Shopping Discussion

Staples and Crappy Customer Service - No Longer Purchasing From Here

  • Last Updated:
  • Jul 18th, 2013 4:07 am
Newbie
Dec 5, 2007
9 posts

Staples and Crappy Customer Service - No Longer Purchasing From Here

As a previous employee of Staples, I was shocked by their recent customer service between the online store and the store in Winnipeg (Regent). I just felt this needed to be shared because they have refused to provide me with a district manager's email address where I could properly and respectfully take my concern before throwing them into the sharks that are this forum.

(First time poster, LOOOONG time viewer)

A week ago the forum mentioned a hot deal involving some headphones from Creative going on clearance for $19.97 at Staples. I was in need of a new pair (technically, still am!) and ordered it from Staples. In order to get the free shipping I had to add another item. I added a pencil lead refill to go over the $20 cap and had it shipped for pickup to the Regent store as it was near me. Site showed stock. Order went through. No problems, no hassle. I received an email stating that I could expect it to ship to Staples in Regent on the 15th (2 days ago). I waited patiently.

I never received another email from Staples.ca

Time went by. The 15th came and no phone call or email was sent to me indicating my parcel was in. On the 16th I decided to call Staples in Regent to see if it had arrived. I called and went through the prompts to technology and it put me on hold. ~10 rings later I was brought back to the main menu with a message saying no one was there. As a previous CSR at Staples, I understood that at times it gets busy and you don't get a chance to grab the phone. I indicated I would like to speak with a customer service representative (essentially, the system sends you to the cashiers and they route your call).

~10 more rings later the system tells me no one is available, and then hangs up on me rather than allowing me to select a different department. WHAT? So there was no cashier at the till? I had to call back and try AGAIN to go through all the opening prompts. I tried Technology and customer service. Nothing. (This is all happening during regular business hours between 4 and 6pm). I tried copy center and customer service AGAIN. Nothing. This time I decide to leave a message on the answering machine (because it gives me the option to). I leave a message with a name, my question regarding my order, and a contact phone number. I ask for a phone call sometime the next day.

Today goes by and no phone call. No email. No anything. I have no idea where my order is because the website shows me nothing. I finally look at my credit card and it appears I have been charged $2.55, not $25 as I expected. I go to the store in person near close as I know it won't be busy then.

I get to the store and the girl cannot find my order. I wait patiently for 15 minutes and she flags me down and says "we found it!" Asks me to sign a paper and gives me a single pencil lead refill. I ask her for the headset and her answer is "well, the receipt is confusing, but it looks like they had no stock of it. So here is your lead!" Staples did not once indicated to me that it was sold out or that my order could not be fulfilled and this is how I find out.

So I ask to speak with a manager to figure out what is up. A lady comes out incredibly defensive and tells me that things sell out and they have no control over it. I asked her why I was not contacted and she began to blame the website saying we have nothing to do with it. I asked her when she was going to let me know my package arrived and she informed me she doesn't have any personal information on me, and the website doesn't give that to them so they can call me. I asked why my message wasn't answered and she responded with "what message? we don't have an answering machine!"

I asked for the manager and the district manager's email as there was obviously a big problem with the communication between their stores and website, and she refused to give them to me. I asked for her name as her name was not even on her name badge (it was blank) and she walked away. I had to get her name from another employee (I will not share it in the interest of privacy).

Exceptionally poor customer service. I can't believe they teach managers to treat customers like they are children. There is a massive issue with both this store and the website in general. I will be sticking with Memory Express from now on, even if I have to drive across the city to get there.

TL;DR - Staples sold me product I wanted, offered for me to pick it up at their store where it was convenient for me (GOOD!) Then did not communicate with me to let me know that my order was not going to be fulfilled or when it even arrived at the store (Bad!) Then, the customer service I got from the store itself was shameful (Uberbad) which turned what was only a poor shopping experience into a boycott of a store I once loved and worked for.
1 reply
Newbie
Jun 20, 2013
23 posts
1 upvote
TORONTO
dakaki wrote: Asks me to sign a paper and gives me a single pencil lead refill. [/B]

Lol.

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