Retail Insanity
So I bought this boom box that the iPod can just plug into and it also can play CDs and radio. It's a nice little unit and I was pleased with my purchase.
Then the next week I am looking through the BestBuy flyer and see it on sale for $30 less than I paid. No problem, I'm pretty sure that FutureShop does the 30 day price guarantee thing so I stop by FutureShop with my receipt and the flyer.
Here is what happened:
"Customer Service": We can't price match that because it's not the same unit.
Me: What?!? You're kidding me! It is exactly the same as the one I bought.
"Customer Service": No it's not, the numbers don't match.
Me: Well, maybe that's the number for the black one and I bought the white one. Can you call BestBuy and check?
"Customer Service": I can give you the phone and you can call.
Me: Listen, if the black on is on sale then the white one is probably the same price, and you price match the prices right?
"Customer Service": Yes.
Me: So call BestBuy and find out the price on the one I bought, please.
"Customer Service": Okay. {she calls and after waiting on hold for a while finds out that the the one I bought is a few dollars less than they charge for it, but only the black on is on sale at the price in the flyer}
Me: Well do you carry the one that's in the BestBuy flyer?
"Customer Service": Yes.
Me: Is it in stock?
"Customer Service": Yes
Me: Can you show it to me and show me what the difference is between that one and the one I bought?
"Customer Service": You'll have to go over to that area, it's not my department.
Me: Well, how about you find me someone from that department.
"Customer Service": Okay {sigh}, follow me.
She finds me someone in that department and leaves.
FutureShop minion: How can I help you?
Me: Can you show me the difference between the boom box that I bought and the one in this BestBuy flyer?
FutureShop minion: Sure.
We find them on the shelf, and sure enough, the ONLY difference is that one is black and one is white. Other than that, they are EXACTLY the same.
Of course the minion does not have the authority to help me, but he finds me a manager.
FS Manager: We can only price match the one that's on sale.
Me: But the white one is EXACTLY the same.
FS Manager: Unless the codes match, we can't price match it.
Me: You're telling me that I can return the unit and get my full money back, go buy this one at BestBuy, and I'll be $30 ahead.
FS Manager: Well, you could exchange it for the black one and then we could price match the black one.
Me: But you can't give me that price on the identical unit in white.
FS Manager: That's correct.
Me: So I have to go all the way back home, get the white one, bring it back, exchange it for the black one, and then I'll get the $30 off.
FS Manager: That's correct.
Me: The true irony here is that I have a black iPod and if you had had the black one in stock when I first came in I would have bought the black one.
FS Manager: Well, now you can get the black one.
Me: But I have to go all the way home for the white one.
FS Manager: I'm sorry.
Me: Just so we're clear, you're telling me that if I return the unit, that has nothing wrong with it, you will give me a new unit and $30, but you can't just give me the $30 and let me keep the used unit that I already have.
FS Manager: Yes, we can only price match the black one.
Me: Okay, I guess I'll be back with the white one.
Me {to myself}: but I'll be damned if I'm shopping here again.
UPDATE: So I take the white one back the next day and the manager I talked to the first day isn't there, so I have to explain the whole thing to another manager and he okays the exchange and price matching, after agreeing that, no, they can't give that price on the white one.
Clerk ringing through the exchange: And if you go online and fill in the customer service survey you will be entered to win a $500 gift card.
Me: I would looooooove to fill in a customer service survey. {Which I did and pasted the entire above into the comments section.)
Clerk: {starts to hand me the white boom box}
Me {honest to a fault}: No, I'm taking the black one.
Clerk: Oh, I misunderstood what the manager said. I'll have to ring it through again and correct that.
And when I finally got home and took the black one out of the box, it was BROKEN, so I have to go back AGAIN!
Then the next week I am looking through the BestBuy flyer and see it on sale for $30 less than I paid. No problem, I'm pretty sure that FutureShop does the 30 day price guarantee thing so I stop by FutureShop with my receipt and the flyer.
Here is what happened:
"Customer Service": We can't price match that because it's not the same unit.
Me: What?!? You're kidding me! It is exactly the same as the one I bought.
"Customer Service": No it's not, the numbers don't match.
Me: Well, maybe that's the number for the black one and I bought the white one. Can you call BestBuy and check?
"Customer Service": I can give you the phone and you can call.
Me: Listen, if the black on is on sale then the white one is probably the same price, and you price match the prices right?
"Customer Service": Yes.
Me: So call BestBuy and find out the price on the one I bought, please.
"Customer Service": Okay. {she calls and after waiting on hold for a while finds out that the the one I bought is a few dollars less than they charge for it, but only the black on is on sale at the price in the flyer}
Me: Well do you carry the one that's in the BestBuy flyer?
"Customer Service": Yes.
Me: Is it in stock?
"Customer Service": Yes
Me: Can you show it to me and show me what the difference is between that one and the one I bought?
"Customer Service": You'll have to go over to that area, it's not my department.
Me: Well, how about you find me someone from that department.
"Customer Service": Okay {sigh}, follow me.
She finds me someone in that department and leaves.
FutureShop minion: How can I help you?
Me: Can you show me the difference between the boom box that I bought and the one in this BestBuy flyer?
FutureShop minion: Sure.
We find them on the shelf, and sure enough, the ONLY difference is that one is black and one is white. Other than that, they are EXACTLY the same.
Of course the minion does not have the authority to help me, but he finds me a manager.
FS Manager: We can only price match the one that's on sale.
Me: But the white one is EXACTLY the same.
FS Manager: Unless the codes match, we can't price match it.
Me: You're telling me that I can return the unit and get my full money back, go buy this one at BestBuy, and I'll be $30 ahead.
FS Manager: Well, you could exchange it for the black one and then we could price match the black one.
Me: But you can't give me that price on the identical unit in white.
FS Manager: That's correct.
Me: So I have to go all the way back home, get the white one, bring it back, exchange it for the black one, and then I'll get the $30 off.
FS Manager: That's correct.
Me: The true irony here is that I have a black iPod and if you had had the black one in stock when I first came in I would have bought the black one.
FS Manager: Well, now you can get the black one.
Me: But I have to go all the way home for the white one.
FS Manager: I'm sorry.
Me: Just so we're clear, you're telling me that if I return the unit, that has nothing wrong with it, you will give me a new unit and $30, but you can't just give me the $30 and let me keep the used unit that I already have.
FS Manager: Yes, we can only price match the black one.
Me: Okay, I guess I'll be back with the white one.
Me {to myself}: but I'll be damned if I'm shopping here again.
UPDATE: So I take the white one back the next day and the manager I talked to the first day isn't there, so I have to explain the whole thing to another manager and he okays the exchange and price matching, after agreeing that, no, they can't give that price on the white one.
Clerk ringing through the exchange: And if you go online and fill in the customer service survey you will be entered to win a $500 gift card.
Me: I would looooooove to fill in a customer service survey. {Which I did and pasted the entire above into the comments section.)
Clerk: {starts to hand me the white boom box}
Me {honest to a fault}: No, I'm taking the black one.
Clerk: Oh, I misunderstood what the manager said. I'll have to ring it through again and correct that.
And when I finally got home and took the black one out of the box, it was BROKEN, so I have to go back AGAIN!