Complaint Review: Staples/The Business Depot

In December 2001 I ordered a new Toshiba laptop from a Staples store in Windsor, Ontario (Canada) in order to start a new business.

Two weeks after the computer was promised it finally arrived and was handed over in an open box, with the explanation that they had "checked" it thoroughly. According to them, everything was in perfect working order.

After developing a substantial data and design foundation I prepared the computer for CD back-up, whereupon I discovered that the CD software was missing.

It would have been impossible to "check" the computer's working condition without the CD software, and impossible not to notice the missing software.

After 3 weeks of delay tactics and no explanations, management finally pulled replacement software directly off their shelves, a duration in which I could not perform back-ups.

Within a few weeks I had experienced complete hard drive and CD drive failure. The independent authorized service technicians indicated that the product had likely been either used or a demo.

The end result was the loss of nearly 500 files from the hard drive and all CD back-up disks, which had never properly recorded information.

After five months of communications the Regional Manager offered nothing more than a token compromise without addressing the damages done to my business from their unethical practices.
Neither the President of Staples Canada, Steve Matyas, nor the Vice Presidents have acknowledged or replied to my letters.

In today's competitive business environment, one would think Staples would be interested in consumer satisfaction and operational deficiencies. This incident is hardly in isolation; the internet is full of complaints and protests against Staples and its fuzzy ethics.

The age of caveat emptor is over. This is a new day of caveat corporatio. For every company that refuses to take responsibility for their unethical actions, there is at least one competitor with integrity willing to step in behind them.

Make a difference. Take your personal and professional office supply business to anyone but Staples and encourage others to do the same until there is evidence of good corporate citizenship. Use on line suppliers like www.lyreco.com, which operates around the world, or a small local operation.

Damage the bottom line, where businesses like Staples will start to pay attention. You, the consumer, have that much power. Use it.

Sandra
Windsor, Ontario