The Paper Store — Local services in Bellingham

Extremely Disappointed with Customer Service:

I recently had an extremely frustrating experience at The Paper Store in Bellingham (Store #0025). On January 4, 2025, I went to return or exchange a Cape Cod men’s bracelet I purchased on December 14, 2024, as a Christmas gift for my daughter’s boyfriend. The bracelet, valued at $120, was defective and completely unusable.

When I arrived, the sales associate at the register was kind and understanding. However, when the store manager, Laura, was called over, the experience quickly took a turn for the worse. Laura seemed bothered by the request from the start. I explained that I simply wanted to return or exchange the defective item. She stated that because I didn’t have the original box or price tag, they couldn’t accept the return. I then showed her the purchase receipt, which clearly verified the purchase, yet she continued to deny the return.

I asked her to show me where this policy was stated, and she proceeded to read the entire holiday return policy aloud. Nowhere did it state that a box or price tag was required for returns or exchanges.

Then, Laura shifted her reasoning, saying the item couldn’t be returned because it was “used.” I explained that, of course, it was worn—that’s how we discovered it was defective. Despite this, she refused to help. When I asked if I could at least exchange the defective item for a new one, she continued to argue with me and ultimately denied my request.

What makes this even more frustrating is that I’ve been a loyal customer of this store for years. I’ve spent thousands of dollars here, mostly on Cape Cod jewelry items, and I’ve never needed to return anything until now. This experience has left me feeling completely unappreciated as a customer.

It was clear I wasn’t going to get anywhere with this manager, so I asked for the corporate number to file a complaint. To my frustration, corporate was closed when I called.

I will be including a photo of the purchase receipt to support this review. I am incredibly disappointed by the lack of professionalism and the refusal to stand by a...

Hello, I was so very happy to be able to purchase this year's Gift of Giving Snowman as it is on our tree at home and it is lovely. Thank you and Happy Holidays! Hello to all at the Paper Store, I have been shopping for decades at the Paper Store but more so the past ten years on and off; I always try to obtain their charitable ornament for giving to charity with this purchase; this year I missed it because we did not receive the newspaper delivery until after the fact; but once I got the flier, (late) we made our way there to purchase that gingerbread ornament but it ran out/sold out before the event began even. I ended up purchasing a lovely musical gingerbread house and it is on our table as a centerpiece to be enjoyed.

Our car broke down end of last month and we had to use my husband's work vehicle to do our chores this weekend, and the Paper Store was one of the stops. Be nice to all because you never know what one customer is going through as they're shopping in your shop. We were waited on by Register 4 and I tend to think something is known as you're placed with an associate; this happens lots and lots with all dealings and it is annoying for me alone since the associate does not know you, nor you of them. I tend to think otherwise.

Have a good sale this season and remember kindness is best when dealing with customers. Don't fake it either. these are last year's image the ornament that I purchased last year, and this gingerbread house this...

Normally I would give five stars. Unfortunately, this visit was not a five-star event. My 19-year-old granddaughter was with me and wanted to purchase a jelly cat. I saved my coupon from the paper store for her to do just that. When she chose the rabbit she wanted, we were told we could not use the coupon. The exclusions on the coupon are ridiculous. The items that you sell in the store are the items that we wish to use our coupons for. I am a long-time paper store customer and was a Hallmark store customer prior to your name change. I do not find it as valuable shopping in your store if I am excluded from using one coupon on one item. I should think you would want to draw people in rather than send people away disappointed. You are not the only place that sells jelly cats and we will not be using you anymore as our vendor. I will share this information with all of my friends who have teenage daughters and granddaughters who love jelly cats and they will also no longer be using your store. It seems to me like you have let greed get the better of you. Shame on you Paper Store. Jelly cats are a profitable enough item that you could sell one at a discount with a coupon to a customer every few months and it would not cut into your revenue. You might want to rethink the exclusions on...