My Rant About Staples

I apologize for appearing to have fallen off the deep end over an envelope, but I've been rather peeved for two weeks now and I feel I need to share my peevedness with cyberspace.

On October 2nd I ordered some online-exclusive black invitation envelopes from Staples. Ordinarily I would suck it up and pay for shipping, but I was very excited to see that Staples offered an in-store pickup option for no charge. I opted for this, and checked the order info online every few days. Every few days the page was the same. Estimated date of arrival was 10/12/12, and it was "Shipped From Warehouse: no box status available." I just checked and my order status is still "Shipped From Warehouse: no box status available."

On the 18th, I finally got a call from Staples telling me my order was in. By this time, I'd already hand folded (ow...ow...ow) all my own envelopes and had no need for the ones I had ordered, so I didn't rush over to get them. I waited until yesterday to pick them up, as a matter of fact. When I got to the store, I patiently waited in line at the checkout counter (which said "Customer Service" on a big sign above the cashier's head) with my online printout and ID, which the confirmation notice told me I was required to present to pick up my product. When I got up to the register and explained to the cashier that I had ordered some envelopes and was here to pick them up but was hoping it would also be possible to return them as well since I didn't need the anymore, the cashier looked at my printout, told me he didn't think I'd actually paid, but I'd have to go over to the customer service area. I got all confused (cuz, yaknow, HE was supposed to be customer service) and could only figure he was sending me to the copy center. I went over to the copy center and gave them the same shpeil about wanting to pick up and return the product. They said they had to call their manager. The manager came over. I gave him the shpeil. He called another associate over and told her to take care of it. I then had to give HER the shpeil. She was very nice, retrieved my box from behind the counter, then took me back over to the register to process the return. Of course, processing such a return required us to wait for the manger to come back over and key in his ID.

Here's the kicker: they had me sign the paperwork they had with my order. According to this paperwork, the estimated delivery date was 10/5. The form said the customer was to be contacted three days after it was delivered on 10/8. I was contacted on 10/18.

WTF? Does that not seem a wee bit tardy to anyone else?

Regardless, I was able to finish up my transaction and left envelopeless with the $7.50 back in my bank account, thanks to the one associate worth her salt.

This leads me to my question: What's your worst shopping story? How has corporate America abused you lately? Do tell! (Misery loves company, after all.)