Staples can't price match with themselves? WTF?

shiner

Lifer
Jul 18, 2000
17,112
1
0
Been in the market for a scanner....something of good quality, able to scan negatives & slides in addition to the normal text and photos. Finally settled on one, the Epson Perfection 3170. Well anyway......my wife needed to go to Staples tonight to get some stuff for school. Off we go....have dinner and then to Staples which was nearby. While she was looking around I wandered over to the scanner aisle. Hey....they have the 3170 for $161.99 which is cheaper than I've found it online. Sign me up...I'm buying it!!!!! Eventually my wife comes over and says she can't find what she needs and wants to go to another Staples across town because this particular one is out of a certain type of folder she needs. I say ok....and decide to wait and get the scanner at the other store since we will be buying a lot of stuff and I don't feel like writing 2 checks. Away we go........20 minute drive and we are at the other Staples. She goes off to look for her stuff....I head to the scanner aisle.....I get there and the scanner is $179.99 at this Staples. No biggie I think....I'll just tell them about the price at the other store. One of the Staples folks is just down the aisle so I walk up, explain the situation, he says "No problem. Let me call them and verify the price." He calls, they verify, and so we go to the cashier. He tells her about the price match, I set the scanner down and go find my wife. This Staples did have what she needed, her basket is loaded down....to the checkout we go!!!!! We get there and the girl starts ringing everything up. She gets to the scanner and starts to do the price match, it comes up and needs some sort of approval so she calls the manager over. She explains the situation to him and he says "We can't price match with another Staples, we can only price match with different retailers." I'm looking at him puzzled, unable to speak....my wife says "That's crazy." He again says they cannot price match with other Staples stores, they are only allowed to price match with competitors. By then I had regained my sense and began to point out the idiocy of what he was saying. I asked that if the other store were out of the scanner and they had sent me to his store if he could match the price then. He says "Yes" So I ask what the difference is. He tells me that the corporate policy is only to match with competitors. I argued the point for a while, he would not budge. At that point is when my wife says "Fine, you can keep all this other sh1t to then" and we walk out. God I love her!!! Long story short...this moron cost his store about $400 in sales.

We went to the other Staples, bought the scanner and everything my wife needed except the folders.
 

shiner

Lifer
Jul 18, 2000
17,112
1
0
Originally posted by: vi_edit
Off the decaff again I see.

:D
Heh....heh....heh....I haven't had much luck lately have I?

Is the world full of idiots or do I just somehow attract them?

 

Zim Hosein

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Super Moderator
Nov 27, 1999
65,410
407
126
What is Staples' price-match policy?

What if I find a lower price at Staples?

If you find a lower price in one of our stores, catalogs or on Staples.com®, we?ll match the lower price, however the additional 10% of the price difference does not apply. If an item is marked "clearance", the clearance price is only valid for in stock product that is marked at that clearance price.

Store Questions / Comments

Make sure Staples, Inc. is aware of your experience :)
 

djheater

Lifer
Mar 19, 2001
14,637
2
0
Originally posted by: shinerburke
Been in the market for a scanner....something of good quality, able to scan negatives & slides in addition to the normal text and photos. Finally settled on one, the Epson Perfection 3170. Well anyway......my wife needed to go to Staples tonight to get some stuff for school. Off we go....have dinner and then to Staples which was nearby.

While she was looking around I wandered over to the scanner aisle. Hey....they have the 3170 for $161.99 which is cheaper than I've found it online. Sign me up...I'm buying it!!!!! Eventually my wife comes over and says she can't find what she needs and wants to go to another Staples across town because this particular one is out of a certain type of folder she needs. I say ok....and decide to wait and get the scanner at the other store since we will be buying a lot of stuff and I don't feel like writing 2 checks. Away we go........20 minute drive and we are at the other Staples.

She goes off to look for her stuff....I head to the scanner aisle.....I get there and the scanner is $179.99 at this Staples. No biggie I think....I'll just tell them about the price at the other store. One of the Staples folks is just down the aisle so I walk up, explain the situation, he says "No problem. Let me call them and verify the price." He calls, they verify, and so we go to the cashier. He tells her about the price match, I set the scanner down and go find my wife. This Staples did have what she needed, her basket is loaded down....to the checkout we go!!!!!

We get there and the girl starts ringing everything up. She gets to the scanner and starts to do the price match, it comes up and needs some sort of approval so she calls the manager over. She explains the situation to him and he says "We can't price match with another Staples, we can only price match with different retailers." I'm looking at him puzzled, unable to speak....my wife says "That's crazy." He again says they cannot price match with other Staples stores, they are only allowed to price match with competitors. By then I had regained my sense and began to point out the idiocy of what he was saying. I asked that if the other store were out of the scanner and they had sent me to his store if he could match the price then. He says "Yes" So I ask what the difference is. He tells me that the corporate policy is only to match with competitors. I argued the point for a while, he would not budge. At that point is when my wife says "Fine, you can keep all this other sh1t to then" and we walk out. God I love her!!! Long story short...this moron cost his store about $400 in sales.

We went to the other Staples, bought the scanner and everything my wife needed except the folders.

 

shiner

Lifer
Jul 18, 2000
17,112
1
0
Originally posted by: djheater
Originally posted by: shinerburke
Been in the market for a scanner....something of good quality, able to scan negatives & slides in addition to the normal text and photos. Finally settled on one, the Epson Perfection 3170. Well anyway......my wife needed to go to Staples tonight to get some stuff for school. Off we go....have dinner and then to Staples which was nearby.

While she was looking around I wandered over to the scanner aisle. Hey....they have the 3170 for $161.99 which is cheaper than I've found it online. Sign me up...I'm buying it!!!!! Eventually my wife comes over and says she can't find what she needs and wants to go to another Staples across town because this particular one is out of a certain type of folder she needs. I say ok....and decide to wait and get the scanner at the other store since we will be buying a lot of stuff and I don't feel like writing 2 checks. Away we go........20 minute drive and we are at the other Staples.

She goes off to look for her stuff....I head to the scanner aisle.....I get there and the scanner is $179.99 at this Staples. No biggie I think....I'll just tell them about the price at the other store. One of the Staples folks is just down the aisle so I walk up, explain the situation, he says "No problem. Let me call them and verify the price." He calls, they verify, and so we go to the cashier. He tells her about the price match, I set the scanner down and go find my wife. This Staples did have what she needed, her basket is loaded down....to the checkout we go!!!!!

We get there and the girl starts ringing everything up. She gets to the scanner and starts to do the price match, it comes up and needs some sort of approval so she calls the manager over. She explains the situation to him and he says "We can't price match with another Staples, we can only price match with different retailers." I'm looking at him puzzled, unable to speak....my wife says "That's crazy." He again says they cannot price match with other Staples stores, they are only allowed to price match with competitors. By then I had regained my sense and began to point out the idiocy of what he was saying. I asked that if the other store were out of the scanner and they had sent me to his store if he could match the price then. He says "Yes" So I ask what the difference is. He tells me that the corporate policy is only to match with competitors. I argued the point for a while, he would not budge. At that point is when my wife says "Fine, you can keep all this other sh1t to then" and we walk out. God I love her!!! Long story short...this moron cost his store about $400 in sales.

We went to the other Staples, bought the scanner and everything my wife needed except the folders.

:D I knew someone would do that eventually.
 

djheater

Lifer
Mar 19, 2001
14,637
2
0
Originally posted by: shinerburke
Originally posted by: djheater
Originally posted by: shinerburke
Been in the market for a scanner....something of good quality, able to scan negatives & slides in addition to the normal text and photos. Finally settled on one, the Epson Perfection 3170. Well anyway......my wife needed to go to Staples tonight to get some stuff for school. Off we go....have dinner and then to Staples which was nearby.

While she was looking around I wandered over to the scanner aisle. Hey....they have the 3170 for $161.99 which is cheaper than I've found it online. Sign me up...I'm buying it!!!!! Eventually my wife comes over and says she can't find what she needs and wants to go to another Staples across town because this particular one is out of a certain type of folder she needs. I say ok....and decide to wait and get the scanner at the other store since we will be buying a lot of stuff and I don't feel like writing 2 checks. Away we go........20 minute drive and we are at the other Staples.

She goes off to look for her stuff....I head to the scanner aisle.....I get there and the scanner is $179.99 at this Staples. No biggie I think....I'll just tell them about the price at the other store. One of the Staples folks is just down the aisle so I walk up, explain the situation, he says "No problem. Let me call them and verify the price." He calls, they verify, and so we go to the cashier. He tells her about the price match, I set the scanner down and go find my wife. This Staples did have what she needed, her basket is loaded down....to the checkout we go!!!!!

We get there and the girl starts ringing everything up. She gets to the scanner and starts to do the price match, it comes up and needs some sort of approval so she calls the manager over. She explains the situation to him and he says "We can't price match with another Staples, we can only price match with different retailers." I'm looking at him puzzled, unable to speak....my wife says "That's crazy." He again says they cannot price match with other Staples stores, they are only allowed to price match with competitors. By then I had regained my sense and began to point out the idiocy of what he was saying. I asked that if the other store were out of the scanner and they had sent me to his store if he could match the price then. He says "Yes" So I ask what the difference is. He tells me that the corporate policy is only to match with competitors. I argued the point for a while, he would not budge. At that point is when my wife says "Fine, you can keep all this other sh1t to then" and we walk out. God I love her!!! Long story short...this moron cost his store about $400 in sales.

We went to the other Staples, bought the scanner and everything my wife needed except the folders.

:D I knew someone would do that eventually.

It could be wrong, I just skimmed and you're not very concise :p
 

jadinolf

Lifer
Oct 12, 1999
20,952
3
81
Originally posted by: shinerburke
Originally posted by: vi_edit
Off the decaff again I see.

:D
Heh....heh....heh....I haven't had much luck lately have I?

Is the world full of idiots or do I just somehow attract them?

We are magnets of a sort.:frown:
 

shiner

Lifer
Jul 18, 2000
17,112
1
0
Originally posted by: jadinolf
Originally posted by: shinerburke
Originally posted by: vi_edit
Off the decaff again I see.

:D
Heh....heh....heh....I haven't had much luck lately have I?

Is the world full of idiots or do I just somehow attract them?

We are magnets of a sort.:frown:
Great....just what I wanted to be....an idiot magnet

 

Digobick

Platinum Member
Oct 9, 1999
2,467
0
76
Like Zim Hosein said, make sure Staples Corporate hears about this. Having worked at a Staples throughout my college years, there's no reason why they can't price match another Staples store (unless that store is going out of business and has marked everything way down). Their own policy even says they can.

File the report, and that manager will feel the wrath. Just one negative feedback can cost a manager his yearly bonus (although if the manager makes nice and gives you a coupon or something, they sometimes scratch the negative feedback from his record depending on the severity of the complaint).
 

shiner

Lifer
Jul 18, 2000
17,112
1
0
Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
What is Staples' price-match policy?

What if I find a lower price at Staples?

If you find a lower price in one of our stores, catalogs or on Staples.com®, we?ll match the lower price, however the additional 10% of the price difference does not apply. If an item is marked "clearance", the clearance price is only valid for in stock product that is marked at that clearance price.

Store Questions / Comments

Make sure Staples, Inc. is aware of your experience :)
Thanks. Just sent my complaint to them.
 

shiner

Lifer
Jul 18, 2000
17,112
1
0
Originally posted by: Digobick
Like Zim Hosein said, make sure Staples Corporate hears about this. Having worked at a Staples throughout my college years, there's no reason why they can't price match another Staples store (unless that store is going out of business and has marked everything way down). Their own policy even says they can.

File the report, and that manager will feel the wrath. Just one negative feedback can cost a manager his yearly bonus (although if the manager makes nice and gives you a coupon or something, they sometimes scratch the negative feedback from his record depending on the severity of the complaint).
Did that....interested to see if they contact me. Not that I really care at this point....I got the scanner at a different store....the thing that really bothered me was his attitude. People like that SHOULD NOT be in customer service jobs.

 

onebeeer2many

Member
Aug 10, 2004
90
0
0
lets us know if anything happens. and thanks fr the laugh this has been the second oppertunity to read one of your rants and i have lmao at both of them ty cheers:beer:
 

catnap1972

Platinum Member
Aug 10, 2000
2,607
0
76
I'm surprised they even have that language "find a lower price in another of our stores" in the PM policy. Most other retailers won't price match another store in their own chain.
 

Shelly21

Diamond Member
May 28, 2002
4,111
1
0
Your job now is to go back to the store with the policy in hand and taunt the so-called "Manager". Bring a hidden camera. :D
 

royaldank

Diamond Member
Apr 19, 2001
5,440
0
0
Originally posted by: Shelly21
Your job now is to go back to the store with the policy in hand and taunt the so-called "Manager". Bring a hidden camera. :D

I would at least mail a copy of the complaint mailed to the corporate office, the policy with your point highlighted, and a note explaining why his store has lost your business forever. Also explain that you will encourage others to not use his store as well. Should make him a happy camper.