My Conversation w/AAP LiveChat Support Today. LONG

[tony1679]

Let me start by saying I am a huge fan of AAP. Let me also clarify that they have ALWAYS made things right in the end, on every single issue. But they really need to work on getting some language barrier issues worked out. I will not elaborate on how, I will only start problems/raging lol. Yes, I could have done better on my part to simplify the conversation, but I wasn't asking why the sky is blue. Anyway, here was my conversation, note anything in red is not part of it, just my commentary/edits:

Thank you for choosing Advance Auto Parts. A representative will be with you shortly. Thank you for holding.

Thank you for chatting with Advance Auto Parts and Batteries. You are now chatting with Angie. How may I assist you today?

Angie: Hello! How may I help you today?
You: Just 2 questions.
Angie: I'd be happy to help you with that.
Angie: May I have your name, please?
You: 1. Your current ad lists 5 quarts of Valvoline Synpower(or Maxlife Full-Synthetic) and a Fram Ultra filter for $29.99, but it specifically states filters UP TO $7.99. All of the Fram Ultra filters are ABOVE $10. I'm confused....
Tony: 2. If I go (->)into a store(span> to purchase this deal, can I use a manufacturer's coupon?
Angie: Good evening Tony.
Angie: I will do manual adjustment in the price to provide you oil special.
Angie: In oil special is not possible to use discount and discount is just online not at the store.
Tony: What? That's not what I asked...
Angie: Are you seeing oil special for $29.99, right?
Tony: Yes. So is "filters up to $7.99" a typo or is there an upcharge?
Angie: That's the reason I told you I will provide you $29.99 for oil and filter since at shopping cart you will see full price in both items.
Tony: I don't want to purchase these items online. I want to purchase them in-store.
Angie: You can ask for special oil and they will help you.
Tony: Right. But my question is, will they reduce the price of the filter to make it a total of $29.99 + tax, or will it be 32.xx + tax?
Angie: Yes, they will provide you $29.99 in both items before taxes.
Tony: Ok thank you.
Tony: But I still need my second question answered.
Tony: Can I use a Manufacturer's coupon in-store?
Angie: No, since discount is just online not at the store.
Tony: NOT a DISCOUNT.(

)
Tony: A MANUFACTURER'S COUPON...
Angie: I was checking it is not possible it is just with the brand.
Tony: Wait, what? What does that mean?
Angie: In order to assist you better let me transfer you to our support team. They can help you with this inconvenient.
Tony: Ok...?
Please wait while I transfer the chat to the appropriate group.
All representatives are currently assisting others. Thanks for your patience. Thank you for holding.
All representatives are currently assisting others. Thanks for your patience. Thank you for holding.
All representatives are currently assisting others. Thanks for your patience. Thank you for holding.
All representatives are currently assisting others. Thanks for your patience. Thank you for holding.

Thank you for chatting with Advance Auto Parts and Batteries. You are now chatting with Frank. How may I assist you today?
Frank: Hello!
Frank: Would you mind holding for a few minutes while I look into the chat transcript for you?
Tony: Sure.
Frank: Than you!
Tony: Language barrier issues...
Frank: Thanks for your patince!
Frank: I'm sorry for the confusion. I'll forward this to the appropriate team to update the advertisement. And, we do only accept the Advance Auto Parts giftcards at our store, Manufacturer coupons are not valid.
Tony: Manufacturer's coupons on a specific product are NOT accepted?
Frank: I am sorry that we do not accept the manufacturer coupon at our store.
Tony: May I ask why? I don't understand.
Frank: We do offer a better discount at online than that.
Tony: Not on motor oil you don't...(

)
Frank: I would like to know what discount that the Manufacturer offered you?
Tony: There is a Valvoline coupon for $10 off the purchase of (2) 5-quart jugs.
Frank: May I know the part # of the Valvoline item that you like to order?
Tony: I have no idea.. I guess a 5-quart jug of Valvoline Maxlife Full-Synthetic 5W-30.
Frank: Thank you! Please let me check and assist you.

This went on and on, I'll spare you all of any further agony. Again, in the end, they resolved the issue and I was 100% satisfied, but it took 45 minutes. Moral of the story (IMO): AAP, I love you guys, truly. But please get people that speak fluent English, and please teach them how to spell/type.

P.S. - Please bring Wix and Lubegard to your stores (and online).

Edit: The conversation still ended with them NOT accepting Mfr coupons. I still don't know why.

 

[edwardh1]

who did you call?
local store?
or 1 800-

and maybe their real names are not angie, or frank

 

[Bud]

If I make a customer service call and get someone from India on the phone I get off the phone. My blood pressure cannot handle it.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

The unfortunate fact of our modern world is that very few customer helplines are going to be staffed by people who are truly proficient in English, guess that would be too expensive. I had a nightmare experience with Dell customer service while I was trying to buy an all in one and ended up with an HP instead.

We had a brief spate of nonstop calls from telemarketers who must have been in/from India, including one who screamed, "HELLO SIR, MY NAME IS RICH-ARD JOHN-SON!!!!!"
I was laughing so hard that I couldn't even tell the guy where to go before I hung up.
Had a call a few years ago from a similar sounding guy who informed me that my PC was infected and I needed to go log in and follow his instructions to fix it...clearly, he was trying to get me to load some phishing software. It was lunchtime so I told him I was going to log in, put the phone down, and made a sandwich. I went back to the phone and was amazed that he was still there. Told him that I couldn't remember my password and asked if he knew it since he obviously knew a lot about my PC. The guy yelled, "YOU FORGOT YOUR PASS-WORD!!?!?!" I apologized for making him mad and told him I'd try again, sat down and ate my sandwich. Went back to the phone and he was STILL there...I told him that I tried lots of passwords and couldn't log in, but the drink holder came out of the front of my PC so I had a place to put my soda. The guy was started to reply when another voice cut in and screamed something in Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, or whatever and we were finally cut off.
My wife and daughter were in stitches!

 

[CourierDriver]

lmao............................New World Order..

 

[spackard]

You could just Google the answer:
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/o/paymentmethods
... Manufacturer and store-only coupons are accepted at any Advance Auto Parts store.

 

[dlundblad]

You actually said language barrier issues?

Being polite gets you many places in life.

 

[mclasser]

A lot of times, the chat feature on websites isn't worth using when you have a question that deviates from their usual script and prompts. Now, if you told them you wanted to make a purchase this very moment, watch how fast and smooth the process would've went.

 

[tony1679]

Originally Posted By: spackard
You could just Google the answer:
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/o/paymentmethods
... Manufacturer and store-only coupons are accepted at any Advance Auto Parts store.
......So I had to jump through hoops

, they lied to me

, they lost a sale because of it

, AND I had to jump through hoops at Wal-Mart to get them to match AAP's sale

. AND ULTIMATELY I GAVE MY MONEY TO WAL-MART FOR NO REASON?!?

Fail. Well, now I know. Thanks spackard for the info, I was still thinking they didn't accept them.

 

[tony1679]

Adding another lackluster experience to this thread. I asked a LiveChat agent two days ago if my local AAP would price match my local Wal-Mart on oil. I was told absolutely yes. I remebered the above incident, and called their 1-877 number, and again was told yes. I then was proactive and read ALL of their policies. Twice. No red tape. So yesterday I went to go price match the oil, and was also going to use a manufacturer's coupon (now that I know AAP takes them). Guess what? No cigar. Wal-Mart's (everyday) price was "below the minimum threshold" and the employee could not override the price. They were willing to honor it, but physically could not. They said to call the 1-877 number. They also said a Manufacturer's coupon could not be used when price matching (which is wrong). So I call and explain, they tell me "it has to be handled at the store level." So being stuck, I call a different store and speak with a store manager. After explaining, he said that the employees are not at fault. Even he, as store manager, tried the same thing (yes, he actually tried) and had the same result.

It's sad, even a store manager is unable to close a sale.

End result: bought at Wal-Mart. It's incredible though, even they tried to deny the coupon, until I got short with them. A csm had to tell the cashier I was correct. And the cashier looked like a 30 year old with a college degree. Not the typical "dumb" image. I know, I know, he's working at Wal-Mart...

I just don't understand why people are SO uneducated regarding coupons. It's a very basic concept of retail.

Bottom line:

AAP - fix your systems. If you are going to claim price matches are honored, your employees should have the ability to honor them. This is not rocket science.

AAP & Wal-Mart - PLEASE teach your employees what a coupon is. Seriously, I'm begging you....

 

[MinamiKotaro]

You can't stack discounts at AAP, unless it's a Speed Perks coupon. The system will only allow one discount, e.g. military discount, employee discount, coupon, sale price, etc. The system *may* allow a coupon if it is somehow greater than the amount of the discount, price match, or whatever, but you wouldn't get the combined value of the discount *and* the coupon, just whichever was greater.

Price matching Wal-Mart is generally impossible, as well. As mentioned, Wal-Mart's prices are too low for the system to allow a match.

 

[tony1679]

^^^This is my point.

You are correct minus one little detail, you are mixing the term discount with coupon. I agree if you are referring to a store coupon, but a manufacturer's coupon is an entirely different thing. A store discount and a store coupon are basically the same exact thing, so I agree, you can't stack them.

A manufacturer's coupon has absolutely NOTHING to do with a discount. It has no relevance whatsoever to cost, profit, or loss. If a person uses a manufacturer's coupon on an item, it is considered an "alternate form of payment." This coupon is treated as cash, both by the customer and the retailer. It is only considered a discount by the manufacturer. Why? Because the retailer is reimbursed the value of the coupon from the manufacturer. Meaning the manufacturer is offering the discount, not the retailer. This is why you should ALWAYS be able to stack manufacturer's coupons with store discounts. Why do you think retailers often increase the price of an item when a coupon is released (Wal-Mart

)? The retailer will get the higher price (unless discounted by themselves), but the customer is the winner by getting the coupon (the discount from the manufacturer).

If a retailer accepts manufacturer's coupons, it doesn't matter what the cost of an item is before the coupon is applied. That is determined by the retailer. If the retailer wants to offer a discount, great. If not, fine. Regardless, they can NOT deny a manufacturer's coupon. That is a separate discount determined by the manufacturer. Period.

Why should the retailer deny a sale to a customer after the retailer sets the price (with or without discount)? Cash and coupons are both worth the same amount to the retailer.

 

[Garak]

Yes, correct. And, the more coupons submitted, the better, really. What retailer wants to mail in 30 or 50 coupons when they can mail in triple that? Mailing in a single coupon would be such a waste of time for the retailer he'd probably pitch the thing and not bother, if it was small enough. Stuff an envelope with them, and it's worth it.