a PEP BOYS semi OT rant!!

[ChampTrucking]

Closing soon at a store near you!!! On the first week of November I bought 2 new tires for my truck. I also chose to purchase the Road Hazard warranty for them. 3 weeks later I read in the newspaper Pep Boys up and closed both local stores,among 31 nationwide to make the brand "more profitable". Driving by I notice a cash only going out of buisness sale,so I stop in to see if I can get 2 more tires to match,since they are white lettered,and to ask for a refund on the Road Hazard warranty since they will no longer be here. On the front of the store,above the entry is a sign that states"sorry this location is closing,but dont worry,we're still here for you."and gives a store location over an hour away in another state!!
But alas,no tires to be had,and no refund.I have to call 1-800-PEP-BOYS if I have a tire issue,so I am told.So I get home and call. I get a nice broken english speaking gentleman in INDIA ( I asked WTH this call went to),and he gives me the email addy CUSTSERV@PEPBOYS.COM,and tells me to inquire there about a refund.So I fire off a polite email to them asking for a refund,pointing out there will not be a local store I can get the Road Hazard warranty honored at.All I am asking for is $17.98,the price of coverage for 2 tires.A reply comes back from Brandye Harris,telling me if there is a repair issue,I need to take my Pep Boys tire to a "reputable place of buisness" for repair and submit receipt copies for tire purchase and repair costs to the corporate office for issue of a refund.Now they expect ME to act as their agent and decide what is a "reputable" place to get a repair,and do the paper work for it!
When I tryed to email them back,my reply bounced back with the notification that I am now on the PEP BOYS SPAM list and my email is being rejected!!!!! Basicly pizz off in laymens terms huh?? We all know if I have a tire removed from the truck,dismounted and repaired,remounted and ballanced and reinstalled on the truck it will cost MORE than the $17.98 refund I am asking for.With such logical corporate thinking,I can see why it is necessary to close 31 stores to keep the great corporate mother ship afloat!
I found the actual phone number for the corporate office on the net,and called long distance to try and speak to an actual person,but got lost in the automated phone system,which sent me back to INDIA again when I asked for customer service!! I managed to find Brandye Harris'extention,but she never answers her phone!
The Better Buisness Bureau was glad to hear me out and take my complaint,and suggested also filing a complaint with the atorney generals office,which is my next move.What I am hoping to get from this post is a warning to all of you that this paticular corporation dosen't give a crap about loyal customers,or customer service,just the bottom
line dollar $ign. I aint done chasing this refund.It is not the amount,its the PRINCIPLE!!

[Alan]

I have been around and around with them too. Before I left for Nebraska for the Nats. in 06, I stopped at a Pep Boys store to buy a trailer hitch that was on sale. The manager told me that the one I needed was at another store that sent me on a 60 mile goose chase. Got back to the store and tried to order the hitch, the manager tells me the hitch is $139 plus tax. I say the sign on the hitch in his display says $109 the sale price and he says it is a different hitch. I tell him that the number on the display is the same number as he gave me for the goose chase and he wouldn't even go over to the display to see what I was talking about or even give me a sorry for screwing up my afternoon for nothing. So I called that 1-800-PEPBOYS number and the woman I talked to took my complaint and said they would get back with me on my complaint. Never did. So I got on line and bought it from hitches.com for $96 inc. shipping, same part no. Vowed I would never buy another part from Pep Boys again.

[Alan]

I have been around and around with them too. Before I left for Nebraska for the Nats. in 06, I stopped at a Pep Boys store to buy a trailer hitch that was on sale. The manager told me that the one I needed was at another store that sent me on a 60 mile goose chase. Got back to the store and tried to order the hitch, the manager tells me the hitch is $139 plus tax. I say the sign on the hitch in his display says $109 the sale price and he says it is a different hitch. I tell him that the number on the display is the same number as he gave me for the goose chase and he wouldn't even go over to the display to see what I was talking about or even give me a sorry for screwing up my afternoon for nothing. So I called that 1-800-PEPBOYS number and the woman I talked to took my complaint and said they would get back with me on my complaint. Never did. So I got on line and bought it from hitches.com for $96 inc. shipping, same part no. Vowed I would never buy another part from Pep Boys again.

[61hawk]

I don't have a problem with Pep Boys... because I simply refuse to do business with them.

Lee

[61hawk]

I don't have a problem with Pep Boys... because I simply refuse to do business with them.

Lee

[Bredehoft]

even more off topic, but on topic as far as crappy business practices...

We went over to Best Buy last night to check the prices of a potential laptop purchase - no real intent to buy. We did however find a GREAT price on an HP laptop at $649.

When we asked about it, we were told, "sorry, we sold out of those and the price will certainly be higher when we do get them in stock."

Well, then, how about a rain check for this price, "no, store policy - we don't give rain checks on limited sale items - like it says in the flyer". (The flyer says NOTHING that the laptop was a limited item sale.)

Well, how about other stores, "we show one across the state and two at another store across the state - if you want to drive over there, but they are out of our region, so we won't have them shipped. How about this model over here - its almost as good, and only $899."

No thanks, but why do you have the price shown if you obviously don't have any to sell - why don't you take down the price, "we don't take down the price, we have to show whats in the flyer for sale."

We then leave that area and go to the front to talk to the manager. I can't understand why they advertise something they don't have and why they offer to sell me a lesser product at 40% more. Bait and switch is all I can think of.

We run through the whole thing again with the store manager. I explain that we understand the concept of being out of stock on a sale item, but do not understand why the store still "advertises" it by keeping up the sale price sign. She says they will call around and if there is one at another store, they can get it shipped in, if we want to pay tonight. We let her do her search (which involves talking to the same guys we already talked to). She was very polite, but came back with "there are none to be had locally, but would you like to go back and look at a different computer - or maybe come back tomorrow?" I take that as a cue to leave and we say - we'll be back tomorrow. As we are leaving, my oldest son report that she talked into her radio "it's a no-go" - implying to me they were perfectly content to switch me to another product.

Personally, I don't care for Best Buy - I don't buy anything there, I think they are generally overpriced and I shop almost exclusively online for such products. However, the mrs likes Best Buy - a physical store gives her a sense of comfort as far as returns and customer service - and as the computer was for her, that's where we went.

I hate to sound like an oldtimer, but what has happened to the concept of customer service? Not that the customer is always right; I didn't expect them to sell me anything or give me a $200 price break on something else, but why would they refuse to do the right thing and stop advertising a product they don't have?

[/rant] (sorry for the way, Way, WAY OT)

--george

[Bredehoft]

even more off topic, but on topic as far as crappy business practices...

We went over to Best Buy last night to check the prices of a potential laptop purchase - no real intent to buy. We did however find a GREAT price on an HP laptop at $649.

When we asked about it, we were told, "sorry, we sold out of those and the price will certainly be higher when we do get them in stock."

Well, then, how about a rain check for this price, "no, store policy - we don't give rain checks on limited sale items - like it says in the flyer". (The flyer says NOTHING that the laptop was a limited item sale.)

Well, how about other stores, "we show one across the state and two at another store across the state - if you want to drive over there, but they are out of our region, so we won't have them shipped. How about this model over here - its almost as good, and only $899."

No thanks, but why do you have the price shown if you obviously don't have any to sell - why don't you take down the price, "we don't take down the price, we have to show whats in the flyer for sale."

We then leave that area and go to the front to talk to the manager. I can't understand why they advertise something they don't have and why they offer to sell me a lesser product at 40% more. Bait and switch is all I can think of.

We run through the whole thing again with the store manager. I explain that we understand the concept of being out of stock on a sale item, but do not understand why the store still "advertises" it by keeping up the sale price sign. She says they will call around and if there is one at another store, they can get it shipped in, if we want to pay tonight. We let her do her search (which involves talking to the same guys we already talked to). She was very polite, but came back with "there are none to be had locally, but would you like to go back and look at a different computer - or maybe come back tomorrow?" I take that as a cue to leave and we say - we'll be back tomorrow. As we are leaving, my oldest son report that she talked into her radio "it's a no-go" - implying to me they were perfectly content to switch me to another product.

Personally, I don't care for Best Buy - I don't buy anything there, I think they are generally overpriced and I shop almost exclusively online for such products. However, the mrs likes Best Buy - a physical store gives her a sense of comfort as far as returns and customer service - and as the computer was for her, that's where we went.

I hate to sound like an oldtimer, but what has happened to the concept of customer service? Not that the customer is always right; I didn't expect them to sell me anything or give me a $200 price break on something else, but why would they refuse to do the right thing and stop advertising a product they don't have?

[/rant] (sorry for the way, Way, WAY OT)

--george

[JDP]

Customer service was something I offered at my stereo store and it was often used to research products later bought at Best Buy. We survived the move of a Circuit City into town, but Best Buys "Home theater in a box" finally shut me down. Now, most folks in Annapolis have no idea how to choose a real home theater, how to set it up, nor how it performs.

JDP/Maryland
63 R2 SuperHawk (Caesar)
spent to date $54664,75
64 R2 GT (Sid)
spent to date $62,439.30
63 Lark 2 door
51 Commander
39 Coupe express
39 Coupe express (rod)

[JDP]

Customer service was something I offered at my stereo store and it was often used to research products later bought at Best Buy. We survived the move of a Circuit City into town, but Best Buys "Home theater in a box" finally shut me down. Now, most folks in Annapolis have no idea how to choose a real home theater, how to set it up, nor how it performs.

JDP/Maryland
63 R2 SuperHawk (Caesar)
spent to date $54664,75
64 R2 GT (Sid)
spent to date $62,439.30
63 Lark 2 door
51 Commander
39 Coupe express
39 Coupe express (rod)

[8E45E]

quote:Originally posted by ClaymoreWW

even more off topic, but on topic as far as crappy business practices...

We went over to Best Buy last night to check the prices of a potential laptop purchase - no real intent to buy. We did however find a GREAT price on an HP laptop at $649.

When we asked about it, we were told, "sorry, we sold out of those and the price will certainly be higher when we do get them in stock."

Well, then, how about a rain check for this price, "no, store policy - we don't give rain checks on limited sale items - like it says in the flyer". (The flyer says NOTHING that the laptop was a limited item sale.)

Well, how about other stores, "we show one across the state and two at another store across the state - if you want to drive over there, but they are out of our region, so we won't have them shipped. How about this model over here - its almost as good, and only $899."

As with Alan with the trailer hitch, and this one with Best Buy, this is an illegal trade practice known as "Bait & Switch". They get you in the store on the unavailable item and try and switch you to the more expensive (read more profit margin) similar item. In both cases, I would send these accounts to your state's consumer trade bureau and officially launch a complaint.


Craig

[8E45E]

quote:Originally posted by ClaymoreWW

even more off topic, but on topic as far as crappy business practices...

We went over to Best Buy last night to check the prices of a potential laptop purchase - no real intent to buy. We did however find a GREAT price on an HP laptop at $649.

When we asked about it, we were told, "sorry, we sold out of those and the price will certainly be higher when we do get them in stock."

Well, then, how about a rain check for this price, "no, store policy - we don't give rain checks on limited sale items - like it says in the flyer". (The flyer says NOTHING that the laptop was a limited item sale.)

Well, how about other stores, "we show one across the state and two at another store across the state - if you want to drive over there, but they are out of our region, so we won't have them shipped. How about this model over here - its almost as good, and only $899."

As with Alan with the trailer hitch, and this one with Best Buy, this is an illegal trade practice known as "Bait & Switch". They get you in the store on the unavailable item and try and switch you to the more expensive (read more profit margin) similar item. In both cases, I would send these accounts to your state's consumer trade bureau and officially launch a complaint.


Craig

[Guido]

Craig,

I was recently in the market for a GPS unit and had been doing some looking as well as some research on the web. I was about ready to go and order one on-line but just could not pull the trigger. As it turns out that was probably best, as I ended up winning a $100 gift card from Best Buy.

Around Thanksgiving I got serious and studied the ads for "Black Friday". A number of the large chains (i.e. Circuit City, Target and Best Buy) all ran specials. When I looked at the fine print one one I saw a disclaimer that there were a minimum of 4 per store and there were NO rainchecks.

Since they opened their doors at 4 or 5 AM I knew they were all gone. I went back to the internet and found what I wanted for $249 at Best Buy. With tax and my gift card my Garmin cost $162.

Leonard probably remembers a local record/audio store in Richmond named Harvey's Warehouse. They were the king of bait and switch, would advertise a stylus for your record turntable for $5.00 and when you arrived they were all gone, but they had an even better one for $9.99. Harvey was eventually run out of business for his practices. His tagline on his commercials was "How does Harvey do it?" In the end most of the people that had shopped there had figured it out.

[Guido]

Craig,

I was recently in the market for a GPS unit and had been doing some looking as well as some research on the web. I was about ready to go and order one on-line but just could not pull the trigger. As it turns out that was probably best, as I ended up winning a $100 gift card from Best Buy.

Around Thanksgiving I got serious and studied the ads for "Black Friday". A number of the large chains (i.e. Circuit City, Target and Best Buy) all ran specials. When I looked at the fine print one one I saw a disclaimer that there were a minimum of 4 per store and there were NO rainchecks.

Since they opened their doors at 4 or 5 AM I knew they were all gone. I went back to the internet and found what I wanted for $249 at Best Buy. With tax and my gift card my Garmin cost $162.

Leonard probably remembers a local record/audio store in Richmond named Harvey's Warehouse. They were the king of bait and switch, would advertise a stylus for your record turntable for $5.00 and when you arrived they were all gone, but they had an even better one for $9.99. Harvey was eventually run out of business for his practices. His tagline on his commercials was "How does Harvey do it?" In the end most of the people that had shopped there had figured it out.

[Dwain G.]

PB's here also closed abruptly a few YEARS ago. So suddenly in fact that all the employees showed up for work one morning and couldn't get in. Took the shop guys weeks to get their tool boxes out.


Dwain G.

[Dwain G.]

PB's here also closed abruptly a few YEARS ago. So suddenly in fact that all the employees showed up for work one morning and couldn't get in. Took the shop guys weeks to get their tool boxes out.


Dwain G.