Its Weds. November 26, thanksgiving eve, and I am pet sitting for a friend, and the dog doesn't have a jacket. I thought I would do something nice for the dog and walk into this store. Great, coats are 40%. I grab the first one that looks like it fits. I try to find a price scanner. Well, not here. They tell me the cashier at the register can check the price. It ends up being $15 plus tax. I'm already at the register, so I end up getting it.
I put it on Spot inside the store, only to hear him scream because its too tight around his neck and chokes him. Oh well. Almost as fast as I just bought it, I go back to the register for the return. No other customers are there, and the woman who just rang me up is watching the entire thing. Immediate return.
Suddenly, the card that worked 60 seconds ago is unable to do the return transaction. She tried several time to scan the card and do the return, nothing works. She then gets the manager. This uptight bald guy about late 30s takes over, whom I will refer to from now on as CUEBALL because he's not wearing a name tag. So cueball takes over and eyes me with immediate suspicion. He first tries to help on the cashier's register, then she gets a line and I'm holding it up, so he moved to next register over. Fine. Whatever.
CUE BALL asks what I returned, I point to the dog coat and explain, and the cashier backs me up. It didn't fit. I never walked out with it. He continues scanning the card over and over, then gives up and tries punching the numbers in. He notices my card expires last day of November. .. and blames me for having an old card. Although its still November, I pull out the brand new bank card anyway. They both have the same numbers but neither work. Which card did you use he asks me? Now even I am getting confused.
CUE BALL announces, well since your card isn't working to do the return I'm going to call your bank. Say what?? I ask CUEBALL if he can't just refund the money in cash. He says he cannot do that. but can give me a merchandise credit. I announce "I will never come here again" and he says lady I am trying to help you like I have an attitude. So I say NO really, I will never come again because .. . Its not my dog, I don't own a dog, I have NO REASON to ever come again, so I have no need for a merchandise credit. WHERE IS MY REFUND please? Can't you just give me the lousy $16 and change in cash?
Of course not. CUE BALL makes me wait about 15 minutes while calling my BANK, as if I'm some type of criminal. At this point I'm becoming irate because its Thanksgiving Eve and the dog is getting nervous. I let him know I plan to Yelp about this experience, and he just give me a cold stare.
After waiting on hold, going through an automated process and punching in my numners. . . . .Cue ball finally gets somebody on the phone from my bank, which informs them that my card is working fine. He tells them he can't do the refund, can they refund the money, and they inform him that there is nothing they can do to refund the purchase that he can't figure out how to refund himself.
Cue Ball reluctantly hands me over the cash for the item I just returned and never even walked out of the store with. WHY DIDN"T HE JUST DO THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE??!! I'm pissed, the dog is upset, customers are noticing and CUE BALL says to me "You can go now" oh really?? I told him cue ball where to go, feeling as if I were treated like a criminal who just tried to use a stolen credit card.
Just to double check. . .I went to Trader Joe's right after leaving this place and $4.99 purchase of cheese worked flawlessly. I still don't know what happened, but I can assure you it wasn't anything to do with my bank or my bank card. . .Unbelievable. I guess Pet Smart is okay, but this manager guy is a douche bag, my experience most unpleasant, and I feel that he needs to go. read more