Topic: Canadian Tire business practice rant

[blur911]

So I go to buy some Mobil 1 at crappy tire yesterday.  In the wall of oil there is a 4.4 liter jug, it's $31.99 and what I need so I pick it up.  As I'm walking to the cash there is another couple of jugs on a shelf and these have a "bonus" additional 1 liter shrink wrapped to the side of the 4.4 liter jug.  So, I put back what I had and picked up the one with the bonus.
At the checkout it scans in at $37.99 and I say "wait, that should be $31.99".    After much calling of other departments it was determined that the price was indeed $37.99 and they couldn't change it.  I asked if they had a price matching policy, which they did, and then asked them to match their own price, which they wouldn't.

Basically it comes down to this, at Canadian Tire "bonus" means you will have to actually pay more, it's just a marketing term not pertaining to actual cost.

Since they didn't give me any satisfaction perhaps telling several thousand people on this forum will.

[aknutson]

Pretty much every time I've put 'Canadian Tire' and 'automotive' together in the same sentence, I ended up paying way more than I should have for sub-par work that took too long to complete. I just avoid the place as much as I can...especially the automotive service area.

[Nathan@1010tires]

I signed up for their Mastercard about three or four years ago, and I use it a lot because you get Canadian Tire money which is convenient... If I need oil change supplies or a new pot or garden hose or whatever, it's generally free. I don't think I have paid for an oil change in three years (doing it myself) and I have to use synthetic in the VW. I'm even on the "Options" list or whatever which earns even more money back because I use it so much, but I carry no balance so it's win-win for me. I would probably go elsewhere however if I was paying.

BTW, Canadian Tires are franchised, so I am not sure if these pricing rules you found at this particular store would apply at another.

[blur911]

BTW, Canadian Tires are franchised, so I am not sure if these pricing rules you found at this particular store would apply at another.

They said it was a corporate thing and that's why they couldn't change the price.

[The Mighty Duck]

Which store? Doesn't really matter, just curious.

As to your situation, here's my best guess (having worked for lots of years for CT).

The sale was on CT's regular stock Mobil1, which you can identify because all regular oil has a 29-XXXX product number. The pack with the bonus was probably leftover from a previous special, and had a 99-XXXX product number (or vice versa - the point is, I'm guessing one was a special and one was regular stock). 99-XXXX products refer to stuff the company does not normally carry, and brought in specially for a flyer (usually a "no rainchecks" flyer item, too, since it's not normal stock).

The store paid more for one item than the other, so if they sold it to you at the sale price they'd be losing money.

All of that is obviously not apparent to a customer, who only sees two products labelled "Mobil1", and assumes they're the same thing. Should the store just eat the difference and sell you the more expensive product at the lower price? Maybe - that's not a black and white answer.

That said, their line about it being a "corporate thing" is made up. Individual stores can discount however they like (I believe the only requirement re: pricing is they can't price ABOVE what Corporate says, but I'm not ever 100% sure about that). However, working in retail for a long time, I'm not opposed to a white lie to justify store policy. In the end, it's the same point: policy is policy.

[blur911]

Which store? Doesn't really matter, just curious.

As to your situation, here's my best guess (having worked for lots of years for CT).

The sale was on CT's regular stock Mobil1, which you can identify because all regular oil has a 29-XXXX product number. The pack with the bonus was probably leftover from a previous special, and had a 99-XXXX product number (or vice versa - the point is, I'm guessing one was a special and one was regular stock). 99-XXXX products refer to stuff the company does not normally carry, and brought in specially for a flyer (usually a "no rainchecks" flyer item, too, since it's not normal stock).

It was "The Big One".
 Indeed the $31.99 jug had the 29-xxx number and was regularly priced, the "Bonus" jug was a 99-xxx number, but not really priced like it was a bonus. Nothing was actually on sale AFAIK

[maritime_storm]

When that bonus pack is on sale it's usually $27.99. Most stores(like mine) break-up the bonus packs after the sale and sell it seperately as regular stock or they pull it from the shelves and and designate it as shop supplies or hold on to it until the next sale in order to avoid this specific situation . Obviously that particular store didn't do that.

[Nathan@1010tires]

BTW, Canadian Tires are franchised, so I am not sure if these pricing rules you found at this particular store would apply at another.

They said it was a corporate thing and that's why they couldn't change the price.

I'm sure they have set rules for the whole corporation, but as far as I know most (if not all) Canadian Tires are franchises. I actually used to work at one years ago and the owner at the time had two of them.

[duck]

The actual price should be printed on each and every bottle.   

Everywhere is the same crap service.

[No H2O]

So I go to buy some Mobil 1 at crappy tire yesterday.  In the wall of oil there is a 4.4 liter jug, it's $31.99 and what I need so I pick it up.

Indeed the $31.99 jug had the 29-xxx number and was regularly priced.

Unless lightning finally struck them, I highly doubt Mobil 1 synthetic is "regularly priced" at CTC for $31.99. I'd almost (but not quite) welcome that price considering the regular price of a larger jug of Mobil 1 is $24.50 just across the border. According to CTC's web site, its $45.99.

[Turbo Bob]

I sent CT a complaint e-mail today I was so pissed off with their service.  I hate going there...  Will try to minimise it in future.

[airbalancer]

So I go to buy some Mobil 1 at crappy tire yesterday.  In the wall of oil there is a 4.4 liter jug, it's $31.99 and what I need so I pick it up.

Indeed the $31.99 jug had the 29-xxx number and was regularly priced.

Unless lightning finally struck them, I highly doubt Mobil 1 synthetic is "regularly priced" at CTC for $31.99. I'd almost (but not quite) welcome that price considering the regular price of a larger jug of Mobil 1 is $24.50 just across the border. According to CTC's web site, its $45.99.

This  thread was started a year ago

[initial_D]

^^ ... and the rant continues ....

[sailor723]

So I go to buy some Mobil 1 at crappy tire yesterday.  In the wall of oil there is a 4.4 liter jug, it's $31.99 and what I need so I pick it up.

Indeed the $31.99 jug had the 29-xxx number and was regularly priced.

Unless lightning finally struck them, I highly doubt Mobil 1 synthetic is "regularly priced" at CTC for $31.99. I'd almost (but not quite) welcome that price considering the regular price of a larger jug of Mobil 1 is $24.50 just across the border. According to CTC's web site, its $45.99.

This  thread was started a year ago

And Crappy Tire is just as bad today as it was then 

[articsteve]

But I do like their Mastercard.

[No H2O]

This  thread was started a year ago

And Mobil 1 wasn't regularly priced at CTC for $31.99 a year ago either. CTC cut their huge profit margins? Come on now!

[Gardiner Westbound]

CTC, aka Cambodian Tire, seems to price goods high to later put them on sale. White sticker: Regular price, Yellow sticker: Weekly advertised sale, Red sticker: Clearance sale, Price code: 99-XXXX: One time sale stock. Sale items are not always identified, correctly priced or in stock. Items marked “Sale” or “Great Value” are not always sale priced. Look for stealth fees and inscrutable receipt codes: “ADS” is the sneaky McGuinty ecotax.

Customer care ranges from indifferent to brutal and is rife with secret policies. Successfully returning an item purchased from another CTC store depends on the whim du jour. CTC won't honor lifetime warranties without a sales receipt, even on exclusive house brands. If an item rings through the cash register at the posted price it's probably coincidental. They will not honor the Scanner Price Accuracy Code without a major fight though they are listed as a participant.

A hidden CTV camera caught a CTC mechanic damaging underhood components to justify their replacement. The Automobile Protection Association (APA) urges consumers to seek an additional assessment and quote from an independent repair garage. Always ask for your old parts back. It's the law in Ontario. Request the parts up front so the service writer is aware you will be scrutinizing them.

[sailor723]

They didn't get the nickname "Crappy Tire" for nothing.