Re: Expo / Home Depot complaint - Design ripoff center
James
receipt. They told me they would accept as long as I have the receipt.
"Chris Wiles" <vett...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:60d7e308.04072...@posting.google.com...
> Be forewarned that if you buy something you may not
> be able to return it,NO MATTER WHAT THE SALES ASSOCIATE
> tells you.
>
> I purchased some tile and specifically asked the tile sales
> person if I got extra could I return it. The answer was
> an absolute yes with no problems.
>
> Of course when I tried to return the extra unopened boxes
> I was informed that the tile was being discontinued
> and they wouldn't even give me store credit.
>
> My complaint is being told yes by the sales associate in the
> tile department and buying more then I would need and then being
> told so sorry we can't take it back.
>
> I told them if I knew I couldn't return the extra or that if the
> tile was going to be discontinued I wouldn't have bought the extra.
> There only response was that they don't know when something is going
> to be discontinued.
>
> So only buyer beware and I would stay away from the Almaden Expressway
> Expo rip off center in San Jose. Dan the store manager on duty 7/24
> doesn't know anything about customer service or coaching his employees
> about communicating store policy at the time of sale. Oh and they checked
> their computer and another store about 3 hours away is still carrying the
> tile, so I asked if there was anything they could do for me and their
> answer was NO!
>
> Okay now just to be clear. A store sets its policy and as a customer you
can
> accept or reject that policy and shop elsewhere. My ONLY complaint is
> the sales associate telling me one thing and the store manager not
standing
> behind the statments made by his sales associate (IE company agent).
>
>
> Chris
Travis Jordan
Was this a special order? If not, then the standard Home Depot in-store
return policy applies. If the local store manager won't honor this
return policy, then please call their customer assistance number at
1-800-553-3199.
Items Purchased in Our Stores
For fast, easy returns, keep your receipt. It not only ensures that you
get the proper credit for your purchase, but it also helps our
associates process your return quickly.
Returns with an original sales receipt within 90 days of purchase
Any purchase made by credit card will be refunded to the original credit
card
Any purchase made by cash or with a debit card will be refunded in
cash*. Purchases in Canada made by debit card are refunded to the debit
card
Any purchase made by a check that has cleared the 10-business day
waiting period will be refunded in cash*
Any purchase made by a check that has not cleared the 10-business day
waiting period will be refunded as a store credit
Any purchase made by store credit, gift certificate or Gift Card will be
refunded as store credit
Any purchase made by gift check will be refunded in cash*
Returns with original receipt after 90 days of purchase
A store credit or credit to a Home Depot Commercial Credit Account may
be issued for the original purchase price**
Returns without a receipt
A store credit or credit to a Home Depot Commercial Credit Account may
be issued based on the lowest selling price of the returned merchandise
Special Order Merchandise
Some restrictions do apply. See the Special Services Desk for details.
Vijay
store belonging to the same parent. That said, I too have had
indifferent service at the Almaden Expo as well as the E. Palo Alto one.
I go to these stores only if I cannot find what I want in stock at
either Home Depot or at specialty stores or if I have to go on weekends
when the specialty stores may not be open, particularly on Sundays.
Travis Jordan
> Travis Jordan wrote:
>> Chris Wiles wrote:
>>
>>> Be forewarned that if you buy something you may not
>>> be able to return it,NO MATTER WHAT THE SALES ASSOCIATE
>>> tells you.
>> Was this a special order? If not, then the standard Home Depot
>> in-store return policy applies. If the local store manager won't
>> honor this return policy, then please call their customer assistance
>> number at 1-800-553-3199.
/snip/
>>
> Not sure if Home Depot return policies would apply to the upscale Expo
> store belonging to the same parent. That said, I too have had
> indifferent service at the Almaden Expo as well as the E. Palo Alto
> one.
/snip/
The Expo's policies are essentially the same - if the OP's tile was
"Special Order" for his project then the policy is that it can't be
returned. However, if it was NOT special order then it makes no
difference whether it has been discontinued, or not. Regardless, if the
sales clerk told them that it can be returned then a reasonable person
would expect Expo/HD to honor their employee's word - policy or not.
What is your return policy for items bought in stores?
Returns with an original sales receipt within 90 days of purchase.
a.. Any purchase made by credit card will be refunded to the original
credit card.
b.. Any purchase made by cash or with a debit card will be refunded in
cash.* Purchases in Canada made by debit card are refunded to the debit
card.
c.. Any purchase made by a check that has cleared the 15-day waiting
period will be refunded in cash.*
d.. Any purchase made by a check that has not cleared the 15-day
waiting period will be refunded as a store credit.
e.. Any purchase made by store credit, gift certificate or Gift Card
will be refunded as store credit.
f.. Any purchase made by gift check will be refunded in cash.*
Returns with an original sales receipt after 90 days.
a.. A store credit or credit to an EXPO Design Center® Commercial
Credit Account may be issued for the original purchase price.**
Returns without a receipt.
a.. A store credit or credit to a EXPO Design Center Commercial Credit
Account may be issued based on the lowest selling price of the returned
merchandise.
A 15% restocking fee will be charged on all canceled/returned special
order merchandise.
All tile, stone, and wood orders that are "Custom Orders" (special
ordered specifically for the customer's project) may not be returned for
a refund or exchange.
*EXPO Design Center will issue a check for refunds over $1,000 (checks
are mailed from EXPO Design Center's Support Center in Atlanta, GA).
**Sales tax will not be refunded on purchases over 90 days or without a
receipt in Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Note: Special Order Merchandise Refund Policy: Some restrictions do
apply. See the Special Services Desk for details. Gift Cards, gift
certificates, and store credit cannot be exchanged or returned for cash,
credit or check. EXPO Design Center reserves the right to request valid
identification prior to accepting merchandise for a return. EXPO Design
Center reserves the right to limit or refuse to accept the return of
certain merchandise at any time and for any reason. EXPO Design Center
will only accept the return of merchandise purchased from an "EXPO
Design Center" store. Purchases made at The Home Depot®, Home Depot
Supply®, Home Depot Landscape Supply, The Home Depot Floor Store® or any
other Home Depot Company may not be returned at EXPO Design Center.
Travis Jordan
> Thanks for all the input. I am calling their 1-800 number
> right now.
>
> This was not a special order. They had it on the showroom
> floor. The Concord store still had it in stock.
>
> Thanks
>
> Chris
Please post back and let us know the outcome.
Ginger Nut
My wife and I will never buy so much as a box of nails at Home Depot
again after the lousy service we got there. We purchased a dishwasher
along with delivery and "professional installation." We are busy
people and did not want to have to spend half a weekend day or longer
picking it up and figuring out how to install it ourselves. We chose
to pay the $65 or whatever it was for convenience, but we wound up
wasting unbvelievable amounts of time. The guy who delivered it (my
wife was at home and I was at work) didn't know how to shut the water
off in the house. The shut off is in the basement right by the wall
facing the street where the water main is clearly visible. In
addition, there is another shutoff for the dishwasher right under the
sink, however, my wife was not sure if these were the right valves and
the guy said he didn't feel comfortable trying it. (Just reporting
what he said, I have no idea why he couldn't just turn the valve and
try the tap.) So he left the dishwasher in our dining room and said
my wife should call the store to discuss it. My wife spoke to the
salesman we had dealt with in the store, and he told her that they
only do "simple installations." (originally it was advertised as
"professional installation.") He said they would refund the money for
the installation but that we still had to pay for the delivery and
hire a plumber ourselves if we wanted installation. We were super
angry because they advertised this as "professional installation." So
now we had this dishwasher sitting in our dining room, the old
dishwasher still in place, and we do not own a truck. Long story
short, we got so mad after getting nowhere with the store manager that
we decided we would rather take the whole thing back than let them get
away with such shoddy service. They stated that a truck would come on
a Friday and pick it up, so my wife waited around the house all day
but the truck never came. That weekend we had to get a friend with a
station wagon help us bring the thing back ourselves. Of course, when
we got there, none of the people we had dealt with before were around,
so all we could do was complain to some poor assistant manager who had
had nothing to do with the whole situation.
We then bought a dishwasher from a local appliance retaileer (Lakeside
Appliance in Richmond, VA), who not only sent a real licensed plumber
to do the installation, but actually charged less. The plumber
installed it in less than half an hour. I asked him if there was
anything unusual about the job, and he said no, it was a completely
standard installation.
Now we buy stuff from Lowe's, or, if we want a service, instead of
just picking up a product, we shop at local retailers who care about
their customers. What made us so mad was the same thing the OP in this
thread got upset about--they advertised one thing, "professional
installation," but then once they had our money it turned out to be
something different. At least they gave us our money back, but what a
waste of time.
GN
Travis Jordan
> Well.... I just got off the phone with the Home Depot customer
> service department. Apparently all returns are up to the discretion
> of the store manager. I explained my concern about the instructions
> provided by the sales person to buy extra and return the unopened
> boxes.
>
> The customer service rep was adament that it was the managers call. I
> then asked to speak to her supervisor. She put me on hold and when
> she returned she informed me that her manager won't be able to take
> my call.
>
> I plan to call back tomorrow and ask for a supervisor right off.
>
> We shall see....
>
> Chris
Quote their policy as posted on the web site. I didn't see where it
says anything about store manager discretion.
Are you talking to the corporate folks or to your local store?
Travis Jordan
> Well.... I just got off the phone with the Home Depot customer
> service department. Apparently all returns are up to the discretion
> of the store manager. I explained my concern about the instructions
> provided by the sales person to buy extra and return the unopened
> boxes.
>
> The customer service rep was adament that it was the managers call. I
> then asked to speak to her supervisor. She put me on hold and when
> she returned she informed me that her manager won't be able to take
> my call.
>
> I plan to call back tomorrow and ask for a supervisor right off.
>
> We shall see....
>
> Chris
Another option is to send a letter or fax to Annette Verschuren - the
President of the Expo Design Center. She is also President of HD
Canada. Be sure to include a copy of the Expo return policy as posted
on the web.
Annette Verschuren
President, Expo Design Center
426 Ellesmere Road, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, M1R 4E7
Fax 416-412-4215
Alternately, phone her assistant, Boglin, at 416-412-4233.
Travis Jordan
> Travis
> Thanks for the lead, I will. Yes, I am calling the
> corporate customer complaint number provided
> in one of the previous replies to my OP.
>
> Chris
That's amazing... When you reach them, I wonder how the supervisor will
explain the conflict between the written return policy (posted on the
Expo web site) and the customer service clerk's comment to you that "it
is up to the store manager". Makes no sense to me at all.
Have fun, and let us know how this works out.
Travis Jordan
> Travis
> I went back a read teh return policy on the fine print reads:
>
> EXPO Design Center reserves the right to limit or refuse to accept the
> return of certain merchandise at any time and for any reason.
>
Bummer. Well, the company should still stand behind the clerk's word
that is was OK to return the extra product..
Travis Jordan
> Travis- thanks, thanks, thanks.
>
> I just faxed a short, professional letter to Annette.
> I also called and talked to her assistant to let her
> know I had faxed a letter and if she had any questions
> to please contact me.
>
> Chris
>
> I am hoping that I will be able to change this thread
> to what a great company Expo is and how customer service
> and satisfaction is important to them.
I would think that Annette would fix this right up. If not, there is
always her boss...
Let us know how this works out.
Travis
Travis Jordan
> UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE
> Travis- I am traveling on business (Hong Kong) but here is an email
> from my wife:
>
> "So, your cell phone rang this morning. It was Mickey the manager
> from Expo. He said Dan was a new manager and didn't know about
> returning the tile and that if they still had it in stock somewhere
> that was okay. He told me to bring the tile back. I was very nice
> and thankful and he was very nice too. I think we can guess what
> happened."
>
> Expo has definitely proven that they are concerned about the customer.
> I will gladly shop there and will make it a point to choose Expo for
> my remodeling and home improvement projects. Thanks Annette for your
> time, I really appreciate it.
>
> The real point though is what a wonderful tool the internet is and how
> great the people are out there. Thanks Travis, if you hadn't provided
> the information I am not sure if I would have resolved this.
>
> Chris
Hi Chris -
Glad to see that you had a positive outcome. It has been my experience
that most companies want to do the right thing for their customers, and
that the secret is simply finding the person who is empowered to say
"yes" instead of "no". Anyway, I am happy I was able to help.
Have a good, safe trip.