Boycott Staples!!!

So here's the story. Three weeks ago, I went to Staples to buy a laptop. They were out of stock, so they ordered one for me and told me I had 14 days to return it after it arrived. There were some serious problems with it, so I went to return it on Tuesday, 11 days after I received it. I was then told that the policy was 14 days from the date of PURCHASE, not arrival, and that I could not return it.

I tried reasoning with everyone I could speak to. Setting aside the fact that the clerk lied to me, the policy lacks all reason. Why should I be denied the right of every other customer to inspect the product for 14 days simply because it wasn't in stock?

After a day of phone calls, the manager agreed to let me exchange the laptop for another model in the store. So I drove back the following evening to do that. I chose the Dell that was on sale and displayed front and center in the store. "Nope, we don't have it." Nor could I order it online - it's not being sold anymore! OK, how about this one? Not in stock. The Sony VAIO? Nope. I ended up ordering a different Dell that I didn't even want just to get out of there, but in the end thought better of it.

I called the manager again and said I wanted to walk away from it. He informed me that I had no choice in the matter. I was going to take the Dell I ordered online, and I would not have the option of returning it under any circumstances. I asked to speak to the Regional manager. He refused to give me a name or number. I threatened to call the corporate offices and to dispute it with my credit card company. FINALLY, he agreed to take the return, and I found myself driving out to Staples for the third night in a row to get my money back.

This morning, I initiated Executive Email Carpet Bomb 2008 - a letter to the CEO, President, and several VPs to let them know what I think of their "super" store. The one to the CEO seems to have been returned, but luckily I have the corporate address!

There you have it, folks. As my friend Nick said, "Maybe they should call it the Sleazy Button."