And not even in a GOOD way. (Which, hey! Still available, emotionally-aloof millionaires!)
I’ve mentioned how we’re poor, right? Like, eleventy hundred times or something.
So I was slightly APESHIT when I got a free coupon in an email for a FREE PAIR OF PANTS FROM GAP. Dude, that’s like the lottery around these parts! When you have days where you’re seriously balancing food and/or utilities .. and I know MANY of y’all get this .. getting a coupon for a FREE pair of PANTS from a store like THE GAP was seriously a pick-me-up I needed.
It was part of their promotion for their new “fits” of pants .. the Modern Boot, the Curvy, the Perfect Trouser, and the Really Skinny. Try on a black pair and whichever fits you best .. take home! (Good August 16-22.)
Our only Gap in town is now 20 minutes away, which is not a big deal in most cities, I know, but .. that’s GAS. And have I mentioned that we’re poor? So I planned for Tony to go down for a nap, and I’d abscond to our outdoor shopping extravaganza.
It was approximately A MILLION DEGREES outside. I wasn’t dressed to the nines; I was wearing denim capris and an Alabama tshirt. Roll Tide. And flip flops. I did not give the appearance that I had any money. Cause .. I don’t.
I couldn’t get ANY employee to give me the time of day to ask about the coupon .. I’m a stickler for expiration dates, “certain exclusions may apply”, all that jazz. And I hate spending time shopping. That’s just me. So no one would talk to me, and that’s cool, so I grabbed a black pair of each fit and let myself into the dressing area.
Well — SURPRISE — the Curvy worked best for me. I was pretty stoked because 1) FREE PANTS and 2) I really DID like the way they fit. The material had a touch of stretch, the cut left no gap in my waistband when I bent over, and I could see myself wearing these pants with heels and/or flats.
When I approached the counter, the tall gentleman asked if I was ready to check out.
“Well,” I said, mentally preparing myself for anything, “I just need to make sure that this coupon is still good. And applies to these pants.”
He looked it over and declared it good. And on these pants, no less.
He started typing .. look, I worked in retail, and I know what A BITCH coupons can be .. and then he paused. “Let me try this again,” he said and typed. He paused and then looked at me.
“This coupon is used,” he said.
“I’m sorry?” I asked. Of all the things I was prepared for, I wasn’t prepared for this.
“This coupon has already been used,” he said. And he RIPPED IT UP IN FRONT OF ME.
I just sat there. Dumbfounded is a good word. Jaw open. And a little bit EMBARRASSED.
Granted, there were MAYBE two other people in the store. We’re not talking about massive public humiliation, but still.
I felt that super hot feeling behind your eyes when you know you’re about to lose it, so I thanked him (I THANKED HIM) and left the store.
Sarah of three months ago would’ve soothed herself by buying something else. But Today Sarah has NO MONEY. So instead I went into a beauty store and put on the most expensive perfume I could find. I could at least SMELL wealthy, I thought.
I came home and tried to tell Bryan the story of why I hadn’t come home with any pants (seriously, I had been acting like these free pants were friggin’ magic pants delivered by Santa Claus himself), but I started to tear up and couldn’t get through it.
I .. I worked in retail. And, frankly, I worked in a higher end retail store than THE FREAKIN’ GAP. And if a customer came in, presented an EMAIL coupon, and we had an issue with the coupon? We’d make it work. Because that’s what customer service IS. I’m not even demanding free stuff that is uncalled for .. THE COUPON WAS EMAILED TO ME DIRECTLY FOR A FREE PAIR OF PANTS.
But whatever. I’m more than pleased to not shop there in the foreseeable future. It helps that I don’t have any money to shop there anyway, but this..? Will not be soon forgotten.
Gaaaaaaah. I hate it when the world conspires against people I like. I really, really hope that you’ll write to the company’s customer service department (or call them directly) to explain what happened, and how disappointed you are, and how you won’t be shopping there again unless they’re able to sort this out for you posthaste. Not only were you out the gas money and, well, pants, but you were publicly humiliated. Y’know? NOT COOL, GAP.
Anyway, there is still good customer service out there in the world, even if that particular store sucked at it.
… the hell?? Why did he not even investigate or ask questions about the coupon before TEARING IT UP? GEEZ. What a jerk.
Since it’s totally too late to kick the serviceless bastard in the balls, I would TOTALLY email corporate and tell them what happened because that’s just crap.
.-= Rougie´s last blog ..Rougie Unplugged =-.
I agree with others — call/email corporate. That’s an AWFUL way for them to respond!
Oh my gosh! That is horrible customer service and I hope this works out for you. If you don’t want to call, find the most blunt person you can and have them call for you! My boss would strangle me if I acted this way to a customer.
Can I please go kick his a** on your behalf? Used?? How was that even possible? Didn’t you even argue with him?
And girl, just because you don’t have money does not mean you have to let people treat you like you don’t have any money (which is easier said than done, I know!). You are not defined by your bank account!! You are an awesome woman who deserves your pair of free jeans, dammit!
SURPRISE! Gap employees in August are rude. Why? All the college kids who were working there have left. Leaving behind only the people who work at The Gap (because they have no other options) there. So….they are not the brightest.
Don’t email corporate. They’ll only email
you another used coupon. You should be able to email that location, let then know that you will have to seriously reconsider shopping there in future, and you will recommend the same to
your friends and family. Nothing will happen, but you’ll feel better. Hey, do you remember the employees name? Email me if you do.
This disgusts me. I will boycott with you.
Oh man, I’m so sorry. Now I just want you to get your pants because that’s just ridiculously rude. I hope that you do email Gap corporate, and that they make this right for you.
I think Leah of @agirlandaboy went for those and was told the coupon was a fake. She got sucker punched too.
I’m so sorry honey. I had no idea that happened.
You definitely can’t let this go. That was totally rude and unprofessional. How dare he tear it up without even discussing the situation further with you! Call the store and talk to the manager and email everyone you can think of.
I did a Google search and it looks like they have had problems all over the place with the coupons being rejected. It drives me crazy when cashiers and managers won’t do what they can to make that right, because they have to know that corporate is having issues with some of the coupons. If they don’t, then Gap has some really crappy communication, because I’ve seen other stores manage just fine. I know the coupon went out to a limited number of people so they don’t want to be doing overrides for anyone and everyone, but that’s what happens when you send out an exclusive coupon campaign and the codes don’t work. Like you said, it was an email coupon, not something that was just randomly posted online, and not fixing that is just horrible service.
(When did Gap get to thinking they’re all high end anyway? I thought they were supposed to be affordable. Unfortunately, they have the only maternity pants I’ve found that fit me, so I’ve bought their overpriced stuff recently, and it’s killing me!)
Ugh, I am so sorry you had to go through this. Find out who the manager is, send him this post, he will cringe.
And know what I love, how you found nice perfume to make yourself feel better. That is totally something I would do too.
awwww…. that’s so LAME. i’m sorry :-/
What utter bullshit. Even if the coupon is a fake, did that give him the right to tear it up in front of you? Absolutely NOT. Please call and report him to local management. That little Gapster needs to be in the unemployment line.
((((((((My friend))))))))
This is an incredibly crappy thing. What a jerk – seriously, who TREATS people like that? And a customer to boot?
I would absolutely email corporate. I’ve never much liked the Gap, myself, mostly because of this – their people tend to be jerky.
Sending a whole bunch of love your way… I have SO been where you are.
.-= bessie.viola´s last blog ..and just like that… once per year =-.
This made NPR the other night — or some iteration of it did. The story certainly wasn’t the same as you report, so not sure if it was the same problem. The NPR story said that millions of people were trying to use free-pants coupons that had been e-mailed to them — but that the coupons were fake. No mention of “used” — just fake.