So, I had two distinctively different Kmart price matching experiences today. Both were for Animated Deluxes which were in a Target catalog for 21.99.
Kmart Brandon Park
The cashier calls over a manager who looks at the catalog, looks at the toy and says sure
Kmart Northcote
My alma mater. I get pushed to the service desk with a cranky manager who says it has to be in stock and calls the local Target. I ask for documentation of the Lowest Price Guarantee Policy. Target's phone is engaged. She calls City Target. Sold out. I say to call Epping as they have stock (bluff). She says that's too far and they only have to call the closest. Again, I ask for documentation of this additional addendum. Of course, she cannot provide. She relents and calls the third and all three Targets say sold out.
At this point, I start to argue the ridiculous of her argument as the Toy was on sale at Kmart last week. It's on sale at Target this week and it will be on sale at Kmart again later this week and that both companies are owned by the same company. I ask why she would risk alienating a great customer in order to further her "pleasure in rejection". I mention that I price-match all the time and this is the first time these additional requirements have been added. She's very frustrated and goes to get another manager. He comes over and is extremely pleasant. First question he asks is, "How much is the difference?". "$5", she says. "Just do it," he says as he wrinkles his forehead. I explain to him my frustration of a lack of documentation. She's still trying to argue with me peering around his sides at me, saying she just called Big W and Target and they have the same policy to which I questioned the relevance as they were not the home of the "Lowest Price Guarantee."
Now, here's where it gets interesting....
We start getting chummy and he starts talking about how there was this Big W catalog with an item for $15 that they were selling for $40 (anyone?) and how that it was well below cost and they would lose money if they price matched (I personally never got a chance to do that). I asked him how he rationalized this to a customer expecting the Lowest price guarantee. He couldn't and didn't answer. I reinforced that the policy needs to be more clearly documented to avoid mixups like this in the future. He agreed and asked if it was just the one item I wanted.
I said there's still another at the register and if you don't mind, I'm going to go grab another three!
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Originally Posted by Krayt
