A couple of weeks ago we decided to visit a local Old Navy store. We had never been there before and found a pleasant town and plaza a few miles closer than the one we normally go to. Honestly? We may never go back.
I had a Gap brand credit card already (not a store card), it had expired a few months ago and I never renewed the card, even though I still had it. I did however have some of the ‘bonus bucks’ you get from the card for purchasing and I wanted to use them before they expired. After all, I earned them (it takes 1,000 points, usually a dollar per point to earn a $10 certificate) so I wanted to use them. At the register the cashier told me that I couldn’t use them because I had to put it on the gap card. She checked with another person (likely a manager) and said she could look it up and renew it for me. This would have made my purchases $3 since I would be cashing in my ‘bucks’. I figured, eh, it’s paid off, I’ll renew it.
So what does she do?
She opens a NEW account (not my old card) that’s a plain old store card for Old Navy. She doesn’t say she’s doing this, she just says $8 is going on the card, saying that I’d gotten 35% off for my expired card. I was like, um okay, but use my coupon and she says ‘you can’t do that, this is a new card with a new number’. The whole point was to use my free BUCKS, lady!
I was completely shell shocked. To have her stand there and say she was renewing my card and then open a new one (with many less features, and NOT what I agreed to) really pissed me off. I think what’s going to happen is that we’re going to take all the stuff we bought back to the OTHER store we normally go to (since we’re headed that way Friday) and then close the card. I may never shop there again.
The customer service was apologetic and got all the information, but of course they can’t cancel the card. I was redirected to the card member services and they couldn’t cancel it retroactively. So now I have a revolving account that I didn’t want. I have no idea what they ‘give’ the cashiers for signing people up for a card, but she has no idea how much anxiety and anger this has caused me. It was DELIBERATE. I checked with customer service and the card people and they said, yes we can see your other account, she should have looked it up and done it.
I don’t wish that she gets fired or anything, but it does NOT make me a happy camper. Or a happy consumer. There are a few items that I LOVE from old navy. But honestly? Other than to return the stuff I bought, to clear off the card? I may not go to any of their stores. I may officially cancel my other card, too.
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Customer service didn’t help me at all. Sympathy? Yes. Resolution? Not even close. Having revolving accounts on your credit report, or accounts that open and close a lot lowers your credit score, to me, that IS hurtful, I have worked VERY VERY hard to keep my credit rating excellent and to have someone lower my score for no reason other than whatever they net by opening accounts (personally or for the store itself) is wrong.
Contact whatever passes for your state consumer advocate. In Oregon I’d start by contacting the attorney general, but not sure. They could probably direct you if they’re not the department you need.
Once you’re back on FB, get the word out, too. It needs to be shared and people need to know.
In her defense, she’s probably just stupid and didn’t know any better.