Columbia's Misguidance And Dismal Post-sales Service
We purchased a jacket, a fleece, and two pairs of shoes from the Columbia store at Ankara Metromall. I encountered an issue with one of the shoes I bought for myself. When I tried the first pair, it felt a bit tight on the sides, so the store arranged to bring a size bigger from another branch. Upon trying the new pair, I mentioned that it felt too big, but the store attendant insisted that according to the training provided by Columbia, this size was normal and that they advised their customers accordingly. Based on this advice, I went ahead and purchased the shoes. However, after wearing them outside for a day, I found them extremely uncomfortable. My calves were aching, and it was evident that the shoes were too big and caused discomfort while walking. I reached out to Columbia regarding this issue. A store representative responded, stating that they couldn't exchange the shoes since I had worn them, but they could only inspect them. However, my complaint wasn't about any defect in the shoes but rather about being recommended and sold the wrong size. Despite clearly expressing this, they insisted that they were calling me for customer satisfaction and that nothing could be done. Disappointed with this response, I contacted customer service. I believe I spoke with a lady who seemed to be the holder of Columbia's commercial rights in Turkey. She bluntly stated that they couldn't assist me, using a rather rude tone. It seemed as if they couldn't care less about customer satisfaction. The problem here is that as a customer, I was misled, resulting in purchasing the wrong product and experiencing discomfort as a consequence. While the root of the problem lies with Columbia, I ended up being the victim, and they didn't offer any resolution. It's just a pair of shoes after all. Neither Columbia nor I will go bankrupt over this. I'll simply give them to a relative to use. However, I'm not sure if I would ever shop again from a company that easily accepts losing customers, provides terrible post-sales service, and talks to its customers in a disrespectful manner. Whether or not I would shop again, I cannot say. But I would advise others to consider the post-sales service I experienced before making a purchase.
No action was taken on the brand's side. In fact, we consumers are the ones who inflate the egos of these brands. There are alternative brands that offer much higher quality services and products. Personally, I have turned to other brands and I believe I made the right decision. I hope that by reacting appropriately, we can let these brands know that it is not us who need them, but rather they who need us.
