitby based princess autos store...mind you, it's will be like a treasure hunt trying to find either the product, or someone to guide one to the product!

**CTH8R** · January 12th, 2014, 06:16 AM

A couple of complaints inspired by the Gift/Promo Card Spam:

Steve A.W.: Canadian Tire is classic bait and switch....every time I go to buy a "sale" item they are sold out....."EVERY TIME". Here's an idea, have more than one item when you announce a sale. And you wonder why people go to Walmart.....also, the self scanners suck. I go to shop and expect customer service...not to work myself.....very unhappy customer

Veronica B.S.: In our PG store, they destroy the rain checks every 30 days. I have never actually received merchandise on a Raincheck. Won't get there tomorrow either as we are expecting up to 40 cm of snow over night, and I takes 30 min or more to get there. Rats.

Christina C.P.: also advertised items aren't even in stores.

Carol B.G.: Christina that's the experience I've had, things in the flyer are not in the store and they are not expecting to get them either.

**CTH8R** · January 17th, 2014, 05:50 AM

See, it becomes Bait and Switch if they don't honour the Rain Check.

It's not enough to just handout the piece of paper, they have to actually sell you the item at the sale price.

There are only a couple of ways around the law, and the Rain Check is one of them, if they honour it.

From https://www.canadiantiresucks.net/pe...html#post11480

Got a rain check for a generator on the last day of a 4 day sale.
The raincheck clearly says valid at any shop within 30 days.
The store at 250 Silver Linden Dr, Richmond Hill refused to honor it saying it was only valid within the 4 days.....
How ridiculous !!!! Why bother to give a rain check on the last day of a 4 day special ?
It was the last straw for me and Canadian Tire.....I don't trust their so-called discounts or product quality and the cust service is non existant, so this was my last trip i intend to make to one of their outlets.

**Skeds** · January 17th, 2014, 08:51 AM

I find it quite amazing that someone would write this kind of complaint. A retail store is not in business to liquidate below cost. They make their money on 80% on what they stock and blow-out the remainder at reduced prices to keep new stock coming in. How do you know that your complaint is "common across the country" ? Did you do that survey yourself! I bet you expect CTire to reimburse your expenses for that. Your questioning their marketing yet you embellish your story with an outright lie! Really and with all respect - get a life and post a realistic complaint! Btw Bait and switch is when you advertise in an attempt to mislead a customer about products or services you dont sell or dont intend to sell. Otherwise, things sellout when they sell out!

**CTH8R** · January 17th, 2014, 11:33 AM

This is a fine example of the way CT’ers respond to legitimate consumer complaints.

The CTers are fond of misrepresenting definitions like “bait and switch” and “reasonable quantities”, and misrepresenting the laws, which can be easily found at sites such as this: Bait and switch selling - Competition Bureau. They claim, for instance, that stores are not required to honour the price the retailer themselves advertised! Unbelievable!

Just to be clear, a “bait and switch” is “advertising products at bargain prices that they do not have available in reasonable quantities.” There’s nothing in the law at all about “don’t sell or don’t intend to sell”. That's just something this CT’er invented.

As we’ve heard before, one of the ways the retailer can “avoid liability” under the laws of Canada is if “the customer was offered a rain check when supplies were exhausted.” This is what the most-recent complaint on this thread is all about – something the CTer chose to simply ignore.

In the case of a Clearance Sale, the retailer can state this in their advertising – if they don’t, then it counts as Bait and Switch.

I presume the CTER's goal is to persuade the readers of sites like this, to not follow-through on complaints about their mis-deeds. It also seems they don’t want to give consumers the advertised sale price - the very definition of "bait and switch”.

When they are called on their misbehaviour, they typically “shoot the messenger”, and attempt to discredit their victims. In this case, they are portraying this common complaint as “amazing”, LOL!

Another common tactic on this site is to falsely accuse consumer of some imaginary misdeed. Here the CTer is claiming some statement about "common across the country”, but this misquote is not found anywhere on this thread!

And a common trick is to claim some “lie”, but without stating what this is. We see the CTer doing this, too.

Another tactic is to insult consumers who take their own precious time to warn their fellow Canadians about CT's practices, often with the 'get a life' taunt we see here. Well I, for one, am grateful to my fellow consumers. Thank you, Gregsiem!

But the one thing they never seem to do, is address their own systemic faults in any meaningful way.

I guess it’s just easier to blame the victim, and continue to mislead the public.

Nice Job, CTer!

**Skeds** · January 17th, 2014, 06:51 PM

Bait and switch is about attracting customers with a product they want and attempting to sell something else. That's the "on the street" definition that means something at least! If a store advert draws in more interest than inventory would support then that is just the way it is - its business! Where do we get the attitude that a business only exists to satisfy customers? And to do so flawlessly. You cant expect any business of any size to never have such types of customers any more than we are entitled to the perfect shopping experience. In reality, there is no laws requiring the issuing of a rain-check on a sold out item. There isnt even a law requiring retailers to accept returns. All of this is just goodwill gesturing. And its good business. It is not simply and always ulterior. There simply is no perfect solution for this - You sell out when you sell out. This is hardly by design, and far from a true socialist environment where everything is the same, quantities are rarely sufficient at any price, and choice is the exception. I dont see any point in complaining about what is just a successful sale! By definition the "Sale" is unfair - to both those that missed it and to those that bought before it. The "Sale" is a gimmick to liquidate old stock and favors the lucky ones! Get used to it!

**1wildhorse** · January 17th, 2014, 06:51 PM

hmm new name same old story....skeds thinks its fine to treat his customers like garbage...

**Skeds** · January 17th, 2014, 07:22 PM

Im only commenting on the inventory issue

**1wildhorse** · January 17th, 2014, 10:29 PM

ok so lets break down your points....in your last post youre saying youre only commenting on the inventory issue.so there is an issue then you admit?
where do you get the attitude that a business exists to satisfy customers?well isnt that the point here that good businesses actually DO look after their customers because a happy customer is LIKELY TO RETURN?make no mistake it isnt the financial office paying your wages,its CUSTOMERS.....
how many times on these pages have we heard the story of people going into the store THE DAY of the flyer going out and there is ZERO stock of said product?now either you sold out in minus 30 minutes or you didnt get the stock to begin with in which case you are talking false advertising.of course you are only shooting yourselves in the foot here,because said customers(who lets face it in canada may have to DRIVE some considerable distance) tend to leave disgruntled probably never to return.(and you can be sure they will tell their friends family anyone who will listen).
and you are probably right there is no LAW about issuing a rain check.however once said rain check has been issued,then again you are only shooting yourselves in the foot when you refuse to honor it.i mean this is basic human nature,you make someone happy then they will probably come back,you piss someone off they probably wont.
and with your 'get used to it' and 'we dont need to give any returns' thats more the style of the business you conduct.no we DONT NEED TO GET USED TO IT,and with that in mind we dont have anything to return anyway,and yet again your attitude does nothing but make me less likely to ever spend a dime in your crap ass stores.keep on going because soon enough you wont have too many customers to mistreat anymore,people are rapidly wising up to your shitty attitudes....DAILY

**1wildhorse** · January 17th, 2014, 11:08 PM

surely if you read the pages and pages and pages of in the most part GENUINE customer gripes you would be more than just a little concerned about the long term health of your business.before i encountered your shocking policies i was a very loyal customer for many years,which is why it hurt SO MUCH to be treated the way that your staff did.thankfully my case wasnt an isolated one,as the plethora of information available on this site(which usually is documented before its removed from your facebook page to be held in posterity)should show perfectly clearly.do you honestly believe in your heart of hearts that your company can keep up its horrible policies and SURVIVE long term when people have the option of going somewhere that they might actually be treated with respect?personally i have yet to hear anything in any way HUMBLE from any of the pro CT spammers on here,even though the evidence is overwhelming...maybe if your attitudes changed somewhat you might get a less 'fuck you' kinda response from us,but im not holding my breath that any of you are even capable of such attitude....