OfficeMax — Attraction in Maplewood

11 months ago I wrote a glowing, well-deserved review about a cashier named Kate. For reference, I've left that review attached to this review (at the bottom).

I unfortunately had two extremely negative experiences at this store, both within the last two weeks. The first found me working with a cashier who could not manage to connect me with my loyalty account. After bumbling around for several minutes he announced the system was down. I assume that meant access to the loyalty system because another colleague stepped in, after overhearing me say that I wasn't going to make a purchase unless they could associate the transaction with my account. She managed to both ring up my $100 in HP printer cartridges and associate it with the loyalty account. She knew I was ticked after having waited way too long to make a simple purchase, and she offered a nice apology and made a slight downward price adjustment on my purchase. Did not start out good, but it ended nicely. It just took too long.

Today was completely different. It took 3 separate cashiers to help me return a defective cartridge, pay for shredding 20 pounds of confidential documents, and purchase 2 more cartridges. The first cashier, Casey, was very pleasant but couldn't figure out the system or how to return the defective cartridge. A second cashier stepped in, requested my Driver's License for a "no receipt return" and also demanded to know the plate number on my car. WHAT? Why on earth would that be part of the process to make a no-receipt return? And by the way, I had the receipt with me, and presented it. At which point I was told it was beyond the number of days for a return (by a couple of days). The kicker? I had intended to purchase two new cartridges, but after standing at the register for 25 minutes (no exaggeration) I decided to only buy one. To replace the defective cartridge.

Adding a cherry on top of my bad-service sundae, my store credit for a 'no receipt' return was $55 for the defective cartridge. The new cartridge? $70. To any reasonable person, returning something defective and then replacing it with the exact same item should be a monetary wash. Not at OfficeMax. They required I pay $15 more for the exact item I'd purchased FROM Office Max and that was defective.

As a customer, my only recourse is to walk away. I'm sure they won't care or notice. But with bricks and mortar businesses dropping like flies right now, they SHOULD care. And they should invest in either a simpler system or adequate training for those who are tasked with the job of cashier. There are plenty of other places for me to buy paper, cartridges and provide the services I need for business that won't leave me feeling walked over as a customer. Shame on you guys.

PREVIOUS REVIEW: The cashier named KATE is absolutely fabulous. I've had several positive encounters with her and am SO impressed with her friendliness and helpful attitude. I would actually go out of my way to shop at this location because of Kate. In a world where excellent customer service seems to be dying a slow death, this lady is a shining example of how to take care of customers and...

I'm really only giving 2 stars because they refunded me on both my problem orders.

I ordered marketing docs to be printed. The first batch came back with a white border around the document. I was informed I needed to communicate I did not want this border despite nowhere on the online tool did it say it would come with said border. Frustrating, but not the end of the world. I was issued a refund and instructed how to communicate this to the print center (which is literally me typing in the additional notes to remove the border.. not an actual option when going through the tool).

Fast forward to my reprint coming back and MY GOD it was terrible. They apparently hand cut the pages if you don't want the border. The edges were crooked and some STILL showed a white border. Some of the cuts even cut off the wording on the document. All the pages were cut differently and of very poor quality. I had honestly wished at this point I had just gone with the white border ones because at least they were even.

The issues may seem small but when you are needing professional marketing documents to represent your company it is CRUCIAL that they look professional. Local printing companies cost more but I have never had issues with the quality of work. I will not return to OfficeMax for printing needs. The pricing is what got me but I have learned the low price equates...

I shop at Officemax/depot often. So not a knock on them as a chain, just this store. I looked online for a highback office chair. Found more than in stock for around $99. When I got there I only found one of them (or at least i thought). I compared that one and one at $129. I liked the one at $129 more, but thought the price was worth putting up with the stiffness etc. The woman employee went and got one from back. Before she did I saw her pull something from tag on floor model. I assumed to get stock number. When we got up to register, to my surprise the chair came to over $200. That would be bad enough, but we went back to look. She claimed no one could have removed it. When I asked what she took off before, she denied it. It's one thing to make a mistake, it's another to out right lie. Again this is not a knock on the company, just the employee that i suspect she was a manager. I did buy the other chair at $129. It was a better deal anyway.

Update: about 1 year later the chair I bought didn't last, junk already in...