Canadian Tire
Reviews and Complaints

I visited the canadian tire store at centre mall in hamilton asking for assistance with a bathroom plumbing problem. The clerk, scott was arrogant, disrespectful and sexist. His response to me when I couldn't perfectly describe the plumbing problem was: "well all I know is that somewhere in the world there is a pipe with a hole in it that needs to be fixed" this was said with a disdainful and sarcastic tone. When I complained to carol, the store manager she chuckled and said:"oh that is just scott's sense of humour" I found this remark dismissive and condoning of his outrageous behaviour so I then called al cunningham (Who is a long way from richie's nice dad...) al said he was sorry and said he would "interview them" and also told me he has never had any complaints about scott before and he was a long time employee. I interpreted that to mean that I was somehow an isolated complainer whose opinion must surely be erroneous. This whole system strived to make me feel disrepectfed and my concerns irrelevant. I compare canadian tire to the home depot who give courses in home repairs to the outdated 1950's style customer service of this inadequate chain store, canadian tire where my friends, family and I used to shop at. Oh and by the way, mr cunningham didn't even bother to ask my name or contact information so I guess i'll just have to assume that he 'gave a good talking to to scott about the little lady who made a complaint'
I't's no wonder big name american stores like lowes are making it a success in canada
Booooooo canadian tire!

Found the Canadian Tire customer service very very rude.I bought a faucet for my kitchen sink, but it was too big and i decided to return it. since i was working I was not able to return it before 5 days that I pursued it. After common customer service questions, the customer service rep opened the package to make sure everything is in package. Then she took the faucet out of package and banged it so hard on the table. By doing this few water drops came out, she got so mad and accused me of not being honest. She was going on and on about it that how home i am not telling the truth! I explained it politely and tried not to interfere with what she was doing. She kept checking the manual and readind it for few minutes. I was standing and waiting for my money to be returned with my receipt in my hand. After a few minutes she started again, by telling me that she has to check it again since company might not take it back and... so on. I said, i never seen such a customer service, people returning the broken stuff! She said, it's because u used it! And she called somebody else to come and finish the return (she just could not handle it with nooo reason) a gentleman came, and I asked for manager. He claimed to be a manager, however, he did not have any name tag or title! I explained the situation.He said that he will talk to lady(still no apology yet). At this time phone rang, the gentleman went to picked up the phone (while there was another lady in customer service who could have done it). He gave me my money back while still on the phone and I left. That's how you will be treated in Canadian Tire in the following address:

11388 STEVESTON HWY
SOUTH RICHMOND, BC
V7A 5J5
Phone: [protected]

You don't believe me go and see!

In 2007 I purchased a car battery, I discovered that the battery does not hold a charge, I went back to Canadian tire Kanata Location, to inform them with my issue with the warranty and receipt papers, they tested the battery for 2 hours, and the test results that this battery is defective. At this time I was walking around the store and shopping from the kanata location. At that time I had moved into new house, and I was buying a lot of things, for the house to renovate etc... plus a GPS system $350 plus tools for the car that I never used yet etc... I used to spend over $300 average a week at Canadian tire location for over 4 months.

On the same day I spoke to customer service, at the auto-parts department. The manager claimed that he can not exchange it for me and he does not have another replacement battery, because another client was there on the morning of the same day and they searched for the same battery and they could not find it.

I stayed there for over that hour just calling for my rights to exchange the battery and reminding the staff of the Canadian tire policy for exchange and replace a defective battery. They refused to help me, because they do not have another batter in stock, I was told go to another location "Bells corners" they might have one or the "barhaven" location. I refused to believe that they do not have another replacement battery, for a brand of batteries that only Canadian tire have access to or owned by Canadian tire stores.

I went by my self the shelf of batteries, I searched carefully and then I found the same brand and model of the battery that I have. I called the manager and I pointed out the battery, and then I requested again to exchange the battery for me. Finally they did honor the Canadian tire policy, and they accepted my request to exchange the battery. The total amount of time and frustrations was over than 4 hours, from the minute I walked in with a defective car battery to the time they exchanged my battery. I continue to be loyal customer to Canadian tire, kanata location.

Later on I discovered that the second new battery was also defective and does not hold a charge. I went back again. At this time, as a repeated client for the same problem, I already know where the battery testing machine is and where how to connect it and test it. I went strait to the location where they test the car battery and I called on a staff member. A young employee with full of energy, hooked up the battery to be tested, and told be the that to come back in 2 hours.

I came back to find out, what I already know that this second battery is also defective and does not hold a charge either. A yellow sticker note was attached to the battery indicating that battery defective. I carried this to another near by desk to exchange it, but the have over 15 batteries is stock. I spoke to a manager at the car part service area. they requested my receipt. I looked for my receipt, I did not find it at that time. I went home, searched, and searched, I couldn't find it.

The battery receipt just disappeared. I went back to Canadian tire, kanata location, I spoke a manager there, he said sorry my friend I need you receipt other wise I can not do any thing for you. I continued talking to the manager. He offered me $10 for the battery and I will have to buy another battery. I did not take the offer.

He offered me something else, he said:" give me your battery, but take the top sticker from it, and keep it somewhere safe, and whenever you find your car battery's receipt you will come back and we will deal with it, because you really do not need the battery to clam your refund you need the top sticker number with the receipt that matches the same number of the sticker and I will deal with it." he added : "At the mean time I will you have to buy another battery and pay."

I did not feel that it is right to pay for another battery where the defective battery still under warranty. I told the manager please look into your records, search your database under my phone number, and you will see that truly I purchased the battery from your store from this cashier just two months ago.

The manager searched the database and truly under my name there is a receipt indicating that at the car service department, I have purchased a battery with all dates and number to validate my clam. With original receipt in the database, and the battery number is there, they refused to serve me and exchange the battery for me. We ended up the conversation at the point of, I buy and pay fully for another battery and they will refund me when ever I find my receipt. I agree and I took the offer.

After two defective batteries in a row, and some other client on the same day returning a battery, so I lost trust of buying batteries from the same Canadian tire kanata location, because I did not have good experience using their batteries at that period of time and this specific location. Do not you? I went a cross the street to a Wal-Mart store and I purchased 3rd batter in just few months. the Wal-Mart batter still doing very very good and I have no problem with it.

After few months, the Canadian tire battery is sitting in my garage. I decided to do something about it, either I recycle it or I look for the receipt before I do so. I searched the house extensively, for two days. I found the receipt. Great. I went back to the Canadian tire location in Kanata. I called for the store manager and a tall manager with name ADAM came, I spoke to him, he investigated the receipt carefully, he verified the numbers, and he found that I am in title for another battery, I told him that I have bought another battery from Wal-Mart, and exchanging it does not do me any good.

He said:"bring me the Wal-Mart receipt and I will give you full refund."

I said: "Are you sure?"

Adam Said: "YES! I need a receipt to photocopy it and to show them a proof of purchase." He pointed his finger up, and he looked up while he is saying this to me. I understood that he wants a proof to show his superiors that he is doing his job properly. I agreed, I left very happy, on Monday June 2nd of 2008, at 6:30PM. I came back on the June the 3rd, the next day and I asked for Adam, the store manager. Some one else with name ALLAN, shorter than the manager that I met on Monday, I said: "Sir, I was here yesterday, it is a really long story, I want to cut it short, If you can call the other manager Adam for me please?"

He said ok, he called ADAM, on the phone and ALLAN, started harassing loudly ADAM on the Phone, saying loudly: "I told you that you can not do this."

ALLAN added : "NO! NO!"

and then ALLAN said to ADAM on the phone :"I AM YOUR MANAGER, YOU DO WHAT I TELL YOU TO DO!"

and then ALLAN added: "YOU CAN NOT DO THIS!"

ALLAN hanged up the phone and ALLAN turned up to me saying:"So, this is the mysterious Battery receipt that all the sudden surfaced up?"

I said :"Well, I had to search the house for two days, because I needed this issue behind my back."

Allan said: "I am the Store Supper Manager and MY decision will over rider Adam's decision and this battery will be refunded, it will be exchanged."

I said: "well sir, by doing so this battery does not do me any good. because I have no use for it, Would you please honour Adam's verbal agreement yesterday, and refund it to me, I do not care if the money was Canadian tire money, I would like to spend the same amount of money in your store. but not on battery."

He said that : "there is no difference between the Canadian tire money and real money!"

Yhen I said but what Adam had told me yesterday is different and it means that it is do-able that you can refund batteries.

He said:"Yes, it could be done, that is a special treatment, but you do not look like special."

Then he added asking me: "Do you want to be treated special?"

I said :"Yes! I am a good client to Canadian tire".

Then I listed few expensive items I purchased of the kanata location, including $350 +tax GPS system and $100 tools, and list went on and on etc... I told him you see some service was done on my cars. He searched the database and he said : "Yes, I see your name, $100 on this car, $150 on another car ..." He started shaking his head and adding in very sarcastic way:"NO, NO, HA HA HA !" and then:"What is this $100 here and $150 there not good. not good at all, NO! NO, HA HA HA!"

I finally decided to take the new battery but continue to call for ADAM's decision and the Previous manager decision which is when ever I find my receipts I will receive full refund.

Thank you,
M.F.

The following letter contains events that happened at the Canadian Tire south, located at 2510-50 ave. Red Deer, Alberta.
On April 26, 2008, I brought my PT Cruiser in to this location to take advantage of the “deal” at Canadian Tire where I purchase tires and receive a free wheel alignment. I received the tires. Terry Hogan put them on and also made the deal with me. First, I was lead to believe these tires were priced at 89.00 each- I paid 97.86 each. I also paid for the labor and other things until the bill came to 518.97. I didn’t expect that but I paid it. I was then told that I would have to bring my car back for the wheel alignment. Three days later I’m still trying to get it into the shop (after traveling 2 different days into Red Deer from Bentley, hoping they would fit me in somewhere). I tell “ Dan”(the name he gave me- @ 22 years old, very rude) that I put a lot of miles on my vehicle and would like the “free” wheel alignment done. He finally told me to bring it in at 3 pm. I did so and met “Dan”. He told me my alignment would take 2 hours (Terry told me ½ hour). I told “Dan” that “my” mechanic said it would take only ½ hour. “Dan” was not friendly. Fine- I needed my car done. He told me to pick it up at 5pm. I left him my cell # so “Dan” could reach me if there was any problems, etc. At 4:52 pm. He calls me and says that the Tie rods and the bushings need replacing (843.53$). I was just steps from the door of the store and went in and asked “Dan” how he figured that. “Dan” got feisty again. I ended up leaving without a wheel alignment, very embarrassed because of his tone (a couple of children were standing there) and he also told me I couldn’t have a wheel alignment until I got this work done. My car had just come from the shop and my mechanic told me that all I needed was new tires and an alignment. I had shopped around and found that Canadian Tire seemed to have the best deal and also I thought they would treat me well (there seems to be a problem when a woman goes to certain mechanics). I brought my car to my mechanic, again, he put it up on the hoist, again and said there’s nothing wrong- again. After missing days of work (because my vehicle is my job), no wheel alignment and spending way more money than I could afford---I am now writing to you. I usually don’t complain and I don’t know if you can do anything about this but I thought it was something you would want to know. My husband nor I will not shop there again.

Thank you for your time.

We bought a Bayside Play center at Canadian Tire. He had to wait at the store for over half an hour before anyone could locate this product. When the stock boy brought out the product my husband told him it did not look like the right one. The stock boy assured him that it was the right one and he had double checked the item numbers.
My husband proceeded to pay $1, 199 for the product and drove it home.
As we looked at the boxes, we discovered that we were given boxes from two different play centers that did not match, and neither one was the play center we had requested. My husband was very upset because in the store he had insisted it was the wrong play center and the staff brushed him off.
The store would not offer us any solution except to return the product on our time and money. We live over 100 kilometers away and had to borrow a friends truck, so to return it we had to borrow vehicle, spend money on gas, and waste our whole day. And they would not even give us a discount or store credit. They were so rude to us about it, and we will never shop there again.

I took my 2004 civic in to get them to replace the wheel stud a $2.97 part and was quoted 1/2 hour which should come to about $50.00 when i returned to canadian tire an hour later they said it took 2 hours and charged me $200.00. I phoned the manager and he said them are the rates and there is nothing he could do about it and then hung up. I phone about 15 other shops and most of them said $30.00 max highest was $50.00.

This is absolutely ridiculous. I hope everyone stops going to canadian tire.

After purchasing a Yardworks lawn tractor I was unable to have a spare ignition key cut for the product. The tractor was bought at this location yet they were unable to cut me a spare key or tell me how to obtain one.

I had the worst experience with these bad people (Canadian tire) , I took my car to them two days ago because it was not starting till after several times so I drove it to them (thought they are a big company with good reputation) and I asked them to fix the problem, few hrs later they called me to tell me that the car need a new battery and alternator and that will coast me almost $500 cad, and I asked them if they are sure that it was the problem they told me yes, so I paid the money and picked my car from their crappy store, just 30 minutes later when I took it to my home I tried to start it and the same problem is there again (it does not start till I try several times) , so I took it back to them and I told them and the bad person who is working in the auto. Service went to me car and started it and it started immediately and I told him that was because it still warm and he did not believe (Like I am lying about my own car) then he told me that they will keep it there overnight and they will fix it in the morning. The next morning I called them and they told me they tried to start it in the morning but it did not start, so the mechanic exchanged a set of plugs (which is acceptable) and he exchanged the oil and the filter (I do not know how he thinks that that was the problem) and they charged me another $100 cad I told them why did you make me pay for the battery and the alternator if they were not the problem and the person there told me, even with all the things that they did it will not start tomorrow in the morning (Look how much he trusted his mechanics work) then after I asked him so why should I pay if they did not even fix the problem he said I will stop arguing with you and you are "rude" can you see the quality of costumer service they have.

I went out to take my car and for my surprise that my car was completely dead, silent nothing work in it, not even a click. I talked to the manager and he tried to start my car and as I said it was deadly silent. So he called the mechanics and they all tried for few minutes, and nothing, so the manager told me they will nt be able to work on it tonight and they will work on it tomorrow. I told the manager that I just want my car as I brought it, and it was running and I drove it to their store, and I am not willing to pay any more money, so the "professional" manager told me we can not make it run again if your not willing to pay, and even if it was our fault so the mechanic who will look for the loose wire or the problem should be paid for his work $ 105cad / hr.

Can anybody believe that there is such a bad service in a developed country like canada. To close the story when I left my car there and I told them to fix it they left it in the parking lot overnight unlocked, so any one was welcome to open the door and take whatever he needs (radio, cd player, baby booster seat, or even their new battery). My car still there and I am looking for a real mechanic to be towed to.

Please be sure not to be fooled by the name of this bad company, I thought the large companies have employees who are concerned about its name, not a bunch of thieves.

Got a rain check at ct for a brad nailer on jan. 13 had to prepay for it was told 4-6 weeks for it to come in it is now march 08 and after yet another trip to ct to get an update we are no closer to receiving our product than we were on jan 13. If you are told 4-6 weeks it should be 4-6 weeks especially for a prepaid item. No one out there could even tell us when it would be coming in.

I took my vehicle to Canadian Tire ONCE for service, only to have the estimated price mysteriously increase by almost %80. I asked to have all the old parts returned, and this request was noted on the work order before the service began. The parts managed to disappear before I arrived to pick up the vehicle, so my willingness to cooperate also disappeared. The situation got noisy and ugly, but I won. Canadian Tire has reached new highs in LOW customer service. And it's not just in the Auto Service Department.

Every area of every CanTire I've visited has poorly stocked shelves, messy aisles, improperly (or unlabeled) merchandise, and items in the wrong bins. Perhaps if they stopped hiring teenagers at minimum wage, and actually TRAINED their staff, most of these problems could be rectified.

And I'm getting really tired of dealing with (otherwise unemployable) females that are too busy yapping with each other to help the customers. CanTire head office isn't the least bit interested in dealing with the situation. As long as they keep making money nothing will ever change.

I strongly advice everyone to avoid the auto service department, and be sure to complain long and loud about every shortcoming.

Ian Millard
[protected]@imillard.com

I had a very bad experience with Canadian Tire Auto Service (2160 Carling Ave, Ottawa) on Jan 13 (Sunday), 2008. They installed a wrong front driving axle at passenger side in my car. After I asked them to restore my car to its original condition, they left the wrong axle in my car and let me drive home. The wrong axle was found and taken out by another mechanic in Tony Graham (1955 Merivale Road) right next day. I picked up my car at Tony Graham and bought back the wrong axle on Jan 16.

If you are interested in this story, go to my blog http://unfair-practice.blogspot.com/ to get the whole story and proofs of my car's condition before and after this problem.

I went in to the Auto center on Saturday afternoon to get a seasonal tire change over and oil change. It was completed after about 2.5 hours on this busy Saturday. As per the sign I let them know what aisle in the parking lot me minivan was in. When I received my keys they had no idea where it was parked. The mall was busy but they could have at least let me know my vehicle was in the Loblaws grocery parking lot. It was dark when I picked up the minivan and I did not not note any problems. The next day during the day I noted a great deal of black grease all over the floor mat, steering wheel and dash board. I took the vehicle in on Monday and the dealer got the same mechanic who serviced the car to clean the vehicle. After I got back to my place I noted two locking nuts missing on the passenger side of the vehicle and subsequently returned to the dealer. After no apology by either the duty service manager or manager and another 2 hour wait I received 4 new locking nuts. In fairness the mechanic who placed the 4 new locking nuts did apologize (even though he had no fault at all). The initial mechanic apologized for his inexperience. My issue is with managers who do not apologize or take responsibility or supervision or new employees. No phone call after the fact, no offer of compensation or good will for my many years as a good customer.