Office Max - shady or coincidence?
09-23-05, 07:39 PM
#1
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Office Max - shady or coincidence?
If this was a series of coincidences, then that's all it was. But if there was a shady attempt at duping, I'm not so happy about my experience...
I was in the market for a 3-in-1 and a new office chair. After some online pricing, I decided to hit up Office Max, as they had a nice looking chair for $49.99 (after instant $30 rebate, no less) and a nice selection of 3-in-1s.
Yesterday, I went to the nearest Office Max (St. Louis Park, MN). I saw my chair and took one of the little "I want to buy this" tickets to give to someone so they can grab the actual item from the back. I go to the 3-in-1s, pick one with features/price I want, and grab the ticket. I give them to a guy, and he goes to the back. While I wait, I have a few employees looking at me and talking into those earpiece-microphones they all wear. I hate those.
The guy comes back and says they don't have the chair or the 3-in-1. I asked why they had so many tickets for the items, and he says the amount of tickets on the floor doesn't reflect the number of items they have in stock - completely the opposite of anything I'd ever experienced before. He says they got a truck shipment in that morning, it just hasn't been sorted yet, but there's probably a chair and 3-in-1 on there. He says he can order them on the computer, but I say I can do that from home. He tries to sell me on the next models (everything is $20 more than what I'm looking at), so I tell him thanks but no thanks and leave.
Today I go to another Office Max (Roseville, MN). This time, my chair is in the front entry way, so I grab a ticket and walk in. I check out the 3-in-1s, and give a woman my tickets for the chair and a 3-in-1 I pick out (on advertised sale $75.99, down from $79.99).
She comes back to let me know they have the chair, but the 3-in-1 isn't in stock. In fact, there's nothing comprarable costwise at all (the next item is $99.99). Oh wait, there's another model in the back. By now, a guy has brought out my chair. The woman asks him to bring the other model. He asks, "The refurbished one?" "Yeah." No, I don't want a refurbished model. "Really? Oh. Huh. Well, okay." She earpiece microphones the guy and tells him to forget it.
I can't get a raincheck on the advertised sale 3-in-1 I want - no reason given. She also won't sell me the floor model because the item hasn't been discontinued. This is despite the fact that they probably have another one in the store somewhere to set out later. See, she says they got a truck shipment in that morning, it just hasn't been sorted yet, but there's probably a chair and 3-in-1 on there. She says he can order them on the computer, but I say I can do that from home. She tries to sell me on the other models (again, at least $20 more than what I was looking at), and I tell her no thanks (Any of that sound familiar?).
I take the chair and go to the check-out. While I'm checking out the chair (and the hottie at the counter!), the woman that helped me sets down the 3-in-1 I was looking at, brand-new in a box. Apparantly, it was behind the counter. I make sure it's brand-new and not refurbished, and am assured it is. I say I'll buy it, but she is shocked I won't buy the $9.99 replacement warranty or a $21.99 USB cable.
In the end, I walked out of Office Max with the exact items I wanted, but what a strange journey. Was I the near-victim of an attempted scan? Is this a normal Office Max story to tell? I've heard (and told) plenty about Best Buy, but this is the first time I felt pretty irked by an Office Max experience.
By the way, I got three GE USB cables in one package for $13. Works fine.
I was in the market for a 3-in-1 and a new office chair. After some online pricing, I decided to hit up Office Max, as they had a nice looking chair for $49.99 (after instant $30 rebate, no less) and a nice selection of 3-in-1s.
Yesterday, I went to the nearest Office Max (St. Louis Park, MN). I saw my chair and took one of the little "I want to buy this" tickets to give to someone so they can grab the actual item from the back. I go to the 3-in-1s, pick one with features/price I want, and grab the ticket. I give them to a guy, and he goes to the back. While I wait, I have a few employees looking at me and talking into those earpiece-microphones they all wear. I hate those.
The guy comes back and says they don't have the chair or the 3-in-1. I asked why they had so many tickets for the items, and he says the amount of tickets on the floor doesn't reflect the number of items they have in stock - completely the opposite of anything I'd ever experienced before. He says they got a truck shipment in that morning, it just hasn't been sorted yet, but there's probably a chair and 3-in-1 on there. He says he can order them on the computer, but I say I can do that from home. He tries to sell me on the next models (everything is $20 more than what I'm looking at), so I tell him thanks but no thanks and leave.
Today I go to another Office Max (Roseville, MN). This time, my chair is in the front entry way, so I grab a ticket and walk in. I check out the 3-in-1s, and give a woman my tickets for the chair and a 3-in-1 I pick out (on advertised sale $75.99, down from $79.99).
She comes back to let me know they have the chair, but the 3-in-1 isn't in stock. In fact, there's nothing comprarable costwise at all (the next item is $99.99). Oh wait, there's another model in the back. By now, a guy has brought out my chair. The woman asks him to bring the other model. He asks, "The refurbished one?" "Yeah." No, I don't want a refurbished model. "Really? Oh. Huh. Well, okay." She earpiece microphones the guy and tells him to forget it.
I can't get a raincheck on the advertised sale 3-in-1 I want - no reason given. She also won't sell me the floor model because the item hasn't been discontinued. This is despite the fact that they probably have another one in the store somewhere to set out later. See, she says they got a truck shipment in that morning, it just hasn't been sorted yet, but there's probably a chair and 3-in-1 on there. She says he can order them on the computer, but I say I can do that from home. She tries to sell me on the other models (again, at least $20 more than what I was looking at), and I tell her no thanks (Any of that sound familiar?).
I take the chair and go to the check-out. While I'm checking out the chair (and the hottie at the counter!), the woman that helped me sets down the 3-in-1 I was looking at, brand-new in a box. Apparantly, it was behind the counter. I make sure it's brand-new and not refurbished, and am assured it is. I say I'll buy it, but she is shocked I won't buy the $9.99 replacement warranty or a $21.99 USB cable.
In the end, I walked out of Office Max with the exact items I wanted, but what a strange journey. Was I the near-victim of an attempted scan? Is this a normal Office Max story to tell? I've heard (and told) plenty about Best Buy, but this is the first time I felt pretty irked by an Office Max experience.
By the way, I got three GE USB cables in one package for $13. Works fine.
09-23-05, 10:28 PM
#2
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Possibly and probably coinicidence. I have shopped Office Max and Depot many times for furniture, etc. and never experienced this.
Now for the number of slips they have corresponding to what is really in-stock, that I have seen a number of times - so that seems to be par for these companies. I have checked out by bringing the slip to the check-out and after calling to the back or someone looking in the back, have said not-in-stock. In some cases, I have asked for and got the display at a reduced price. Other times I do not want the display and just just say to forget it. So for that part - just the way they do "business."
2 stores, same "excuse" --- hmmmm - maybe just caught them on shipping day, you know, just like when the game or video manufacturer ships to the store which says, "available after 4pm" -- ending up maybe and then maybe check tomorrow morning.
My 2 pennies.
Now for the number of slips they have corresponding to what is really in-stock, that I have seen a number of times - so that seems to be par for these companies. I have checked out by bringing the slip to the check-out and after calling to the back or someone looking in the back, have said not-in-stock. In some cases, I have asked for and got the display at a reduced price. Other times I do not want the display and just just say to forget it. So for that part - just the way they do "business."
2 stores, same "excuse" --- hmmmm - maybe just caught them on shipping day, you know, just like when the game or video manufacturer ships to the store which says, "available after 4pm" -- ending up maybe and then maybe check tomorrow morning.
My 2 pennies.
09-23-05, 10:46 PM
#3
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
I absolutely hate Office Max and refuse to shop there because they always run out of items and leave the tickets out there. Nothing beats spending 45 minutes looking for accessories and associated items for the main ticket items you're buying, only to be told it's out of stock. And then they get angry when you don't want to buy the rest of the items that went with the item that was out of stock.
So, I'd have to say the ticket thing is pretty common.
So, I'd have to say the ticket thing is pretty common.
