Disappointing Experience at Staples Springfield, VA…read more I went to this Staples to purchase printer cartridges and possibly a new paper shredder, but my experience was very disappointing. While I was in the shredder section trying to decide which one to get, a Staples employee - who appeared to be a supervisor - walked right past me without offering any assistance. She then went over to a counter with no customers while there was only one register open and several customers waiting. When I asked if I could check out at her counter, she said "no" in an unfriendly tone. Later, she opened a register -- but only for the next customer in line, not for me. When I finally did check out, the young man at the register was also not very friendly. Overall, I felt ignored and unappreciated as a customer. I ended up paying $100 for two XL printer cartridges and left feeling frustrated. I will only go back to this location as a last resort and will certainly avoid making any major purchases here. I will also look for more affordable options for cartridges elsewhere.

I went to the Springfield Staples to purchase two ink cartridges for my printer. I looked in the…read moreprinter cartridge section but could not find the 61XL cartridges package one (1) black ink and the other one (1) color ink - which I have purchased at this store before a couple of years ago. Since I could not locate the cartridges I went to the printing section of the store where there were two Staple employees - I stood for a couple of minutes before one of the employees asked me what I wanted. I told her and she said that her colleague working with her could help me - I stood there for approximately 10 minutes when I realized no one was going to help me. I went to the one cashier who was in the store and requested help. She acknowledged that I was waiting a long time and she used a portable communication device to ask for assistance. A women came out from a closed area of the store and asked what I wanted. I explained what I needed, she walked away toward the printer cartridge section and looked around in the same way I did when I entered the store. She found 1 black cartridge and 1 color cartridge and handed them to me - this is what you want. I explained I preferred to have a single package with the two cartridges. She said this is all we have, she then walked to a door in the front of the store, I just stood in the store and then she came out from that area and said that's all me have. I went to the cashier who was the same women whom I requested help to find the cartridges and checked out. She said she was sorry, because she knew how long I was waiting for help. The cost of the two cartridges was just under $160.00. I was surprised at the cost but purchased the two cartridges. I told the cashier that I thought it was in her best interest to look for another position because I felt her co-workers were not customer focused or a good example for her. I thanked her for her understanding. I then went home. The entire drive back home I kept thinking about my experience and by the time I got home I realized how frustrated I was from this experience. I explained to my partner what happened, he looked on Amazon and found the same two cartridges I purchased for $50.00 plus dollars cheeper and would be delivered the next day. I returned to the Staples store and returned the two cartridges I had just purchased. I shared with the same cashier employee, when I checked out, that my experience with the employees was terrible and I found that I could save over $50.00 going through Amazon. The cashier offered me the same price that Amazon posted. She tried to provide customer recovery. I thanked her for her offer; however, I shared my experience was so bad, I could not purchase anything from this store. The cashier had to have a manager approve the return because the purchase was over $100.00. Both she and I saw the manager from where we were standing. She used her communication devise asking him for assistance - he was in a conversation with a Staple employee who worked in the printing section who never responded to me when I had originally entered the store. She requested his assistance several times with no response. She ended up calling for another manager who did respond to her and he approved the returned purchases. I did tell him briefly that my experience as a customer in this Staples was unsatisfactory with the exception of the cashier whom I felt fully understood my dissatisfaction and frustration.