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For Christmas this year, we bought a friend who doesn’t cook much, a panini grill from Home Outfitters.

Due to the business of the holidays and a death in our family, we were not able to deliver the present until just last week. A few days later, I get an email from my friend letting me know that she opened the grill to use it only to find that it had been used, not cleaned and put back in it’s box. And somehow returned and put back on the shelf for me to purchase.

I don’t remember the last time I was so disgusted by something. I don’t necessarily blame Home Outfitters for this, but you would think they might check the merchandise to see if it was all there? Apparently it was quite obvious from the outside of the grill that it had been used, so if they had checked it before putting it back on the shelf surely they would know. Or perhaps they did, and some employee didn’t care enough to let someone know. I don’t know and I’m not making accusations. We don’t even know if the darn thing actually worked.

However, when I called the store I purchased the grill at to find out if I could still exchange it. I wasn’t met with any kind of shock, or apologies. In fact I was transferred around and then finally told that they had one left and could put it aside for 48 hours. I tried to explain that it was a gift for a friend and I would have to see my friend and get the product and then get to the store. My friend lives on the other side of the city in comparison to the store, and I don’t drive.

Sighing reluctantly, the clerk indicated she’d put a note on the box and try and hold it until the weekend, but couldn’t guarantee anything.

I hung up the phone feeling quite annoyed. What happened to customer service? Where was the “Oh my gosh, I am so sorry you had that experience, we will do whatever it takes to make this right; of course we’ll hold one for you until you can come in, or we’ll find one at another location for you.”

What Home Outfitter’s doesn’t realize from this experience is this:
1. I’m a blogger and am now telling the world (or at least those who read my blog) about this horrible experience.
2. I’m getting married this summer and was in the process of setting up my registries. If that’s the customer service they are going to give people, I don’t want to have a registry with them as I don’t want my friends and family getting that same kind of experience. Both my fiance and I have agreed, we don’t need anything from Home Outfitters if that’s the kind of products and customer service people receive.

Once I exchange this gift, it will be a long time before I ever step foot in a Home Outfitters again, if I ever do.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 15th, 2008 at 1:36 pm and is filed under Integrated marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.