I had a very dissatisfying experience at the local Dick's Sporting Goods store yesterday. I had a Father's Day gift certificate so decided to use it for golf balls and golf socks while DW wanted some new golf clothes which were on sale. First the golf balls were on sale. Depending on the brand, some were just cheaper--i.e. 50% off--some were like $29.99 each but buy 2 for $40, etc. One brand said "Buy 2 Get 1 Free". My take on it was if I bought 2, one of them would be free so I bought two. When I checked the sales slip once I got home I discovered they had charged me for both. At that point I realized they actually meant "Buy 2, get a third free" . Second the sign on the socks said "Buy 2 or more pairs, get 50% off." So I grabbed two pairs off the rack. When I checked the sales slip I found I paid full price for both. From all appearance the two pairs were exactly the same, in the same exact packaging but one pair had a cuff top the other did not. How could one tell? The PVC codes on the back were different--that was the only exterior difference. The socks were packaged in such a way that you couldn't see the tops and it was only by taking them out of the package that one could see the difference. Needless to say I called the store--its 40 miles away--and complained. I was told by the manager to bring in the sale's slip and they would give me the extra dozen balls (I don't know if I really need 3 dozen) and could exchange the socks for a refund. But that trip shouldn't have been necessary. Even misreading the golf ball sign it seems like the checkout clerk could have said "With these two you're entitled to another dozen." but he didn't. In fact, he graciously stuck the sale's slip in the bag so I didn't get to read it. While I realize they hire a lot of people that have no idea what is on sale it seems the could have an alert programmed into their registers to alert the checkout clerks. Likewise the socks, in spite the different styles, should have been classified as a similar item. Again an easily programmed thing. My biggest contribution to this thing lay not in the interpretation of the sign but not reading the sale's slip before I left. However, my DW and I did buy a lot of stuff and, while I thought the total was high, I didn't red flag the thing. (Women's golf clothes are way over-priced.) This isn't the first time I've had a problem with this Dick's BTW. I find that if you know what you want and how it works they will have it at a good price. However, the sales staff is not very helpful when you buy something that needs operational instruction. Ok rant is over and I vented. Oh yeah I wrote the corporate customer service too to tell them to change their confusing promotion signs.
'Buy two, get one free' is pretty straightforward. You were thinking 'buy one, get one free'. Keyword to look for is 'buy'. The socks didn't have a label with the cuff types? I'd be very annoyed by that too.
Ok another addition to my buying spree. I also bought a pair of shorts that were on a hanger that said "38" (my waist size) went to put them on tonight and there was a gap of 3 inches or so between button and button hole. Looked at the size label--"35".
Customer service on the retail front has been going down hill steadily for decades. The bizarre thing is that retail clerks are what move product and make the store experience either good or bad. How you are treated by them determines whether or not you will come back. So who is the LOWEST paid employee in the store? The person who actually makes the sale. It used to be back in the day the clerks got incentives and bonuses based on their sales. Over time the payout was reduced and now, in many cases, they don't get bonuses....only yelled at if you don't get enough people to sign up for and use the store credit card with the outrageous interested rate.
Quote:LOL Yeah. Sale terminology can be like a foreign language. Buy two get one free is exactly as you were charged. The third item of the same or lesser value would be the "free" one. So if 2 packs were 10 bucks, and one was 4 bucks, your "free item" is the lowest priced item. Buy 2+ get xx% off is also xx% off any additional beyond the buy#. Your 3rd, 4th, or 5th pair would be the only ones to get that 50% off. And as for clothes/shoe size stuff, always check the tag on the clothes. People in the stores, often the customers, will re-hang things on the wrong areas, switch hangers, and sometimes the associates may have clipped the wrong size indicator on the clothes. Don't feel bad though, my SO and dad both also do not understand these signs.
As most know Wal-Mart has a $4.00 prescription plan, our local Bi-Mart has the same plan but Bi-Mart cannot tell you about it you as the consumer must ask for it then they are glad to tell you. I learned all about marketing schemes in personal finance in high school, you gotta watch em.
