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Use a fake number instead of arguing about my unlisted one: I hate lying, and at the time I was at Michael's arguing with the twit about it, it had become the principle of the matter so I wasn't going to back down. (Stubborn? Yes, but I was trying to make a point to her.) Now I do use my fax number, just to avoid that urge to strangle the person who is going to argue with me again.
867-5309 - That's a good one! But I can't say it without singing it, and I'm certain I couldn't do it without laughing! :lol: But it may make for a more humorous transaction so I am going to remember that the next time someone asks for it!
Michael's losing money on the coupons - then either reduce the coupons to a lesser amount so we'll still go there, and they'll still make money off our purchases. Or, gee, here's a thought... improve your customer service so we'll WANT to shop there without a coupon! :?
I used to work at Michaels so I have seen both sides. Michaels is evil plain and simple. I had people complain to me about how rude someone was and they wanted to talk to the manager, it was the manager that was being rude. I have seen the manager give people deals because they complain. When you take something back because it's defective or broken, they claim it and then resell so they are making money on it twice. When you tell them you live somewhere that doesn't get a coupon they will make a fuss but they have one at the main till and will get it for you.
In the store I worked at, we had a water cooler for almost a week. One day there is a note attached to it saying the water costs money so unless someone pays for it, the cooler goes back. The next day it was gone. The manager was too cheap to pay for it but they have 2 large vending machines in the staff room and you can hardly sit around the table because it's too crowded.
Out of the 70-80 people they hired a year ago to open the store, they now have 6 of the original. One woman worked so hard because everyone quit in the framing dept. that she had a heartattack. She went back to work within a couple weeks because the manager 'needed' her. Another woman had a stroke, who knows if it was work related, but she died on Monday, she'd been in a coma for 5 months. If you got sick or needed time off because your child was sick, you would find your hours drastically cut and then you would have no hours and then get laid off but no one would tell you. You had to ask.
It's the nastiest place to work and to shop.
The best thing we can do is email the company and complain.
Kelli
The last time I was in "lower Canada" (I'm in a remote location) my first stop after leaving the airport was Michael's, as I needed some things for Regionals....and some other stuff too!
They had nothing in stock......the shelves were barren......the help didn't have a CLUE what she was looking for, she'd never heard of Making Memories (hello? where are YOU from?!).
When I finally rounded up what I could find and went to the till, I explained that I knew they weren't supposed to give the discount but explained that I was from 500 miles away where there ARE no M's stores.
She hemmed and hawed, then wrote a note to attach to the till tape explaining I was an out of town customer.....the entire time saying "I'm not supposed to".......I told them that Michael's shouldn't discriminate against those who don't live in major centres! She was a bit taken aback but said she intended to discuss it with the manager....I laughed and said "I know about corporations, and they honestly don't care, and nothing will change....but you need to know you have a LOT of dissatisfied customers who are gonna start boycotting if you guys don't get your act together....you overcharge on everything to begin with. Time for Corporate to start thinking about what the customers want, not what they want...." so hopefully it's given that store something to think about!!
__________________ ~Debbi~
Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending. ~Author Unknown
I live on Long Island which is off NY LOL. AC Moore is here now and opening more stores everyday. Micheal's is already changing their stores too look like AC. They have had the market forever and are now running scared.
Don't be surprised if they go out of Business all togeather.
KK
I don't know if they will be going out of business any time soon, I heard that they were opening other stores that will strictly be Scrapbooking only. No other crafts just scrapbooking. Isn't that just wonderful for SU demos trying to get our scrapbooking sales off the ground?
It used to be that neither Michael's or JoAnn's had 40% off coupons. Instead they had reasonable prices (GASP!). As they've started issuing coupons on a more regular basis, it seems to me like they've jacked up their "regular" prices.
For example, have you looked at any of the regular prices for any holiday items? Last summer I was looking at a bucket of chalk. The regular price was something like $9.99. 40% off (what a sale!) made it $5.99. Gee, at Target, the regular price is $4.99.
I'd be happy never having another 40% off coupon, if they'd put their prices back at resonable, competitive levels.
And having potty trained a toddler not too long ago, I can safely say that the only bathrooms nastier than the ones at Michael's are located at 99 Cents Only Stores. They stink, are dirty, and often have clogged toilets and are out of TP.
Don't count on them going out of business anytime soon. They are a large corporation and I can't remember which other line of stores it is but they have another line that they own too.
They are making money off those darn coupons. If no one used them, then maybe they would be hurting. Even with the coupon they are making money. For example, they have a children's set of table and chairs, in Can. it's about $70, Michaels pays $17 for it. It's a huge mark up. That's how they can afford to put stuff on at 90% off after Christmas. So even with that, there is probably something else a person buys at regular price and they are making their money there too.
Kelli
Short4j-That was, by far, the funniest dialog I've read in a long time! You're right, it did sound like Who's on First!! I don't blame you one bit for walking out! I don't know if I would've been able to stick around for as long as you did. Some of these people they hire at these stores are just ridiculous. They take the rules of the store so LITERALLY!! Good for you that you left! I hope you found your item somewhere else!!
short4j- That is hilarious- thank you so much for posting that!!
Our Michael's (there are 3 w/in 10 mi of my house) is starting w/the "list" if you don't have the coupon. The girl told us on Sunday that soon you will have to have the coupon in order to get the 40%.
Our Joann's is OK- I was able to use 2 40% coupons, just had to pay separately.
I tell you, if AC Moore had coupons on the weekend (we don't get the Baltimore Sun on Wednesdays, which is when their coupons are), I'd go there all the time and ditch Michael's!
holy cow! I'm so glad I'm not the only one who thinks Michael's is rude and unreasonable. I was hoping that it was just the store near me, but apparently not. I know there are some nice ppl that work there, but the store's policies can be so rediculous. it's so agervating for me to shop there that I rarely even go there unless there's an item that I want that's on sale for more than 40% off, or if another store near me doesn't have it, and I need it NOW. Robert's is the other big craft store near me, and they'll let me use a 40% off coupon everday if I want to. I like that store much more! and whoever said that if it weren't for their coupons they wouldn't go to Michael's anyway, I'm with you!
and what an unbelievabel conversation. it's prety funny how dumb that clerk was! lol! anyway I'm just glad not to be alone in my feelings towards Micheal's and their policies.
BTW I'm new here. it's fun to read all your posts.
Michelle
Oh I just hate the service at Michaels! Many horror stories about that place. I try to avoid them at all costs, but sometimes they are the only option.
As to the whole phone number issue, I have an unlisted number too. But I also understand why they want the number... for collection reasons. But on the flip side, I don't want people having my number, which is why it is unlisted. But they always seem to insist on a number. Since I know I won't be bouncing any checks, I give them the number of the credit union the check is drawn on. Now I work for the credit union, and it is the largest in SW Washington, and most people know the number since it ends in 4000. And it is already printed on the check... right below the Credit Union's address! I have gotten a few raised eyebrows, but no one has every questioned me. And I am not lying... it is a good phone number! You just won't get me on the other end! :lol:
__________________ Nicole
"Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done" Philippians 4:6
OK so I didn't do anything when I was told I had to quit my other job to work at Michaels, or when I found out I was 'seasonly employed' after being told I was permanent, or when I asked not to be schedualed for one day and then got phased of the schedule and had to ask if I was fired or laid off, or when they would change the schedule and not tell anyone and then when we would show up to work, we wouldn't have any hours, I did nothing. But after reading all these posts and after having been treated terribly as a customer...I wrote a letter to Head Office. I doubt it will do anything, and I might get banned from the store. I put my name on the letter and said the manager was rude, the supervisor above her knew of the problems and didn't do a thing, they re-sell items that are defective and that they have claimed already, so they are making money twice on it, and that they have long line ups all the time because they only have 2 checkouts open. I also told them to look at the people they have gone thru since opening a year ago and how only 6 are left out of 70-80. That has to tell them something about the management.
Thanks for letting me vent. I feel much better having written the letter, I highly encourage it. If you sit and do nothing, you can't complain.
Kelli
Short4j,
I went to the michaels out in Westminster this last week, looking for a hole punch so I can make the spinner cards. They were rude out there!!! I intend to stick to the one on 120th. Even though they were out of the hole punch (I finally found one at Michaels in Aurora after hitting WalMart, JoAnns and Hobby Lobby :? ), the staff at 120th seem nicer and more willing to help. I don't know about their check writing policy there though... I was in there a little over a month ago and one of the staff looked at me and thought that I needed a 50% off coupon and gave me an extra one that she had. I was having a day and it actually made my day when I got the coupon! Who knows???
Robert's is the other big craft store near me, and they'll let me use a 40% off coupon everday if I want to. I like that store much more!
I love Robert's...discovered them on vacation a couple of years ago. I just wish they were local to me! I just can't justify a road trip to Utah to visit a craft store!
I have an unpublished phone number (can't even call info for it). I think the phone number is cursed!
My phone number was one digit off from Papa John's pizza place. People would leave messages on my answering machine with pizza orders! HELLO!!!! How many pizza places have an answering machine, let alone an outgoing message like a private number would have!!! I started to just take their orders when they would call and tell them they'd get their pizza in 30 mins! Thank goodness they closed down!
AND....someone used my phone number to return a stolen video game to a store. I had a private investigator calling my house every day trying to get info out of me regarding this...which I knew nothing about! I finally was able to convice him I had no idea who the person was and that I have never stolen anything!
So much for having an unpublished phone number...I'd rather have telemarketers calling me during dinner!
Oh yeah...and the person who had my number before me must have had bad credit. Creditors would call me all the time asking for this chick...it took about 2 yrs for them to get the hint that she changed her phone number! Probably the same person who used my number to return the stolen video game!
The store near me used to put their sales ad in a basket by the front door, so if you forgot your coupon you could go get theirs. Not anymore - you better bring it because they aren't giving any out! I rarely go there at all anymore. Even with SU's backorder issues, it's so much better than wasting a trip to Michael's.
Our Michaels still does leave a pile of flyers at the door, BUT they go to the trouble of writing void on all of the coupons! why even bother?
Last year, I was trying to buy a fiskars trimmer like the ones SU now sells. Everytime it was on sale for $5 off they would be full of them. But, when you could use your coupon, they would all be gone. It wouldn't matter when you came in, they were gone (yeah right)
I have a suggestion. Maybe next time, just buy the paper cutter, full price or sale, then when you get your coupon next, take it back, tell the Cust Serv to hand it back to you and take it to the check out with your coupon and get the 40% off. Am I evil?!
And having potty trained a toddler not too long ago, I can safely say that the only bathrooms nastier than the ones at Michael's are located at 99 Cents Only Stores. They stink, are dirty, and often have clogged toilets and are out of TP.
Ok - I am laughing out loud now!! :lol: I had gone to AC Moore last week with my 2 girls. My oldest said she had to use the bathroom. We walked in and it smelled so bad that she turned around and said "I'll go at home!". She is very picky about that, but even I wouldn't have been able to go - she took a peek in one stall and the face was priceless!! I know it wasn't Michael's, but the story made me think of our experience. :lol: Also, I have only been to our Michael's once in the past 2 months.
__________________ Karen Madison (6/7/00) & Mackenzie (8/22/04) & Trenton Joshua (3/30/06) My Blog WatercoloredDreams
The store near me used to put their sales ad in a basket by the front door, so if you forgot your coupon you could go get theirs. Not anymore - you better bring it because they aren't giving any out! I rarely go there at all anymore. Even with SU's backorder issues, it's so much better than wasting a trip to Michael's.
Our Michaels still does leave a pile of flyers at the door, BUT they go to the trouble of writing void on all of the coupons! why even bother?
Our Michael's have the flyers at the door, however, they don't contain the coupon. It is like they print up 2 different ads - one with the coupon that goes in with the paper and then one without the coupon that they place at their entrance. :shock:
__________________ Karen Madison (6/7/00) & Mackenzie (8/22/04) & Trenton Joshua (3/30/06) My Blog WatercoloredDreams
I got a reply from emailing my complaints to Michaels. They want me to phone the 1-800 number to complain. So if anyone else wants to complain to them, that's what you should do, call them!
Kelli
I love that post about the unlisted number. Thanks for the giggle. I like Michaels because they keep us in business.
Everytime a customer get's bad service at Michaels or can't find what they said on the phone they had I know I'll still be working as a demonstrator for a long time.
:lol:
Here's the phone number...1-800-StampUp...Just kidding...
It's 1-800-241-5689, it's actually called Michaels Complaint Line. If they have a line just for complaints, makes you wonder.
If we all call and complain, something might actually get done.
Kelli
I tell you, if AC Moore had coupons on the weekend (we don't get the Baltimore Sun on Wednesdays, which is when their coupons are), I'd go there all the time and ditch Michael's!
I love our AC Moore- the staff knows me and my mom on a first name basis! Ours will now take competitor's coupons so maybe ask yours since you don't get the Wed paper. On occasion when they have had 50% coupons in store on Saturdays, I would go throught the line 3 times with coupons they were giving out in the store and would make my husband do the same! They are really nice about stuff like this.
Maybe it's all this southern charm and manner stuff we have down here
I'm not sure calling to complain would work. It is their policy of how to make money. I tried to get them to hold stuff for me and special order stuff when I was doing candles. Oh wasn't that a conversation to treasure.
I like Tall Mouse here. If you are looking for something they send someone who actually knows about what it is you are searching for. If that person doesn't know they wait for someone who does to come and help you. When it first happened I nearly fainted right there on the floor.
Unbelievable...I think a copy of all these SPC incidents should be forwarded to Michales corporate office. Maybe seeing in print will be more powerful than individual phone calls.
Michales...I do shop there for some things. Mainly when I'm in a pinch for an item. After all, it is a whopping 5 mintues from my door to theirs - with traffic. I've never had a coupon problem there, but I don't ask if I don't have one. I'm a chicken that way.
I will share a coupon story from JoAnn's. Two Christmas' ago my DH and I were in the market for a new tree. This was when JoAnn's was putting out 50% off coupons. We looked all over, and then went there. We got a BEAUTIFUL pre-lit tree and the store let us use the coupon! Michales would have never done that. We got the $800 tree for half price! I've been a faithful JoAnn's Etc. shopper since! I sew and use the coupons for fabric all the time...and they even let you use them for special order fabric. I've also never had bad customer service there. The staff at our store here is mainly made up by retiree's and they are the nicest ladies.
A.
__________________ ~Alison
Raising children is like being pecked to death by a chicken.
Our Michael's have the flyers at the door, however, they don't contain the coupon. It is like they print up 2 different ads - one with the coupon that goes in with the paper and then one without the coupon that they place at their entrance. :shock:
When they put the weekly specials up on their website, they don't show a coupon in the scan. I don't take delivery of the newspaper, because I rarely have time to read it. I just go to the vending box across the street on Sundays and buy a paper for the grocery coupons. I know there was a coupon last week, because you folks were all talking about it and the midweek 50% off coupon here on SCS!
__________________ Rachel Proud SU! demo and Sci-Fi Geek!
My Stampin' Up! blog "I'm a time traveler -- I point and laugh at archaeologists." 10th Doctor, "Silence in the Library"
I've had disagreeable dealings with Michaels as well. About a month ago I had run out of refill for my mono adhesive, I needed to grab some groceries and stop at another shop. I usually go to Office Depot for my mono refill, but Michaels was in the same shopping centre as the other 2 places I needed to go to, so I just figured I hit there. What a colossal waste of time. They had none of it on the shelves, but there were some in the boxes up on the top. The clerk couldn't open any of the boxes and sell me some because they were doing inventory. I could come back the next day and buy all I wanted.
I NEEDED it that day as I was leaving town the next day for a stamp camp back home. I was torqued, and I haven't been back since. The last thing I needed that day was to tow a 3yr old around the city while trying to find my mono refill.
I too have also had my share of pain and suffering at Michael's.
I think we should just draw up a petition to boycott Michael's and have all of us here at SCS's sign it...maybe it would show them the impact we could have on their business...b-c if we don't go there, then we won't recommend it to our customers/friends/family.
Also, has anyone called the 800 number? I was curious to hear the response. And I cannot believe they have a number just for complaints...HELLO? Isn't that a bad sign to their business?
I've learned so much from this post! My favorite is: So tired that your "hair gets tired!"
I live about 10-15 minutes from a Michaels. My chief resentment is the gas it uses to go there when there is nothing else in the area for me to do, and I'm "saving" just a small amount of money using the coupon.
I'm just posting to give a heads up on price comparing, because from what I can see, Michaels and JoAnn's both have raised the prices on very basic stuff--mono and Staz-on for sure. The Staz-on is 8.99 (Michaels) and 9.99 (JoAnn's) locally--compared to 7.50 in the catalog. With a coupon these prices are competitive but their colors are limited and there are no hostess benefits (not to mention gas and time). Michaels has 3 sponge daubers for 3.99--SU catalog has 12 for 9.99.
My solution to inconsistent sales help? I only shop when I'm in a good mood.
__________________ "I like work. . . I can sit and look at it for hours. I love to keep it by me: the idea of getting rid of it nearly breaks my heart." J.K.Jerome
Unbelievable...I think a copy of all these SPC incidents should be forwarded to Michales corporate office. Maybe seeing in print will be more powerful than individual phone calls.
INKredibly,
Carolyn
Great minds think alike!
One of my girlfriends is a manager and Michaels and she has just as many frustrations as we do but on a different level of course. I was telling her about this thread when I thought about sending a copy to corporate and she thought it was a good idea. So, what I've done is printed out the entire thread and blacked out any type of identifiable information i.e. e-mail address, web address, screen name etc. then I plan on faxing it over to corporate headquarters.
I was thinking of doing the same thing, Tonya! Great minds do think alike! :lol:
I wish I knew of some way to start a petition, or SOMETHING that would get their attention. I think (if they take the time to read it) if they see this whole thread and see how many unsatisfied customers they are dealing with, maybe that would raise their hackles a bit. :? Give me time - I'll think of something........ - J.
Okay...I've come up with a short Customer Satisfaction Survey for Michael's (attached below, in Word). Maybe if we all start filling these out and either giving them to the Manager each time we shop there, or better yet - just start sending them in to Michael's HQ (I would venture to guess that the local manager is not going to take it to any higher level), then maybe they would start seeing that we are a LARGE group, and are located EVERYWHERE, so there's no hiding from us!
The form simply asks a few questions about your shopping experience. You can easily print it out and keep it with you when you shop, then just turn it in. It won't take much time, but maybe it will serve as a voice from customers all over. (There are no identifying factors to SCS so in no way will it be associated with SCS or infer that they support this.) It's totally voluntary, but would be interesting to see if anyone gets any feedback from using it! :lol:
Keep us posted as to what happens when/if you've used it. I'd like to see their faces when they start getting these and go, "What the....?!" when they see they are being monitored! - J.
J.
I love your survey, and think it's a great idea. I would like to suggest one addition. After "Did you have to ask a sales clerk for help?" how about adding the question, "Were you able to find a sales clerk to ask for help?"
I can't tell you how many times I have searched for 20 minutes or more, just to find someone to ask for help!!!! I would have gone to the checkstand to ask, but there are usually just 1 or 2 checkstands open, and there are lines of 8 or 10 people, so can't ask them!!
:( Alicia
Well, I too, have a Michael's story. I purchased a print on-line from Michaels.com............. it came with a 50% framing coupon. So, I decide to go in and have them give me a framing estimate - I figured at 1/2 off it should be decent and it was a large print. So, I don't TELL them I have a coupon (on purpose) and I ask for an estimate - she tells me it will depend on my matting and framing so I just do a quick matt and frame pick and she verbally tells me it will be around $120 to frame - so I'm thinking GREAT it'll only cost me $60 and I'm thrilled! So I pull out my coupon - and she tells me that Michael's is not running a framing coupon that week and I tell her that it came with the print ordered online....... she says 'oh' then imputs everything in the computer......... guess what? The price she NOW quotes me is $150 and that's the HALF PRICE with the COUPON. Now, how on earth could this be????? I took it to my frame shop cuz if I'm going to pay $150 then Michael's is NOT doing it with that coupon SCAM! I only go to Michael's if I have to and I will never have anything framed there!
- april
I'm going to do an expirement this weekend. I will go to Michaels on late Saturday night, at least a few hours before they close. I will check the xyron shelf to see if there is any there. Then IF i can find an employee I will ask if they will be receiving any in any time soon. THEN go back to Michaels if the Xyrons are on sale Sunday. Bet you anything they will have them! Can't use the coupon if the darn thing and accessories are on sale.
I have asked many people what day their freight comes in, and they usually say Tuesday.
April, I think you should take that story and go to your state's attorney general, AND to the media!
In most local tv news stations, there is a consumer reporter that always has a different story that they have investigated. That sounds like one they would love!!
That's just terrible. It makes me sick to hear things like that! Alicia
Many years ago I approached Michael's about teaching a class there in the summer. This was before I was a demonstrator for SU. First they wanted me to "pad" the accesories list needed for the class( put more stuff on so people would need to buy more stuff to make the project) and then they wanted me to demonstrate what the class was so that people would sign up. I ended up working Michael's two days because I knew more about where stuff was than the people that worked there. Then no one signed up for the class so they rescheduled without checking the date with me. Then I get a call saying people are there waiting to take my class(on a day at a time I knew nothing about) and I said I was unavailable. Then the manager screamed at me YOU'RE FIRED ! Don't you ever come in here again! All I could do was laugh... me and my Master's Degree got FIRED by Michael's. Yippee!!! Never been so proud in my life.
:shock:
