Category: Personal

A Tale of Two Retailers: My Awesome Home Depot Experience and Awful Gap Experience

Retail is not an easy job to work. While I’ve never done it myself, I can empathize with the long hours on your feet and having to deal with all manner of people day in and day out for a fairly low paying job.  I recently observed the HUGE contrast in how 2 retailers valued me as a customer.

gap-home-depot-stock
Gap Stock Price languishing in Blue, Home Depot Stock Price flying high in Red. Is it a coincidence or does great customer service have something to do with it?

Story 1 – Home Depot

We recently had some items stolen out of our garage. We had unfortunately left it open overnight and a burglar entered our garage and stole some brand new tools out of our garage. We had purchased a saw and an air compressor at Home Depot during the Black Friday weekend. My husband got a great price on their Home Depot Rigid brand of tools. He bought them in order to do some projects around the house, but as it was late November when he bought them, he did not get a chance to start using them (or even take them out of the box!) over the winter.

The day we discovered them missing, I went to our nearest Home Depot to inquire if anyone had attempted to return our items without a receipt. They said they didn’t think so, but it would be impossible to tell us since the same people don’t work the returns desk day in and out. I asked if they might be willing to sell us the same tools at the same discount. I still had the receipt and the manager took a look and agreed to do it. It was only $50 off the in store price for the saw, and $30 off the compressor. We ended up spending around $400 right then and there to replace our tools. They weren’t obligated to give us an extra discount, but if they hadn’t, we weren’t sure if we were going to spend the money to replace the tools. Instead, with great customer service, Home Depot made a sale and gained 2 loyal customers.

Story 2 – The Gap

We had received a gift for my son’s birthday that wasn’t the right size, so we took it to the Gap to exchange it. Unfortunately, they didn’t have that same item and I couldn’t find anything else for him, so I ended up just picking out 2 t-shirts for my daughter. Well, after taking them home, she decided she didn’t like 1 of the t-shirts… so I had to go back to the Gap again.

On my second trip, I brought back the 1 shirt she didn’t like, and the associate started the return. Because I had made the original purchase with the returned gift and my credit card, only part of the shirt’s refund would go back to my credit card, and part would go back to a PAPER merchandise credit. (I don’t want to derail this, but it’s 2017… why are they still bothering to use paper and not just refund to a gift card?!)

Here is where this story gets a little silly. The total refund amount was $20.48. The amount going back to my card was $20.29. The amount they wanted to put on the paper merchandise certificate was 19 cents.

I’ve gotten these merchandise certificates before from the Gap and it is just a pain to use. They can only be used in store (not online) and they put my name on the certificate so that only I can use it. Well, for 19 cents, I thought “Surely, they will just cash it out”. Unfortunately, I WAS WRONG!

First, the associate was very condescending and told me that “the system won’t let me do it” and she at first, refused to ask her manager. I didn’t want to make a huge fuss over 19 cents, but I was really annoyed with her treatment of me, so I asked for her manager to come talk to me. When the manager finally arrived, I explained that our state law was that gift certificates under $5 had to be cashed out. The manager said that there was no way for her to cash it out (Hello… you can open the register?) and that because it was a merchandise certificate and not a gift card, she “couldn’t” do it.

This has basically told me 1 thing: Gap values me as a customer, at less than 19 cents.

I was already thinking how I hardly shop at the Gap anymore, and poor customer service is a big reason why. Blaming the computer system is a poor excuse by the Gap employees.  To boot, I re-read the relevant state statutes and while I am not a lawyer, my read is that merchandise certificates/store credits should be covered under this statute and I should have been entitled to having it redeemed for cash.

gap merchandise credit voucher
Gap Values Me As A Customer At Less Than 19 cents

 

Cyber Week

Happy Friday! Hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend with your near and dear.

I managed to do a bit of damage with Black Friday deals. Here’s my haul from last week:

I saw this picture of this gorgeous metallic lace dinnerware and I fell in love!  I knew these were not going to be our everyday plates, as they are handwash only, but I could live with having a set on hand for desserts!  I scored a set of dessert plates and I also added 2 dinner plates and 2 bowls. The gold color is definitely prettier than the silver colorway, but the gold is currently sold out in plates.  Bowls are still available in both colors, as well as the cake stand!  While I would LOVE the cake stand, I really have no space for it, so I sadly had to pass on that one. I can’t wait to have my girlfriends over for desserts soon!

Anthropologie Metallic Lace Plates Bowls
Anthropologie Metallic Lace Plates and Bowls

I also picked up a small Voluspa Lychee candle and a Capri Blue Volcano candle. Both smell amazing and I love the cut glass jar of the Voluspa and the iridescent jar of the Volcano candle!  I haven’t decided if these will be given as Christmas gifts or if they will stay with me… 🙂

I also bought a few Christmas presents for the kids. A few of the kids in my life will be getting Melissa and Doug train sets.  A few others will be getting some Melissa and Doug crafts. I *loved* crafts as a girl… my absolute favorite thing to receive for Christmas was a kit to make something, so I hope the kids enjoy!

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I bought myself a new pair of booties. I have never worn booties before, so I will have to figure out how to style them!  This purchase was almost purely practical. I have to walk outside in the cold and rainy weather everyday for at least 10 minutes and my feet get way too cold in my usual ballet flats, so I needed something a little more substantial. I hope these are comfortable!

I also purchased quite a few new beauty products for myself. A friend got me interested in Korean beauty products so I jumped on a few deals that I found. There were tons of Cyber Monday sales, so I bought a few of Missha’s best sellers, including their Time Revolution essence and sheet masks. I also repurchased the Laneige moisturizer that I tried and finished a few months ago.

Hope you had a wonderful week!  Did you do any shopping like me?

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas! We will be spending the day opening presents with our 3 year old, staying warm by the fire and then enjoying the company of close friends for dinner.

 

Christmas is less than a week away!

How are you all doing on your Christmas lists?  I am a little behind. I have a few more presents to pick up for children of our friends.  I’ve done nearly all of my shopping online but there are just a few more things that I need to go into an actual store for!

Today Target is offering 10% off gift cards.  Online you can buy up to $300 but I’ve heard that there isn’t that limit in stores.  The gift cards will be activated by tomorrow morning.  These will be handy for doing some last minute shopping or hunting for after Christmas bargains.

Happy shopping!

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Black Friday!

Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope you have a wonderful holiday filled with friends and family.  We will be spending our Thanksgiving with close friends this year.

I’ve noticed that the Black Friday deals have already started. It seems like sales are starting earlier and earlier every year.  I haven’t shopped at the mall in years — it is just too crazy — so I’m glad that online deals are just as good.

I’ve been searching for a deal on Adobe Lightroom 6 but so far, no luck.  Here’s where else I’ve been browsing today for Christmas gifts (for myself included!)

Nordstrom Designer Clearance – 40% off Fall/Winter (including some Burberry jackets!)
Land of Nod – 20% off almost everything and free shipping
Gap.com – 50% off everything