Pet World, Ltd review: Watch your receipts 1

We recently purchased at this store an aquarium product that was marked on the shelf as being $7+. When we returned home with our purchase, including this item, we found that this store charged us over $10, half again the price as marked on the shelf.

I phoned last night to request a refund, as Wisconsin law prohibits such a mark-up: what is marked on the shelf must be the price charged at the register.

Instead I was told by an employee that his manager said there was nothing they could do for me. I asked to speak with the manager, and she told me she was "not going to argue with" me "over a coupla bucks" and hung up the phone on me. She had also accused me of swearing at an employee, which I most decidedly did not. This manager was rude, discourteous and obnoxious. When I politely suggested to her that for her sake she learn better customer relationship skills, she shrilly and loudly accused me, "Now you're threatening my safety? You're threatening my safety?" I replied, No, I said, for your sake, s-a-k-e. The manager said, "Thank you, but I know how to spell." And hung up on me a second time. I've been treated worse by few if any businesses than this.

I next phoned the number listed as the address for the corporation and spoke there with an employee who apologized for the response I received. She offered to have one of the owners contact me this morning. It's now the close of this business day. I've called back twice and gotten no phone call from the owner as I was promised.

Given we've spent thousands of dollars at this business for more than 22 years I would expect far better treatment than this. Even if I were a new customer I would hope to be treated better than this.

This may may be "only a coupla bucks" to this manager and this business, but like millions of Americans I've been unemployed for more than a year. We purchased the product based on the marked price and what their employee told me was the marked price.

Bottom line: check your receipt carefully if you choose to shop at this location. Better yet, shop at another pet store. We will from now on.