Complaining Works

It really does!

And I have a FREE $25 value Target gift card to prove it.

HOW did I get it? – I complained

About a month ago,  I posted how the gift card was to be sent as thanks for completing a Photographer’s Edge survey.The questions were answered and an explanation provided that I was no longer selling photo greeting cards.  Completed the survey and got a call that a $25 credit would be given towards future purchases.

NOT what I expected – show me the gift card, and they did, after I wrote to complain and might have mentioned a “bait and switch” tactic and something about reneging on an offer.

For folks not familiar with Target, it’s the second largest discount retailer in the U.S., behind Wal-Mart. It has a bull’s-eye trademark and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota .  In January, Target announced its expansion into Canada where it will operate 100 to 150 stores by 2013.

The closest Target retail store from the VA Eastern Shore is a 90-minute drive north to Salisbury, MD.  We won’t be going anytime soon as gas prices have curtailed some road trips. The GREAT news is that gift cards don’t expire.

If something’s not quite right – COMPLAIN – you just might get what you want (and deserve).

Thanks, Photographer’s Edge for following through on an offer.

Complain — Who Me?

Sometimes, YES!

Especially when there’s a gift card involved – FREE – and all I had to do was  complete a survey and return it for this . . . a $25 gift card ! Count me in for anything free like this.

That’s what was said in the letter accompanying the survey. As a former Photographer’s Edge (PE) customer, the sales rep wanted to know why I had not ordered in awhile.  My last order of frame card stock was nearly 2 years ago.

This is what I used the photo frame cards to produce . . .

A couple of years ago, I had a small photo card business and would sell these at various local arts/crafts shows. It was fun, but  not much profit, so the business ended. My card stock inventory is still sufficient for the next few years (maybe more).

Back to the survey which asked a series of questions about ordering and preferences. It concluded by stating that the gift card would be sent upon completion and return of the survey.

Oh, what the lure of a tangible reward will do – it was one of the fastest surveys I ever returned . (Note: The closest Target retail store is a 90-minute drive north to Salisbury, MD, but  road trips are good and gift cards don’t expire.)

Fast forward to a week ago when a PE rep calls and tells me the survey was received and, in return, I would receive a $25 credit towards any future PE purchases.

WHAT? Did they NOT read my survey, which stated “out of business” and no supplies needed. And, what about that $25 Target gift card mentioned in the letter?

“That was a mistake,” the rep says, adding that” the letter had not been checked” to eliminate that offering and would I want the $25 credit instead.

NO – my target was the Target card – apparently that was not their target. I wondered IF it ever was.

Politely declining the offer, I again mention being out of business and the call ends. Still, it irked me that a company would send the offer and later change it.  So, keyboarding away, I compose a letter to the company president – starting at the top is never a bad thing, besides his name was on the initial letter, so why not? My letter explained that a prime reason the survey had been completed and returned was the lure of a Target gift card. (Most likely I would have returned it anyway, but incentives always help.)

The letter was mailed last week. Today, “Debbie” from PE calls and tells me that as I had been previously promised the Target gift card OR (ready for this?) would I prefer a $25 credit towards a future PE purchase. Hello, anyone listening?

Now, WHICH one do you think I took?  RIGHT, and it should arrive in 2 weeks according to Debbie.

If something’s bothering you, COMPLAIN – it might work out good !

WHAT would YOU have done?
Have you ever complained to a company?