The following is an email I wrote to Toys R Us. My plan had been to share the story and then share their response. But, they have not deigned to respond. I am now boycotting Toys R Us and invite you to do so too.
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To whom it may concern:
I am writing in regard to two visits I have had to your Bloomingdale, Illinois store (located on Army Trail Road in Bloomingdale, Il). It seems that store has so many customers that they do not need my business, as over the course of the Summer I intended to spend $169 on a Nintendo DSi and $100 on a bike for my daughter. Both purchases were made elsewhere, because the service I got in that store was so deplorable I left.
Incident #1: I went into your store to purchase a bike for my daughter. Her first bike! It was very exciting and all my other bikes had come from Toys R Us, so I didn't even look elsewhere. I asked someone to help me take the bike down for my daughter so she could try it out and asked about the size. I was told that they bike she liked was going to be on sale the very next day. So, I told her we would come back the next day and she could put the money we saved in her piggy bank. As you can imagine, in a toy store, it would have been unlikely to have actually made it to her piggy bank. Most likely she would have purchased something else in the store.
The next day, bright and early we walk into the store. My daughter is beyond excited about her bike. The bike isn't on sale. The person I spoke with isn't in the store at that time and no one seems to have any idea when this bike will be on sale. I am a little upset, because I would have bought the bike the day before. I would have saved the gas the wear and tear on my car, and my time if I had not been told otherwise. The person that told me it was going to be on sale was the manager on duty at the time. I requested to speak to the manager. I wanted someone to apologize to me. The manager, of the store, not the manager on duty, came and spoke to me. He was rude and basically told me that he did not believe that what I said was true and that he would do nothing for me. Tough shit was his response to the whole situation.
Needless to say, I was furious. My daughter and I left. It was a scene, as she was having a tantrum that we were not getting her bike. We got into the car and drove a block down the street to Walmart. My daughter rode her bike that evening. The fine folks at Walmart, after sharing our story gave my daughter a sticker and a sucker and lots of attention. They promised her she would ride after dinner. They delivered on the promise, and we picked up her bike with a bow on it. Now, I am not a fan of Walmart, but these folks certainly acquitted themselves well.
Incident #2: Memory is a strange thing and eventually I stopped being so mad about the bike incident. I had some coupons that my oldest son had gotten from the birthday club. He wanted to purchase a Nintendo DSi. He had saved up the money and off we went with coupons in hand. I asked at the service desk if we could use them on the Nintendo and was told no. Fine, we will purchase it elsewhere I told them. My oldest wanted to use his $3 birthday coupon for a toy for his little brother. We found a $2.99 airplane that we purchased. The total was $3.25. He handed the clerk his coupon and a quarter. He was told he could not use the coupon because it was not over $3. Apparently $3.25 is less than $3, and he argued that point. He was told tax didn't count. It does not state that on the coupon, it says a purchase OVER $3. Our purchase was over $3.
We asked if they could just ring the coupon through at $2.99, a penny, seriously, and we would pay the tax. The person that seemed to be the front end manager seemed to think that was alright given the situation. I thought, hmm, maybe all has changed. She said, but I have to ask the manager if it is ok. Out walks the store manager, same guy from the summer. At that point, I know he will not help me, not because I think he remembers me, but because customer service is not really in his gene pool. Sure enough he tells me I am stealing to expect to get something for nothing and that I didn't spend enough money. I told him my $170 purchase was walking out of his store and would not be back for a good long time.
We went to Target and had amazingly impressive customer service experience, oh and by the way they took your coupons. So much so, that I have written a letter to them, congratulating them on a job well done. I felt like we made the right decision giving the money to Target.
My question to you, is this, do you want my business or not? It would seem to me that in this economy, if you pardon my use of the vernacular, pissing customers off to the point where they boycott your store and and poised to tell the world about it is not a good business strategy. But,what do I know.
I expect that someone, perhaps the district manager for the region I live in, will contact me and answer my question. Do you want my business or not?
Thank you for your attention to this matter,
Me.
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