Fellow consumers:
It is generally the case that the incompetence of CT employees is detremental to the store’s customers.
However, here we have a rare case where employee incompetence is working for the benefit of customers.
When CT implemented special policies for defective items (such as the ‘exchange ony’ policy), they voluntarily took on the task of determining whether a returned item is defective, so that they can . If store staff miss the fact that a product isn’t really defective, then a customer will be given an exchange, even though they were not entitled to one.
(Note that a customer is actually entitled to a refund for a defective product, but that’s another issue. I’m only discussing the store’s own policy to refuse even an exchange for a defective item).
Recent posts by CT Representatives indicate that a high percentage of items which the store staff have deemed to be defective, are not actually defective at all.
What's funny is, they aren't even competent at screwing over the customer! LOL hilarious!
How do the CT Rep’s respond to their own proof of wide-spread incompetence of their staff?
Do they immediately implement a comprehensive training plan, so that their staff become competent at the task to which they were assigned?
Do they begin monitoring their staff, to insure that they properly carry out the task of identifying returned products that are not defective?
Do they even consider changing the store policy, and provide the refunds that are required by law?
No. Instead, they blame the customer.
Nice that you've answered a question you know zero about. Do you know what training is offered? what training is used? Do you know how we manage, monitor, rate, discipline our teams?
no you do not
Training is available at all stores, department specific based on where people work. does that mean they will be experts in tools or appliances...no. they will learn the basics to answer questions and help customers. This is big box retail, people sometimes forget that. Mass merchant means just that.......mass....big scale. Usually the troubles at retail stores are not about "the task" as you put it, it's product knowledge. If you're claiming it's unique to Canadian Tire, you're as ignorant and blind as you present yourself. (completely ignorant and blind) - All retailers struggle with product expertise. if you want true experts, go to a pro-shop and pay through the ass for stuff.
Our job is NOT, i repeat NOT to determine if a product is defective at stores. You think a cashier is able to determine if it's an electrical short or worn brushes? No. It's not safe or smart to have unqualified people look at and make decisions on electrics, hydraulics, gas powered etc.... - that's why we employ authorized repair facilities.
And, use this as a justification for the “repair only” policy, where the customer will be further inconvenienced, and may well end up with a used product that is of poor quality to begin with.
Rather than fix the problem at their own stores, they try to further erode the rights of their customers.
Basically, for specific products, the Rep's are saying, "We tried to take away exchanges for non-defective items, but we keep screwing that up. So, we are going to take away exchanges altogether. That'll fix it."
Nice customer service there, CT. Very nice.
Again, you've got your own ideas of what is happening, most of which are only half truths. I have contacted several local stores (Home Depot, John Deere, Sears) in regards to these products. They all say the same. gas powered and some power tools go for repair to an authorized center. period. i KNOW factually this is the case. you've just chosen not to believe it. That's not my problem but I promise it will be your problem when you buy your tractor at Sears and then end up at the repair facility going fuck.... that Canadian Tire guy was right, I can't get a refund from anyone anytime because I want it.
As usual you are misinformed. The rights of the customers are not as YOu see them. The rights of the customer are as based on returns, exchanges and warranty policies at the store they were bought at. Your incorrect assessment of rights under CPA and SGA have you thinking you can just get your cash back, but you can't. You deal with the exchange or repair policy, period.
A related issue is, why do the CT Rep’s who post here get so upset about this issue?
Despite the admissions by previous CT Rep’s that exchanges cost the stores money, these recent CT posters claim that this is not the case – that exchanges don’t cost the store at all.
So, if the exchanges cost nothing, why the uproar? Why would they even care if the product isn’t defective? If the store isn’t out any money, why stress about it?
It's not ALL about money, there's also right and wrong. Just because we don't lose money doesn't mean its the right thing to do all the time. A business can not let consumers walk all over them or make decisions for them. The customer is NOT always right. Sometimes customers are 100% legitimate, they have concerns and complaints that we will bend over backwards to solve regardless of the policy, warranty etc....
Sometimes a situation warrants operating fully within the guidelines, no exceptions. I don't operate black and white, I will always look for a way to help a customer if it is legitimate (not because they are complaining) but because it makes sense.
At the end of the day you just don't get it. it amazes me that this small group of people all have blinders on by choice or by ignorance i'm not sure. You have chosen to see everything Canadian Tire as negative. That's not my problem, that's a problem of you being too stupid to see things objectively. No matter what the topic, the question, the answer, the comment, you find a way to spin it as a Canadian Tire fuck up, poor policy, incompetence or stealing from customers. If you really believe this is the daily operations at 480 stores, you're fucked. It is my experience that closed minded individuals fail. You see things one way, stick to your guns and stupidly/stubbornly refuse to look at anything else.
I have in my brain a test pilot idea. If me and the other dealer stopped discussing things on here, it would go dead silent for a while. Why? Because all you do is bitch about the same things over and over again. You don't like our stores, we get that. As business owners we never like to have upset customers, or customers that choose other retailers over CT. We are in business to make money, and in order to do so we work hard to satisfy customers to the best of our ability. By the same token, as business men we are also smart enough to know that we do not win 100% of the time, AND there are some customers, very few but some who make so much noise and are never satisfied, they can shop elsewhere and i won't be concerned.
You are those people!!