Comments on: Canadian Tire’s Return Policy Fail

By: Shardan

Shardan — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 23:37:08 +0000

It’s not only defective seasonal items that CT won’t take back. When I lived in Toronto, I went to CT to purchase a small TV. Fortunately I saw a sign that basically stated once you purchase any electronics, if anything goes wrong, you have to go through the manufacturers warranty. I asked the store manager what would happen if I got the TV home and discovered there was no picture tube. His response was “You have to go through the manufacturer”. Needless to say, I did not purchase a TV from CT. In fact, since then (about 8 years ago), I purchase nothing electrical from CT. Walmart on the other hand is fantastic as far as defective merchandise goes. I recently returned a vacuum sealer with no receipt – no problem at all!

By: Vicki

Vicki — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 18:34:26 +0000

I too have had similar experiences and I called their customer service main line…they have sent me a gift card for the value in question…give them a call it will be worth your while

By: Louise

Louise — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 14:33:24 +0000

There is this in the policy:

Returns, exchanges or warranties on an item without a receipt may not be accepted.

Defective items are subject to manufacturer’s warranty, so one could also have contacted the manufacturer with respect to the product. Giving a repair or replacement really isn’t an option for the store when the season as has passed and said item is no longer being sold and was probably on clearance after Christmas, if they had any left to put on clearance. And no store has to accept seasonal products afterwards, especially since after they are put on clearance and lots of times sales are final on clearance items.

By: pat george

pat george — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 02:07:32 +0000

cancel your Canadian tire credit card,,, if you have one,,,

By: Alaina Monster

Alaina Monster — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 00:52:02 +0000

I’m sorry about your experience … But it’s in their policy that they do not return Christmas items after Christmas. My store even had signs posted all around the Christmas items.

By: Donna

Donna — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 00:29:42 +0000

My star for my tree stopped working , returned it than Christmas Eve that one stopped working . Brought back after Christmas and they refused to return it. They did let me get a different one from the Christmas items of the same value. I did not want the same one again and did not want to be out the money so I took what I was offered but still will not buy anything Christmas there but the lights (they have five year warranty on the box).

By: Jordan

Jordan — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 00:25:37 +0000

I’m not surprised, Canadian Tire is getting worse!

I had a car battery that was three years and two months old, not under the free replacement (past three years), but is supposed to have nine years pro-rated for a new battery. They made up an excuse that it wasn’t the battery, it was a problem with the car that wasn’t charging the battery properly so I never got anything and had to pay full for a new battery. I guess the nick name “Crappy Tire” is becoming more and more of a perfect fit!

By: Sondra

Sondra — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 23:55:26 +0000

THANK YOU VERY MUCH for sharing this story. I know it’s a little late now but I will know for next year. I have the entire set & I put it on the fake snow which would make a big fire fast. I have not had any problems with mine yet, I don’t run it very often. Now I don’t think I will run it at all. I really appreciate you sharing your experience, you may have saved me from a fire. Thank you 🙂

By: Dave Page

Dave Page — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 23:35:06 +0000

Last year I received a swivel bar type stool for a gift. When I went to put it together I found that it had two u-shaped legs the same, making it impossible to construct. Upon calling Canadian Tire I was told that I had to return it to my nearest store (over 1 1/2 hours away one way) and bring the receipt. Well, obviously I wouldn’t have a receipt and being partly handicapped (which I explained to them) and the cost to drive to the nearest store and back would be more than the stool was worth,it just didn’t make sense. I explained all I wanted was the correct part and please mail it to me—-no dice ! I had a local welder friend fix the problem for 10 bucks. No satisfaction from Canadian Tire tho. Like you–I look for items at other stores now and having been a good customer of CT before sure has changed—hope their rude and “don’t give a damn” attitude changes because I have spent several hundred dollars at
other stores INSTEAD of Canadian Tire in the past year.

By: Crystal Dunlop-Mysynuk

Crystal Dunlop-Mysynuk — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 21:04:37 +0000

Re: Canadian Tire-Exact same treatment happened to me last year, me and my cousin, when Boxing Day we went to Canadian Tire to pick up some extra decorations for next year. We both purchased some Martha Stewart decorations, Christmas balls and the likes, for the tree, that had been improperly marked. They were not on sale as the tag, 75% off on the shelf indicated. As we checked our receipt before leaving the store, because right after it was totalled up, we thought, hmmm, that’s came to way more than we thought, we noticed the “error” on the receipt. After talking to the manager, not only did they not apologise for the error of the improperly marked merchandise, (the decorations were normally 17$ for 4 Christmas Balls, we purchased 2 packs each, not too happy when they turned out not to be 75% off) the manager would not refund or give a store credit for the difference. That borders, if not is, total deception and fraud. There were no signs at the cash register stating “no refunds, or exchanges on Christmas decorations”.
For this reason, I will no longer shop at Canadian Tire. If am I am going to be swindled by a CANADIAN company in Canada, I might as well just shop at a street market and give the money to the street vendors. At least I know the potential of what I’m dealing with. Why the hell would I give my money to Mega Corp if they are bold face ripping me off? They certainly don’t need the money.

My 2cents (and a whole lot money apparently),

Crystal Dunlop-Mysynuk

By: sam

sam — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 20:25:57 +0000

I read some of the comments and suggestions. When I have had a problem (not at Canadian Tire) I asked the Customer Service rep to put me in contact with the store manager.

If the store manager was not able to bring about a successful conclusion, I contacted the head office (I did this with my local Walmart and within 2 days my local manager called me back and my problem was solved. I was trying to purchase an advertised on-sale bread machine that was in stock in the store but located in a spot no one working in the store could find–seriously–until head office intervened.

Yours is a different problem, in my opinion. Your product is defective and a fire hazard, and according to provincial law, it seems that the store must take the product back. It also seems that they are not required to refund your purchase, but must offer an exchange or store credit.

I am not a lawyer, and am reading info found on-line–perhaps a legal mind out there could offer a definitive opinion–if not, the office of a local MP is an excellent reference point.

http://forums.redflagdeals.com/refunds-defective-products-consumer-protection-laws-ontario-999613/

By: Debbie Bashford

Debbie Bashford — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 20:16:36 +0000

You should have contacted head office there and then. I had a problem with a return, I did have the receipt, manual and box with all original packaging. It was 11 months after I purchased it, but had a 1 year warranty, they no longer carried it, they tried to brush me off, called their head office, explained it to them, asked me who was the manager that I had talked to , told them his name and that he was standing in front of me, they asked to speak with him, long story short I walked out with a brand new and better item.

By: V. L.

V. L. — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 17:34:36 +0000

I’m sorry you had such a crappy experience. Quality front-line customer service is unfortunately becoming more and more of a rarity. It seems only by making a big deal about things (like going up the management chain or social media) does anything get done.

By: Josie

Josie — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 17:24:55 +0000

It’s standard practice in all retail stores that after the holiday has come and passed, the holiday merchandise becomes final sale and you can’t return it after the holiday. It’s the same for Halloween, Easter, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, etc. It’s something so simple and that should be understood by all, yet there are still complaints every single day and employees getting yelled at over this. People should just relax and understand it’s policy.

I will admit, though, with your product being defective, twice, something should have been done. It’s not that you simply just didn’t want it.

Anyway, everyone has complained so damn much that WalMart has changed it’s policy and now allows holiday items to be returned after the fact.

So who knows, maybe if everyone complained to EVERY OTHER store, and not just about WalMart …. WalMart wouldn’t be made out to be such a bad store, they have pretty much the same policies when it comes to returns as every other store. There are so many stores that actually have a worse policy, but it’s just accepted and people move on. But at WalMart, employees get yelled at and talked down to. They get harassed everyday over a policy that is the same as Canadian Tire or Target or some other place, yet those customers just say okay and leave.

WalMart employees deserve the same respect as everyone else.

Anyway, my bottom line is, complain to this store like you would have if it were WalMart, and if enough people complained, maybe they would change their policy like WalMart had to.

🙂

By: Jay

Jay — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 16:31:45 +0000

DEF contact head office – although, I’ve done that before and got no where! This is horse crap that they wouldn’t accept the thing back! It’s not like you asked for the world, you asked for even just a credit due to the defective house. I’ll tell you I can’t stand Canadian Tire. There isn’t much “Canadian” about them anymore either! They carry a lot of the same crap you can get at Walmart, Target or otherwise. I often opt to pay more at my LOCALLY owned and operated Home Hardware store just so I don’t have to deal with anyone at Canadian Tire. No one bombarding you at the door at Home Hardware either to play a stupid “game” to get a credit card, or someone asking if you’ve heard about their current promotion they have on today (which is always a stupid gimmick to get you to sign up for their MasterCard).

By: Ashleigh

Ashleigh — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 15:43:12 +0000

Sorry to hear it wasn’t a good experience. They should have done something considering it was defective. Is there more complaints like this listed online? Maybe contact head office of Canadian Tire?

At Christmas time, Canadian Tire has notes around customer service desk, and in some Seasonal Aisles that indicate returns and exchanges can only be made on “Seasonal” items until December 24th (maybe 25th?)

Strange they don’t have this policy officially stated on their website though.