Debenhams

RossendaleRed · 10-12-2006, 19:35

I had the misfortune to go to Bolton today, christmas shopping. We got their early, about 10.15am. Debenhams was open but you couldnt buy anything till 11am. I was after, amongst other things, a good roasting tin, i mean a quality one. I had my eye on a £80 one but had 25% off. I took it to the counter to see how much it would cost with the 25% off. The lady told me she couldnt help me as it was before 11am. I didnt ask to buy at that point, just to see how much. She refused to tell me. I then asked if she could lend me a calculator, she refused as she could not help me before 11am. I looked at them both and couldnt believe it. I walked around the corner and saw another woman, stocking some shelves. I asked her which floor customer services was on (i was going to complain). she looked at me and said "she couldnt help me as it was before 11am". I said to her that all she needed to do was say which floor it was on. She again said she couldnt!!

Am i just being sensitive or is this behaviour unacceptable?

lettie · 10-12-2006, 19:42

Completely unacceptable. I would be firing off an email to their customer services team. What is the point of allowing customers into the shop if their staff are not allowed to help you before a certain time. I thought that the Sunday trading laws only allowed sales for certain lengths of time (6 hours I think). I didn't think it prohibited staff from answering a question..

mani · 10-12-2006, 19:44

so if u nicked anything

they wudnt b able to detain u cuz its before 11?

excellant!1

thats the christmas shoppin sorted!

slinky · 10-12-2006, 19:44

I would have dropped the roasting tin and jumped up and down on it a few times too...............

I mean come on what they gonna do?? ring the police!!!

I don't think so it was before 11am they couldn't have done that either

RossendaleRed · 10-12-2006, 19:48

its disgusting isnt it? The sad thing was that i bought the bloody thing!! I will be writing to debenhams. good job i wasnt feeling ill, i shudder to think if they would call an ambulance!

panther · 10-12-2006, 20:31

sorry but im more shocked about you going for a roasting tin costing £80

who the hell would pay that even with 25% off, crikey !!!!

RossendaleRed · 10-12-2006, 20:38

Its for our kid, he is into cooking and making proper gravy, that means putting the roasting tin on the gas and making with the juices from the roast etc. If you buy cheap ones the gas flame goes right through the tin, hence the cost. this one also has handles to make it easier

steeljack · 10-12-2006, 20:41

Shopping on a Sunday !!!, you should have been in Church

entwisi · 10-12-2006, 20:41

I'm surprised you can't knock 25% off in your head. Its not exactly difficult with the figures you are talking.

25% = 1/4 so a £80 pan would be reduced by £20.

The law says they can't sell you anything, thats all, they can do absolutely anything excpet accept payment.

grannyclaret · 10-12-2006, 22:42

what was the point of the shop being open at all ????????????????????????/

WillowTheWhisp · 10-12-2006, 23:01

Maybe they just opened earlier so you could have a browse round first before buying but it does seem a bit silly that they couldn't answer questions even if they couldn't open the tills until zero hour.

I wonder if they thought you were winding them up as 25% off £80 is such a simple calculation? Maybe there had been other people prior to that trying to insist on buying before the tills were open and they perhaps thought you were one of those taking the Mick.

jedimaster · 11-12-2006, 00:48

heavy duty roasting tin with roasting rack (so you can collect those wonderful juices for gravy)

£10.00 in ikea !!!!

Billcat · 11-12-2006, 13:55

Doesn't seem like very smart business practice. If the only legal prohibition is that they could not ring up the sale before 11 AM, why not do the right thing and be courteous and helpful to customers, whenever they are in the store? Better not to open the doors earlier than 11, if that is the way that customers will be treated.

Anyone in the retail trade will tell you that the real battle is getting the customers into the store. A maltreated customer usually results in a lost opportunity and, if they tell their tale, often multiple losses. Only a bonehead would set up the policy you encountered, RossendaleRed!

***Mr D*** · 11-12-2006, 14:08

That is Bad Attitude from the staff.

I would be kickin off, infact I wouldnt of left the store until I saw someone in higher management who appologized (at the least).

silvermain · 11-12-2006, 15:05

[quote=RossendaleRed;349917] I took it to the counter to see how much it would cost with the 25% off. quote]

I cant believe you actually needed to go to the counter lol!!!!