My beef with Staples Business Depot. NOT ‘Easy’. May 26

Filed under I don't categorize by Zoe | Comments

staples-chair.gif

Dear Staples

I was pre-shopping on your website for the ergonomic chair and the price read $109 (see screen shot). I went into a store to purchase it but it was $116. Also, only the floor model available.

The store attendant said he would do a price match and printed out the sheet from online and even carried the floor model to the front desk.

After I got to my car I realized the store did not price match guarantee (110%) but only met the price that was online.

I went back inside to let them know of their mistake but the manager, Lori, coldly stated that the price match was only for competitors prices.

I re-read the sign which states that Staples will price match (110%) on any advertised price from an “Authorized Canadian Dealer.” I asked Lori, “Is Staples an Authorized Canadian Dealer?”.

She said, “Yes.” And looked at me with a blank, corporate stare.

I said, “Then the price match guarantee falls within the rules on YOUR sign.”

She looked at me (blank stare again) and spit out the same corporate speak, that they only did that for competitors.

End result: I returned the chair.

Why?

1) The nice store attendant who helped me in the first place said that I would get a price match. Was he lying? I sure hope not.

2) I was right. Staples falls in the category “Authorized Canadian Dealer.” It’s not my fault that you under-advertised yourself.

3) I hate it when corporate people give me practiced lines. I’m a person in a particular situation, not a machine.
I am on my last leg with Staples and ready to do a full on ban. Anything you can do to make me re-evaluate Staples’ ‘that was easy’ business model would be greatly appreciated.

Yours truly,

Zoe Siskos

UPDATE: Well, kudos for being timely. However, I feel like I;m being scolded and in the end, still have a ban on Staples. Here is their response:

We appreciate your inquiry concerning this issue Zoe,

I have visited the blog at the link you’ve provided and read your post.
In response to your three statements:

1) No, the associate that said the store would match the online price
was not matching. Since the stores operate with their own management
team and inventory which is separate from the warehouses that service
our phone/online delivery orders, there are occasionally price
differences. To make it easy, the store associate told you that the
store would match the online price, rather than sending you away to make
your purchase online where the lower price was listed.

2) You are definitely right that Staples is an authorized Canadian
retailer, but for obvious reasons, we do not beat our own price.
Matching the price is one thing, when the prices differ online and in
the store for Staples itself, however the 110% policy is strictly for
competitors, to encourage people to make the purchase with us, rather
than at the competitor. I’m sorry, but trying to twist around the
meaning of this policy is simply manipulative, but does not mean that
you should get different treatment than all our other customers. The
110% price match policy is strictly for competitors, period.

3) These lines are only “practiced” in the sense that the policy does
not change. Regardless of who asks us about our price match policy, the
answer is the same, as the policy remains the same. We give each
customer the same access to the same service. I’m sorry you felt the
need to return your chair because you misinterpreted the policy to mean
that we would beat our own price, but the associate you spoke with, was
absolutely right, and did not misrepresent the policy in any way.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any other questions.

We appreciate your patience concerning this matter,

Derek, Customer Service Representative

e-mail: bd.support@orders.staples.com
phone : 1-877-360-8500
fax : 1-800-567-2260
url : http://www.staples.ca/support/contact/

Viewing 15 Comments

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    • v
    I don't understand your argument Zoe. You wanted the $109 price because that is what you saw online, and the $116 threw you off when you went in store. But the store matched the online price. What more do you want?
    • ^
    • v
    Wow, Derek is a Class "A" D***. You should e-mail him back and ask him for his manager's e-mail address. He absolutely talked down to you in his response, and he is lucky it wasn't a face to face confrontation.
    • ^
    • v
    Whoa! Sounds like you and Darren Barefoot are picking sides in the war of Canadian office supply stores
    http://www.darrenbarefoot.com/archives/2008/05/...
    • ^
    • v
    Okay...I was thinking I was being a bit sensitive so thanks for speaking out. I got the same attitude from the manager at the store.

    When will companies learn it's all about attitude?
    • ^
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    r3 - My point is that when a company has an offer they should honour that. If they didn't have a price matching offer I would have paid the $116. But don't tell me one thing and then do another. It's called bait and switch.

    And certainly don't cop attitude with customers. Big no-no.

    Parker - How interesting! I think I may stay away from big box stores all together and visit the local shops for my office needs from now on. I'm sure they'll have the quality of product AND service that I'm looking for.
    • ^
    • v
    Zoe, That customer service rep did not honor this sensitive subject very well and not to mention your in store treatment. My point may have come across as harsh, but i did not understand the whole situation. I am pro mom and pop shops, so I say go for it. The service will be more intimate, not necessarily better, but the price point will be much higher. At least we know who is making the profits...i.e the same person who serves you.
    My experience at STAPLES though, has always been great. I can find everything I need when I go into the store, and the service is always good. Sorry you had to go through this ordeal.
    Best of luck with finding a good chair.
    • ^
    • v
    I'm sorry Zoe but your argument doesn't make sense, regardless of the retailer, situation, or the manager the generic definition of "price match" means from a oompetetor. However if you really wanted the extra 10% of the $7 difference you would only be seeing a .70 cent difference. Also, you are correct, attitude means everything; however, many customers need to check their attitude as well. From an aspect of how little you were asking for however, I think the manager lacks the capability of reacting with customers. The chair probably cost the company $60, and the manager just lost the store $50 of profit.
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    I think what the issue here is this:

    Staples says that they will price match anything from an any Authorized Canadian Dealer.

    Staples themselves are an Authorized Canadian Dealer.

    On their website, they posted a lower price than they had in their store. It's their own fault that they didn't fix the price in their box store to match their website.

    On the way into the box store, there is a giant sign stating their price match 'GUARANTEE' key word, Guarantee.

    They were bitten in the ass and they knew it, but like children, couldn't - or wouldn't - admit it.

    The issue at hand is not the money that could have been saved, but the principle of the matter. Because the right hand didn't know what the left hand was doing, they technically fell within their own guarantee offer. I personally think it's appalling that they didn't honour their own policy. What they should have done is just been honest and said 'You're right, here you go, you got us'. Honoured the deal, then contacted their Corporate HQ and tried to get the problem fixed either on the website or in the store...wherever the problem was.

    To me, I believe that this is a prime example of why people are starting to regard box stores with very little respect and are trying to get as much out of them as possible. Why should we respect them and their policies when they only honour their own policies when it works in their favour?
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    r3 - It's good to hear you had good experiences but this was last straw for me. Glad you support my mom 'n' pop shop plan :)

    Ken - I disagree that there are 'implied' stipulations to price matching. Each store has it's own policies that are clearly laid out.

    James - You bring up a very interesting point. Would something like this have happened in a smaller store? Unlikely. The whole "right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing" is so indicative of big box stores.
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    Zoë - I am in complete support of your argument, while some disagree your entitlement and others do a good job of pointing out principle, I have one to add...

    How is it that a multi million-dollar company can not afford an enterprise back end system to ensure their prices are consistent between stores and online? Furthermore, how rat-like is it they pay lawyers to draw up convoluted "Guarantees" that can always be twisted to their benefit.

    Derek I hope you’re reading these replies, take them to Corporate. I hate your company and shop anywhere else. I will only purchase something from your store if I can use your price match guarantee to my advantage, which is far and few times as I always get the run around.

    My time is worth more than arguing for a half hour with some teenager that thinks he owns the store.

    LONG LIVE THE BAN!
    • ^
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    Good blog for you all to read. "NATION OF WHINERS"

    http://www.thefreestyleentrepreneur.com/quote-o...

    Zoe, Rallo, James.... would you all have the same response had this situation happened at a locally owned store? Since we are now talking about the 'principal' of the whole situation. One store made a mistake. Miss-management. If you go through head office I am sure you will get what you want. The point is, well, you'll get it once you read that blog posting.
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    Rallo - I chant as well - LONG LIVE THE BAN!

    r3 - Interesting read - naive at best. I think if Mr. Ingrisano did a little more research on the history of the people that he quoted - namely the banking moguls - his views would change on these 'revolutionaries'.

    But I digress.

    In fact, based on principal, if the mom 'n pop shop did business in this same way, i.e. not honour their own store policies, I would react in the same way.

    I've been in the same situation with Staples that Rallo has been in. This isn't the one and only time that Staples has reneged on their own price match guarantee.

    Now, I've played the same games with Future Shop and have never had a problem price matching using their price matching policies. And some of the stuff that I've tried to price match there has been rediculous!

    Bottom line, I think the store could have handled the situation with a little more dignity. Which brings me to my original point - Why should we respect them and their policies when they only honour their own policies when it works in their favour?

    They should be there to provide service to their customer, not the other way around.
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    r3 - I read your blog reference and it did nothing for me, I am not "whining" about a company being successful.

    In fact, I have no issues with successful corporations. For the record I have never had a problem with walmarts policies, especially returns and rollback pricing, and I'm positive McDonalds would bend over backwards to ensure your happiness because they know "you deserve a break today"

    In answer to your question, YES I would have the same response to a mom and pop shop because they NEED your business. Their success is critical from word of mouth and pleasant experiences.

    Everyone seems to forget that the big corporations (Walmart, McDonalds etc.) all started with ONE store

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walmart
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonald's

    It was through hard work, low prices, employee appreciation and CUSTOMER SERVICE that enabled them to become the moguls they are now.
    • ^
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    Just want to throw in another company that responded and created an entire business model because someone "whined" - Dell.

    Because Jeff Jarvis (a fellow whiner)created the Dell Hell blog Dell now has a guy, Richard@Dell who responds to anyone who talks about Dell.

    They also created entire platforms for their customers to discuss, engage and even participate in the conversation. Due to their success many companies are taking note (and they should be).

    They certainly never told their customers that they were manipulative.
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    Arg...I have nothing more to add. This whole thing just makes me so mad.

    My company jumps through hoops to make our customers happy, time and time again, because it is just smart business.

    Hell, even if the customer is wrong, it's just stupid to go out of your way to be rude or dissatisfy a customer even further.

    I don't understand how the concept of treating customers with respect seems like rocket science to some people.

    It's common sense. If you do not treat your customers with respect, they won't keep giving you their money, and you won't have a job. How hard is that to follow?
 
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