I feel like Britney Spears- Oops, I did it again......................... I use a slightly open Panavise as an airbrush holder. I fit the hose through the slightly open jaws and rest the brush on my workbench. It worked great, UNTIL TODAY. It was partially disassembled when ...... All on its own, it must have opened the vise and levitated itself out of position and onto the concrete floor. No problem until I disassembled to clean the brush. a. the assembly that looks like a colette at the rear bent when the brush hit the floor right on that part. b. the rear spring went on an adventure, probably never to return. I have five kits that I want to do before things get hectic later this month. I figured that since I have a 40% off coupon at Michael's, I could get another Badger 150 pretty cheap. BUT, after I was on line at the store to pay for 40 minutes, I was informed that the item was on sale at 25% off. I asked to be charged the regular price and then 40% off. No good. The logic escaped me, but now the conundrum. Do what I want to do, when I want to do it, or walk out of the store? My "need" was greater than my logic. I bought it at 25% off. NOW, the really dumb thing. After I just used my new brush, I realized I could have ordered the missing/broken parts at Dixie Arts on line for a lot less than a new brush. I did so. It was a LOT less. Now, within a week, I can brush with both hands, a practice recommended by the American Dental Association.
Michael's is famous for the "on sale" ploy. You should have gotten the regular price and been able to use your coupon. Michael's pulls this regularly when any larger purchase is tried with a coupon. I realize you were in a hurry and wanted to get finished with the projects, but this would have been a golden opportunity to raise a stink and if there were that many in lines, for others to see how Michael's are cheap, cheating merchants. I bet there was not sale 25% off sign on the air brush? When the price is not noted on the shelf/item on sale it is the Michael's way to cheat you out of the coupon. I use Badger too, and wish Hobby Lobby carried parts. But, thankfully we have the internet when we aren't in a hurry. Next time make a scene, it feels good especially when there is a line of people behind you and you demand to speak to the manager and refuse to move until the situation is settled. Even if they refuse to honor your coupon others get to witness how cheap and underhanded Michael's is. What you experienced is a common Michael's practice, well documented on the net. Doc
Howdy-- For a situation like this my thought is don't make a fuss in the line which, for the most part, punishes other customers and store employees who really can't do anything about the policy. Instead, write a letter, a real, honest to goodness letter to the executives of Michaels (names and addresses are quite easy to find on the web). Tell them what happened to you at the store and make it clear that your intention is to not continue to shop at their store. While store managers and district managers may not "get" your value as a customer, company executives do. You are much more likely to get some satisfaction at this level. The only power we have in an increasingly corporate world is our voice and our money. Go on the record with your concern in a letter. Then stick to your guns and don't spend your money where you are not valued as a customer. --Rick
I think you missed the point. It is the executive management that determines this policy. According to nationwide reports this is the policy of Michael's. It is deception and openly practiced by Michael's et al at the behest of corporate executives who determine and mandate lying to the public. Doc
I agree with you Docgeoff, If I get to the counter and they state the products on sale and I can't get my 40% it stays on the counter and I exit. They are overpriced to begin with and if I don't have the 40% coupon I don't even entertain buying there.
Once you found that Dixie Art has the parts, couldn't you just returned the air brush? I would open the package first and then return it so they can't sell it at new and have to return it to the manufacturer.
Already opened and used when I got the Dixie Arts brainstorm. The manager did come over. I asked what the regular price actually was and he couldn't tell me since the register was preprogrammed with the discount on the price.
Foth "Now, within a week, I can brush with both hands, a practice recommended by the American Dental Association." Don't forget to floss between your gons. (Ouch, I know it was bad. Had to do it though. )
Arguing in checkout lines. On several occasions, I have been behind someone who is arguing over the price or a percentage of discount at a checkout line. I have found that by offering to pay the complainer the difference out of my pocket so I do not have to listen to their tirade against the store, they usually shut up. Only once have I had to make up the difference, about $2.00, and it was worth it to avoid standing in the checkout line another 15 minutes. You're not angering the customers behind you about the store's policies, you're angering them about your inconsiderate behavior. :angry:
Joanne's does exactly the same thing, over and over. My wife now buys through a seamstress friend, her former partner in the greenhouse business, who gives her wholesale prices on everything. I simply refuse to deal with Michaels. There's a great art supply store here, Langell's, that's a bit more expensive but that has everything. I enjoy shopping there.
Thats funny, I thought I was the only one whom would pay to silence someone's diatribe at the checkout counter.
Have you ever paid for someone else's purchase in exchange for their coupon that would give you a much larger discount?
Well look at it this way, you have plenty of spare parts. I too have the Badger 150 and I love mine, had for nine years. The Aztek I was using earlier this past year wasn't working right so out came the Badger. I too don't make the tirade in line, I vote with my wallet. I may have not payed for the brush, even if it had cost me 40 minutes of my time. If a store cannot treat it's customers with respect and honesty, I don't want anything to do with them.
I think that MOST retail stores do the same sort of thing. Their ‘fake sale’ coupons come with so many small print restrictions with bold taglines like: ‘XX% off your next purchase’, or my favorite ‘XX% off of everything in the store (except for 75% of it eliminated through the small print restrictions). In my opinion this is pushing well into the definition of deceptive advertising. Stores like JC Penny, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Michaels, and even Sears are long time big offenders. The best you can do is always read the fine print and expect the item you want to be in the restrictions. For me it usually is.
