Lynda vs. Canadian Tire (Rounds 2 and 3)

Some of you may remember Round 1 of the Lynda/Canadian Tire throw down, which involved me desperately wanting to get winter tires for my car. Well, fast forward to July, when I decided it was time to take the winter tires off my car.

I wanted to be sure it wouldn't snow.

Okay, I was also very lazy.

Anyway, where did I go for my automotive service needs? Good old CT. I figured I was one up on the game, since I already had the tires I wanted to go on my car in my possession. They had been in my trunk since the CT guy put them there.

Anyway, so I dropped the car off for its appointment. I come back an hour later, and I can see my car still suspended in mid-air, sans tires.

"Two of your tires are unsafe," they say. "You need to buy new ones."

Why didn't they call me before this??

So, I agree to buy two tires on sale in the flyer. Then Buddy comes back, not once, but twice, because they don't have the tires in stock. Then they have to put the tires on. So, instead of a one hour appointment, my car was there for two and a half hours. And I'm pretty sure they charged me for installation of the tires I bought, even though I read somewhere that if you do buy tires there, installation is free. Grr.

Anyway, today was Round 3. When I was gripped by my apartment therapy frenzy in the spring, I bought a rug for my living room area. At Canadian Tire. It was a nice rug. However, as soon as I unfurled it, I knew it didn't match anything. But, I let it sit there for a while, until I was utterly convinced that it was unsuitable. Then I rolled it up and put it in my bedroom.

Well, in anticipation of my new couch's arrival (next Friday!), I am trying to declutter a little, so I decided it was time to return the rug. Except I couldn't find the receipt. So I tried to call to see what their return policy was. I was kept on hold for 45 minutes before hanging up in a huff.

Forty-five minutes. And still no one picked up!

Then I lugged the rug out to the car and scooted off to the store, hoping to catch a real person. The girl at the desk told me I needed the date of purchase. I tried to fudge things a bit by saying it was a gift, so I didn't know the date of purchase (and really, the rug was a gift from me to myself, so technically, it's not really a lie). So I had to go back home (with the rug) and find some evidence of date of purchase, then head back over to the store to try again. Luckily, it worked this time (I spoke to a different, more friendly salesperson). However, I forgot to bring back the CT money they gave me, so I lost out on 80 cents of my refund.

What lessons have we learned so far about doing business at Canadian Tire?

1. Even though the store is called "Canadian Tire", perhaps one should not buy tires there.
2. One should always keep one's receipt, or at least know off the top of one's head the date of purchase for one's item.
3. One should not call the "customer service" department at the store. One should visit in person and wait until one can speak with a competent person.