Arrrgggghhhhhh

Oh Canadian Tire, how do we hate thee?  A LOT.  I’m not sure why I keep shopping there when they are such a bad store for customer service.

Last summer I decided to bike to work and went to Canadian Tire to buy a bike.  I spent more than I wanted to but bought a Schwinn because I read good things about Schwinn.  Haven’t you?  Been around a long time too.  The bike was great, especially for my arthritic hands so I was a happy biker.  Later in the summer hubby realized that a part on the bike seemed to be broken and he thought it could result in a bad fall if the part gave out so off he goes to Canadian Tire to have a chat.  He brought along the lifetime warranty from Schwinn and the 1 year parts and warranty from Canadian Tire.  They said that we’d have to bring the bike in for someone to look at.  So off we go again to bring the bike in.  They said yep, looks like it might be broken but a bike speciality person would need to look at it and he doesn’t come in very often.  They’ll call.  They never called so hubby goes by every once in a while throughout the winter.  They’ll call.  Uh huh….but when? 

Winter turns to Spring (at least on the calendar) and in he goes again.  They say to bring the bike in so he does today.  Canadian Tire says yes, the part is broken and they will change it but will charge us and, oh by the way, it will take a month.  Why, are you walking to Wisconsin to get the part?  Well that didn’t go over well with hubby.  Someone will get back to him……….

And they did surprisingly fast.  Canadian Tire admits that the bike was assembled wrong but still will charge us for parts.  Hubby is pretty grumpy at this point.  Someone else will get back to him….

Next phone call – Canadian Tire says that WE should have noticed that THEY put it together wrong.  They say that the warranty is from Schwinn and not from them.  This is despite the fact that the receipt for the bike indicates that there is a one year parts warranty on it.  There final response is that WE have to contact Schwinn and find out who is going to pay for the part and then call them back.

My advice to everyone:  save yourself the heart attack and just don’t shop at Canadian Tire….EVER.  Seriously, what other company out there would treat a customer so badly that they won’t shop at their store again over a part that probably doesn’t cost that much and it is their fault for breaking it?  I can’t think of one.