Canadian Tire

I would like to bring to everyone’s attention a change to Canadian Tire store in Ajax Ontario Return Policy.

If you lose your receipt, even if you pay by Canadian Tire Credit Card, you have the statement showing the purchase and the stores duplicate copy of the receipt; you cannot get a refund. All you can get is a Store Credit that *** HAS TO BE SPENT THAT DAY - REGARDLESS OF THE TIME OF DAY. ***

I had previously been a happy customer of Canadian Tire for 40 years who will no longer shop at or have his vehicles repaired at another Canadian Tire Store, ever.

I purchased from the Ajax Canadian Tire store an Arbor for $149.99 and 2 trellises for $14.99 each. Both of which were paid for using my Canadian Tire credit card.

After opening the box, my wife suggested that we return the unit, as this unit would not last and that we should construct a wooden arbor instead. So the unit was repackaged, exactly the same way as it was purchased, Same tie-downs, bubble wrap, and without any scratches, back into the original sealed box.

The Return:
The box, which is 7 feet long, 3 feet wide and 8 inches thick, and weighs around 80 pounds was placed into my truck and driven back to the original store. Now somewhere between buying the unit and taking it out to my truck I misplaced my receipt.
But not to worry I thought to myself, as I had purchased the items on my Canadian Tire credit card so I had proof of purchase.
After lugging the items back into the store, and waiting in line, I explained to the clerk that I had lost my receipt bringing the item back. But that the purchase is on my Canadian Tire credit card

The clerk informed me that they can’t give me a refund on your credit card, the best we can do is a store credit that has to be used today”.

Now it is Sunday afternoon, 30 minutes before the store closes, and the store expects me to just buy something, anything for $206 dollars or lose the refund.

I most likely would have accepted a store credit for use at a later date, as I’m sure I would have spent the $206 over the next month or two, but the only option I have is to spend the money today,

So I ask to speak to her Manager, and after waiting a few minutes, a young man who looks like the stock boy asks if he can help me, I say I’m waiting for the manager, he says he is the manager, So I explain the situation, and he gives the same answer, store credit that has to be spent now.

I now have 20 minutes before store closing. I explain that I’ve never heard of this policy, that I’ve been buying things at the store for years and he states that this policy has been in place for around 2 years. His only option, take the item home and come back tomorrow when you have more time to shop. I explain this is a very large box weighing 80 pounds,
He says that is all they can do, and offers no help in taking this unit back to my truck.

The only reason I shop at stores such as Sears, Canadian Tire, Home Depot etc, is because of the no hassle return policies.

How can Canadian Tire quote to have integrity, when they state I can return a product if I’m not satisfied, then refuse to give me my money back.

How can they say they are ethical, if they have a policy where If someone can not spend an in-store credit of $206 during one day, in this case less then 20 minutes, that I lose my money and they keep the returned item.

How can they say they are honest when I buy something in good faith, with an expected return policy that I've known for the 40 years I’ve been doing business with them, and the product does not meet my needs, that the company can change a policy and not inform the public of such change, neither in the store, or store signage or on your web site or in mailings or in your advertising, only finding out about this new policy after the fact while returning an item

How can you say you are honest, when once I spend my hard earned money, you force me to use my money exclusively in your store, when I want nothing in your store right now.

How can you say you are striving to be Canada’s most trusted company when I’m deceived into thinking you have a return policy, only to find out it’s changed, all the time knowing that US based companies have more liberal return policies, and you have my money and will not give it back to me.

How can you let individual Franchisee’s make local policies that seem to be contrary to a company’s policy or made simply to suit their own ideas of what your company’s policies should be.

How can you condone a policy that does not encourage customer loyalty

Well Canadian Tire, you have lost a customer.