For the past decade, I was probably the most ardent Kohl’s shopper there was. I loved the prices, the merchandise and never had a big problem with customer service. I can’t put my finger on what specifically happened or when it happened, but the store started to lose it shine for me.
I bought a new house a few years ago and looked to my favorite store for a lot of redecorating. I picked a specific design for the kids’ rooms, their bathroom, the master bedroom including an en suite bathroom and new linens for the kitchen and guest bath.
I had transitioned to more of an online shopper by then and set out to order almost everything on the website. Me being my cheapskate self, I looked for discounted items that would work within my design plan.
Unlike some other sites, it Kohl’s didn’t indicate how many of each item are left. I spent hundreds on towels, bedding, bathroom accessories, rugs, etc. I eagerly awaited the arrival of my purchases.
Things trickled in slowly and one box had the completely wrong stuff. I ordered bathroom rugs, waste baskets, soap dispensers, towels, etc. from a specific collection, but since my shower is glass enclosed, didn’t order a shower curtain and since a huge picture window over the tub had obscure glass, it didn’t need a curtain. The box contained two shower curtains, two window curtains, no waste baskets, no towels and one soap dispenser was broken.
A customer service rep told me over the phone that I could take the items back to any store. O.K. But what about getting the things I did order. Turned out there were no more online, but I could try the stores. So she gave me a list of stores in metro Atlanta — at the time there were probably about 20 — and the phone numbers. I was supposed to call around looking for them items.
It took hours and most of the stores were so busy that most had nobody available to check to see if my items were on the floor. They all suggested I come in. So I went to three stores and found half the things I needed. I was so tired and so disgusted with the experience that I started resenting my decision and hating my new house.
I complained to an online number, but they seemed indifferent to my plight and asked me what I expected them to do. I really didn’t know. So a few years later, many Kohl’s across the country are shutting down — namely the two closest to where I live.
I had stopped frequenting Kohl’s as often after my unsatisfactory experience. Did others experience similar frustrations or was Kohl’s fate just a sign of the retail times. I certainly can’t answer that. But, I still do a lot of shopping online, but like many people, I also do a lot in person. If I have issues with one aspect of a company, it will certainly affect everything else.