[US] TRU price matching

77ncaachamps

Two things:

1) A local TRU said they will be adding shipping costs to every item that is price matched from now on, since they were not doing so (and were out of compliance).

I remember getting told this when TRU's price matching policy first was enacted.

Just a heads up to those who don't get the shipping charge when PMing with TRU.
I guess HQ has spoken and notified those stores out of compliance.


2) When price matching, my TRU manager said that it disqualifies the purchase to count for any promotional item (i.e., polybag).

Zathras

How many reasons does TRS need to make for me to never set foot in their stores again...

If it wasn't for the two superhero poly-bags (raccoon & electro) it would be close to 3 years since I bought any item of any sort from them.

busumoe1

I'd be curious how they determine the actual cost of shipping.  I have prime with Amazon and I also get free shipping with Target with my RedCard.  Or are they saying that the extra shipping charge is based on TRU's own shipping rate?  So if the item is over $49, there will be no shipping charge?  I also have ShopRunner, since TRU is a partner... would that matter? 

In any case, for me, it's never say never.  If the price is right, I'd still buy from TRU. 

eggshen

This has always been their policy. Just like anywhere, the application of policy is dependent upon who is behind the counter. Some workers stick to rules, some don't know the rules and can't be bothered to learn them, some know the rules and intentionally disregard them (AKA Engaged, Disengaged, and Actively Disengaged in business the business world).

The employees at my local TRU are very engaged and always stick to the rules for everyone. Gotta admire that.

busumoe1 their website says they look at the shipping costs of the competitors: 

• Competitor shipping charges will be calculated and factored in the cost of online prices.

I have only pricematched Amazon for items over $35 and WalMart for an item that was ~$80 so I haven't had to tackle this one with the workers there. As always YMMV!

77ncaachamps

@eggshen is correct. This was the policy from the start and as we all know, there are just some workers who don't enforce policies sometimes with good or bad outcomes for the consumer. Like I had mentioned earlier, I went to TRU to try out the PM policy when it was rolled out. I was told that they had to charge shipping.

So @busumoe1, this was the process: they logged into the website I wanted to price match (like Amazon but just the major retailers not mom and pop stores), made sure it wasn't sold by a third-party vendor, and continued the checkout process until the website provided the shipping cost. Yes. HOW LAME. They wanted to PM the item and then tack what usually was an ADDITIONAL couple of bucks which killed the deal. And if you're in a state that doesn't charge for online purchases, it kills the deal even more!

[TRU pretty much prices their sets around 5% (or more) higher than MSRP (some of the newer releases get the MSRP). So to fool yourself that you're actually "saving" money by PMing with TRU's prices is faulty.]

When I was updated at my local TRU store which was NOT enforcing the policy that they will be, I told the employee (assistant manager, I believe) that charging shipping on items that are $25-$35 or more is shooting TRU in the foot. What's the point of me stepping into TRU AND pay for shipping costs when I can just order it online from Amazon, Target, or any major retailer that will SHIP for FREE when I hit the $25-35 mark or even ship free to their store? I told her to share this with her district/regional office because this may have been the last time I would ever shop physically at TRU. I also mentioned to her that my Target Red Card (debit not credit) gives me 5% off my purchase whereas the TRU Rewards membership (non-credit card) rewards me at just 4%.

They're nice people at my local TRU but the PM strategy needs to be reworked for them to remain competitive, if that's even possible at this point.

ryjay

I think TRU employees are interpreting their own policy incorrectly.  The shipping charges are only charged if the competitor you priced match with charges shipping...." Competitor shipping charges will be calculated and factored in the cost of online prices."  If the competitor doesn't charge shipping, how can they be factored in?

But this isn't unique to TRU, Walmart and Target miss interpret their policies, too.

77ncaachamps

@ryjay That's why if Target will ship $25 for free or Amazon will ship $35 for free (no Prime shipping) TRU should honor it and not assess the shipping fee.

daveace21

I have done customer service for over 15 years..both on the Corporate level dealing with businesses and also on the retail level...and i have NEVER experienced such pathetic, sad, and just plain bad customer service in all areas of a company. Starting with the in store people, the 800 overseas call center idiots, and last but not least, even their people located at their headquarters in Wayne, NJ.
I really thought once I took my problems to the top levels of the company, someone would wake up and do their job correctly....but no luck...
I did not give up and this went on for over three weeks worth of emails, phone tag, voice messages, promises, etc !!!
I must have spoke with 10 different people in total this year AT THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE COMPANY !!!!
But in the end, the joke is on anyone who walks into TRU and pays MSRP (or usually above) for any lego set.
And I am so sick and tired of having to ask to see the "secret stash" of polybags that they hide behind the counter !!!"

77ncaachamps

@daveace21 tell me how you really feel. :)

Find the good people in each industry and stay with them.
The rest are dumb, jerks, or just money driven.