Circuit City Calls Cops On Customer Wanting Price Match

H

HardOCP News

[H] News
Joined
Dec 31, 1969
Messages
0
Expecting a regular store to price match Costco is pretty unrealistic since you pay $50 a year to Costco to help subsidize the cost of what you buy there. Be that as it may, should the store call the police on you for asking for a price match?

I asked again to see in writing where club prices wouldn't be matched. He told me there was no way he was going to match the price and that I should leave. I said I would gladly leave once he proved to me that the club portion of the policy existed. He response: he called the police!
Click to expand...
 
Im sure theres more to it then that. He was probably verbally abusive or creating a scene.
 
Xenozx said:
Im sure theres more to it then that. He was probably verbally abusive or creating a scene.
Click to expand...

Yeah I'm sure he deserved it. I was in a Safeway yesterday and a lady had a shit fit because she couldn't find the potato salad. I mean she was cursing and going crazy.
 
He fully deserved the cops called on him I would bet. People think they can cause a scene and get what they want, I see it at stores all the time. Glad the manager stood up to him actually.
 
I might be inclined to believe that interpretation, but it's Circuit City. And if the manager wasn't lying, he could have just shown him the pamphlet. Calling or claiming to call the cops was just a way to get rid of the guy and avoid having his lie called.

Also, if it's not in the ad and not in the policies on their website (which should then be referred to in the ad if relevant: "see complete terms at ___") then they should STFU and honor it. Secret back-room pamphlets that modify your ads aren't acceptable even when you're not making them up.
 
Xenozx said:
Im sure theres more to it then that. He was probably verbally abusive or creating a scene.
Click to expand...

If I had to venture a guess, I'd say that is a pretty accurate estimation of the "incident". To put it callously, the customer was in all probability acting like a demanding and irrational fuking arsehole.
 
Not taking sides, but I've had it both ways.

Just got an in store price match credit at BB of 100 buks on a
new HDTV. Got screwed on a deal a couple of years ago
on a USB drive, because of poorly worded advertisement.
A few bucks, not worth tjhe hassle.

My take, its not worth the trouble to make a scene. Write
an email or letter and tell there higher ups that your
not happy with the way it was handled, right or wrong.

If you play there proce matching game long enough, sooner or
later you hit pay dirt. You just have to be aware of the rules,
take the ad in store with a copy of their policy. Always ask the
manger first, not the way this guy did it.

I'm further ahead, not farther behind, without making a scene.
 
If he was so concerned about his 5-year-old son getting scared by the manager, maybe he shouldn't bring him along to stores when he harasses the employees to whine and bitch his way into getting discounts by loopholes in the system.
 
Nice to see the how everyones thinking here is on par with the don't cause a scene. Just give up right, even though you're not in the wrong. Conform.

Why not cause a scene is the question? You ashamed of asking for what is right? People cause a scene because retailers cause them to. Once you've passed the courtesy side of people and frustrate them enough, they break. Retailers do this all the time. Keep customers they wish not to help going in circles or just not provide anything resourceful until they either leave or get so frustrated start to make a scene.

I fail to see how anyone could consider this a fault of the customer. I'm pretty sure the guy didn't start in their on a rampage, he was driven to it by the rep. He asked a simple question and the response was not satisfactory.
 
Neurofreeze said:
If he was so concerned about his 5-year-old son getting scared by the manager, maybe he shouldn't bring him along to stores when he harasses the employees to whine and bitch his way into getting discounts by loopholes in the system.
Click to expand...

What loophole? Not to mention, retailers use loopholes all the time, why should customers be any different?

I'd like to see this loophole in writing.
 
OkToBeR[hocp];1032536327 said:
What loophole? Not to mention, retailers use loopholes all the time, why should customers be any different?

I'd like to see this loophole in writing.
Click to expand...

Too bad, now we'll have to call the cops on you!
 
manager should hav e given him the policy or told him its up to him. he shouldnt have called or threatened to call police. the other guy shouldn't throw a big scene but leave and call the corporate offices.
 
OkToBeR[hocp];1032536321 said:
Nice to see the how everyones thinking here is on par with the don't cause a scene. Just give up right, even though you're not in the wrong. Conform.

Why not cause a scene is the question? You ashamed of asking for what is right? People cause a scene because retailers cause them to. Once you've passed the courtesy side of people and frustrate them enough, they break. Retailers do this all the time. Keep customers they wish not to help going in circles or just not provide anything resourceful until they either leave or get so frustrated start to make a scene.

I fail to see how anyone could consider this a fault of the customer. I'm pretty sure the guy didn't start in their on a rampage, he was driven to it by the rep. He asked a simple question and the response was not satisfactory.
Click to expand...

Keep on ragin' against that machine.

Customer almost certainly deserved it, and even if he didn't cause a scene or freak out, the second he refused to leave when asked he was trespassing.
 
OkToBeR[hocp];1032536321 said:
Nice to see the how everyones thinking here is on par with the don't cause a scene. Just give up right, even though you're not in the wrong. Conform.

Why not cause a scene is the question? You ashamed of asking for what is right? People cause a scene because retailers cause them to. Once you've passed the courtesy side of people and frustrate them enough, they break. Retailers do this all the time. Keep customers they wish not to help going in circles or just not provide anything resourceful until they either leave or get so frustrated start to make a scene.

I fail to see how anyone could consider this a fault of the customer. I'm pretty sure the guy didn't start in their on a rampage, he was driven to it by the rep. He asked a simple question and the response was not satisfactory.
Click to expand...

You are politicizing the issue a little too much I think. This isn't some government entity, this is CIRCUIT CITY. Any business has the right to deny you a service they provide if they choose to. When a customer gets out of line I think it is very reasonable of the manager to remove the customer from the store.

When you have 10 other people standing in line behind a guy that is creating a fuss, people get uncomfortable, return their stuff and walk out of the store. Not good.

Also why would the guy get so upset over a price match...if he truely wants that price why doesn't he just go to Costco in the first place? Instead of making a show in the checkout line he could be on his way to pick up the item he wanted for the price he wanted in the first place.

The only reason stores even do price matches is to retain your business, and to provide a convenient service for customers.

So when you are shopping for multiple items you dont have to go to multiple stores to get the stuff, you can just price match it all and buy it there. That is what price matching is all about.
 
I used to work for Circuit City on their firedog team. I worked 5 years at a local computer repair shop and left for a pay raise, but quit CC within 3 months because of all their BS - mostly stuff like this.

We replaced some signs behind the customer service desk, signs that told the customer's their rights and how our price match guarantee works. Everyone celebrated when they pulled them down, because it made it a lot harder to lie to customers when the signs were up.

I was told to lie about laptops we were working on, to ignore the customer's warranties that they purchased from us, and to sell refurbished laptops that were marked as new.

So, while I would usually say the guy had it coming to him - at Circuit City, anything is possible.

(Sorry this is a little less than cogent, I just woke up.)
 
Customers, confuse "rights" and "privilege" all of the time when it comes to a company policy. They think their "rights" extend to everything and never understand the simple fact that they are standing in that store and are paying the price offered is actually a privilege the store gives them. That store has the "right" to revoke their privilege at any time. The store is private property, just as much as your home is. The store has every right to refuse to service anyone at any time, including the President of the USA if they so chose. There is no law that states any store has to sell you something for a specific price at any time. The only exceptions to the refusal of service is that refusal cannot be based upon race or religion. Price matching is strictly up to the discretion of the store, not the customer. If they refuse to match a price, then go buy it where that price is marked. Raising a scene to where you get arrested because you refused to leave private property when told to do so only means you will be refused service indefinitely at the store in the future, and you may have to pay a fine for trespassing. The only rights being violated were the store's right to not have you there raising a pointless scene. "Sticking it to the man" doesn't apply here as nobody was being ripped off or repressed. All the guy had to do was go to Costco and buy the item. The entity getting the shaft was the store. Refusing to sell someone an item at a specific price isn't "repression". Get used to it.
 
My question is this..

Why didn't the guy go to CostCo in the first place to purchase his Garmin. Could it be they were out of stock? So he drives how many miles to a Circuit City because he got a uninformed employee to say they would match CostCo. I am sorry this guy is full of it. Bet he doesn't even have a membership to CostCo so that was why he was trying to get the pricematch.

He is teh fAil
 
AbsintheCommando said:
Keep on ragin' against that machine.

Customer almost certainly deserved it, and even if he didn't cause a scene or freak out, the second he refused to leave when asked he was trespassing.
Click to expand...

Interesting. And why was he asked to leave? Oh, that's right, unequal treatment. Next.
 
OkToBeR[hocp];1032536321 said:
Nice to see the how everyones thinking here is on par with the don't cause a scene. Just give up right, even though you're not in the wrong. Conform.

Why not cause a scene is the question? You ashamed of asking for what is right? People cause a scene because retailers cause them to. Once you've passed the courtesy side of people and frustrate them enough, they break. Retailers do this all the time. Keep customers they wish not to help going in circles or just not provide anything resourceful until they either leave or get so frustrated start to make a scene.

I fail to see how anyone could consider this a fault of the customer. I'm pretty sure the guy didn't start in their on a rampage, he was driven to it by the rep. He asked a simple question and the response was not satisfactory.
Click to expand...

I think it better to cause a scene with the bosses boss. In store your the
ass right or wrong. I'm there to get the dollars going my way, not be
preceived as a jerk.

The customer is always right and should be treated that way. Now if they find
you do not qualify, what is your best recourse? Make an in store scene which
you will lose, or go after the bosses boss and complain?

I always get the names of all involved, this blog guy failed price matching
basics and failed to get the guy he talked to over the phone.

I'd rather be right and have the dollars, then be right and a jerk IMHO.
 
Considering that Best Buy tried to detain a customer when he refused to show his receipt as he walked out the door straight from the register, and called the cops to have him arrested, I'm waiting for more details. Chances are the guy was a douche, but Circuit City, Best Buy, and these other stores have earned reputations for being contemptible.
 
PungeX said:
My question is this..

Why didn't the guy go to CostCo in the first place to purchase his Garmin. Could it be they were out of stock? So he drives how many miles to a Circuit City because he got a uninformed employee to say they would match CostCo. I am sorry this guy is full of it. Bet he doesn't even have a membership to CostCo so that was why he was trying to get the pricematch.

He is teh fAil
Click to expand...

It sounded like the CC was closer than the costco and he had good service in the past. Seems like a no brainer to me to go to the closer place if you can get if for the same price.

Anyhow it could be the customers is a moron or the store manager is a moron. Without more information on it you can't tell. But to jump on the bandwagon I'm sure the CC manager is an evil being and deserves to be jailed for life for this!!!!!!
 
OkToBeR[hocp];1032536321 said:
Nice to see the how everyones thinking here is on par with the don't cause a scene. Just give up right, even though you're not in the wrong. Conform.

Why not cause a scene is the question? You ashamed of asking for what is right? People cause a scene because retailers cause them to. Once you've passed the courtesy side of people and frustrate them enough, they break. Retailers do this all the time. Keep customers they wish not to help going in circles or just not provide anything resourceful until they either leave or get so frustrated start to make a scene.

I fail to see how anyone could consider this a fault of the customer. I'm pretty sure the guy didn't start in their on a rampage, he was driven to it by the rep. He asked a simple question and the response was not satisfactory.
Click to expand...

I used to work at Circuit City for two years, and managers DO NOT ask customers to leave UNLESS they are being loud, abbrasive, disruptive or causing a major f***king scene.

If a Circuit City manager ever says "I am going to ask you to leave" or "you are going to have to leave" then the customer is making a huge scene, cursing, screaming etc...

Guess who reported this story? The customer... I gaurantee if you go talk to the customer service rep's and the manager that was on duty, it will be a whole different story.

My store asked people to leave before, but not until they threatened lawsuits, or started screaming and cursing. And by the way, it IS in Circuit City's corporate price match policy not to match stores where you have to be a MEMBER to purchase from (Sam's Club, Costco). It is not just some random excuse the manager came up with.
 
msny said:
I think it better to cause a scene with the bosses boss. In store your the
ass right or wrong. I'm there to get the dollars going my way, not be
preceived as a jerk.

The customer is always right and should be treated that way. Now if they find
you do not qualify, what is your best recourse? Make an in store scene which
you will lose, or go after the bosses boss and complain?

I always get the names of all involved, this blog guy failed price matching
basics and failed to get the guy he talked to over the phone.

I'd rather be right and have the dollars, then be right and a jerk IMHO.
Click to expand...

The customer is almost NEVER right, we just give in to keep the customer happy, and to prevent crap like this.

80% of the time, the customer is NOT entitled to what they are asking for.
 
Seelenlos said:
It sounded like the CC was closer than the costco and he had good service in the past. Seems like a no brainer to me to go to the closer place if you can get if for the same price.
Click to expand...

You might be right, CC might have been closer, but why make such a scene so as to get kicked out when he could have simply left and gone to the other store? I would have to agree that he probably didn't have a Costco membership and just had one of their ads.

It seems pretty obvious that this guy was being unreasonable. I'm sorry, but, even if Costco was like 45 minutes away, he probably spent that much time arguing. Shit such as this is just not worth getting so worked up over. Save your energy for real battles, not stupid consumerist quarrels.
 
BombermanX said:
but why make such a scene so as to get kicked out
Click to expand...

So many people assuming this. Why, when we know this really is in line with previous documented behavior from CC and others in the industry like BB (fake in-store website used to lie to customers about advertised prices, anyone?).

Yeah, it's probably easiest to handle by leaving when the manager starts lying to you and calling corporate about it from home. But it's also totally believable that the story as described actually occurred, without need to read more into it.
 
There's nowhere in the Circuit City policy that says they will price match any advertised prices. Which is why they are expensive. If he wanted to get that same price he should just go to Costco and buy it there or shop online and don't waste Circuit City employees of their time. Just my 2 cents
 
MrTroy03 said:
The customer is almost NEVER right, we just give in to keep the customer happy, and to prevent crap like this.

80% of the time, the customer is NOT entitled to what they are asking for.
Click to expand...

Yes, and that way of thinking is why compines go out of business eventually
or there business declines. CC fired thosands of employees cause THEY were
paying them too much??

I do not shop there because of that. If they cannot treat employees fairly, why
would they do right by the customer?

Its not an entitlement either, its a guarantee, the company chooses to give it or not.
If there using it as just advertising gimick, they deserve to be crapped on royally.
 
Damn cheap bastards always trying to get a deal.
I think he should of just paid it and left.

Too many cheapskates running around these days.
I work in retail and see this crap all the time.

I have actually had a women call the cops on me before.
But they never showed up so she left.
 
1) According to CC's website, there is no exclusion based on 'club' membership stores.

2) The moment he was asked to leave and refused, he was trespassing and therefore the cops are an appropriate resolution.

3) He was not protected under any discrimination law, as customers are only protected if they are being discriminated against due to race, sexual preference, gender and religion I believe. Other than those areas, stores have the absolute right (though I disagree) to refuse service to anyone for any reason.
 
The minute you make a scene without just cause, you lose any right to bitch. I'm sorry. If a manager says some racial slur to your face, by all means, put them to the floor. You have a right to stand up for yourself in scenarios like that, in my eyes. But if you're trying to con some dollars out of a store, trust me, you're going to lose nine times out of ten. Retailers are ALL about their money. They weigh the costs of both sides of the fence, and if it costs less to boot your ass out of the store, so be it. They'll take the hit on their reputation. But if you're being rude, holding up a line of people, and outright offensive, no one is going to stick up for you. I sure as hell wouldn't.

To be fair though, I personally would not pick up my electronics the same place I buy my pickles, unless there's an anything goes return policy.

Oh and msny, no retailer truly treats their employees worth a crap. You go to any retailer, you can probably find at least 5 employees who look like they want to slit their wrists and bleed all over the store.

The proper way to go about anything in retail is to remain CIVIL at all times, throughout the entire process, no matter how much you want to punch someone in the face. No, you shouldn't suffer in silence, but at the same time there is a proper way to defend yourself, and get the solutions/answers you want. You remain civil, you gather all the facts, and you document them. Who you talked to, what their position is, and what they said. Time, and date. Then, you go above that person. All the way to the store manager if you have to. And if the store manager won't help you, or can't, ask him who can. A customer who remains civil and tactful about politely requesting the contact for the higher powers outside a store chain will more than likely get their way, without having to make a scene, and maybe not even having to make a phonecall at all to district/regional/corporate management, depending on how afraid the store manager is of his/her bosses.

That is how you get your way in retail. The minute you lose your cool, you may as well have walked in there naked.
 
SamuraiInBlack said:
The minute you make a scene without just cause, you lose any right to bitch.[/b]
He called in to see if the price match guarantee (interesting word that 'g' word is) was applicable towards CostCo, he was told yes. So he went forward with the whole shebang and they refused to hold up to their guarantee, sounds like just cause right there.

Now if they guy was being abusive towards others, yeah I can see removing him from the store. However you can not simply assume that he was, I mean the manager doesn't own the store in any way, shape or form it is very possible he was simply being a dick about not wanting to give the discount. I mean I've being in a C.C. quite a few times, and you'll get assistance if you're browsing the high priced TVs and such (commission) but if you need some help else where, good luck finding someone, they're like ninjas able to disappear! But being loud and throwing a fit for something that is rightfully yours to receive is not abusive.

Either way, unless I see otherwise this guy is in the right.
Click to expand...
 
If you are asked to leave the premises of private property (the Circuit City store) and you refuse to do so, then they have every right to call the Police and have you removed.

Also, like others have said, I'm guessing this guy was acting like a jackass to boot.
 
I agree with ashmedai. Circuit City probably called the police to prevent their own crooked behavior from being exposed. Maybe the customer should have called the police on the clerk!
 
Every CC employee I've had the displeasure of being 'served' by has displayed a room temperature IQ. It seems like quite a stretch to blame the customer in this one. If the customer had created even the slightest scene, I'm sure CC would be persuing a bunch of charges against him, such as assault.
 
In Canada, both the AudioTronic and Audio Video Unlimited chain stores claim to pricematch. However if you produce a flyer from a major store like Visions or BestBuy they simply refuse, claiming they sell refurbished units as new.

Nothing to get your panties in a knot about, but this type of blatant false advertising to give small stores a bigger presence is downright criminal.

Cheers!
 
Hi,

Interesting read. I had a similar situation with CC once. However not knowing the details of this guy's story outside what was given in the write up I would like to say there is some truth to it.

I went to the local CC to purchase a new digital camera. However I found a store that carried the camera but was a bit further than what I would have liked to traveled. So my wife said go to CC and see if they would do a price match. I read the price match policy on CC's web site. There was no mention of what place I used for the price match. However the price must have a store front. This place that I found had a store front which was within reason to drive to per CC's policy.

When I got to CC, there was a guy in the camera department. I told him what I was interested in and that I would like to have the item price matched to the other store. The guy asked me some information about the other store we went to the computer in which he looked up the item on the store's web site and said yeah we should not have a problem price matching it since the place met CC's requirements. The guy said he would need to get the manager for the price override. I said no problem. Well 10 minutes goes by and the guy came back saying CC would not be able to pricematch since the other store was not a "authorized" dealer. Then the guy told me that the price match policy is only for Best Buy or other similar electronics store. Funny how the store I was using the price match was an "authorized dealer" since it was a real camera supply/ shop. I just said ok no problem. I walked out of the store with no scene needed.

Authorized Dealer... Interesting there is no mention of CC being an Authorized Dealer on the web site or in the store. However the shop in which I am proud to say I am customer of did have at least a large decal on the store's door stating they were an authorized dealer. The only reason why I went to CC is my wife just had our baby and I didn't want to be away from the house too long. CC was 10 minutes down the road where the shop I bought from was about 25 minutes.

Before I finish this post I did find it interesting that my local CC seems to be hard pressed to match it's own Online Price. When the register rings up at the higher store price, I just simply state their on line price and then it becomes a bit to do. For instance, I bought TF2 . It rang up at 40 and change when it should have rang up at 30 as on the sticker in the store then I said well you have it on your web site for 18. The girl behind the counter didn't understand and the manager came out said he didn't have to honor his internet price. That was strange cause the same store had never had a problem in the past with that. I am wondering if that store is jacking its price just because it can or there is some other funny business going on. After that last experience I try to avoid CC as much as possible. In hind sight I should have called corporate on the store.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top