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Burlington Coat Factory Complaint - Refusal to purchase - Toddler dress
Toddler dress - Complaint
EDMONDS, WASHINGTON -- I only get out with out my kids to shop about four times a year. Yesterday I had one of these opportunities. One of the items I wished to purchase was a toddler dress. I found it on a rack with other items that looked to be on a sales type rack in the back of the toddler clothes section. When I went to the cashier she had a hard time ringing that item up because the bottoms that come with that dress where missing. I told her that was ok I assumed that was why it was the only one left in the jumble of other clothes on the rack I found it on. She called a sales representative from the kids department who then looked for the bottoms. I was in a hurry and said that's fine I'll pay for it as it is. She said she couldn't do that. The sales representative came with out the bottoms. The manager was called and after waiting all that time she said that she could not sell me the dress as it was. The reason was that they couldn't separate the outfit. I said there were no bottoms with it and the sales representative couldn't find it either. The manager said that she couldn't sell me the dress for full price. I said I'd pay less for it then. The manager then said that she couldn't do that either because if I returned the dress I would get more money back for the dress then I paid since in their system it would show I had paid full price. I was not happy. They had wasted at least 15 min. of my time while I was in a hurry and in the end the best they could do was ask for my phone number and call me if they found the bottoms! I can't believe that a store would not let me purchase something they had on their racks to purchase. I can't believe they would choose to loose money by me not purchasing an item they had for sale! Plus I can't believe they would call me a thief in that they assumed I would be dishonest and return the dress to gain a few bucks! Plus I still don't see why they wouldn't have just sold it and put a note on the sales receipt. I have normally been very happy with Burlington Coat Factory but this put a real stink on them for me.
Comments:
Posted by SteveWiginowski on 2011-11-09:
They are not calling you a thief, and they may not have intentionally put the item out there as it was. People take things off the rack a lot, at clothing stores. The two items might have been seperated at a point and then the dress was put back on the rack by someone. It could have been put back that way by a customer or an employee.
They aren't calling you a thief, they are explaining why they couldn't sell you the item at a reduced rate. People try to cheat the system, so if a dishonest person tried to get it for a reduced rate, and then later returned it and got full price for it, that person would be given back more money. The store would want to believe that their customers are honest, but there is no way of knowing that, so they have to protect themselves.
As far as the receipt, not every customer makes a return with a receipt, so writing something on it won't fully protect them.
They aren't calling you a thief, they are explaining why they couldn't sell you the item at a reduced rate. People try to cheat the system, so if a dishonest person tried to get it for a reduced rate, and then later returned it and got full price for it, that person would be given back more money. The store would want to believe that their customers are honest, but there is no way of knowing that, so they have to protect themselves.
As far as the receipt, not every customer makes a return with a receipt, so writing something on it won't fully protect them.
Posted by Churro on 2011-11-09:
So you agreed to pay full price for a dress missing its bottoms and the manager said 'No'?. Good grief the people that get the decision making roles these days in retail have no business sense whatsoever.
Screw them. Take your business elsewhere.
Screw them. Take your business elsewhere.
Posted by justcuz on 2011-11-09:
Well said, Steve.
What the OP was told makes perfect sense to me. When the bottoms are found, if they sold the dress 'as is' to the OP, what are they going to do with the bottoms? JMO, but offering to call you if the bottoms were found sounds like good customer service to me.
What the OP was told makes perfect sense to me. When the bottoms are found, if they sold the dress 'as is' to the OP, what are they going to do with the bottoms? JMO, but offering to call you if the bottoms were found sounds like good customer service to me.
Posted by Churro on 2011-11-09:
JC, If you owned a store and a customer was willing to pay you FULL price for an incomplete ensemble fully knowing it was incomplete you'd tell them 'No'. Can I ask your rationale?
Posted by justcuz on 2011-11-09:
Sure. I would probably respond exactly as BCF did.
Posted by Churro on 2011-11-09:
You would tell them 'No' because you might find and get stuck with the bottoms for an incomplete outfit you already sold for FULL price. I don't see the down side of getting full price for an incomplete product when the customer agrees to those terms. *JMHO*
Posted by justcuz on 2011-11-09:
BCF advised they couldn't sell it for full price bc it was an incomplete set (missing bottoms).
BCF then advised they couldn't sell it for a discounted price bc it wasn't coded in their system that way so if the customer returned it for some reason they would get a full price refund.
BCF then offered to call the customer if the bottoms showed up.
Sounds like BCF did what they could to provide good customer service.
So yes, I could see myself telling the customer No as well.
BCF then advised they couldn't sell it for a discounted price bc it wasn't coded in their system that way so if the customer returned it for some reason they would get a full price refund.
BCF then offered to call the customer if the bottoms showed up.
Sounds like BCF did what they could to provide good customer service.
So yes, I could see myself telling the customer No as well.
Posted by SteveWiginowski on 2011-11-09:
The thing I could see BCF doing is let the customer know that if they purchase it at full price, they most likely wouldn't be able accept it if was returned because it would be an incomplete set. It would be a risk (most likely a very small one) that the customer would have to consider.
Posted by Churro on 2011-11-09:
I'm trying to figure out the business sense or lack of in the decisions. All they accomplished was pissing off a customer, losing a sale and potentially winding up with something they'll sell at a greatly reduced price or donate to a local thrift store. Just seems illogical to me.
Also when dealing with a customer you never even remotely suggest you're basing your decision on the possibility of fraud. The manager isn't talking to the public at large or a room full of retail policy wonks. The manager is talking to the customer right in front of them. There is no other way to interpret that assertion other than you, BCF manager, think I, customer, might try to cheat your company. That's not a good move.
As usual I'm probably in the minority on this one but I can totally understand the OP's frustration and befuddlement with BCF's actions. Because I'm right there with them.
Also when dealing with a customer you never even remotely suggest you're basing your decision on the possibility of fraud. The manager isn't talking to the public at large or a room full of retail policy wonks. The manager is talking to the customer right in front of them. There is no other way to interpret that assertion other than you, BCF manager, think I, customer, might try to cheat your company. That's not a good move.
As usual I'm probably in the minority on this one but I can totally understand the OP's frustration and befuddlement with BCF's actions. Because I'm right there with them.
Posted by Prince-Ceasar on 2011-11-09:
I agree with you churro. ridiculous if you ask me. just sell her the dang outfit
Posted by CowboyFan on 2011-11-09:
The problem is after the sale. My concern as a store would be that when she got home, other people would question why she paid full price for only part of the item - "that's not fair." She (and they) would then feel either ripped off or try to bring it back and get the price adjusted or refunded. Better only to sell merchandise that is complete, then to go through potential problems.
Posted by justcuz on 2011-11-09:
Excellent response, CowboyFan.
Posted by Churro on 2011-11-09:
The supposed problem after the sale is pure conjecture and there is absolutely nothing in the review to form a basis of belief the OP would respond that way. What's not conjecture is the OP was willing to pay full price for the dress without the bottoms.
Just read my3cents you can see that every sale has the possibility of 'potential problems' or customers feeling 'ripped off'. I just don't agree with businesses who operate on the worse possible assumptions about the customer because I too am a customer and I deserve better than that.
Just read my3cents you can see that every sale has the possibility of 'potential problems' or customers feeling 'ripped off'. I just don't agree with businesses who operate on the worse possible assumptions about the customer because I too am a customer and I deserve better than that.
Posted by swimjim on 2011-11-09:
Best Answer - Churro
Posted by S_Hawking on 2011-11-09:
Amen, Churro.
Posted by Venice09 on 2011-11-09:
God help me.. but I completely agree with Churro.
I'd love to know the price of this dress. It was on a sales rack at Burlington Coat Factory. How much money could possibly be at stake here?
I'd love to know the price of this dress. It was on a sales rack at Burlington Coat Factory. How much money could possibly be at stake here?
Posted by justcuz on 2011-11-09:
LOL Venice..just wait til Churro sees this!
Posted by onlooker on 2011-11-10:
the cashier or the manager should have just said that this item was incorrectly on the sales floor. And ended the entire sales process. 'Incorrectly' sold items will mess up computer and physical inventory. If the purchaser returns to the store for any reason - 'unfair', want to change the deal, want to return, wants to get pants since they were not there originally ....problems will mushroom. There was was some tactless talk, and a personal attempt to resolve the issue. I understand the consumer's very real frustration - I understand the seeming stupidity of losing a sale - I also feel that there may be organizational reasons why there was no flexibility in the pricing/sale.
Posted by trmn8r on 2011-11-10:
If the store was ready to sell this item at a discount because it was deemed incomplete, I'm sure that they would have sold it to you.
It is tempting to assume that is why it was on the "sale" rack, but evidently they aren't ready to sell it that way yet.
It is tempting to assume that is why it was on the "sale" rack, but evidently they aren't ready to sell it that way yet.
Posted by justcuz on 2011-11-10:
Trm...I wish I had thought of that response yesterday. You summed it up perfect.
Posted by Venice09 on 2011-11-10:
This is just one of the things I love about Kohl's. They are authorized to make adjustments on the spot. It's probably why Kohl's continues to be so successful. They don't alienate their customers over technicalities. They hold on to each and every customer to the best of their ability.
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