Staples — Local services in Asheville

I have been hesitant for the past year about writing an honest review of this place, but today was the final straw. I have been in here probably a dozen times, about once a month, and I have ALWAYS left empty handed and had to go elsewhere. After today I will NEVER step foot back in here. The last couple of experiences included: no one in the store knowing what page reinforcers were, despite them being an office staple and the website showing dozens were in stock and available for in-store pick-up; also being sent to 4 different aisles after walking the entire store twice trying to find price tags. The staff is uneducated, poorly trained, and couldn't care less about providing any level of customer service. I have always been ignored. Not once has one of the two associates in the building asked me if I needed help. It's like pulling teeth for assistance. Today, however, showed me just how disconnected they truly are. Went to the copy & print center. I had a sheet of paper I needed scanned and printed on cardstock. The copy & print associate told me it had to be taken in as an order with a 24 hour turn around (let's just ignore the fact that it would have taken longer to fill out all of my information on an order form than it would have to just scan it). I said I needed it now and would use the self-service scanner. I asked for a sheet of cardstock and was speechless when I was told they couldn't provide me with that. I walked out. Staples, hear me loud and clear: YOU HAVE SOME MAJOR ISSUES. Your employees are absolutely abhorrent. I don't know if it is just this store in particular, but I am serious when I say I am done trying to give this company my money. I absolutely despise this store. I will now make it a point to support your competitors. I will also spread the word near and far to stay away from your company. I am...

Background: I am a graphic designer who has taken printing classes.

I worked with the Staples staff on a print job (the first of two discussed here) and had a mixed experience. One person was short and rude. The other was trying his best, but seemed to be subbing from another department and didn't quite know how to process the order. Huge margins of my graphic were cut off, despite having a hefty bleed included in the file and the colors were very dark. On the third try, I got a hold of a really nice guy who did a great job.

Although the first print job was frustrating, I decided to try again for another project. I called at 6pm (three hours before the store closed at 9) to see if someone was available to print a quick proof for me. I mentioned that if it was too much trouble I could come back another day.

The disdain and condescension emitting from the phone was mind boggling. I was treated as if asking for an (at most) 5 minute proof was insulting. I was called "honey," and it didn't seem like the good kind.

Had the person said "I'm really sorry, we don't have time for that tonight" I'd be back in the store tomorrow, no problem! That is why I called ahead to make sure there was capacity first. Instead, I was treated as if I were an idiot, called honey,...

Do not use the printing services! I had about twenty 8x10 photos of a photoshoot that I wanted bound into a calendar for my boyfriend. They not only hole punched the wrong side of these pictures (which cost a lot for me to get them printed in the first place), but they had the months all mixed up, everything upside down, etc.

I left very firm instructions to make sure the pages I handed them stayed in the correct order and she didn’t even take any notes on how I wanted it done, just said “okay” and sat it aside because they were busy.

I understand that things get hectic but I did not have another $40-$50 to spend on printing the pictures again. So I didn’t, and what was supposed to be an exciting gift for my boyfriend ended in me basically being embarrassed to give it to him.

I will say that the lady was very nice overall. Things can get stressful, and I do my best to understand that. But I left the store crying at the finished project because I didn’t have enough money to try again.

They also STILL charged me $20 to get pages bound together and to cut an inch off the printed calendar sheets. And that was AFTER they messed it up 3 times. It’d be different if it could have been fixed. But the photos were hole punched on the wrong side and there’s no...