November 12, 2012

Canadian Tire Corporation
P.O. Box 2000, Station Main
Welland, Ontario
L3B 5S3

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to express my extreme dissatisfaction with the way a recent return was handled at the Canadian Tire store on Westmorland Road in Saint John, New Brunswick.

Three weeks ago, my partner and I purchased a dehumidifier from the store. We used it in our home for a short time but were disappointed by how loud it was. The ideal place to run the dehumidifier is in a room adjacent to our bedroom, and the noise made it unsuitable for that purpose.

While shopping at Costco this week, I noticed another dehumidifier that was specifically advertised as being quiet—and it was less expensive. We decided to purchase it and return the one we had bought from Canadian Tire.

When my partner brought the dehumidifier to the customer service counter, he set it down and the associate simply stared at him.

He explained that he would like to return it.

She asked what was wrong with it.

He replied that it was too noisy.

Her response was that he couldn’t return it simply because it was too noisy.  

When he explained that he had already purchased a replacement, she asked for proof.

He told her he had the receipt but had left it at home.

She insisted she needed to see it.

He asked if he could leave the heavy dehumidifier at the counter while he quickly drove home to retrieve the receipt.

She refused.

So he loaded the dehumidifier back into the car, drove home, found the receipt, returned to the store carrying the heavy unit a second time, and only then was the return processed.  

Regardless of the store’s return policy, what concerns us most is the associate’s attitude.

My partner remained polite throughout the interaction, but the employee was abrupt, curt, and entirely unhelpful. There was no attempt to empathize with our dissatisfaction or apologize for the inconvenience.

I come from a Canadian Tire family.

I have worked at three Canadian Tire stores in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Ontario. My father, mother, and brother have all worked for Canadian Tire as well.

My family has always taken pride in helping customers find what they need and ensuring they leave having enjoyed their shopping experience.

Will we continue shopping at Canadian Tire?

Of course.

What Canadian doesn’t?

But we may think twice before shopping at this particular location again if this is the level of customer service we can expect. In fact, we’ll likely begin shopping at the Canadian Tire on the other side of Saint John instead.  

What we would appreciate is a sincere apology from the store and reassurance that it is not Canadian Tire policy to treat customers returning merchandise with rudeness and a lack of cooperation.

Sincerely,

Daniel Mark Wheaton